Canning, freezing and drying all work well with plums, allowing you to savor the fresh, sweet taste of the fruits long after harvest. To dry plums, first wash them, halve them, and remove and dispose of the pits.
What can I do with too many plums?
You can put them in a glass jar and pickle them to make plum pickles. Or you can cut them up into small slices and soak them in pepper sauce and salt for an easy chow chow dish. You can also make chow chow using peppers, tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and cabbage too, if you want to go all out.
Can I freeze fresh plums?
Freezing plums is as easy as can be, and the fruit wedges will last up to six months in your freezer. Use your frozen plums to make jam or preserves, add them into smoothies, or eat the wedges straight out of the freezer for a cool treat.
What should I do with my plums?
Use the soft, sweet, juicy flesh of plums in jams, chutneys, puddings, porridge and crumbles – they taste delicious and add vibrant colour. For more recipes using stone fruits, check out our cherry recipes, peach recipes and apricot recipes.
Can you eat plums straight from the tree?
Plums are delicious and sweet eaten straight from the tree and fruit trees are so easy to grow, once you buy one, plant it all it needs is a little water when the weather is dry and it will produce lovely fruit for you for years to come.
How do I preserve plums?
Plum vinegar
- Place 2 cups of pitted, chopped plums into a large glass jar (½-gallon or larger).
- Mix 4 cups of warm, non-chlorinated water, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour the sugar water over the plums.
- Allow the jar to sit for 6-8 weeks.
Can you dry plums?
Wash your plums in a bowl of water and do a final rinse. If your plums are thick cut them again into slices lengthwise. Place plums on the dehydrator tray. Place tray into dehydrator and dry at 135 degrees for about 6 hours or until the plums are dry and no moisture remains.
Do you have to pit plums before freezing?
Yes, you can freeze plums. You are correct, however, that freezing them will change the consistency of the fruit. I recommend freezing plums that you plan on using for baking or preserving, rather than for ones that you plan to eat raw. I also recommend freezing them without the pit.
Do I need to peel plums before freezing?
Peel Your Plumps
The process of freezing and reconstituting plums can change their texture so we recommend peeling them first (much like tomatoes). You don’t have to peel them but we have found it worth the extra work. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (rolling).
Should I cook plums before freezing?
Plums can stay frozen for long enough, but it also depends on how you have frozen them. Frozen raw (whole) and prepared plums can be used for as long as 6 months without any loss in colour and texture. What is this? However, plums frozen in syrup or stewed can be kept in the freezer for a total of 12 months.
How do you dry plums?
How to Dehydrate Plums
- Wash plums and remove pits and stems.
- Cut plums into the segment that you prefer.
- Place with the skin down on dehydrator trays.
- Dry at 135°F / 57°C for 10-18+ hours.
- Test for doneness when cool.
- Condition.
- Store in an airtight container.
Can you stew plums to freeze?
Can I freeze stewed plums? If 3 – 4 days isn’t long enough for you, you can also freeze the plums in their cooking liquid. After they have cooled down, just place them in an airtight food storage container or freezer zip-top bag, making sure there is enough head room to account for the liquid expanding as it freezes.
How do you prepare plums?
Pull out the stone or ease out with the tip of the knife, then chop or slice. The skin is edible, but if you want raw plums without the skin, drop into into boiling water for around 15 seconds, then plunge immediately into cold water and it should come away easily.
How can you tell if a plum is edible?
The hands-down surest way to ensure the time is right for picking plum fruit is by its firmness and flavor. The plums will be becoming soft to the touch and the taste will be sweet and juicy. Hopefully, you have actually eaten a ripe plum at some point in your life and can use this memory as a barometer.
Are some plum trees poisonous?
The ASPCA’s database of toxic plants lists plum trees as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses because of the cyanide content. Again, the main risk comes from the stem, leaves, and roots of the tree, and the pit of the fruit.
How do you freeze ripe plums?
How to Freeze Plums
- Halve and pit however many plums you want to freeze.
- Cut the plums into wedges or whatever shape you will want for later.
- Lay the peeled and cut plums on baking sheets in a single layer.
- Put the trays in a freezer until the plums are frozen through.
Can you bottle plums?
Bottling plums and stone fruit is the perfect way to preserve the summer harvest to enjoy all year round. If you are new to bottling fruit, here is an easy to follow, step by step tutorial on exactly how to bottle or can plums and other stone fruit with easy to follow photos and instructions.
How do you freeze dry plums?
The process of taking fresh plums from the tree to long-term storage is not difficult at all:
- Rinse and remove any stems, leaves, debris, and pits.
- Puree in a food processor or blender with honey.
- Pre-freeze in ice cube trays overnight.
- Dry in the freeze dryer (about 24 hours of hands-off time)
What is a dried plum called?
Dried plums are sometimes called prunes and are a great snack to enjoy when fresh plums are not available. The European plum is the ideal variety to use to make dried plums because they are smaller, denser, and less juicy than Japanese varieties.
Can you make prunes from plums?
Damson-type plums make the best prunes because they’re dry and their taste is just divine, sweet with just a tiny tang. However, you can use any plum you have on hand and in a few easy steps, you’ll have a big batch of healthy, delicious prunes. Don’t let the harvest pass you by – make your own prunes!
Do plums ripen after picking?
Just like nectarines and pears, plums complete their ripening cycle off the tree. This is why you will typically purchase them firm and allow them to sit at room temperature a few days to soften. Depending on the firmness at purchase, this can take up to four days.