Homemade Plum Butter...From Tree to Table

This morning I sent my boys to the back yard 

to pick me a basket of plums for my plum butter.

My Ingredients:

12 cups plums (approximately)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

Split plums in half, remove pits, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Do not peel. Place in a 6 quart nonreactive saucepan, and add 1 cup water and the sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until fruit is very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, puree fruit and liquid in a blender or food processor.

Rinse saucepan and return puree to pan along with allspice and cinnamon (or your choice of spices). Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until thick enough to spread, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in airtight container.

Source: Recipe adapted from: Nutmeg Nanny

NOTE: If you don't process in a water bath, the butter can be kept refrigerated for up to three weeks or frozen for up to one year.  Canning instructions. I personally like this site: How to Make Plum Jam - Easily!

Tip:

• 1 pound plums = 6 to 8 two-inch whole plums
• 1 pound plums = 2-1/2 cups sliced plums
• 1 pound plums = 2 cups cooked plums

Making Plum Butter

Add water and sugar.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until fruit is very soft, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, puree fruit and liquid in a blender.

Cook puree, with added allspice, over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, 

until thick enough to spread, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

 Enjoy fresh homemade plum butter!

I was planning on making plum jam, but then someone gave me a jar of fig butter this year. Something I read on the side of the jar of fig butter changed my mind. It said that what makes spread butter, not jam, is when it contains more fruit than sugar. I have always loved apple butter. I never knew there were other fruit butters.

It amazes me how little sugar is used in fruit butters, compared to jams. Jam uses three to four more cups of sugar than fruit, while butters us only 1 ¼ cup sugar for around eight or nine cups of fruit! Plus, butter is easier to make than jam, and no pectin is needed. Although I still love plum jam, I am stuck on plum butter for now.

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