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Easy (& Delicious) Plum Chutney Canning Recipe

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If you’re looking for a way to add some zip to a bland meal, this recipe is for you.

With a few ripe plums, zesty vinegar, sweet raisins, and some spices, you’ll have a sauce everyone will love.

Canning plum chutney is both easy and versatile.

You can make this sauce as thick or thin as your family wants.

And it’s shelf-stable for a year!

How to Make & Can Plum Chutney – Step-by-Step

This plum chutney takes a little time to complete, and you must stand by the stove to stir while it cooks.

Set aside some time, and your whole family will thank you for your hard work!

Equipment Needed

Ingredients

  • 16 cups of plums, chopped and pitted
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 2 tablespoons mustard seed
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups white vinegar

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Canning Time

15 minutes

Step 1: Prepare Your Plums

This recipe works best with Damson plums. These bright purple plums stay firm despite cooking and processing. However, you can use softer plums for this recipe, too.

Wash your plums in warm water and rinse them well. Then, use a sharp knife to cut your plum in half. Remove the pit, and then chop your plums roughly.

You’ll need 16 cups of prepared plums for a whole batch of this recipe.

Prepare your plums
Darker plums make for a chunkier chutney. Red plums can melt away.

Step 2: Prepare Your Onions

You’ll need at least one white onion for this recipe. Remove the outer exterior of the onion, and then chop your onion into small pieces.

You’ll need a full cup of chopped onion when you’re done.

Chopped up onions in a saucepan
I like to measure my onions as I chop them, so I know I have enough.

Step 3: Measure Dry Ingredients

Chutneys are filled with a great combination of sweet and spicy flavors.

For this recipe, you’ll need 3 cups of brown sugar, 2 cups of raisins, 2 tablespoons of mustard seed, 2 tablespoons of ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Step 4: Measure Wet Ingredients

White vinegar adds punch to this recipe, and it makes vegetables (like onions) safe for the canner.

You’ll need 3 cups for a whole batch of this recipe.

Don’t substitute things like white vinegar or wine vinegar in this recipe.

These liquids don’t have enough acidity to make your final chutney safe for the canner.

Step 5: Combine All Ingredients

Place all of your prepared ingredients in a large stainless steel pan. I like to use a wide pan that spreads my ingredients across the entire surface of the burner.

This pan makes it easy for me to scoop up ingredients to stir them.

Step 6: Cook Your Chutney

Bring all of your ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat and allow the liquid to simmer.

Cook this delicious mixture for 30 minutes while stirring regularly. The onions and plums should be very soft.

Some people like chunky chutneys with recognizable ingredients (like onions) that are visible on a spoon.

My family prefers a smoother chutney, as it’s more versatile and easy to turn into a sauce.

Freshly made plum chutney ready to can
This is how my chutney looks when it’s ready for the canner.

Step 7: Prepare Jars and Lids

While your chutney reduces, inspect the jars you’re using for this project.

For a full batch of this recipe, you’ll need 6 pint jars. Inspect each one carefully, and set aside anything that’s chipped or cracked.

Damage can mean losing an entire jar of product (and it’s heartbreaking!).

Wash your jars with hot water and soap. Place clean jars in the canner and fill it with water. Put the lid on the canner and place it over medium heat.

Allow the jars to simmer until you need them.

Place your lids in a saucepan over low heat. Let them warm until you need them.

Step 8: Fill Your Jars

Remove your prepared jars from the canner with your jar lifter. Place them on a cutting board or towel (and not the cold countertop).

Take your chutney off the heat. Place a canning funnel in one jar, and use your ladle to fill the jar while leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top. Air may get trapped inside the jars.

Run a knife around the edge of the jar to remove it.

Jar full of homemade plum chutney ready for lid
Notice that my jars have plenty of headspace.

Follow these same steps until all of your jars are filled. If you have a little extra, you can add chutney to a smaller jar (like a half-pint jar). You can also put the excess in the refrigerator and eat it within the next few days.

Step 9: Apply Lids and Rings

Liquid and spices on the edges of your jar can keep the lids from sealing. Dampen a paper towel and run it across the top of each jar.

This simple step will give your jars the best chance of sealing.

Use your lid lifter to remove lids from the saucepan. Place one on each jar, and tighten a ring until it’s finger-tight.

This means the lids won’t slide off, but air can still escape while the jars are in the canner.

Holding a jar of plum chutney with a fresh lid on it
My rings are tight, but the lids aren’t buckled or warped.

Step 10: Process Your Jars

Place your filled jars in the canner. Since you’ve been simmering your jars for awhile, the water should be boiling. You should also have enough water in the canner to cover them with an inch of liquid.

Put the lid on the canner, and process your jars for 15 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed. Don’t remove the lid or touch them in any way as they process.

Step 11: Wait to Test

After processing, take the lid off the canner and turn off the burner. Leave the jars in place for 5 minutes to allow the contents to stabilize.

After 5 minutes, your jars are ready to remove from the canner. But beware! They’ll still be really hot.

Use your jar lifter to remove your chutney from the canner, and place the jars on a cutting board or towel.

Don’t touch or tap your jars for 24 hours. They need time to stabilize and seal. You may hear the lids click when they seal.

