(function(){function place(){var root=document.currentScript&&document.currentScript.parentElement;if(!root)return;var card=root.querySelector(‘.wprm-recipe-snippet,.wprm-recipe-container’);var nav=root.querySelector(‘.recipe-quick-nav’);if(card&&nav&&card.nextElementSibling!==nav)root.insertBefore(card,nav);}if(document.readyState===’loading’)document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’,place);else place();})();
Plum jelly (without added pectin) — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 4 cups plum juice (4 pounds plums and 2 cups water)
- 3 cups sugar
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
- 1 Jelly or candy thermometer
Directions
- To Prepare Juice Wash plums well. Crush fruit, add water, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until fruit is soft. When fruit is tender, pour everything through a double layer of dampened cheesecloth or a damp jelly bag.
- Suspend the bag over a bowl or pan, using a stand or colander to hold the bag. Drain the juice without pressing or squeezing, which will cause cloudy jelly. If a fruit press is used, the juice should be restrained through a jelly bag. To Make Jelly Sterilize canning jars .
- Cook juice down until thick and cherry colored. Measure juice into a saucepot, add sugar and stir well.
- Boil over high heat until the temperature measures 8 degrees F above the boiling point of water (220 degrees F at sea level), or until the jelly mixture sheets from a metal spoon. (See Testing Jelly Without Added Pectin .) Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly.
- Pour hot jelly immediately into hot, sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner .
- Processing: Process Hot, Half-pints or Pints, boiling-water canner, 0 - 1,000 ft - 5 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: Table 1. Recommended process time for Plum Jelly in a boiling water canner. / Process Time at Elevations of / Style of Pack - Jar Size - 0 - 1,000 ft - 1,001 - 6,000 ft - Above 6,000 ft / Hot - Half-pints / / or Pints - 5 min - 10 - 15
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
Questions or results?
Discuss this recipe with the canning community. Community comments do not replace the tested source or safety classification shown on this page.
Join the discussion
Please log in or create a free account to discuss this recipe. You will return here afterward.
Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested NCHFP home-canning recipe.
Processing details
Method: Boiling water bath. Hot pack; half-pint or pint jars; 1/4-inch headspace; about 8–9 half-pints.
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Crush plums with water; simmer 15–20 minutes; drain juice without squeezing; measure juice and sugar; cook to the tested jellying point; fill sterile jars; process.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner, half-pint or pint jars, jelly bag or damp cheesecloth, jar lifter, funnel, thermometer or spoon, and preserving kettle.
Visual method guide
- Prepare and measure fruit or juice exactly.
- Cook to the tested boil or jellying endpoint.
- Fill, process by elevation, and cool undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Keep the published fruit, water, juice, and sugar proportions and the tested jellying-point method unchanged.
About this recipe
A naturally set plum jelly made without commercial pectin.
Before you begin
Sterilize jars because the base process is 5 minutes. Drain extracted juice without pressing to avoid cloudy jelly.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Half-pints or pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 5 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 10 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 15 min |
Serving suggestions
Use on breakfast breads, cheese boards, pastries, or as a glaze.
FAQ
How does it set without commercial pectin? Natural plum pectin concentrates with sugar when cooked to the tested jellying point.
Recipe context and comparison
This version requires endpoint testing and a longer cook than liquid-pectin plum jelly.
Troubleshooting
Use the local boiling point to judge the endpoint; undercooking causes a soft set and overcooking can make jelly stiff.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical values remain tied to the original NCHFP source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages: