Specials Board: Damson Jam

Damson Jam & Vegan Mofo Day 21

With my small harvest of damsons I picked yesterday, I couldn't wait to make some damson jam. Most recipes will call for a hell of a lot more damsons than I picked but some is better than nothing, right? I love damson jam and its a hard call to pick between damson and strawberry for me, but during the winter months a little jam can make everything seem a whole lot better, bringing back fond memories of the taste of summer.

Jam making is straightforward, all you need is time and patience, something that I hadn't got much of today! Has anyone else stood over a pot of jam talking to it? Asking it to hurry up and reach it's setting point! My hubby wondered what was going on, and asked who I was talking to. When I replied that I wasn't talking to anyone just the pot of jam I was making, he gave me one of those looks as if to say "don't you think you should sit down for a bit and chill out" ha ha ha ha No can do! With all that delicious food I foraged and was given I had a lot of cooking to do!

I didn't even get started on that humongous beetroot my friend gave me yesterday, far too busy making sloe gin, damson jam and lots of other goodies for the freezer!

Ingredients
580g Damsons
290ml Cold water
480g Granulated sugar

Method
Count the number of damsons and place a small plate in your freezer too. What on earth is going on I hear you cry, count your damsons and put a plate in the freezer, I thought this was a recipe!

You don't have to count your damsons, especially if you have a bucket full! But it helps to know how many stones you need to remove. I had 104 damsons! The plate in the freezer is a neat trick, it will help you test for the setting of the jam. 

Add the damsons to a large pot, and cover with the cold water and bring the mixture up to a simmer. Using a potato masher start mashing the damsons so they burst, this will also help in removing the stones. Simmer for 15 minutes, your kitchen will smell wonderful a bit like red wine. Whilst its simmering start to remove the stones.

Next add the sugar and stir constantly until all the sugar is dissolved. The mixture will start spitting so be careful it can burn. Simmer for another 15 minutes, removing the stones as you go.

After 15 minutes do a set test. Take the plate out of the freezer and drop a teaspoon of the jam onto the plate. The cold plate will help cool the jam down, push the jam with your finger nail and if it wrinkles and has a skin formed then you have reached setting point. Don't worry if it doesn't, eat the little bit of jam on the plate and put the plate back in the freezer. Simmer the jam for another 5 minutes and repeat the test. 

Once you have reached your desired setting point, I don't like mine that thick, pour the jam into sterilised jam jars and top with a lid. Store in a cool place and once opened I always keep mine in the fridge. Enjoy!