Plum Jam 2012

We made jam with the plums(Satsuma) from the backyard today. But we tried a different way of making it not such long process. We picked the plums then cleaned and quartered them and then stuck them in the freezer as neither of us had time to finish the jam that day. So it sat in the freezer for about 2 weeks until we pulled it out this weekend to finish the jam process.

Next time we might take it one more step but doing the puree in the food processor and then ziploc bagging and freezing it.

The best part was when we made the jam to day it took less than 3 hours when it usually takes 5+ hours.

And here is Mom's recipe for plum jam.

Easy (But Long) Jam Instructions

Everything you wanted to know about making jam but wished you hadn't asked.

Warning: This method of inverting the jars for sealing can only be used for jellies and jams that have a high sugar and pectin content. When preserving all other foods, you must use either the boiling water-bath or the pressure canning methods to avoid dangerous bacteria growth. In the right conditions, these bacteria can develop quickly and can be deadly.

Tools List

All tools must be hard plastic, glass, or stainless steel. These are all non-reactive materials. An example of a reactive material is aluminum. Wood and porous plastics can stain permanently and might contain bacteria that will contaminate the jam. If you use metal utensils, they must be stainless steel and not conduct heat.

1     One large glass measuring cup that holds at least 8 cups and has a pouring spout.

2     At least 6 half-pint canning jars with lids and bands. There are 2 standard tops: Regular and Wide-mouth. Either is fine but be sure to select a funnel that fits the jar you buy.
Note: Bands can be reused if not dented or rusted. Lids can only be used once.

3     Long tongs, preferably with rubber/vinyl tips for picking up jars and lids from hot water. These can be left in the Dutch oven as the jars simmer. Doing this eliminates getting germs or bacteria on the tongs and then transferring it to the jars.

4     A long-handled spoon for stirring jam and removing the foam from the boiling jam and a long-handled ladle for filling jars. Hard plastic works best because these utensils will sit in the jam for a long time will not conduct heat.

5     A candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer.

6     Oven mitts to protect hands, especially when using an instant read thermometer.

7     Plastic funnel with opening that fits top of jars.

8     2 small glass or non-reactive plates.

9     A clean damp cloth for cleaning the tops of the jars.

10   Heavy rubber gloves to handle hot jam jars after filling.

11   Stainless steel pans: Dutch oven, shallow wide pan, deep saucepan. See Workstation 1-On Stovetop for details. Note: NO TEFLON.

12   A tea kettle or non-reactive container of boiling water to add to the Dutch oven water level.

Workstations

1     On Stovetop

         a.    One large, deep stainless steel container (such as a Dutch oven). It must be deep enough to contain and completely cover 6 or more 1/2-pint jars with gently boiling water.

         b.    One shallow stainless steel pan with enough room for at least 6 lids to be covered with hot water.

        c.     One deep stainless steel sauce pan large enough to contain the plum/sugar mixture while allowing at   least  3-4 inches of headroom. As the jam boils, it expands and raises several inches of boiling foam.

2     Next to Stovetop (the jar filling workstation)

          a.    One glass plate where you place the funnel when not in use.

          b.    Another glass plate for foam skimmed from surface of boiling jam. This is also useful as a spoon rest
               when you take the spoon out of the cooking jam.

          c.     A clean damp cloth for cleaning the tops of jars after filling

          d.    Heavy rubber gloves.

3     Separate Dry Area (one to two foot square dry area for filled jars)
     a.    Thick dishtowel on which you place the filled jars. Be sure to allow an area large enough to leave 1-2 inches between all jars. They must not touch or breakage can occur.

Recipe

Ingredients

5 c. pitted and quartered plums (approx. 2.5 lbs)

4 1/4 c. granulated sugar

          OR

4 c. pitted and quartered plums (approx. 2 lbs)

3 1/4 c. granulated sugar

·        Do not double recipe. A doubled mixture often will not jell properly. Also, your Dutch oven would need the capacity to hold 12-14 half-pint jars to successfully execute this large volume.

·        Ripe fruit is best, especially if the fruit is low in pectin and you plan to add pectin when making jam. Plums contain a good bit of pectin and sometimes I toss in a few pieces that are a little under ripe to ensure an adequate jell.

Instructions

1     Wash, pit, and quarter plums. Gently tap down the quarters to eliminate large air spaces. Continue till you have the amount you need.

