Peachy Plum Preserves Food

PLUM-VANILLA PRESERVES

Steps:

• Start with our step-by-step canning how-to.
• Put the plums, sugar, vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks in a large, wide saucepan. Squeeze the lemon juice through a strainer into the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy or deep-fry thermometer registers 220 degrees F, about 30 minutes. (To be sure that the mixture has reached the gel point, spoon some onto a chilled plate and put in the freezer until cool. The liquid should set; if not, continue to cook and retest after a few more minutes.) Remove the pan from the heat and let cool 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sterilize four 8-ounce canning jars and lids.
• Return the plum mixture to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, then add the plumcots. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the plumcots are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
• Fill the jars with the plum mixture, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, then seal and process.

PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• In a large pot combine peaches, plums, lemon juice and sugar.
• Cook, stiring, over med-high heat until sugar is melted.
• Bring to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add 2 pouches of Certo, stirring constantly.
• Return to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Fill Hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Wipe off jar rims with damp cloth.
• Top with 2 piece seal and ring.
• Hot water bath jars for 10 minutes.

PEACHY PLUM PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine the fruit and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix well.
• Cover and let sit at room temperature for 6 hours, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Spoon into a large Dutch oven.
• Bring slowly to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Boil gently until the fruit becomes almost clear and the syrup is thick, 40 - 50 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
• Ladle into clean, ½ pint jars. Cover with two-piece caps.
• Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.

PLUM PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.
• Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Cook rapidly almost to gelling point.
• As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
• Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Adjust two-piece lid caps.
• Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

HOMEMADE PEACH-PLUM JELLY

Steps:

• To prepare the juice: Wash apples. Do not peel or core. Cutapples into wedges. Repeat with peaches and plums (removing the center stone).
• Add fruit and water to a large pot. Cover and bring to aboil. Reduce heat and simmer until fruit is soft. Let cool slightly.
• Strain juice through a damp jelly bag or layers ofcheesecloth. Do not be tempted to squeeze the bag of fruit, as this will makethe juice (and jelly) cloudy.
• To make the jelly: Measure the juice. You should have aboutthree cups of juice.
• Pour juice into a large pot. Add sugar.
• Stir to dissolve sugar.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir until jelly has set; usually at 8 degreesabove boiling water temperature or about 220 degrees.
• Remove pot from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
• Ladle jelly into sterilized jars leaving ¼ inch head space.
• Top with two-piece caps and process in a a water bath cannerfor 5 minutes.

STONE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Toss fruit and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, tossing periodically to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the skins burst and the juices start to boil, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot now.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula at first and more frequently as juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, about 25 to 35 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on the type of fruit and how ripe it is. (For example, peaches are likely to retain their shape, while plums and apricots will break down almost entirely.)
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles. This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and any of the add-ins (see note). Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it a few minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and pick out vanilla bean, if you added it earlier. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

PEACH-PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Stir together fruit, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mashing fruit with a potato masher. Add lemon juice; continue to boil, stirring frequently, until bubbles slow, chunks of fruit show at top, and mixture clings to a spoon but falls off in clumps, 10 to 12 minutes. Skim foam from top.
• Ladle jam into clean containers, leaving 3/4 inch of headroom. Let cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate up to 1 month, or freeze up to 1 year.