Plum Jam

One of the many beautiful parts of fall is JAM! I love plum jam for SO many reasons:

• It doesn't need added pectin
• You don't have to peel them
• They don't need much added sugar
• They don't need to be pressure cooked
• They are full of nutrients
• They are super affordable

Always remember to have new jar lids so the seal will hold properly. Below is a list of the supplies you will need from the store. Remember to check your pantry and cupboards first! Gotta save the pennies!

I am ALWAYS on a mission to save money. In the area I live, there are lots of opportunities to get some free produce this time of year. Lots of people will advertise on social media "What ever you pick you can have". So not counting the investment of the jars, plum jam costs pennies to make! PENNIES! This batch ended up costing $0.32 per pint/$0.02 per oz! If I were to go to Wal-Mart for Plum Jam (the only brand available in my area is Smuckers), it would cost $3.94 per pint/$0.20.9 per oz. before tax! That's an approximate savings of $3.62 per pint! I got five pints which is an approximate savings of $18.10! Every penny adds up!

I know it sounds weird that pectin isn't needed, but pectin does a lot to thicken jams. This jam will get plenty thick with just the plum and the sugar. Nature amazes me! Below are the steps I followed and my jam is storing perfectly and tastes absolutely delicious!

Plums are acidic enough that as long as the jam is warm enough and the jars and lids are hot enough, they will seal with out needing a steam/water bath. Remember that each time you are canning a new batch of food, the lids need to be new and warm, like really warm. You want a good solid seal for longevity! For more canning tips and tricks and if this is your maiden voyage into canning, check out my post "Canning 101". I have everything I learned my first time canning and lots of helpful tidbits!

To sanitize my jars I put them through a pots and pans cycle in my dishwasher (just the jars, lids and rings) and by the time the jam is ready, you will be pulling the jars out of the dishwasher nice and HOT. They will be HOT! Dry off the outside of the jars carefully and use oven mitts or a set of canning jar tongs. Safety first! I like to lay out two layers of kitchen hand towels to set the jars on when I fill them up and while they are cooling to room temperature. This will protect your counter top. During the jar filling process, I recommend keeping little ones out of the kitchen because of the hot pans, hot melted sugar in the jam and hot glass jars. 

With jam I don't have any tried and true substitutions for ingredients, especially with a recipe like this having only a few ingredients. 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Fresh hot bread
• PB&J's
• Toast
• Ice Cream
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• Crepes
• French Toast
• Cake Filling
• Over a block of cream cheese as a fruity dip
• Dollops on sugar cookies