Gingered Pear Plum Chia Seed Jam Food

GINGERED PEAR-PLUM CHIA SEED JAM

Steps:

• Set a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pears, plums, ginger, and 1/3 cup maple syrup. Heat until boiling and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until the fruit has cooked down and liquified, 25-30 minutes. Carefully mash any remaining chunks of fruit with a potato masher or fork. Taste and add additional syrup, if desired, until the jam reaches the sweetness level that you prefer. Stir in chia seeds and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool enough to pour into lidded jars. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for 2-3 months.

GINGERY PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Prepare 1/2 pint jars, lids, and water bath canner. Place a small plate in the freezer to chill.
• After chopping, puree roughly half the pears in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you may grate all the pears. Or you may use an immersion blender in the pot when half cooked. The goal is to have a jam with a smooth pulpy texture, punctuated by small chunks of fruit. Without the smooth, pulpy pears, the taste is more like pears in ginger sauce.
• Add all ingredients to a 5-6 quart dutch oven. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until thickened, stirring occaisionally. (20-30 minutes, depending on how juicy the fruit is).
• Test thickness of jam by putting a small spoonful on a chilled plate, and tilting. If the jam remains mounded and doesn't drip, it's done.
• Fill jars, leaving a 1/4" headspace, cap, and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

GINGERED PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients in a heavy large pot; stir to combine.
• Attach a jelly thermometer to side of pan or place a small plate in freezer to chill for testing jam.
• Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, adjusting heat as needed to maintain an even boil; boil for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• After 15 minutes of cooking check temperature on thermometer or test small portion of jam on chilled plate, return plate to freezer for 1 to 2 minutes, remove and run finger through sample. When the jam is set you can pull your finger through it and it doesn't run back together. During testing, remove jam from heat.
• As jam sets you will be able to see the bottom of the pot when stirring. The temperature should be about 221 degrees F.
• Pour the hot jam into 4 sterilized 8-ounce jars, carefully wiping jar rims; cover with lids and screw bands.
• Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes, remove from water bath, allow to cool; check seal.

GINGER PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Grate pears coarsely. Combine grated pears with sugar, lemon juice, and ginger in large SS pot.
• Bring pear mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 30-45 minutes, or until thickened.
• Stir pectin into 3/4 cup of jam liquid, if desired, and add to jam.
• Cook 3 minutes more.
• Meanwhile prepare jars, lids, canner.
• Fill jars to 1/4-inch headspace, cap, and process 10 minutes.