Opa's Plum Jelly
Ingredients
- 11 1/2 cups plum juice see note
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 1/2 packages SureJell fruit pectin
- 17 cups sugar
- 1 tsp butter
Instructions
- Place plum juice, lemon juice, and SureJell in large stainless steel pot and bring to rolling boil over medium high heat stirring constantly.
- Once the boil is rolling and you are unable to stir it down boil for 1 minute, then add the sugar. If the sugar balls up use a wooden spoon to press against the side of the pot to break up the ball.
- Stir constantly to dissolve sugar, bringing back to a boil. Once boil is rolling again stop stirring and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Jelly will foam up at this point so be sure you've used a pot that is big enough to allow for this.
- Turn off heat and add butter which helps to reduce foam. If you do get some foam in your jars of jelly you can remove it with a clean teaspoon before sealing.
- Transfer jelly to heated jars filling to just below ring marks. Top with heated lid and seal with ring twisting tightly.
- Place jars upside down for approximately 30 minutes which increases heat at the lid and helps seal the jars. Flip so jars are right side up after half hour and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Test each jar to see if it has sealed by pressing firmly on the center of the lid. If a jar has sealed there will be no give, if the lid presses up and down then the seal did not take. Store any jars that did not seal in the fridge and use first.
- Sealed jars may be kept in a cool dark pantry for up to one year.
Notes
To juice plums cut fruit and place in stainless steel pot, it is not necessary to pit or peel plums. Add 1/2 cup water per pound of plums and bring to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until plums are soft. Strain pulp and liquid through cheesecloth for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Do not press on pulp or this will cloud your juice and as a result your jelly, be patient and allow gravity to do the work for you.