This plum jam is a simple summer pleasure. Livened up with some five spice powder and rosemary, it’s a great summer spread with cheese and crackers or addition to any grilled meats.
Plums will never rate as high as peaches and nectarines on my summertime stone fruit deliciousness scale, but every once and awhile I spy them in the store and throw a few in my basket only to get home, eat one, and wonder why I don’t buy plums more often.
A trip to a local farm last summer to pick my own resulted in me happily eating these sweet little things one after the next, making sweet and tangy plum juice and then dreaming up the idea for this plum jam recipe. Although most people probably think of plum jam as a sweet recipe, I had the idea of a sweet and savory combination in my head from the start.
The great part about this recipe is that it can really go either way. With the addition of five spice powder and fresh rosemary, it’s wonderful with grilled meats and fits in with a charcuterie spread easily. But at the same time, it can still be spread on toast, dolloped into a bowl of yogurt or spooned on top of some vanilla ice cream for a treat.
Chinese five spice is such a fun ingredient. It’s half sweet with cinnamon and cloves, but also a touch savory with things like fennel and pepper in it, and it somehow magically transforms whatever it’s added to into the perfect balanced bite. I use it in these Chinese boneless spareribs (which are hands down my favorite takeout dish to make at home) highlighting its savory side while this air fryer butternut squash recipe uses it in a sweeter way.
What You’ll Love About This Homemade Plum Jam
- Freshness at Its Best: Jam-making is one of the best ways to capture the peak seasonal flavor of summer-ripe plums.
- Customizable Sweetness: Adjust the sugar level to perfectly balance tart and sweet flavors and tailor the jam to your taste.
- Easy and Versatile: This homemade jam recipe doesn’t require pectin or have any complication instructions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chopped Plums: The star of the recipe are the ripe fresh plums. If made when they’re in season, they bring a natural sweetness, rich flavor and inherent pectin that helps your jam set without extra additives.
- Fresh Rosemary Leaves: These add an unexpected, aromatic herbal note that beautifully contrasts the fruity profile of the plums.
- Honey: A natural sweetener that contributes a subtle, complex sweetness and depth of flavor. It’s a great alternative to refined sugars.
- Chinese Five Spice Powder: This spice blend introduces warm, aromatic notes with star anise, cloves and cinnamon. If you want a sweeter jam, omit this and just use sweet spices like cinnamon, cloves and star anise separately. You can also throw in some cardamom or nutmeg.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh juice brings the essential acidity that balances the sweetness, increases the natural pectin in the fruit, and brightens up the overall flavor.
How to Choose the Best Plums
Selecting the right plums is key to a delicious homemade plum jam. Here are some quick tips to help you pick the perfect fruit:
- Opt for Local and Organic: Whenever possible, choose locally grown or organic plums. They’re often fresher, more flavorful and free of synthetic pesticides.
- Know What to Look For at the Store: Look for plums with vibrant, even coloring and a slight softness to the touch. Avoid those that are overly firm (under-ripe) or too mushy (overripe). They should have a sweet, fruity fragrance. If they smell off or sour, it’s best to skip them.
- Tips for Sweetness: Choose plums that yield to gentle pressure. This indicates they’re ripe and naturally sweet. Avoid plums with wrinkles or dark spots, as they may be past their prime.
How to Make Plum Jam
The full directions can be found in the recipe card below. This is a quick overview of the plum jam making process.
Prepare The Ingredients
Make sure you remove the pit from each plum, and if you prefer a smoother texture, you can peel them before chopping. In a small sauce pot, combine the chopped plums with the leaves from one sprig of fresh rosemary, honey and Chinese five spice powder.
Bring to a Boil and Simmer
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer. Be sure to stir frequently so the plums break down evenly. As the plums soften and release their juices, the mixture will gradually transform in texture, moving closer to that ideal jam consistency.
Add Lemon Juice and Continue Cooking
When the plums have begun to break down, add the lemon juice. Continue cooking on medium heat while stirring constantly. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens and is reduced to a jam-like consistency.
Cool and Enjoy
Remove the pot from the heat and let your hot jam cool at room temperature. Remember, the jam will thicken even more as it cools, so it’s best to allow it to set completely before serving.
Troubleshooting Your Plum Jam
- Jam Too Runny: Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens.
- Overcooking/Scorching: Lower the heat immediately and stir constantly to prevent burning.
- Not Sweet Enough: Adjust by adding a touch more honey during cooking if needed.
- Excessive Foaming: If your jam foams, simply skim off the foam with a spoon as it forms to help maintain a smooth texture.
Canning and Storage (Optional)
This plum jam recipe is meant to be kept refrigerated and used within a few weeks. If you want a longer shelf-life, you can absolutely can the recipe.
- Sterilize: If canning, sterilize your jars, lids and spoons in boiling water.
- Fill & Seal: Fill hot jam into jars, wipe the rims clean and secure the lids for a proper seal.
- Process: For long-term storage, process the jars in a canner for about 10 minutes.
- Store: Once cooled, store sealed jars in a cool, dark place, or keep an unprocessed batch in the refrigerator (or freezer) for shorter-term use.
Love this plum jam recipe?
Try other jam recipes such as jalapeno mango jam (another sweet and savory combination), strawberry chile jam, vanilla fig preserves and blueberry ginger jam.
If you have more summer plums to use up, don’t miss these grilled scallops with tomatillo plum salsa and goat cheese honey stuffed plums.
Easy Plum Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped plums
- leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1-2 tablespoons honey, *see note
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine plums, rosemary, honey and Chinese five spice in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a low simmer, stirring often until plums start to break down.
- Add the lemon juice and continue cooking and stirring until mixture is thickened and reduced to a jam-like consistency.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Jam will thicken even more as it cools.
- Serve with goat cheese (I used a honey lavender goat cheese) and crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Can this recipe be canned?
It can be although I have not done it as we eat it too quickly!
Can I can this? How long will it last?
I am a HUGE fan of Chinese Five Spice!!!
I love plumbs when they are good!!! This sounds amazing!!
I can almost taste this, so lovely with the 5 spice!!