Keep Plums Ready To Eat All Winter With This Simple Preservation Method

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When summer hits its stride, the sight of plump, dusky plums fill the grocery stores, and it's glorious, although fleeting. We can keep those luscious fruits ready to eat all winter long by simply canning them in hot liquid. Whether your plums are golden or deep purple in hue, these faintly-floral fruits are all shades of juicy, sweet, and tart. Savor those summer flavors like this: Start by washing them and pricking the skins with a fork. In a large pot, prepare a light syrup (about two cups of sugar to four cups of water) and bring it to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt to enhance the plum's sweet flavor and and boil them for two minutes. You're already almost there.

Cover the pot with a lid and let them cool for 30 minutes. Pack the hot plums into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of space, and then pour the remaining syrup over them to cover. Remove the air bubbles by using a chopstick to stir neatly around the edges and then wipe the rims clean, before sealing the jars with lids and bands. Process the jars by boiling them in a stainless steel water canner for about 20 minutes. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place like a cupboard. This way they will keep for up for up to a year. Once opened, transfer the leftovers to the refrigerator and use them within a week for the best texture and flavor. 

Hot packing the plums in syrup preserves their cozy color and keeps the fruit firm — especially by adding pectin. Canned plums are heavenly on top of ice cream, as well as in spiced plum cobblers. While they are right at home in the visually-stunning plum upside down cake, canned plums can be used in savory ways, too. Pork chops, duck, or chicken all shine with plums — where their sweet-tart balance adds depth and color. Try using canned plums for almost any type of chutney where their natural sweetness balances vinegar, onions, and warm spices like ginger and cloves. Plum chutney is a an outstanding addition to any charcuterie board — especially one featuring sharp cheeses like aged cheddar. For something savory but also sweet and bold, make Chinese plum sauce. This silky condiment adds depth to stir-fries, crispy duck, and sheet pan chicken, too.

Plums do love spice, and there's nothing quite like the sweet heat of plum jam with chile de árbol. Plop it over a block of cream cheese and serve it with crackers for a crowd pleasing appetizer. Oh, and do not sleep on wonderful plum pickles – they are tangy, spiced, and unexpected — especially with Brie and herby turkey breast, piled high on a warm croissant. A few jars of canned plums can brighten up a winter meal in an instant.