Mastering Homemade Spicy Plum Sauce: Easy Canning & Delicious Culinary Uses

Unlock a world of vibrant flavor with this incredibly versatile and lightly spicy homemade plum sauce recipe. Far superior to store-bought versions, this condiment is a true game-changer for your kitchen. It effortlessly transforms Chinese dishes like moo shu pancakes and savory stir-fries into culinary masterpieces, and it serves as a wonderful glaze or dipping sauce for various meats. The best part? It’s remarkably easy to make, tastes absolutely amazing, and can be canned for year-round enjoyment or thoughtful homemade gifts.

✩ What readers are saying…

“Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I made this last weekend and it is so yummy. It sorta reminds me of a barbeque sauce. It is definitely a keeper!” -Pamela

Two jars of canned plum sauce with fresh plums displayed next to them — Freshly canned spicy plum sauce, ready to be enjoyed or gifted.

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Alongside other pantry staples like Addictive Tomato Chutney, this homemade canned plum sauce quickly becomes one of those indispensable condiments you’ll want to have stocked all year long. Its complex, sweet, savory, and slightly spicy profile adds a wonderful depth of flavor to simple vegetable stir-fries and perfectly complements baked or grilled chicken and pork dishes. It’s an Asian condiment that truly elevates everyday meals.

One of the most delightful and convenient ways to utilize this plum sauce is in an easy rendition of moo shu chicken or pork, cleverly substituting traditional Chinese pancakes with readily available flour tortillas. This makes for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Easy Moo Shu Chicken (or Pork) Dinner Idea with Plum Sauce

Imagine a vibrant stir-fry brimming with crisp cabbage, tender broccoli, and sweet carrots, all tossed with thinly sliced chicken or pork. At the very end of cooking, a simple sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and fresh ginger is added, coating every ingredient in a savory glaze.

To serve this delectable meal, simply warm some flour tortillas. Layer the flavorful stir-fry onto a tortilla, generously drizzle with your homemade plum sauce, and roll it up. Dinner is served – an impressive, flavorful, and incredibly easy meal that will become a family favorite!

Plum sauce elegantly presented in a glass jar, with a spoon nearby, showcasing its smooth texture — The irresistible allure of homemade plum sauce, ready to enhance any dish.

Why Homemade Plum Sauce is a Must-Make

The flavor of this homemade plum sauce is truly exceptional – many agree it’s significantly better than any store-bought alternative. When you make it yourself, you control the quality of ingredients, the level of spice, and the overall freshness, resulting in a condiment that bursts with authentic taste and character.

Beyond its superior flavor, making your own plum sauce is surprisingly easy, even for beginner canners. The process involves straightforward steps: combining all the ingredients, cooking them down, blending to achieve your desired consistency, and then preserving them in jars. It’s an excellent entry point into the rewarding world of home canning.

Furthermore, producing your own plum sauce is incredibly economical. The cost of those small bottles in stores can quickly add up. If you’re fortunate enough to grow your own plums or can source them affordably from local farmers’ markets or even for free, the savings become substantial. It’s a fantastic way to utilize an abundant plum harvest and enjoy delicious, high-quality sauce without the premium price tag.

A rustic wire basket filled with freshly picked, ripe plums — The essential ingredient: fresh, ripe plums ready for sauce-making.

Ingredients & Smart Substitutions for Your Plum Sauce

Crafting the perfect spicy plum sauce begins with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and how you can adapt the recipe to your pantry or preferences:

