Ingredients
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3 quarts Damson Plums
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1 cup Water
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4 cups Sugar
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½ Vanilla Bean
Directions
Damson plum jam may be my favorite preserve. It tastes like a fruity merlot and boasts a stunning magenta color. Damsons are naturally rich in pectin, which makes the jam thick and smooth, especially if you strain out the skins. Damsons contain so much pectin, in fact, that you can actually make a fruit paste with them, similar to quince paste, which the Brits call Damson cheese because it is firm enough to be sliced like cheese.
Depending on where you live, you may have trouble finding Damson plums, but ask around at your farmers’ market. There is one vendor at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market, where I shop, who used to bring Damson plums in September for me and a few old ladies. Last year when I asked Brad Baser, the farmer, if he was going to bring my Damsons soon, he told me that all the other customers who requested them had died! So I got the whole crop, and I had plenty of Damson plum jam to eat and swap. Sometimes it helps to be old-fashioned.
Steps
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1
Done
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Prepare a boiling-water-bath canner and heat six 8-ounce jars.Place a saucer in the freezer. |
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2
Done
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Place the plums in a large saucepan with the cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the plums, covered, for 15 minutes or until they have split open. |
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3
Done
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Remove the cover and simmer for an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until the plums have broken down and you see pits floating to the top. |
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4
Done
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Strain the plum mixture through a sieve into a large bowl, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon to force through as much of the flesh as possible and leaving behind the skins and pits. (This is somewhat tedious, but less so than it would be to pit all the Damsons raw.) |
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5
Done
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Measure the plum purée. You should have around 6 cups. (If you have less, then decrease the amount of sugar in the next step, maintaining the 3:2 ratio of fruit to sugar.) |
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6
Done
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Return the purée to the large saucepan and add the sugar. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle, scrape out the flesh, and add it to the plums. Then add the vanilla bean. Stir to combine and to dissolve the sugar. |
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7
Done
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Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to medium-high and continue to boil the mixture until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. |
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8
Done
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Because of their high pectin content, Damsons gel rather quickly, and you do not want to overcook them. The jam will still look liquid even when it is ready. Test for doneness after 10 minutes by placing a spoonful of jam on the chilled saucer. Return the saucer |
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9
Done
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Ladle the jam into the clean, warm jars, leaving 1⁄4 inch headspace. Bubble the jars and wipe the rims with a damp cloth. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings just until you feel resistance. |
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10
Done
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Process the jars in the boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Allow the jars to cool in the water for 5 minutes before removing to a towel to cool completely. |
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11
Done
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Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. |
