We have been blessed with sand plums this year. We have not have any for a few years with all the dry weather here in Oklahoma. Therefor, I'm happy to have sand plums and be making jelly. My poor husband has been right there picking all the sand plums with me.
Step 1: Wash the Sand Plums with warm water in the sink. Then put them in a pot with water to boil until they are ready to make juice. You can tell when the sand plums are done because they start floating or the skin start to come off.
Step 2: Take your plums from the pot using a slotted spoon, and put a few at a time in a Old-Style Food Mill to juice the sand plums.
Tip: You can save the juice from the sand plums for the next day by putting it in the fridge, or freeze it to make Jelly when you have time.
Step 3: To make the jelly, you need to add 5 1/2 cups of Plum juice, 1 tablespoon of butter (it helps prevent foam), and a box of Sure Jell in the pot. In a different bowl put 6 1/2 cups of sugar for later use. Then, bring your mixture in the pot to a rolling boil. Immediately, stir in all the sugar at once after rolling boiling has started. Then, return to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Finally, remove from heat. As the sand plums jelly mixture is boiling, place 8 empty jars into a hot water bath to heat them up for use later. Leave the jars in the water for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. After that, wipe the rims of the jars clean. Center lid on the jars. Then, screw bands on the jars to fingertip-tight.
Step 5: Place jars with jelly in a hot water bath. Bring the hot water bath to a boil, and process the jars for 5 minutes.
Sand Plum Jelly
5 1/2 cups Sand Plum Juice 1 tablespoon butter 1 package regular powdered fruit pectin (Sure Jell) 6 1/2 cups sugar
Prepare canner, jars and lids. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine Sand Plum juice, butter. Whisking pectin until dissolved. Measure your sugar in a separate bowl. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam. (Which that why we put butter in the jelly to help with the foam.)
Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jelly. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to finger-tight.
Place jars in hot water bath canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
Makes about 8 (8 oz.) jars
Comments