plum jam do you remove stones before or after?

[EleanoraBuntingCupcake]

opinion is divided. my mother is an after kind of jam maker. it is the lazier option but then my mother's jam does make eating toast into dental russion roulette.

I do it while the jam is boiling: the stones just come to the surface and I spoon them off. No stones in the jars so far!

do you cut plums in half?

Sometimes. If I'm really idle I don't bother.

Can I have a recipe/ link please- I have a plum tree begging for my attention and if I don't cook them soon, DS may turn into a plum becuase he eats so many

2kg plums
500 ml water
2kg sugar

Wash plums, cut in half and remove stones. Put plums and water into pan and simmer for 10-20 mins until tender.
Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to boil and boil rapidly for 15-20 minutes - then test for a set.

Plums are very easy to make into jam as they have enough pectin to set easily.

Plum chutney - make now to mature for Christmas - would be another possibility!

I only do greengages and damsons
but always after
and I never halve them

easy recipe
I always forget the vanilla though

I love you both- thank you so much am away to rake about and find enough jars to fill full of yummy homemade jam.

Oh- how long will it keep for? And the setting bit- what am I looking for there? Is it the viscosity (?iykwim) of the liquor?

thank you everyone.

mrsb. do you think the vanilla is worth doing?

The jam will keep for a year (at least). You can test whether it is ready by putting a few saucers /small plates in freezer or bottom of fridge before you start making the jam.
After the jam has boiled for 15 minutes, take it off the heat. Take a saucer out of the freezer and put a teaspoon of jam on it. Let it cool for a minute and then draw your finger lightly over the surface. If it creases up, the jam is ready. If not, bring the jam back to the boil and cook for a further 5 minutes and test again.
When the jam is ready, leave it for at least 15 minutes - but half an hour is probably better before you pot it. That way, the plums will not all rise to the top of the jar as the jam cools.

i left stones in. i was told that they owuld all float to the top. they did BUT there was so much plum stil stuck to them that i left the stones in.

i will remove them beforehand next time!

setting wise - i am a big big guesser but it is when you can draw a line through a bit when you drop it on a plate IYSWIM?

i put cinnamon in mine, is well lush

vanilla worth it if your fruit leaves a bit to be desired iyswim

I pot straigth away as that recipe (wher eyou stew for 30min) leaves very little whole fruit

if you overcook by mistake and it sets rock-hard in the jars, microwave it for 20sec before trying to spread on toast
[learnt the hard way emoticon]

just worried about wasting lovely vanilla pods on experimental jam!

surely you have an old knackered one languishing in a jar of rarely-used vanilla sugar?

if not don;t bother

who uses vanilla sugar? is it just invented to make us feel less bad about how much vanilla pods cost?

jam is made. now what to i do re. decorative circles, elastic bands and lids?

if you ahve lids with rubbery sealer bits inside smack em on while still hot and worry abotu the pretty after

if you are usign cellophane I can't remember when you do it

just shoved on cellaphane and elasticbands. fingers crossed for good jam. thanks for all advice

Just made mine and despite the bottom 'catching' burning it looks ok. Thanks for all the help / advice.

I do take the stones out, but then put them into a draw string bag. As I don't have a piece of muslin anymore, I use the one for using in the washing machine for detergent tablets and wash it thoroughly to prevent the jam tasting of Persil. I then boil the stones up with the fruit in that, so I don't have to worry about my fillings later.