Go Back
Plum jam jars with fresh plums

Plum Jam Recipe Jamie Oliver

Oh, friend, if you have a bowl of ripe plums sitting on your counter right now, this is your sign. This plum jam recipe, Jamie Oliver style, is the one I keep coming back to every single summer. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and honestly, it makes your whole kitchen smell incredible.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 people
Course: Jam
Cuisine: British
Calories: 45
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Fresh ripe plums pitted and chopped – 2 lbs (about 900g)
  • Granulated white sugar – 1½ cups
  • Fresh lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
  • Lemon zest optional – 1 teaspoon
  • Water – ¼ cup

Equipment

  • Large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • 4 clean glass jars with lids sterilized
  • Kitchen thermometer optional but helpful
  • Small plate for the wrinkle test, more on that in a second

Method
 

Step 1: Prep Your Plums
  1. Wash, pit, and roughly chop your plums. You don’t need to peel them; the skins melt right in and give the jam this gorgeous deep ruby color.
    Chopping fresh ripe plums
Step 2: Sterilize Your Jars
  1. Pop your jars in a 200°F oven for about 10 minutes. I do this while I’m prepping the fruit so everything’s ready to go at the same time.
    Sterilizing mason jars in oven
Step 3: Start Cooking the Plums
  1. Add your chopped plums and the water to your pot over medium heat. Stir gently and let them soften for about 8-10 minutes until they start breaking down.
    Plums simmering in pot
Step 4: Add Sugar and Lemon
  1. Pour in the sugar and lemon juice, then stir until the sugar fully dissolves. The whole pot turns this beautiful dark pink and smells absolutely dreamy right about now.
    Adding sugar and lemon juice
Step 5: Bring to a Rolling Boil
  1. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the jam reach a full rolling boil, one that doesn’t settle down when you stir it. Keep stirring often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
    Plum jam at rolling boil
Step 6: Do the Wrinkle Test
  1. Drop a tiny spoonful on your cold plate from the freezer and push it with your finger. If it wrinkles and holds its shape, your jam is set. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes of boiling total.
    Testing jam set on plate
Step 7: Jar It Up
  1. Ladle the hot jam carefully into your warm sterilized jars, leaving about a quarter inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims clean, seal the lids, and let them cool completely on the counter.
    Filling jar with plum jam

Notes

I always make a double batch in August when plums are at their absolute sweetest. Trust me, you’ll wish you had more come January.