Plums: Any variety of plums can be used, but Italian plums are highly recommended. They are naturally drier, which means less cooking time to achieve that perfect thick consistency. Plus, they often offer a richer, deeper color to the final sauce.
Onion: Standard yellow, sweet, or red onions will all work beautifully. The onion adds a crucial savory base and aromatic depth to the sauce. Finely chopping is key for a smooth final product.
Brown Sugar: This ingredient contributes a wonderful molasses-like depth of flavor and a slightly richer color to the sauce. While highly recommended, you can substitute it entirely with white cane sugar if preferred, though you might miss some of that nuanced richness.
Cane Sugar: Provides the essential sweetness and plays a role in the sauce’s thickening process, helping to create that desirable syrupy texture.
Dry Mustard: Don’t skip this! It’s a secret weapon for achieving that distinctive, authentic Chinese mustard flavor that makes plum sauce so unique and delicious.
Ground Ginger: An absolutely essential spice for any Asian-inspired condiment. It brings warmth, a subtle peppery note, and aromatic freshness.
Salt: Use a canning salt or a pure, no-additive fine sea salt to ensure proper preservation and a clean flavor. Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is always best for maximum flavor. Remember, for canning safety, do not increase the amount of fresh garlic beyond what is specified in the recipe. If you desire a stronger garlic presence, supplement with a bit of garlic powder after the sauce has been cooked and before canning.
Red Pepper Flakes: This is where the “spicy” in spicy plum sauce comes from! You have full control here – adjust the quantity up or down to suit your preferred heat level, or omit them completely for a mild version.
Ground Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon might seem unexpected, but it perfectly balances the fruit and spice flavors, adding a subtle warmth and complexity. You can slightly reduce the amount if you prefer a less pronounced cinnamon note.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Chosen for its milder, fruitier acidity, apple cider vinegar is ideal for this plum sauce. Rice vinegar is an excellent substitute that will also contribute a mild, Asian-friendly tang. In a pinch, white vinegar can be used, but it will have a sharper, less nuanced flavor. The vinegar is crucial for both flavor balance and, importantly, for the safety of water bath canning.

Plum Selection Note: Italian Plums for the Win!

I enthusiastically recommend using Italian plums for two primary reasons:

Drier Flesh: Italian plums naturally contain less water, which significantly reduces the time needed to cook down and thicken your sauce. This means less stirring and a quicker path to deliciousness!
Abundant & Accessible: In many regions, Italian plums grow in abundance and can often be found for free or at very low cost, making this recipe even more economical. (As an added bonus, if you have access to Italian plums, they make the BEST dried plums ever!)

However, don’t let the absence of Italian plums deter you! I’ve successfully made this recipe with various other plum varieties. The main differences you’ll notice are a potentially lighter color in your finished sauce and a slightly longer cooking time to achieve the desired thickness. Rest assured, the flavor will still be outstanding. Ultimately, your plum sauce will reflect the natural color of the plums you choose – dark Italian plums yield a dark, rich sauce.

How to Make Homemade Spicy Plum Sauce: A Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting this delicious plum sauce is a straightforward process. While detailed quantities are provided in the full recipe below, these extra tips will guide you through each stage for the best results:

Chopping plums with a knife on a cutting board — Manually chopping plums for the sauce.

Step 1: Prepare the Plums and Onions

Start by preparing your plums. You can certainly hand-chop them as shown in the image, but for maximum efficiency, I highly recommend using a food processor. After discovering how much easier it made preparing ingredients for canning recipes like tomato chutney and my favorite salsa, it’s now my go-to tool for this plum sauce as well. To process, simply cut your plums in half, remove the pit, and pulse them in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Do the same for your onions, ensuring they are finely chopped to integrate smoothly into the sauce.

Adding chopped plums to a large pot with other ingredients — All ingredients combined in a pot, ready to cook.

Step 2: Combine and Cook

Once your plums and onions are chopped, transfer them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add all the remaining ingredients as listed in the recipe. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer for approximately one hour. During this initial cooking phase, stir occasionally to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pot. This part of the plum sauce preparation is incredibly quick – most of the work is just waiting for the ingredients to meld and cook down.

Tip: After years of struggling with less-than-ideal kitchen gadgets, this food processor is my top recommendation for its excellent price and quality. It makes prep work a breeze!

Blending cooked plum sauce directly in the pot with a hand-held immersion blender — Achieving a silky-smooth texture with an immersion blender.

Step 3: Blend to Perfection

After the initial hour of cooking, it’s time to achieve that silky-smooth consistency. Use an immersion blender (also known as a hand-held blender) directly in the pot. Process the mixture for just a minute or two, or until you reach your desired smoothness. This step effectively incorporates the plum skins and softened onions, adding nutrients and depth to the sauce without any chunky texture. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, you can skip this step or blend for a shorter period.

A pot of smooth, blended plum sauce simmering and thickening — The plum sauce continues to simmer, reaching a thick, syrupy consistency.

