Shiro plum jam... or sauce?

Last summer I purchased two plum trees for the front garden. I really wanted a red Asian plum, so I special ordered Satsuma. This tree needed another for pollination, so I also ordered Shiro, a yellow Asian plum, as it's companion.

What a surprise Shiro has turned out to be! Despite being heavily attacked by Japanese beetles in the earlier part of the month, it has performed nicely. For its first year bearing fruit, it's produced close to 7 pounds. The plums are small and it's a little difficult to remove the pits, but that seems to be its only fault. I ended up taking all the fruit off the tree last Thursday so I could make jam (next year I will leave the firm fruit on the trees until they are softer. That is one thing I learned afterwards). 

I chose the ripest fruit to make into jam today with help from Aunt Tricia. In my house, our stove has a ceramic cooktop, which is not canning friendly. (Apparently there is a risk in cracking the cooktop due to uneven heating from the canning pot.) It took about four hours from start to finish to make the jam, which came out a little tart. (Maybe because I picked the fruit too early?) Hopefully it still sets up into jam, and not into a plum sauce as a result! The jars are still cooling so we'll find out soon. 

Six pounds of Shiro plums washed and ready for cutting.

All cut up, with sugar, vanilla bean and water added.

Boil, boil.

Reached 220 degrees F, with a nice orange coloring.

After processing and cooling.