Rachel's Sugar Plum Spice Jam

Directions

1. Place the plums, pineapple, apple juice, orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice into a large pot over medium-low heat, cover, and cook until the plums are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Mash the plums and pineapple with a potato masher until thoroughly broken up, but leave small chunks of fruit in the mixture. With the fruit mixture at a slow simmer, stir in the cloves, allspice, pectin, and butter (to reduce foaming). Raise heat to high and bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Mix in the sugar, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 more minute at a full, rolling boil. Remove from heat, stir in red food coloring until even in color, and skim off any foam.
2. Sterilize 12-ounce canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
3. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

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Reviews (10)

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16

Pam-3BoysMama

Jul. 29, 2010

"I’m so glad I tried this recipe! True to the description, the simmering jam had my kitchen smelling like Christmas. It tastes wonderful and has set up nicely after about 12 hours. Do take the time to ..." See moreread the instructions for “cooked jam” that come with the powdered pectin. It’s important to measure out the sugar ahead of time as it needs to be added all at once. Also, if you live above 1,000 feet above sea level, you will need to increase the processing time by 5 minutes (I processed mine for 15 minutes because of this). Processing time increases again at 3,000 ft. Check the guidelines to be sure your jars are processed correctly. I couldn’t find 12 oz jelly jars, so I went with the 8 oz ones. I expected to get 15 jars, but only got 12. Still, this is a five-star recipe. I can’t wait to include this jam in Christmas gift baskets! Thank you for sharing your recipe!"

7

Becky Leach

Oct. 26, 2010

"absolutely delightful! This jam not only smells like Christmas but it tastes like it too. I did vary a bit by using what I had on hand. I used 2 c. canned crushed pineapple and it's juice the rest I..." See more followed as written. Absolutely wonderful!"

6

Kathie

Jul. 3, 2011

"Excellent! Just delicious on baked chicken. I want to try it on pork chops next. We don't like anything too sweet so I cut the pineapple amount in half and increased the plums to 14 to make up for it,..." See more then cut the sugar to 6 cups. I used the juice of 1 fresh orange, which was just the right amount. I plan to give jars as gifts because I think it's so good. Thanks so much."