Sand Hill plum jelly is a special treat in my family. My grandmother always had jars of it when we visited her and she taught her daughters how to make it. The plums are native to much of Kansas but are often found in the western part of the state where my parents grew up (my mother says the flavor of the plum varies from area to area). The plums grow naturally in sandy soil and are effective at stopping blowing sand—for a photo, click here. My parents picked some on one of my grandfather's pastures at the end of July and my mom made a batch of the jelly (to be enjoyed this holiday season). Recipe after the jump.In a large pot, cover 7 pounds of fruit with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Put the berries and liquid through food mill (you should get 5 1/2 cups juice; for a clearer jelly, do not press on pulp, and for an even clearer jelly, you can strain it after it goes through the mill). Add 1 box Sure-Gel fruit pectin and bring to a boil. Add 7 1/2 cups sugar and bring to a hard boil. Boil 1 minute and take off burner. Let set for a few minutes, then skim off foam. Put in hot jars (my mom runs hers through the dishwasher right before using but you could clean and put boiling water in them). Top each jar with 1/8 teaspoon paraffin wax.
October 14, 2010
Sand Hill plum jelly
Posted by Kellee MillerComments (4)
Post a comment
Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until the author has approved them.
From: Janelle | 10/14/10 at 12:46 pm
I love Sand Hill plum jelly. My grandmother always made it and to this day it is still my favorite kind.
From: Linda Case | 10/15/10 at 12:49 pm
Have always liked the sand hill plum jelly. Thanks for printing the recipe so we can make it again. It is very easy to make and so much better than anything you can buy.
From: Karen Trearchis | 10/15/10 at 1:37 pm
Sounds delicious, but I am surprised you are using the paraffin wax. The jars you are using work well and get a good seal without using the wax. I remember my grandmother used wax when she put jam into glasses to get a seal. Why do that extra step. The only other thing I do differently is put the sealed jars with jam in a water bath, boiling the jars for 5 minutes. I do this to be sure the jam is safe because I keep the jam for up to a year.
From: Angie Schnoebelen | 10/19/10 at 8:09 pm
Yummmmmy, I love this jelly. I always have some here at the house. We had great times going berry picking. It will be something I know i will always remember.