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Tart Plum Jam Without Pectin

Categories Appetizer/Snacks, Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthy Recipes, Sauces, Side Dish, Vegan/Vegetarian

I love this tart plum jam without pectin because it’s perfectly sweet and tart and showcases the amazing flavors of a plum! I like to taste the fruit in my jams and a lot of time they are so full of sugar that you are really just tasting sugar with a touch of fruit. So with this jam I wanted to showcase the sweet and tart flavors of a summer plum and do it without added pectin!

Did you know that plums were one of the first cultivated fruits? Plums also have a lot of natural pectin in them so no need to add extra pectin, this jam will set up to a soft jam texture and over time it sets to a firm jam texture when it is simmered long enough. It’s super easy to make and you can get away with adding less sugar than traditional jams because you are not adding extra pectin which requires sugar to activate.

I am using a friar black plum that has a purple tart skin and a yellow fleshy, sweet center, you can use any plum variety for this jam though. The flavor a tartness will vary slightly depending on variety of plum but they will all taste delicious!

I have added instructions on how to water bath can this jam so it will be shelf stable for about one year. This jam is great over toast, in tarts, cookies and desserts and it can also be used in savory dishes for a sweet and savory flavor profile. I love this on turkey sandwiches! It’s similar to a turkey and cranberry sandwich, another one of my favorite combos.

These little jam jars make for great Christmas presents! Pair them with a loaf of your favorite bread (I love pumpernickel, sourdough or rye) and you will have a really nice gift for those you love.

What you need to make tart plum jam without pectin:

makes ~50 ounces and will fill 14 – 4 ounce jam jars

  • 5 pound plums or 12 cups plums- pits removed, skins left on (you will end up with around 4 pounds of fruit)
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Remove pits from the fruit but leave the skins and cut plums into chunks.
  2. In a large stock pot, add plums, sugar, water and lemon juice.
  3. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring consistently.
  4. Reduce heat to a simmer.
  5. Plums will release their juice and start to disintegrate into liquid as they cook.
  6. Simmer for roughly 30 minutes or until jam is thick and begins popping and bubbling out of the pot.
  7. You can leave the jam a little chunky or use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.
  8. Clean and dry jam jars and add jam with a 1/2 inch gap at the top.
  9. Place lids on and loosely tighten the rings, don’t over tighten or it will prevent a seal from forming.
  10. Boil water in a water bath canning pot or large stock pot with a basket or prongs that you can easily add and remove the jars.
  11. Bring water to a boil, then add the jars.
  12. Boil for 10-12 minutes, higher elevations boil for 12 -14 minutes, lower for 10 minutes.
  13. Remove from water and let sit on a counter top at room temperature until centers pop in and create a seal.
  14. Allow a day to check for the proper seal. If they are not sealed, then open, clean lids and re-water bath these again.
  15. When they have a proper seal, they will be shelf stable for roughly one year.
  16. Refrigerate after opening and they will last in the refrigerator for one month or longer.
  17. Enjoy over toast, in cookies, tarts or whatever you want to use it for.

Here are a few other plum recipes you may love:

Print Recipe
4.63 from 8 votes

Tart Plum Jam Without Pectin

This easy to make jam is perfectly tart just like the fruit and sets up great without the use of added pectin.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
canning rest time1 day 12 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Sauce, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: appetizer, Fruit, jam, Sauce, Side dish, Snacks
Keyword: Fruit, jam, Plums, sauce, side dish
Servings: 14 small 4 oz jam jars

Ingredients

  • 5 pound plums or 12 cups plums- pits removed skins left on (you will end up with around 4 pounds of fruit)
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  • Remove pits from the fruit but leave the skins and cut plums into chunks.
  • In a large stock pot, add plums, sugar, water and lemon juice.
  • Bring mixture to a boil while stirring consistently.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Plums will release their juice and start to disintegrate into liquid as they cook.
  • Simmer for roughly 35-40 minutes or until jam is thick and begins popping and bubbling out of the pot.
  • You can leave the jam a little chunky or use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.
  • Clean and dry jam jars and add jam with a 1/2 inch gap at the top.
  • Place lids on and loosely tighten the rings, don’t over tighten or it will prevent a seal from forming.
  • Boil water in a water bath canning pot or large stock pot with a basket or prongs that you can easily add and remove the jars.
  • Bring water to a boil, then add the jars.
  • Boil for 10-12 minutes, higher elevations boil for 12 -14 minutes, lower for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from water and let sit on a counter top at room temperature until centers pop in and create a seal.
  • Allow a day to check for the proper seal. If they are not sealed, then open, clean lids and re-water bath these again.
  • When they have a proper seal, they will be shelf stable for roughly one year.
  • Refrigerate after opening and they will last in the refrigerator for one month or longer.
  • Enjoy over toast, in cookies, tarts or in savory dishes, turkey sandwiches or whatever you want to use it for.