Pectin Free Vanilla Plum Jam with Chia Seeds

Like so many things lost in the modern world the art of jam and jelly making without pectin has almost been lost. It doesn't need to be this way though! Yes, yes a little more time is needed to cook these old fashioned style delights but it is well worth the time.  I will admit I have never used plums before. I in fact went to the orchard for peaches (which I got 1 1/2 bushels off) but when I saw those plums, so ripe I could smell them, well, about a bushel of them came home. So of coarse I had to pull out my vintage recipe books and look around for some to uses. Some are drying, some are canned and some are jammed.  In an old church book I found a simple recipe I could put my own spin on. The one I found was a simple, just 3 ingredients,  plain Jane nothing added jam and from there I took off.  With a little knowledge from experience I knew by adding a liquid in this case vanilla I would want more acid so the amount of lemon needed to be adjusted. So it was and this little recipe
was born. Batch one had a jar down in about an hour. The substance hadn't even had time to set all the way before my family attacked! Now a note must be added here. Like many no pectin added recipes this will take a few hours to set. Room temp makes a difference so it will be between 12 and 24 hours before it is set up.

Ingredients:

8 cups pitted and diced plums ( I had a mix of golden and black)
6 cups granulated sugar ( I use the Zulka)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp.  chia seeds

Now do not, do not, DO NOT use your blender on the plums. Do leave the skins on.  The natural pectin and color is in the skins, we want them for this recipe.  So put the plums and sugar in the pot and start cooking them down.  Let them simmer until they are very soft and turning into a thick sauce. About 20/25 minutes.  Stir frequently during this time.   Now add the lemon, vanilla and chia seeds and cook for another 10 minutes. Ladle into jars and water bath for 15 minutes. Once out of the bath let them sit. DO not play with the jars as this can disturb the setting of the jam. Leave over night and then you're good to serve.

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