Plum Jam

Instructions

1. Cut plums in half and remove the pit, cut plum into small slices. (alternatively, if the pit is attached to one halve, make 4 slits until the knife meets the pit. Leave the pit attached, after the jam finish cooking, fish out all the pits.)
2. Put cutted plums in an 8-quart wide stockpot, add the sugar and stir to combine. Cook at the medium heat until sugar is dissolved into the juice of plums. Add pectin and mix well. Pectin helps jam to thicken faster, you can omit pectin and cook jam a little bit longer to achieve a thick texture.
3. Adjust heat to medium-high to maintain a steady boil, stir from time to time using a heat resistant spatula to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 40 minutes, until the syrup is thick and the plums soften. You will know the jam is done when the droplets from the spatula is slow dripping.
4. While the jam is cooking, prepare a boiling water bath canner. Depends on your preference for the thickness of the jam, you will need 6-8 half-pint jars.
5. Laddle finished jam into mason jars, leave 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe clean the rims and apply clean lids and rings, tighten the rings to fingertip tight. Lower filled jars into boiling water bath canner carefully, the water must be at least 1 inch taller than the tops of the jars.
6. Bring water back to boil, cover the canner and start timing for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, turn off the heat and uncover the canner. Leave the jars in the water for another 5 minutes. This helps avoid syphoning (the jam oozes out of the jar due to temperature shock).
7. Lift the jars out of the water and let them sit on kitchen towel covered counter to cool overnight. Next day remove the rings and do the lift test: hold the lid with your fingertips to lift the jar slightly, if it holds the jar is well sealed. Clean outside of the jars and store in a cool and dark place (68Fº-72Fº). Consume the jam within a year.