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Spicy Pickled Plums

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Submitted by jbunch

Spicy pickled plums in malt-vinegar brine with red chilies, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and mace. A British-style preserve for cold meats, cheese boards, or holiday ham.

YIELD

2 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

20 min

READY

40 min

These pickled plums lean firmly British. The malt vinegar brine, the whole-spice blend (allspice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, mace blades), and the small dried red chilies for heat are all hallmarks of traditional UK preserving. The recipe makes two quarts that age for at least a month before opening, and the finished plums end up sweet, sharp, lightly spicy, and seriously aromatic.

The pricking step is non-negotiable. Without holes punched into the skin, the brine can’t penetrate the plum and you’ll end up with watery, under-flavored fruit floating in heavily spiced syrup. A wooden cocktail stick is the perfect tool: enough to break the skin without bruising the flesh.

These are meant for the cold-meat tray. Serve them with sliced ham, roast pork, paté, hard cheeses, or as part of a ploughman’s lunch. The sweet-spicy-tart profile cuts through rich cured meats the way cranberry sauce cuts through Thanksgiving turkey.

Pro Tips

  • Use firm, ripe plums (not soft). Damson, Italian prune plums, or fresh red plums all work, but they need to hold shape during canning.
  • Use real malt vinegar if possible. Distilled malt vinegar (the recipe specifies) gives a clean tang; cider or white vinegar tastes thinner and less British.
  • Process the jars properly in a boiling-water bath for the full 20 minutes. Under-processed jars don’t seal and risk spoilage.
  • The full one-month aging is essential for flavor. Younger jars taste of vinegar and raw spice; aged jars taste of complex pickled plum.

Variations

  • Sub red wine vinegar for a slightly richer, less sharp brine.
  • Add 2 sliced fresh ginger pieces or a star anise pod to each jar for a more Asian-inspired spice profile.
  • Use Greengage plums or apricots in place of regular plums for different flavor profiles.

Ingredients

2 907.2
POUNDS G PLUM
firm ripe
4 4
EACH EACH ALLSPICE BERRY *
4 4
SMALL SMALL RED CHILI PEPPER *
4 4
EACH EACH CINNAMON STICK *
6 6
EACH EACH CLOVES, WHOLE *
4 4
EACH EACH MACE
blades *
3 710
CUPS ML MALT VINEGAR
distilled
3 710
CUPS ML SUGAR

Directions

Sterilize 2 quart jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Prick plums several times with a cocktail stick. Half fill hot jars with plums.

Add 2 allspice berries, 2 chilies, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves and 2 blades of mace to each jar. Add remaining plums to fill jars. In a saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 5 minutes.

Pour hot vinegar into jars to cover plums completely. Wipe rims of jars with a clean damp cloth. Attach lids and place in canner. Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Store in a cool dry dark place at least 1 month before serving.

Makes 2 quarts.

NOTE: Garnish with a fresh mint sprig, if desired, and serve with cold meats and salads.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1113g (39.3 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 722 1% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 59%
Dietary Fiber 3g 13%
Sugars g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 16% Vitamin C 36%
Calcium 3% Iron 4%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Fat, Low in Saturated Fat, Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, Good source of fiber, Very low in sodium, Low Sodium
 

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