Plum butter

[skyastara]

I recently got a big box of plums at an obscenely cheap price. They were black skinned, red fleshed and run-down-your-arm juicy. There were far too many for my 8 year old son and I to eat, my partner is allergic to all sorts of strange items including most fruits, and I procrastinated making jam till the day that it was use-or-toss. At that point I still had no pectin (I have to use special pectin because I use very little sugar compared to normal jams, and hadn't gotten to the health food store) and didn't feel like running around in 105 degree weather for one item. So, plum butter it was.

All the recipes I could find used prune plums so I made it up as I went. Chopped up the plums, leaving the skins on. I ended up with about 3 quarts or so of chopped plums, which I put into a heavy pot which contained half an inch of water (I mentioned that the plums were very juicy, right? lol). Simmered this till soft, pureed them with a wand blender and poured into a crockpot set on high. I expected to be close to done in 4-6 hours.

15 hours later I decided it was close enough. I hadn't added sweetener yet since the plums were extremely sweet and extremely ripe, countered by the tart skins. So I had no idea how sweet or not this would turn out. It tastes remarkably like fresh, unadultered plums off the tree.

Upon repeated tasting by myself and especially by my son, it was decided that it is most decidedly sweet enough so it is packaged and in the fridge. I think I ended up with about 2 quarts- that's a lot of jam!

Any suggestions for using this ambrosia?

 

[carianna-in-wa]

You know how some muffin/bread recipes replace some of the fat with applesauce?

Maybe you could do the same with your concoction and add a nice plummy taste. (???)

 

[dawn_mo]

Here are two that might work. REC: Raspberry-Plum Jam and Spicy Plum Sauce

Both contain quite a bit of sugar because they can be water-bathed. You can just cut back, to taste. The jam is really good. The plum sauce is a good dipping sauce or grilling sauce when mixed with other ingredients.

* Exported from MasterCook *

RASPBERRY-PLUM JAM

Recipe By : Sunset
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dawn's Recipe Jams & Jellies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 1/2 pounds Santa Rosa plums or other firm ripe plums
3 cups fresh raspberries
10 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 ounces liquid pectin

Rinse plums and remove pits. Finely chop, to make 4 cups. Place plums and reaspberries in a pot. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil, uncovered and stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in pectin all at once; skim off foam. Process for 10 minutes if jars are not sterilized, and 5 minutes if they are. Makes 12 half-pints.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

SPICY PLUM SAUCE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dawn's Recipe

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method1 3/4 cups plum puree
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cook all ingredients until desired consistency. Ladle into hot jars, and process for 10 minutes.

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NOTES : I get my plum puree by cooking plums, skins, pits, and all; in a large saucepot. I add a little water to get the process started. When it is has a nice stewed look to it (sort of like applesauce), I put the plums through a wire collander, to seperate flesh from the skins and pits.