All the ume trees in our yard are producing plums like mad this year. We made ume-shu and with the remainder of the first harvest I cooked up this jam. It’s really good. I’ll be making some more because we’re harvesting plums every other day now.
Ume-zing spiced plum jam
makes about 2 cups
1 kg ume
500 g sugar
1.5 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mace
- Wash the ume and discard any with holes where bugs and birds have nibbled
- Boil ume in a large pot until the skins split. Drain.
- Add sugar and spices
- Simmer until the sugar dissolves and pits are mostly separated from the flesh
- Remove from heat and strain the pits and skins out
- Bring the jam to about 100C, just boiling (it will set at 102C)
- Transfer to sterile jars.
Consume with a month or so, or process the jars in the traditional canning method.
