Plum Compote for Winter (3-Liter Jar)

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make plum compote for winter? Prep the ingredients. You can use any variety of plum, but keep in mind that the variety directly affects the compote's taste and color. Yellow plums give a pale yellow, sweet compote; red plums give a scarlet, slightly tart one; and blue plums give a brownish, mildly sweet compote.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the jars and lids thoroughly inside and out and sterilize them. You can steam them with a special sterilizing lid or heat them in the oven. If you use the oven, don't put the jars straight into a hot oven or they'll crack from the temperature shock—set them on the rack in a cold oven so they warm up gradually.

3. Step 3:

   

   While the jars sterilize, boil the water for the compote. One three-liter jar takes about 2.5–2.6 liters of water, depending on how many plums you use. It's best to heat a little extra—you can always pour off the surplus or use it for a second jar (if you're putting up several at once).

4. Step 4:

   

   Rinse the plums well. Any variety works—I put up two jars, one with blue plums and one with red. You can preserve the plums whole, pricking each in a few spots with a toothpick so they don't burst in the boiling water. Or you can halve them and remove the pits, though then your compote will have a little pulp in it.

5. Step 5:

   

   Fill the jar about a third full with the prepared plums. Note: the jar should still be hot from sterilizing—if it has cooled, it may crack from the temperature shock when you pour in the boiling water.

6. Step 6:

   

   Pour boiling water into the jar up to the neck. Set the lid on top (without screwing it down) and let the compote stand for about 10 minutes.

7. Step 7:

   

   Using a perforated draining lid, pour all the water into a pot, leaving the plums in the jar.

8. Step 8:

   Add the sugar to the plum liquid, set the pot over the heat, and bring it back to a boil. Cook until the sugar fully dissolves. Add sugar to your own taste—if the compote seems not sweet enough, stir in a little more.

9. Step 9:

   Pour the boiling sugar syrup back over the plums and seal the jar with a screw cap or a flat metal lid using a jar sealer.

10. Step 10:

    Turn the jars upside down and wrap them in a towel. Let the compote cool completely at room temperature. Then turn the jars right side up and store them somewhere dark and, ideally, cool, out of direct sunlight.

11. Step 11:

    If you want your compote to look like the one in this photo, use red-skinned plums. Enjoy!