Step 4: Thicken to Syrupy Consistency

Now, allow the plum sauce to continue cooking, uncovered, until it achieves a thick, syrupy consistency. This usually takes an additional 45 minutes to an hour, though the exact time can vary depending on the type of plums you used and their natural juiciness. The goal is a rich, spoon-coating sauce that clings beautifully. Be patient during this stage, as it’s crucial for both flavor concentration and proper canning consistency.

Pro Tip: As the sauce thickens, it becomes more prone to sticking to the bottom of the pot. Plan to stay close by and stir frequently – every few minutes – to prevent scorching and ensure even cooking.

Step 5: Prepare for Canning

While your sauce is simmering and thickening, use this time to prepare your canning lids, jars, and canner. Cleanliness is paramount in canning. Ensure your jars are sterilized and kept warm, and your lids are ready. For a comprehensive list of essential canning tools and supplies, refer to this guide to my favorite canning supplies.

If you’re new to water bath canning, I highly recommend reading my easy step-by-step canning tutorial here or watching this helpful video tutorial. Both resources are updated with current safety information to ensure your canning projects are successful and safe:

Carefully adding hot plum sauce to a canning jar — Ladle hot plum sauce into sterilized jars.

Step 6: Fill the Jars

Once the plum sauce has reached its ideal thickness, carefully ladle the hot sauce into clean, warm half-pint canning jars. It is crucial to leave 1/4-inch headspace at the top of each jar. This space allows for proper sealing and expansion during processing. After filling, carefully wipe the rim of each jar with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue, then attach the warmed lids and bands until fingertip tight. Transfer each filled jar to the rack in your canner as you complete it.

Canning jars submerged in a water bath canner, boiling — Jars processing safely in the boiling water bath.

Step 7: Process and Store

Once all jars are filled and securely lidded, carefully lower the rack of jars into your canner, ensuring they are fully submerged in water. Bring the canner water to a rolling boil and process the jars for 20 minutes. After the processing time, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes. This helps prevent siphoning and ensures a better seal. Finally, transfer the hot jars to a towel-lined surface to cool completely, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. Once cooled, test the lids for a proper seal (they should not flex when pressed), label your jars, and store them in a cool, dark place. Your delicious homemade spicy plum sauce will maintain its quality for 18 months.

Essential Canning Tips for Success

For those diving into canning, a few key pieces of advice can make the process smoother and safer:

I strongly recommend using only stainless steel utensils and a canning funnel when handling boiling hot food items. Stainless steel is durable, easy to clean, and doesn’t react with acidic foods, ensuring the purity of your preserves. This comprehensive list contains all the canning supplies I personally use and trust.
For a superior canning experience, I now exclusively use and wholeheartedly recommend a stainless steel canner with a glass lid and a smooth bottom. This type of canner is compatible with all stovetops, including smooth-top ranges. The glass lid allows you to monitor the boil without lifting the lid, which saves heat and makes the process safer. Additionally, many modern canners are designed to fit more jars per batch, increasing your efficiency.

Creative Ways to Use Your Homemade Plum Sauce

Once you have jars of this amazing spicy plum sauce in your pantry, you’ll find countless ways to enjoy it. Here are just a few ideas to inspire your culinary adventures:

Moo Shu Magic: Revisit the easy moo shu pancake dinner idea mentioned earlier. It’s a guaranteed hit and makes dinner a breeze.
Stir-Fry & Roasted Vegetable Enhancer: Drizzle generously over stir-fries with noodles for an instant flavor boost, or toss with grilled vegetables before or after cooking for a sweet and savory glaze.
Condiment for Meats: Serve it as a sophisticated condiment or dipping sauce for baked, roasted, or grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, duck, or even lamb. Its robust flavor pairs wonderfully with rich meats.
Slow Cooker Marvel: Add a generous amount of plum sauce to your slow cooker along with boneless chicken thighs, pork shoulder, or pork loin. Let it simmer all day for an incredibly tender, Asian-flavored pulled chicken or pork meal, perfect for sandwiches or lettuce wraps.
Elegant Appetizer: For a quick and impressive appetizer, spread cream cheese on a cracker and top with a dollop of plum sauce. Garnish with a fresh herb like cilantro or chives for an extra touch of freshness.
Marinade or Glaze: Use it as a base for a marinade for poultry or pork, or brush it onto ribs or chicken wings during the last few minutes of grilling for a sticky, irresistible glaze.
Sauce for Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls: Skip the store-bought dipping sauce and use your homemade plum sauce for a fresh, authentic taste with your favorite spring rolls or egg rolls.

