Here's a link to a recent discussion about wild plum jam and the recipe link in it.

And this discussion about using wild plums has a couple of more recipes in it too.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Plum jam discussion

Hi Dave,
Thank you. I did see that post and am looking for more recipes. I have bookmarked that site because it is a good one.

Thanks again, MJ

Could you be more specific then about what you are looking for? Are you wanting to mix them with other fruit of some kind?

Otherwise most all the recipes for Plum Jams are the same - nothing more than the plums and various amounts of sugar. In other words, nothing unique. And wild plums are used just like any other plums and nothing unusual is required.

You can mix them with just about any other fruit in equal proportions if you want something special and no specific recipe is needed.

And BBB has a good recipe for Plum Conserve with orange pulp, orange peel, raisins, and chopped pecans. Page 32 in current edition. And Small Batch Preserving has a Plum Amaretto Jam.

But those are the only unusual ones I can find in any of my books.

Dave

Hi Dave,
I do not want to mix with another fruit. I'm primarily interested in how folks deal with the seeds. I've read to "pinch" the raw fruit to expel the seeds, boil the fruit with water, cool, and "pinch" the fruit to expel the seeds and cook the fruit and process through a food mill which sounds difficult based on people's comments.
Thanks,
MJ

Yeah the seeds are a problem but with jam, just as with raspberries and such some of the seeds are likely to be incorporated into it. The only way I have ever found to get most of then out is with the food mill. But it really isn't difficult - assuming you have a food mill, a Foley, or a chinois. Cook first then run it through the mill and 90%+ are removed.

Other wise it is jelly - no seeds that way when strained through a jelly bag or multiple layers of cheesecloth.

Dave

The wild plums here are more pit than flesh. Nevertheless, after cooking them, they are easy to pit with the chinois. The only problem I've run into is the remarkable amount of pectin these wild fruits contain, even when fully ripe. Consequently the resultant jam is more like a British "cheese", sliceable, tender with no gumminess, but more solid than most jams.

Helen Witty's Fancy Pantry has a recipe for blue plum jam that adds orange liqueur. I suspect it would be good with my wild plums and since it's added after gelling occurs, then cooked for an additional minute, it just might mitigate the overly thick problem.

I'm going to attempt it this weekend.

Deborah

Hi Dave & Deborah,
I have both a food mill and chinois, however I made the jam before I saw your messages. I squeezed the pits out of the plums prior to cooking; it took a long time! Next time I will try pitting with the chinois after cooking them.
Thank you for all your help!
MJ

I wish I saw this post earlier! Picked 5 gal. bucket of beach plums this weekend and attempted to pit some to get 4 cups. It took forever! I was thinking a cherry pitter might work, but the plums are too small. The rest are relegated to jelly & cordial. I'm going to get a food mill for next year!