2     Chop in small batches in your food processor till you reach the desired consistency. If you like smooth jam, process till most chunks are gone. If you like chunkier jam, leave larger pieces of fruit, dime or nickel size. This does not affect anything except the texture of the final product. * At this point you can put the plums in a large freezer bag and store for  quite some time until you are ready to make the jam.*

3     Place back into the measuring cup and add the sugar. Let sit for at least an hour, stirring frequently to make sure all sugar dissolves.

While the sugar is dissolving and the fruit is macerating, prepare the jars, lids, bands, and workstations.

Final Prep

1     Add water to Dutch oven and shallow pan and heat to boiling. Place the shallow pan on your simmer burner, if you have one.

2     Set up all workstations per instructions on the first page.

3     Wash all work surfaces, tools, jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water. Bands should be dried thoroughly and placed at workstation 2 next to the stove top. If the threads are wet, you might not get a good seal.

4     When the water boils, turn the heat down or off till you start cooking the jam.

Cooking the Jam

1     Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before pouring into the deep saucepan.You don't want there to be undissolved sugar crystals in the jam because they can sink to the bottom of the pan and burn.

2     Turn the heat to medium-high and attach a candy thermometer or use an instant read thermometer after the jam has been boiling for a while. .At Berkeley, CA elevations, the jam is ready to be jarred when the thermometer reads from 218-220 degrees.

3     Stir constantly to prevent sticking and burning

While the Jam Cooks:

4     In the shallow pan, bring the water back to a boil, then turn the heat as low as possible and add the lids, NOT the bands. The water should not bubble at all. If the water is too hot, the rubber seals will be ruined and the jam could spoil. If your burner will not go low enough, turn the heat completely off, then add the lids.

5     Place the glass jars into the Dutch oven and adjust the heat so that the water bubbles very gently. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the water simmering but not so strongly that the glass jars run the risk of breaking. Add boiling water to keep water level above jars.
      Jars must simmer for at least 10 minutes to complete the sterilization process.

6      As jam gets closer to the gelling temperature, the mixture will get thicker and most of the foam will subside, leaving just tiny foam bubbles in pockets on the surface. Skim any thick concentrations of bubbles off the surface with your spoon and place on the plate provided for that purpose. This is done because the bubbles are full of air that could, once in the jar, open and leave room for bacteria to grow and spoil the jam. This cannot go into the jars but you can eat it if you wish. Or you can put it in small jar and refrigerate it immediately and use it on Pancakes, ice cream etc..

Notes:
- Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a rolling boil without letting the jam boil over.
- Be patient. It will take a long time to get to that temperature. It will seem to be stuck just a few degrees under that temperature for a long time. Keep stirring and stay patient.
- You might need to use oven mitts to protect your hands when using the instant read thermometer.

Quickly Fill and Seal Jars:

When ready, the jam will be thinner than jam consistency. It will thicken as it cools and sets.

Warning: Do NOT stop when filling jars until all are filled and sealed. The jam must not cool down before being sealed in the jars. If it cools, the jars will not seal properly and the contents will spoil.

1     When the jam is ready, turn off the heat under the jam and fill each jar as quickly as possible as follows:.

•       Place the funnel into the first jar and ladle jam, leaving 1/8" headspace. Rinse funnel under hot tap water if it begins to stick to jars.
•         Wipe jar rim and threads with clean, warm damp cloth. Rinse out cloth in hot tap water as necessary.
•          Remove a flat lid from the hot water and place squarely on the filled jar.
•          Hold the lid down with your finger, place a clean dry band over the lid, and screw down gently in   place.
•       Using the rubber gloves, tighten the band more, flip jar upside down, and place on the dishtowel upside down. Check your watch.
• .          Place subsequent jars 1-2 inches away from all other jars.

2     After 5 minutes, turn jars right side up.

3     As jars cool, you might hear a popping sound as the jars' seal. Do NOT move the jars at all for at least 24 hours to allow for gelling. (If using this method for other fruits, check the recipe for the appropriate gelling time. For example, apricot jam needs 2 weeks to gel.)

4     After the jars cool, press down on the center of the lid. If the little dome pops up when you release the pressure, the jar is not sealed. This jam can still be eaten if you store it in the refrigerator and consume soon.

5     Store unopened and sealed jam in a cool dark place for a year. Sometimes these jams can last longer. At first, you might be concerned that you have not done everything correctly. Until you are more confident, you can keep all your jars in the refrigerator.

Warning: Before you use an unopened jar that has been stored at room temperature, check the following conditions and, if either exists, do not use the jam:

- Check the seal by pressing the center of the lid. If the little dome pops up when you release the pressure, the jar is not sealed and the contents should not be eaten.

- If the contents of a jar has changed color, appearance, or gives of a funny smell, the contents should not be eaten.