Plum Butter
How to make plum butter.
Plum Butter
Makes 5 ( 1/2-pint) jars
* Its a thick recipe so be careful when cooking it, it tends to scorch easily.
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds large red or purple plums
- 1/2 cup water, or apple, grape or orange juice
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups sugar
Equipment:
- 5 (1/2-pint) jars with self sealing lids
- Knife
- Preserving kettle
- Food mill
- Sieve or blender
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Wide-mouthed funnel
- Water bath canner
Directions:
1. Wash, slice and pit the plums.
2. Heat the plums and water or juice in the preserving kettle over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until plums are soft.
3. Press them through a food mill or sieve, or puree in a blender.
4. Measure the puree— you should have about 6 cups.
5. Combine the puree and sugar in a kettle and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until very thick, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Meanwhile, wash and rinse the jars; keep them hot. Prepare lids as manufacture directs.
7. Remove the puree from the heat and ladle into hot jars to within 1/4-inch of each top.
8. Wipe the tops and threads of jars with a damp cloth. Put on the lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.
9. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
* Water bath directions:
A large saucepan, Dutch oven or other kettle works great. If you have a cake or other rack that will fit in the bottom, and if the pan is deep enough to hold water to cover the jars on the rack and still has room to boil. Depending on the height of the rack, this would require a pan 7-8 inches deep. Put the rack in the bottom of the pan, pour in enough water to almost half full and heat to boiling. At the same time heat more water in a tea kettle or other pan. gently lower the filled and sealed jars onto the rack, then pour boiling water, enough to cover. Heat to boiling, then cover and begin timing as the recipe directs.
