Prudent Pantry: Plum and Crabapple Jam

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Fall in Vermont means beautiful foliage and crabapples!

Before making this delicious jam I had never cooked with crabapples before. Usually they are used in jellies rather than jam. When combined with plums they impart a sweet-tart flavor and the color is absolutely gorgeous. A perfect fall jam. Don’t overcook it as both plums and crabapples are naturally high in pectin and this jam thickens considerably after it is cooked.

Plum and Crabapple Jam

3 cups of quartered unpeeled crabapples
1 ½ cups water
1 cinnamon stick about 4 inches long
4 cups of sliced blue or purple plums
5 cups of sugar
¼ cup dry red or white wine or grape juice.

Place crabapples, water and cinnamon stick in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes or until fruit is soft. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. Press crabapples though a sieve; discard solids.

Return crabapple pulp to saucepan. Add plums, sugar and wine. Bring to a full boil and boil rapidly, uncovered, until mixture will form a gel, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Makes about 6 cups.

Linked to: FrugalFollies, DelightfulOrder, LauraWilliamsMusings, DeborahJeansDandelionHouse, FreshEggsDaily, HomesteadRevival, Prairie Homestead, NewLifeOnAHomestead, PreMeditatedLeftovers, RealFoodForager, GastronomicalSovereignty, MindBodyAndSoleOnline