In an effort to come up with something original for Christmas gifts, I came up with this recipe during one of our seasonal jam- and jelly-making sessions. It is fantastic in every way. Everybody enjoys it. It has cozy Christmas spice undertones and is sweet and fruity.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 45 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 120 |
| Yield: | 10 12-ounce jars |
Ingredients
- 10 red plums, pitted and chopped
- 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 cups white sugar
- 4 drops red food coloring
Instructions
- Place the plums, pineapple, apple juice, orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice into a large pot over medium-low heat, cover, and cook until the plums are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Mash the plums and pineapple with a potato masher until thoroughly broken up, but leave small chunks of fruit in the mixture. With the fruit mixture at a slow simmer, stir in the cloves, allspice, pectin, and butter (to reduce foaming). Raise heat to high and bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Mix in the sugar, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 more minute at a full, rolling boil. Remove from heat, stir in red food coloring until even in color, and skim off any foam.
- Sterilize 12-ounce canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 59 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Sugars | 15 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I didn’t use applejuice but I used berry juice
I JUST got finished putting this jam in the jars and into the canner! It smells WONDERFUL!!! And, I can’t wait to try it!! The holidays are coming, and it smells like Christmas in here!
Very Christmas-y! I used fresh plums from my uncle’s plum tree, only used 1tsp of cloves, and didn’t add any food coloring, and I thought it turned out perfect! My granny asked for the recipe, and if that’s not a positive review- I don’t know what is!!
I used the whole large can of crushed pineapple including the juices instead of the fresh pineapple and I didn’t have apple juice so I just left it out knowing that there would be juice with the can of pineapple. I loved this recipe so much and it turned out so well that I made two batches. Like other reviews that I read for this recipe, it did smell and taste like Christmas at my house! My husband and teenage boys also feel in love with it and that is saying a lot especially for my boys, because they can be my best critics! 🙂
Very sweet but good
It’s delicious and set up beautifully. I didn’t have oj concentrate so I used 1/2c orange marmalade.
I’ll make this again, I added hot pepper flakes for a little heat. It smells like Christmas and is really good on pork!
Great recipe!!! I made a few changes. I used 4 1/2 cups of sugar cane, added 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoons of nutmeg and ground cloves, used no pectin, but cooked slow. At the end of cooking, I added 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and almond. It took me 7 hours to get to the desired thickness I wanted. It was well worth the time. My family loves it.
Made it without the pineapple and it is still delicious . Makes the house smell like Christmas. Very popular with the family so I made another batch.
Changed a few ingredients to what was available and in my pantry. Used black plums, no need for red food coloring. Used canned pineapple, about half cup, juice of two oranges instead of frozen, and juice of two small lemons. Added only half teaspoon of cloves and allspice, and three cups of sugar. Love it! Tangy from the lemon juice. I like a thin jam for scones, flavor my tea in winter, or use in a cup of hot water when I’ve had enough caffeine for the day.
I WILL make it again. I made it with 1 tsp cloves instead of 1.5 tsp and it was STILL too much. I would also decrease the sugar to 7 cups and do 1/2 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp allspice next time. It reminds my Peruvian husband of a drink called Chicha Morada, a drink made in Peru with purple corn and lots of allspice and clove. (and cinnamon). He loved the jam. This made two of the taller jam jars and 8 of the 1/2 pint jam jars of jam, in case you need to know.
I’ve made marmalade in the past, but thought I’d make a new jam for homemade Christmas gifts. This is spectacular! Followed the recipe exactly and there is no reason to make alterations. If you cut back the sugar, it will not set properly. The spices are perfect, the color gorgeous. No need to add coloring. Thank you for sharing, I’ll be making this another Christmas tradition!
Great recipe Andy flavour. The only negative is that even with half the sugar it is still very sweet, will make again but cut down even further on the sugar.
Very tasty! I puréed the fruit in a blender after it was cooked. I didn’t add the red food coloring and it was still a pretty red color. I did not peel the plums and after pureeing the fruit you can’t tell there’s peelings in with the jam. Our son took a reluctant taste and said “yum, this is good, can I have more?”
Very tasty! I puréed the fruit in a blender after it was cooked. I didn’t add the red food coloring and it was still a pretty red color. I did not peel the plums and after pureeing the fruit you can’t tell there’s peelings in with the jam. Our son took a reluctant taste and said “yum, this is good, can I have more?”
Way too much spice and sugar.
We used an immersion blender and canned crushed pineapples! This is the best jam we’ve made all season! We will make this again!!
great recipe for hostess gifts for the holidays.
It isn’t don’t cooling yet, and I might have blended it too well. It’s not that chunky. Spiced plum butter maybe? LOL, it sure did taste good though! It’s already set, smells great!
This is one of my favorites! A little more work, but well worth it. I gave it as a gift, and then received a text late that night telling me it was the best jam they had ever tasted!
This recipe was amazing. I had never made jam before and it came out perfectly! I’m on a canning kick lately and I can’t wait to make another batch. Question: could you substitute fresh cranberries for the pineapple? I would like to try that variation too.