Step 12: Test and Label

After 24 hours, your jars should be sealed perfectly. Test them by removing the rings and pressing straight down on the lids.

If they don’t move or make noise, you did a great job!

I like to write the date on the top of each lid. Some companies provide stickers you can use for dates and contents.

I find those stickers are hard to remove when I want to reuse my jars.

Writing on the lid works better for me.

Fresh homemade and canned plum chutney

Photo caption: I put up a lot of this chutney over the summer, and everything is still tasty months later.

How Long Does Canned Plum Chutney Last?

The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. This is why writing the date on your lids will help you keep track of your pantry and ensure you don’t let your chutney expire.

This sauce is one of my family’s favorites, so we rarely have jars that last for a year. Once you make it, you’ll feel the same!

Ideas for Using Plum Chutney

My family eats meals with plum chutney about once per week. (We grow a lot of plums!) These are a few of my favorite ways to use it:

  • Cook down chutney and poach tofu or chicken in the sauce.
  • Spice up winter vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower with plum chutney.
  • Add a few tablespoons of plum chutney to macaroni and cheese.
  • Serve plum chutney with rice.
  • Add zing to Easter ham with a plum chutney glaze.
  • Dip cooked sausage in plum chutney.
  • Substitute plum chutney for jelly on your morning toast.
  • Mix plum chutney into cottage cheese.
  • Cook green beans in a mixture of plum chutney and olive oil.
  • Add plum chutney to water for a salad dressing.
Super Easy (& Delicious) Plum Chutney Canning Recipe

Easy (& Delicious) Plum Chutney Canning Recipe

Tangy, sweet, and effortlessly tasty – this easy plum chutney is perfect for canning and savoring year-round.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Canning Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Canning, Preserved Snack, Preserves
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Canning, Plum Chutney, Water Bath Canning
Servings: 6 Pint Jars

Ingredients

  • 16 cups plums chopped and pitted (Damson plums work best, but softer plums can be used)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 2 tablespoons mustard seed
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups white vinegar

Instructions

Prepare Your Plums

  • Wash the plums in warm water and rinse them well.
  • Cut each plum in half, remove the pit, and roughly chop.
  • Measure out 16 cups of prepared plums.

Prepare Your Onions

  • Peel one white onion, discarding the outer layers.
  • Chop the onion into small pieces until you have 1 cup of chopped onion.

Measure Dry Ingredients

  • Measure 3 cups of brown sugar, 2 cups of raisins, 2 tablespoons mustard seed, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Measure Wet Ingredients

  • Measure 3 cups of white vinegar. (Do not substitute with other types of vinegar, as the acidity is essential for safety.)

Combine All Ingredients

  • Place the chopped plums, onion, dry ingredients, and vinegar in a large stainless steel pan.
  • Use a wide pan if possible to allow for even cooking and easier stirring.

Cook Your Chutney

  • Bring all the ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly until the onions and plums are very soft.

Prepare Jars and Lids

  • Inspect six pint jars for any chips or cracks and wash them with hot water and soap.
  • Place the clean jars in your water bath canner, fill with water, and heat over medium heat.
  • Warm the lids in a small saucepan over low heat until needed.

Fill Your Jars

  • Remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter and place them on a cutting board or towel.
  • Remove the chutney from the heat and insert a canning funnel into a jar.
  • Use a ladle to fill the jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top. If air bubbles are trapped, run a knife around the edge of the jar to release them.
  • Repeat the process for all jars. If there’s extra chutney, you can use a smaller jar or refrigerate the excess.

Apply Lids and Rings

  • Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp paper towel to remove any residue.
  • Remove the lids from the warming pan with the lid lifter, place one on each jar, and secure with rings until they are finger-tight.

Process Your Jars

  • Place the filled jars into the canner, ensuring they are covered with at least one inch of boiling water.
  • Cover the canner with its lid and process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for elevation if necessary.
  • Do not remove the lid or disturb the jars during processing.

Wait to Test

  • After processing, remove the canner lid and turn off the heat.
  • Allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes to stabilize.
  • Remove the jars using the jar lifter and place them on a cutting board or towel.
  • Do not disturb the jars for 24 hours as they cool and seal.

Test and Label

  • After 24 hours, check the seals by removing the rings and pressing down on each lid. The lids should not move or make noise if properly sealed.
  • Write the date on each lid for reference.

Notes

  • Storage: Keep your canned plum chutney in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. It is best used within a year.
  • Versatility: This chutney is great for cooking down to poach tofu or chicken, spicing up winter vegetables, enhancing macaroni and cheese, serving with rice, glazing ham, dipping sausage, substituting for jelly on toast, mixing into cottage cheese, or even as a component in a salad dressing.
  • Timing: Although the chutney takes a bit of time on the stove, the delicious flavor it imparts is well worth the effort!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Easy Plum Chutney Canning Recipe
June Gardner

June Gardner

June is a food preservation expert who loves turning her summer garden’s bounty into homemade meals year-round. For her, there’s nothing more satisfying than crafting a winter lasagne with tomato sauce made from plants she nurtured from seed. With a passion for food security, June has mastered water-based canning and uses her advanced dehydrating skills to savor the sweetness of summer, even in winter.