Canning Plums Food

CANNING PLUMS

Steps:

• Clean the jars and the lids very thoroughly and sterilize them, if desired (Note 2).
• Wash the fruit, halve, and stone.
• Pack tightly in the jars, cut side facing down, leaving about 2 cm/ 0.8 inches headspace. It helps to use tongs to place the plums in the jars.
• Add 1/2 cinnamon stick and 1 anise star into each jar.
• Heat the water in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar completely. Once it comes to a boil, let it bubble once or twice and remove it from the heat. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour into the jars, covering the fruit completely. Wipe the rim with a clean, wet paper towel. Seal with the lids. Can.
• Read the canner instructions before using it and follow those instructions if they differ from mine.
• Fill a canner about half full of water. Bring to a boil and lower the jars into the water one at a time with a jar lifter or use the canning rack of the canner to lower all the jars into the water at once. The water should cover the jars by 2 ½ to 5 cm/1 to 2 inches. If not enough, add boiling water as needed.
• Bring to a boil, cover and boil for 20-25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pot.
• Remove wearing mitts and a jar lifter and let cool completely on folded kitchen towels.
• Use a large pot that will allow the jars to stand in it and be completely covered with water. Place a clean kitchen towel on the bottom of the pot.
• Place the jars on the towel making sure that they don't touch each other. Cover with hot water.
• Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and can the jars for 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the jars.
• Try to keep the temperature of the simmering water constant, about 75-80 degrees Celsius/ 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit (light simmer).
• Remove the jars from the pot using a jar lifter and mitts. Caution: the water is very hot!
• Place the jars on folded kitchen towels on the counter and let cool completely.
• Refrigerate any jars that didn't seal for up to 3 weeks.
• Store the sealed ones in a dark cool place.
• The plums will keep for at least 6 months and up to 1 year.

CANNING PLUMS

Steps:

• Prepare a water bath canner.
• Prepare the plums for canning by either slicing them in half and removing their pits for plum halves, or pricking the outside with a toothpick for whole plums with pits.
• Prepare a canning liquid, either water, juice, or syrup (see notes) and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• Hot Pack ~ For hot pack plums (recommended), place the prepared fruit in the boiling liquid and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and place a lid on the pot. Allow the plums to sit in the hot liquid for 20 to 30 minutes to gently heat through. Then pack the hot fruit into canning jars.
• Raw Pack ~ If you choose raw pack instead of hot pack, simply pack the prepared fruit into canning jars.
• For both hot and raw pack, ladle the hot canning liquid over the top of the plums. This should cover them completely but leave 1/2 inch headspace.
• Remove bubbles, adjust headspace, and cap with 2 part canning lids to finger tight.
• Process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts) at altitudes under 1000 feet (see notes below for higher elevations).
• When canning time is complete, remove the jars to a towel on the counter to cool and wait 24 hours before checking seals. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use, and sealed jars in the pantry.

ASIAN PLUM SAUCE FOR CANNING

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large heavy bottom pan bring to boil stirring until thick and syrupy 1 1/2 hours when it reaching 215 F degrees.
• Fill sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and place lids and rings and process 15 minutes. Shut flame off, remove lid and leave for 5 more minutes.
• Remove to a towel-lined counter to cool in a draft free spot.
• Remove rings and wipe clean, label and place in storage in a cool, dark place.

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water, as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with a hinged lid.
• Wash and stem the plums and prick several holes around the stem ends.
• Pack plums in the jar.
• Quarter and pit and the plums that will not fit in the jar and then re-pack the jar, interspersing the whole plums with the plum quarters.
• Add the cinnamon stick.
• In a two quart saucepan, bring the sugar, salt and 1 cup of water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Let the syrup cool for ten minutes, then stir in the brandy and immediately pour the liquid into the jar of plums, filling the jar up to a half inch from the rim.
• Partly close the jar, leaving a gap for steam to escape and place the jar in the stockpot of boiling water for ten minutes.
• Carefully remove the jar with a jar lifter or two pairs of tongs and close the lid tightly.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Refrigerate up to two weeks.