Sweet and tangy, this plum preserves is definitely a favorite among family and friends. It's fruity and chunky and perfect with creamy clotted cream and homemade sourdough toast. If you prefer the consistency of jam, you can blend it!
I've always loved plum preserves. Especially since mom made the BEST plum preserves that I've ever had. Luckily, this plum preserves recipe is a close second! Don't be surprised if this recipe takes you back to your mom or grandmother's plum preserves!
This plum jam recipe makes enough for 7 to 8 half-pints of jam.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- If you have plums that don't have much flavor or are overly ripe, don't toss them! They make excellent plum jam and preserves!
- This plum jam recipe does not require any pectin because plums are high in natural pectin, yay!
- Plum preserves make a wonderful gift idea for family and friends!
- If you prefer the consistency of jam, you can use an immersion blender to make it smooth!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Plums: I recommend using flavorful, juicy plums for this recipe. Luckily, this recipe is also fantastic with less flavorful plums or overly ripe plums.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar
- Citrus: I like to use a mixture of lemon and orange zest and juice in this recipe, but you can substitute one for the other if you need to. If you do decide to substitute lemon juice for the orange juice, use ¼ cup instead of ½ cup.
- Optional: If you'd like to add spices to your plum jam, I recommend a touch of cinnamon.
*A full ingredients list can be found in the recipe card below!
🔪 Helpful Tools
- Large pot
- Potato masher or Immersion blender
- Canner with canning tools including tongs
- 8 half pint jars
- kitchen scale
🍈 How to Make Plum Preserves & Jam
Note: Before you begin, add clean mason jars to a canner and cover with enough water to submerge the jars by at least a few inches. Do not include lids and collars. Bring water to a boil, then turn the heat down while working on the plum preserves.
Step 1: Wash, then chop plums into quarters or eighths, discard pits. Weigh chopped plums with a kitchen scale to equal 3 ½ pounds.
Step 2: Add plums to a large pot or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with sugar then add lemon and orange zest and juice.
Step 3: Heat the plum mixture over low flame until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Bring plum jam to a rolling boil, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until thickened. Mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother, jam-like consistency.
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Pro Tip: Your jam can boil over very easily, so don't walk away from the pot. If it begins to boil over, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it recedes.
Step 5: The plum preserves may need to cook a few minutes longer, until plums are no longer opaque. You want them to be translucent!
Step 5: Skim the foam, as needed, then ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace, wipe the rims with a kitchen towel, add clean lids, and screw collars on hand tight.
Pro Tip: If there's not enough jam to fill the 8th jar, store the jar in the fridge to consume first.
🫙Canning Process
Carefully lower filled jars into hot water. Bring to a boil, then process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. See the chart below to adjust the time for altitude.
Pro Tip: Wait for the pings and make sure all jars seal before labelling and storing them!
⛰ Adjust Processing Time For Altitude
If you live 1000 feet or higher above sea level, you need to adjust the processing time for higher altitude! Follow the times listed below.
| Altitude | Additional Processing Time |
| 1,001 — 3,000 3,001 — 6,000 6,001 — 8,000 8,001 — 10,000 | 5 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes |
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen plums to make plum jam or preserves. Rinse off any ice crystals that may have formed on them before using them.
Add the frozen plums into a Dutch oven along with the sugar until they defrost, and continue on with the recipe. If you are going to freeze plums, it's best to slice them into quarters and remove the pits before freezing them.
Although some prefer to remove the skin from plums before using them in jam, it's really a matter of preference. The skin can add texture and additional fiber to the recipe.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Although some recipes call for peeling the plums, I prefer to leave the skin on. It's actually one of my favorite things about this recipe!
- If you prefer to make your plum preserves without the skin, just blanch the plums for approximately 45 seconds after slicing an "X" on the bottom of each plum first. This helps when peeling the skin off the plums.
- Remember that jam always thickens once it's refrigerated, so do not overcook it!
- To make plum jam, you can either use an immersion blender while the preserves are in the pot or run the preserves through a food processor.
- Plum jam is amazing over vanilla ice cream!
🍓 More Jam Recipes
📖 Recipe
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe
Equipment
- 8 ½ pint mason jars
- 1 canner
- 1 potato masher (or immersion blender)
Ingredients
- 3½ lbs. plums
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Before you begin, add clean mason jars to a canner and cover with enough water to submerge the jars by at least a few inches. Do not include lids and collars. Bring water to a boil, then turn the heat down while working on the plum preserves.
- Wash, then chop plums into quarters or eighths, discard pits. Weigh chopped plums with a kitchen scale to equal 3 ½ pounds.
- Add plums to a large pot or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with sugar then add lemon and orange zest and juice.
- Heat plum mixture over low flame until the sugar begins to dissolve, stirring occasionally.
- Bring the plum jam to a rolling boil, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until thickened. Mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother, jam-like consistency.
- The preserves may need to cook a few minutes longer, until plums are no longer opaque. You want them to be translucent!
- Skim the surface to remove foam, as needed, then ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace, wipe the rims with a kitchen towel, add clean lids, and screw collars on hand tight.
- Carefully lower filled jars into hot water. Bring to a boil, then process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes. See chart in post to adjust time for altitude.
Notes
- Your jam can boil over very easily, so don't walk away from the pot. If it begins to boil over, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it recedes.
- If there's not enough jam to fill the 8th jar, store the jar in the fridge to consume first.
- Wait for the pings and make sure all jars are sealed before labelling and storing them!
- Although some recipes call for peeling the plums, I prefer to leave the skin on. It's actually one of my favorite things about this recipe!
- If you prefer to make your plum preserves without the skin, just blanch the plums for approximately 45 seconds after slicing an "X" on the bottom of each plum first. This helps when peeling the skin off the plums.
- Remember that jam always thickens once it's refrigerated so do not overcook it!
- To make plum jam, you can either use an immersion blender while the preserves is in the pot, or run the preserves through a food processor.
- Plum jam is amazing over vanilla ice cream!
Cass says
It was my first time making jam and plum jam and it turned out great! It was a great topping on vanilla ice cream.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you for the review, glad it turned out great!