A spoon lifting a serving of homemade plum sauce from a jar, highlighting its rich texture — Every spoonful promises a burst of sweet and spicy flavor.

Spicy Plum Sauce Recipe for Canning

Make your own canned plum sauce for recipes and as a condiment on meats and Asian dishes. It’s super easy, tastes delicious, and makes a fun gift.

Prep Time
30 mins

Cook Time
3 hrs

Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins

Yield:
8 half pints

Author:
Jami Boys

Ingredients

4 pounds plums (washed, cut in half and pitted, or amount needed to equal 8 cups of food-processed chopped plums)
¾ cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1½ cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon dry ground ginger
1 tablespoon salt
2 cloves garlic (minced, about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cider vinegar

Instructions

Chop plums in a food processor (it should equal 8 cups chopped plums). Chop onions in processor and add them to the plums in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
Combine the remaining ingredients with plums and onions, bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cook until thickened, about an hour.
For a smooth sauce, puree with an immersion blender right in the pot (optional if you’d like a chunkier sauce, though it helps speed the cooking time) and continue cooking for another hour, or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
Ladle sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Attach lids and rings. Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars sit in canner to cool for 5 minutes. Remove to a cloth to cool completely.
Test lids, label jars, store and use within a year to 18 months.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from one in the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. I decreased the sugar a bit and kept the safe canning ratio by omitting two fresh ingredients (fresh chili peppers for dry flakes and fresh ginger for dry) so I could add another teaspoon of fresh garlic. I also changed/added other dry ingredients which doesn’t affect acidity to create a product close to Asian plum sauce.

Altitude Adjustment: Higher altitudes will have to adjust and add processing time according to this chart.

If you have any jars that don’t seal (which is rare!), store them in the fridge and use first.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe? Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can this plum sauce be frozen in small plastic containers?

Absolutely! This sauce freezes beautifully. You can store it in any freezer-safe container you have, whether plastic or glass. Just be sure to leave at least one inch of headspace in each container to allow for expansion as the sauce freezes. This prevents containers from cracking or lids from popping off.

How long should I process 1/4-pint jars?

When processing smaller jar sizes, such as 1/4-pint jars, you should use the same processing time as recommended for the half-pint jars. The 20-minute processing time in a boiling-water canner ensures proper sterilization and sealing for safe long-term storage, regardless of the smaller volume.

I’m wondering if the amount of sugar could be reduced even further?

Yes, you can safely reduce the amount of sugar in canned items. In this recipe, the vinegar is the critical ingredient for canning safety, so you should never alter its quantity. Sugar primarily contributes to flavor, color, and texture (it helps achieve that thick, syrupy consistency). If you choose to reduce the sugar, be aware that the sauce might be less thick and its color could be slightly different. I recommend starting by reducing just a small amount to see how it affects the final product before making larger adjustments.

My plum sauce turned out too thin. What went wrong?

If your plum sauce is too thin, it likely needed more time to cook down and evaporate excess liquid. This can happen if your plums were particularly juicy, or if the heat was too low during the thickening stage. Simply return the sauce to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired syrupy consistency. For future batches, consider using Italian plums which are naturally drier.

Can I make this plum sauce without canning it?

Absolutely! If you don’t want to go through the canning process, you can simply prepare the sauce as directed, let it cool, and store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze it for longer storage (several months), as mentioned in the FAQ above.

More Easy Condiments To Try

If you enjoyed making this spicy plum sauce, you’ll love these other simple and delicious homemade condiment recipes:

Easy Addictive Tomato Chutney Recipe (Regular & Lower Sugar Options) – A fantastic sweet and savory spread for sandwiches, cheese boards, and meats.
Home Canned Pizza Sauce from frozen or fresh tomatoes – Elevate your homemade pizzas with this fresh and flavorful sauce.
Spicy Rhubarb Chutney to Can or Freeze – A unique and vibrant chutney that pairs wonderfully with pork or chicken.

This recipe was originally published in 2011 and has been thoroughly updated in 2017 and 2023 to provide the most current information and best practices.

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Sweet Heat Plum Sauce for Canning