When the orchard gives you plums, it's time to make some delicious plum jam. While we are at it, let's make a sugar-free plum jam! This is a freezer jam that uses gelatin to thicken. Paleo and Trim Healthy Mama friendly!
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In Minnesota, August is the season for plums! We have around 9 plum trees on our 40 acres and each year I have struggled with what to do with the abundance of wild plums that we have.
For a while, I tried making juice and jelly, but the efforts were monstrous and I honestly didn't like the process.
This year I started by picking two of the nine plum trees and decided to try one of my jam recipes that I have used for years but was a freezer jam instead of a jam that was water bath friendly.
My 12 month old lended his 'helping hand' as we picked the trees and there was a nice basket full!
Once I found that I could boil the plums and strain them through a Squeezo, it became a game changer! Trying to pit small wild plums that are around 1-2 inches is just not worth it unless there is a better way. The Squeezo isn't a foolproof system because it's made for applesauce production, therefore the pits commonly get stuck in the system. However, it's still better than wasting all the plums or having to pit thousands of tiny plums.
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups pureed plums
- ¾ cup THM Gentle Sweet
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The longest part of the process is picking, cleaning, boiling, and pureing the small wild plums. I have left these steps mostly out of the instructions process because you can use store-bought plums with the same results.
Start by washing, boiling, and pitting your plums if you have not already done so. This is the longest part of the process!
Add pureed plums and Gentle Sweet into a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Soften gelatin in water for 5 minutes.
Add cinnamon to plum puree and mix well.
Add gelatin to saucepan and mix well. Bring it back to a soft simmer.
Pour hot jam mixture into half-pint jars. Seal with a lid and place in the freezer.
Hint: Using some sort of pitter/puree machine is a game changer when canning wild plums. The Squeezo that I have gets jammed frequently with the pits, but it's still worth the effort!
Equipment
- Half pin jars
- Squeezo (optional)
- Funnel
- Saucepan
- Laddle
- Jar lids
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Storage
This is not a jam recipe that is approved for sealing with a water bath process. It is a freezer jam. I find that my freezer jams last for up to two years in the freezer, but taste the most fresh within a year.
Don't forget to leave enough headspace when you are pouring the jam into the jars!
Top tip
If you like a thicker jam, consider adding an additional fruit (remember this is a freezer jam so you can take a bit of liberty!) and some extra gelatin, you can add as much as another tablespoon depending on your preference.
FAQ
How do you preserve plums without sugar?
There are a variety of ways to preserve plums without sugar. In the case of this jam recipe, we are using a stevia blend and preserving it in a freezer.
If you want to preserve plums, you can simply can them in water and use a water bath method.
How to can jam without sugar?
This is not a preserving blog, so I will direct you to helpful and safe resources. Sugar affects the acidity of recipes so you will need to compensate with time-tested alternatives. Here is a resource to get you started.
Another great resource is from the National Center of Home Preservation.
This recipe is a freezer jam. To make a plum jam self-stable you will need to follow a preservation protocol that has been tested.
*My favorite resource for canning and preserving is Melissa K Norris's new book called "Everything Worth Preserving"
What can you use to thicken jam besides pectin?
Gelatin! In the case of a freezer jam it is perfectly safe to swap pectin and gelatin. Just remember that gelatin is not vegan or vegetarian friendly.
However, the question of if it is safe for water bath canning is yet to be determined. I have read multiple articles on if it is safe to swap pectin and gelatin in true canning situations and I personally would caution against it based on my readings.
Don't forget to share and follow along, I'd love to chit-chat with you!⬇️
Related
Looking for other sugar-free recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Using plum jam on sourdough is my favorite way to use this recipe!
Sugar-Free Plum Jam
When the orchard gives you plums, it's time to make some delicious plum jam. While we are at it, let's make a sugar-free plum jam! This is a freezer jam that uses gelatin to thicken. Paleo and Trim Healthy Mama friendly!
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups pureed plums
- ¾ cup THM Gentle Sweet
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by washing, boiling, and pitting your plums if you have not already done so. This is the longest part of the process!
- Add pureed plums and Gentle Sweet into a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Soften gelatin in water for 5 minutes.
- Add cinnamon to plum puree and mix well.
- Add gelatin to saucepan and mix well. Bring it back to a soft simmer.
- Pour hot jam mixture into half-pint jars. Seal with a lid and place in the freezer.
Notes
This is not a jam recipe that is approved for sealing with a water-bath process. It is a freezer jam. I find that my freezer jams last for up to two years in the freezer, but taste the most fresh within a year.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 66Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g
Calories for this recipe is calculated per jar. Online nutritional calculators are estimates only. Use your best judgement when consuming.