Blue Plum Conserve Recipes

PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine plums, cranberries, oranges, orange juice and 2-1/2 cups sugar. Mix remaining sugar with pectin; set aside. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and plums soften, about 15 minutes. Stir in pectin mixture and walnuts; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute., Remove from heat. Ladle hot mixture into 7 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Place the plums and water into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, and add butter to reduce foaming, if needed. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and then mix in the pectin quickly. Return the jam to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off and discard any foam.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/8 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area. Refrigerate opened jars for up to 3 weeks.

CANNED PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Prepare jars as described in General Rules.
• Combine plums, sugar, lemonjuice, and salt in a stockpot overhigh heat. Bring to a boil,mashing with a potato masher.Skim scum off top.
• Boil, skimming and stirring frequently,until bubbles slow, youcan see chunks of fruit showingthrough top, and mixtureclings to a spoon, falling offin languid clumps, 10 to 12 minutes.Pick up and discard skinswith a fork, if desired.
• Lift jars out of hot water oneat a time, draining water. (See General Rules for how-to's.) Ladlehot jam into hot jars using awide-mouth funnel, leaving1/2-inch headspace. Slide a nonmetallicspatula or chopstickbetween jam and jar to releasetrapped air bubbles.
• Wipe rim and threads of jarwith a clean, damp cloth. Removelid from hot water. Placelid on jar. Screw band downevenly and firmly, just until resistanceis met. Place in cannerand lower into water.
• Put lid on canner. Bring waterto a boil. Start keeping time afterwater comes to a rolling boil.Process 1/2 pints 10 minutes at agentle but steady boil.
• Turn off heat and remove cannerlid. Let canner cool 5 minutes,then remove jars and set themupright on a dry towel or rack.Do not retighten bands. Let jarscool 12 to 24 hours.
• After jars have cooled, checklids for a good vacuum seal by pressing on center of each. If center is pulled down and does not flex, remove band and gently try to lift lid off with your fingertips. If lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off, seal is set. Wipe lid and jarsurface with a clean, damp clothto remove food particles andresidue. Label. Store jars in acool, dry, dark place.

BLUE PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• Grind the oranges and 1/2 lemon in a meat grinder, using the coarsest blade. Combine all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the conserve thickens. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses. Cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When hardened, cover glasses and store.

PLUM PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.
• Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Cook rapidly almost to gelling point.
• As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
• Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Adjust two-piece lid caps.
• Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

EASY PRUNE PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Bring plums, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a pot, mashing plums with a potato masher. Cook, stirring often, until mixture has the consistency of thick honey. Remove skins using a fork. Let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 month).

BALL BLUE BOOK PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Never double canning recipe!
• Combine plums, water, lemon juice, and pectin in a large sauce pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Add sugar; return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Pour hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Adjust caps.
• Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
• Brandied Plum Jam: add 1 cup brandy to fruit mixture.
• Plum Orange Spice Jam: add zest from 1 orange, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg to fruit mixture.