Pickled plums are one of those preserves that take me straight back to my childhood kitchen. My mum used to make them with whole plums, stones and all. She would cover them with a sweet-and-sour, spiced vinegar mixture, and that is the flavour I have always remembered.
I make them a little differently. I halve the plums and remove the stones, which makes them much easier to serve and eat later. If you would like to make them the way my mum did, you can leave the fruit whole. Simply prick each plum in a few places with a toothpick.
There is one more thing that sets this recipe apart from quicker versions. I do not put the fruit straight into small jars. Instead, all the plums go into one large jar with a capacity of about 5 litres.
On the first day, I pour the hot pickling liquid over them. The next day, I drain it off, bring it back to the boil and return it to the large jar. Only on the third day do I transfer the plums to smaller jars and pour the liquid over them one last time. The whole process takes three days, but there is very little hands-on work involved.
Which plums are best for pickling?
My first choice is węgierki, the oval purple plums traditionally used in Polish preserves. They should be ripe but still firm. I save very soft fruit for other recipes, as repeated contact with the hot pickling liquid could cause it to fall apart.
I cut the plums in half and remove the stones, so they are ready to serve as soon as I open a jar.
You can also leave the plums whole, with the stones in, just as my mum did. If you do, prick each one in two or three places with a toothpick.
When I have extra fruit, I also set some aside for oven-baked plum butter. It is a completely different way to use plums, but another lovely way to preserve their flavour for winter.
Why do I pour the hot liquid over the plums several times?
In this recipe, I do not boil the plums themselves. I only boil the pickling liquid. The first pour starts the process. Over the next 24 hours, the plums release some of their juice while taking on the flavours of the vinegar, sugar and spices.
The following day, I drain off the liquid, bring it back to the boil and pour it into the jar while still hot. After another 24 hours, I repeat this for the third time, but by then the fruit has been transferred to smaller jars. This gives the plums time to develop their characteristic sweet-and-sour flavour without having to boil them.
Pickled Plums for Winter
approximately 5–6
jars, 500 ml each30
minutes2
minutes3
daysTraditional plums in a sweet-and-sour vinegar mixture with cinnamon and cloves. For the first two days, I pour the hot liquid over the plums in a large jar. On the third day, I transfer them to smaller jars and heat-process them.
Ingredients
2 kg węgierki plums (firm, oval purple plums)
1 litre water
300 ml spirit vinegar, 10% acidity
800 g sugar
10–12 whole cloves
1–2 cinnamon sticks
5–6 allspice berries
Method
Prepare the plums
I wash and sort the plums thoroughly, then cut them in half and remove the stones.
I put the halves into a clean, large jar with a capacity of about 5 litres.
For the version I remember from home, I leave the fruit whole with the stones in and prick each plum in a few places with a toothpick.
Make the first batch of pickling liquid
I pour 1 litre of water and 300 ml of 10% vinegar into a saucepan, then add the 800 g of sugar, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
I bring it to the boil and cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
I pour the hot liquid into the large jar of plums, cover it and leave it for about 24 hours.
On day two, boil the liquid again
After about 24 hours, I drain off just the pickling liquid, leaving the plums in the large jar.
I bring the liquid back to the boil, cook it for about 2–3 minutes and pour it back over the plums while still hot.
I leave them for another 24 hours.
On day three, transfer the plums to smaller jars
I drain off the pickling liquid again.
I transfer the plums to clean, small jars that have been scalded with boiling water, packing them fairly closely without pressing them down.
I bring the liquid to the boil for the third time.
Pour the hot liquid over the plums for the third time
I pour the boiling pickling liquid over the plums in the smaller jars, dividing the spices between the jars as well.
I leave about 1–1.5 cm of headspace below the lids and seal the jars tightly.
Heat-process the jars
I place the jars in a saucepan lined with a cloth and add water to about three-quarters of their height.
I heat-process them for about 10 minutes, then remove them and leave them to cool completely.
I leave the finished plums for at least 2–3 weeks to allow the flavours to blend.
Pickled plums: with or without the stones?
You can make them either way. My mum left the plums whole, with the stones in. Prepared like this, the fruit holds its shape very well and looks lovely when taken out of the jar.
I prefer to remove the stones before the first pour. It makes the plums easier to serve, especially alongside meat, pâté or cheese. If you are making this recipe for the first time, you could try halving some of the fruit and leaving a few plums whole. By next season, you will know which version you prefer.
Do pickled plums need to be heat-processed?
I heat-process mine, because I make them as preserves for winter. And it is not just plums: I also make pickled pears. You can find the recipe here.
I do not give them a long processing time, though. The fruit has already had very hot liquid poured over it several times, so once the jars are sealed, I heat-process them for about 10 minutes. I also want to keep the plums from becoming too soft. Once the jars have cooled, I always check that the lids have sealed properly.
What do I serve with pickled plums?
For me, they are first and foremost an accompaniment to savoury dishes. They go beautifully with roast pork, other roast meats, pâtés and homemade cold cuts.
They are also excellent on a cheeseboard. The sweetness of the plums, the acidity of the pickling liquid and the warm spices make a lovely contrast to mature cheeses.
I particularly enjoy them in autumn and winter, when richer dishes with bolder flavours tend to appear on the table more often.
What else do I make with plums?
I try to make the most of plum season. When I fancy something intensely chocolatey, I bake my chocolate cake with plums and a hint of orange. I love the combination of chocolate, slightly tart plums and orange.
My plum and mascarpone shortcrust cake, on the other hand, is creamier and more delicate, with almonds to finish it off.
I also make oven-baked plum butter for winter without fail. I use plums in homemade drinks too: you will find my plum liqueur and plum nalewka, a traditional Polish fruit infusion, on the blog. They are another way to keep the flavour of ripe fruit for much longer.
How long should pickled plums mature?
I do not open the jars straight after making them. I give them at least 2–3 weeks. During that time, the vinegar mellows, the pickling liquid takes on the plum juices, and the cinnamon and cloves become more pronounced.
I store the jars in a cool, dark place alongside my other preserves.
A flavour that takes me back home
What I love most about this recipe is that I have kept the method I remember from home while adapting it a little to suit the way I cook.
Mum used whole plums with the stones in. I remove the stones.
The method, though, remains the same: a large jar, pickling liquid brought to the boil several times, cinnamon, cloves and a few days of patience. Only at the very end do the plums go into smaller jars.
These are the recipes I love most. They do more than preserve fruit for winter: they preserve a little piece of family life in the kitchen, too.