1gallon Wild plum puree made from 10-15 lbs of wild plums.
2cups Maple syrup or brown sugar
1teaspoon Cinnamon
¼teaspoon Kosher salt
2teaspoons Lemon juice from concentrate
1teaspoon vanilla extract or wild vanilla extract, or ½ a vanilla bean
Instructions
Wild Plum Puree
First make the plum puree. If you have fresh plums you can stone them, mash them up by hand, then rub them through a screen or a colander.
If you have whole, frozen wild plums, you can mash them by hand and pass them though a colander into a larger bowl.
When you're done, add a cup or two of water to the plum skins and pits. Mix the water around to loosen the extra puree, then rub it through the screen or colander again.
Bake the Plum Butter
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Mix the plum puree, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl or large pot.
If you want a very smooth butter, you can puree the mixture now with an immersion blender.
Pour the plum puree into a wide baking dish with high sides. Alternately you can use a slow cooker or a deep hotel pan as shown in the post.
Bake the plum puree until the water has evaporated and it's thick. You should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you drag a spoon or spatula through it.
The cooking time will vary depending on your equipment, but expect at least 2-3 hours of cooking.
Storing
If you want to water bath can the plum butter, beat in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice now.
Transfer the plum puree to pint or half pint mason jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. You can also freeze the plum butter.
Video
Notes
The cooking time will vary depending on your equipment. Use your instincts and watch the butter carefully after 2 hours to make sure it doesn't burn. You can also use a slow cooker, but it's more likely to burn around the edges. Plum butter can get stiff as it cools. Allow it to come to room temperature to make it more spreadable.