Jamming with the Pluots

So I told you all a while back that I was planning to have some fun with pluots.  Did I ever!  The thought occurs to me that there may be a few of my readers that are not familiar with this delightful fruit.  As seen on a local nursery website, PLUOTS are cross between plums and plumcots developed here in the fabulous fruitful central valley in 1990. A plumcot is 1/2 plum and 1/2 apricot, so a PLUOT is 25% Apricot, 75% Plum, and 100% DELIGHTFUL.  For you locals, I bought Dapple Dandy and Flavor King at Smith Ranch in Modesto.  Their fruit is simply the best around.  FYI, I did some weighing one day and the peaches I bought were < $1/lb.  I call that great!

First I made Peach Pluot Jam.  The ingredients were pretty simple...peaches, pluots, and the usual jam ingredients. Let me know if you want any of these recipes.  

 

Cooking the pluots and peaches

 Adding the surejell and sugar

Bringing the jam back to a boil...starting to clarify

Washed the jars - always a happy step.

 

So a little "small jar" canning tip...if you have a taller pressure canner, you can double layer your jars by putting a cookie rack above pint or 1/2 pint jars, and then put the smaller ones on top.  As long as the actual jars aren't touching, everything's good.  I think I canned about 14 jars at once this way...(happy face)

Viola!

When I found some more preserving time....out came the strainer for a batch of pluot jelly.  I don't usually go to the extra work for jelly....and I remembered why.  It is a multi-day operation.

First you cook the processed pluots for a little while.

Then you let the pluot mush strain overnight. 

The instructions said to strain it again with cheesecloth lining the strainer.  When I was finished with that, the pluot juice was cloudy and I hoped that I had strained it completely enough.  I had a hunch that when the juice was cooked, it would clarify...sure enough!

 
This step was pretty easy, bring to boil and add pectin.

 

Next, wash the jars

Fill and skim the foam off the top of the jars

Yabba Dabba Done!

I don't have pictures of the process of making the Pear Pluot Jam, suffice it to say that it was quite similar to making the Peach Pluot Jam.  It is my personal favorite.  The sweet tang of pluots melds wonderfully with the smooth texture of pear jam.

Pear Pluot on the left, Peach Pluot on the right, and the adorable Jelly in the center

I have some extra jars available for sale on my facebook Aria Gardens page.  As always...it's limited edition, first come first sold.