Plums indicate to me that Fall is here. Some varieties are available in July, but most plums are available from August to October. Foodland Ontario notes that wild plums native to North America were harvested by indigenous peoples and settlers. But European and Japanese varieties were introduced in the 1800’s. Those varieties have lineages of more than 1000 years. In our area, Mount Royal plums are a favorite. They are free-stone, have a dark purple skin and yellow interior. Great eating and canning. Although difficult to find, the tart, spicy Damson plum is also available. Both varieties I get at Oaklane Orchards on County Rd 2 south of Thornbury.
Plum Jam with Star Anise (about 5 250 ml jars)
In the past weeks, I’ve made many plum-related recipes. Plain plum, plum with Amaretto, Damson plum, plum and crabapple, plum-tomato-apple chutney. I prepared a plum jam adding star anise one of my favorite spices and the combination of flavours is exceptional. Star anise adds a mild licorice flavour. As the name suggests, each star has 8 points and each point has a tiny seed inside. To keep track of the star, I tied it with kitchen twine with the string long enough to attach to the handle on the Dutch oven. This just makes it easier to remove when the jam is done. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cleaned, pitted and finely chopped blue plums
- 3 cups sugar
- 3.5 TBSP bottled lemon juice
- 1 star anise
Instructions
Macerate the plums, sugar, lemon juice and tied star anise for 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Bring the mixture to the boil. Boil gently for about 20-25 minutes until the set point is reached. I put dessert spoons in the freezer and use one to test the sheeting of the jam on the frozen spoon beginning at 20 minutes. When set, the jam will switch from dripping off the spoon to sheeting where the drops come together in one sheet as opposed to individual drops. Plums are high in pectin, so the jam reaches the gel point quite quickly. Remove the star anise. Ladle jam into hot jars leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Process in a water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude. Let rest for 5 minutes. Remove from canner. Let cool. Check seals. Once cool, store in a cool dark area.
Notes
Even if you’re not in the mood to make jam, try adding a star anise to baked plums for a similar yummy taste. Are you looking for an interesting twist on pickled beets? Try adding a star anise and 4-inch cinnamon stick for sweeter version of the traditional. Plums in sauces, jams, chutneys, raw or baked are delicious. Celebrate Fall with plums!
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