Plum jam is a delightful combination of tart and sweet, bright and spice that is sure to be a jar of summer on your pantry shelves. And this canning recipe makes a small batch that comes together quickly meaning you can get back to summer in a flash too.

Perfectly Ripe Plums

Use whatever plums you happen to have on hand – red, black, damsons, etc. However, do use plums that are perfectly ripe or even slightly overripe in this recipe.

Under-ripe plums are likely to be harder and more tart. The hardness makes for a slightly less spreadable jam.

This is a great way to use up any of those plums that sat on the counter too long before anyone ate them or found for a deal at the local fruit stand.

Pectin for Ease

Jam making can be done without pectin. However, it requires a long cooking time. For times when you want to make jam but don’t want to stand by the stove and stir, pectin is your friend.

The flex pectin from Ball allows for customizing and even making larger sized batches so that you can keep some for yourself and have gifts for giving later, too.

Turbinado Sugar for Flavor

Plums and brown sugar go together quite nicely but brown sugar in jam tends to be a bit overpowering. Enter raw or turbinado sugar. This gives a hint of that darker sweet flavor without overpowering.

There’s also just a small amount of sugar to allow the full tartness and flavor of the plums to shine through.

Orange Zest

The orange zest gives this jam quite delightful bright flavor mix. One could skip it if necessary. Oranges in the middle of summer can be difficult and expensive at least in my small northern town.

Dehydrated orange zest could be used as well. Just use 2 teaspoons of dried zest in place of the 2 Tablespoons of fresh orange zest.

Cardamom for a Hint of Spice

A spiced jam is a lovely thing but in this plum jam the plums are definitely the star. To keep it that way there is just 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom added to the jam. The spice compliments the plums without overpowering the flavor.

Canning Jam Safety

Remember, to process jam safely for yourself and loved ones. All jam needs to be processed in a water bath canner. Do not simply pour into jars and seal.

If you prefer not to can, this jam can be frozen or refrigerated immediately for storage.

If frozen use up within 6 months. If refrigerated use up within 1 month – longer may be okay but watch for mold.

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