Italian Plum Jam
Italian Plum Jam is one of our absolute favorite jams and is totally pectin-free! The perfect jam to spread on toast or drizzled on yogurt. Even better eaten straight out of the jar with a spoon!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian Prune plums quartered and pitted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Juice of one lemon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the plums, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours).
- Place a small plate in the freezer right before cooking the plums (this is to use to check if plum jam is ready).
- Place the plum mixture in a medium sauce pan on high heat. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. Lower heat to a low simmer. Stir with a wooden spoon and loosen any pieces that may stick to the bottom.
- Be sure to keep stirring for about 15-20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when juices become thicken like a syrup. You could check temperature with a candy thermometer to make sure it’s never over 220 F. As it simmers, remove any white foam that could come to the surface.
- To make sure the jam is ready, remove the small plate from the freezer. Place a teaspoon of jam on the plate. If it sets within a minute, it is ready. If it still appears runny, return the plate to the freezer and continue to cook the plum mixture. Test again in a few minutes.
- Carefully spoon the jam into sterilized jars. Apply lids jars.
- Wipe rims with a clean, damp towel and screw lids on securely but not too tightly.
- Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove jars using tongs. Use potholders to tighten the lids. Place jars on a rack upside-down and let them cool. When they’ve cooled down, store them in the refrigerator. The jam should keep unopened for several months.
Notes
*PLUMS: You could make this with other types of plum. I weighed the plums BEFORE pitting them (so it was 2 lbs of plums with the pits in)
Storage notes:
- Refrigerator method: Best option. Once cooked, ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, seal, and refrigerate. Keeps 2–3 months unopened in the fridge. Once opened, use within 2–3 weeks.
- Freezer jam: You can freeze cooled jam in clean containers or freezer-safe jars for up to 6–8 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
- Shelf-stable canning: Not recommended under FDA guidelines unless you use a tested, approved recipe with pectin and the correct acid balance.