Plum Mostarda Recipe: Enjoy Now Or Can For Later

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In the hope that we can replicate our Concord grape mostarda success, we tested several other mostarda recipes. As a result, we came up with this plum mostarda recipe that we are proud to share with you. In brief, our mostarda is a jam-like treat that features plums candied in mustard-infused syrup and spiced with bay leaf, thyme, and star anise. The best part about this mostarda? It is great not only for your immediate enjoyment but you could also preserve a batch for later use.

Plums used in this jam recipe

In order to make this plum mostarda recipe, you can use a variety of plums, but some will be more suitable for this recipe due to their flavor and texture. Unsurprisingly, the best and obvious choice for any Italian plum mostarda recipe is Italian plums, also known as prune plums. Italian plums are small, oval-shaped, and have a sweet-tart flavor. They work well in mostarda recipes because they hold their shape well while cooking and provide a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

However, if you can’t find Italian plums, you can also use other varieties of plums like Santa Rosa plums (our choice for this recipe) or Damson plums, which have a similar flavor profile.

Plum Mostarda recipe

Mostarda is a sweet and savory Italian condiment. Our plum mostarda recipe features ripe plums cooked with sugar, vinegar, and a blend of spices. It offers a complex flavor profile, perfect for pairing with cheese, grilled meats, and sandwiches, adding a unique combination of sweet and tangy notes to your dishes.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting time 3 days days

Equipment

• large pot with a heavy bottom
• wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• potholders, oven mitts, trivets for hot dishes

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Ingredients

• 2 ½ lb. plums (1.2 kg)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 anise pod
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 5 tbsp. Shiraz red wine
• 1 ½ tbsp. mustard seeds
• 6 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup sugar

Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

• Wash, pit, and chop the plums into large pieces.
• Measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Cooking the plum mostarda

• In a heavy-bottomed wide pot, combine the plums, red wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, thyme, bay leaves, star anise pods, and a pinch of salt. Stir to mix the ingredients.
• Allow the plums to macerate overnight to help dissolve the sugar and release their juices.
• Place the saucepan over low heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Do not overmix, as we are trying to keep the fruit getting too mushy.
• Drain the mixture from the plums into a separate sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Allow the liquid to simmer gently for 10 minutes and reduce slightly, take it off the heat and pour it over the plums. Set aside. Repeat this step for 3-4 days
• On the final day reduce the liquid together with the plums until the entire mixture appears syrupy. Use the cold plate test to test for doneness. You want your mostarda to be thick and jam-like. If it's still too runny, continue to simmer while stirring.
• Once the mostarda has reached the desired consistency, remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and star anise pods. Make sure to discard them.
• Your mostarda is ready to be enjoyed now or canned for later use. If canning make sure your mostardo is piping hot as you begin the canning process.

Yield

The specified in this jam recipe quantity of ingredients should yield enough jam to fill two 8 oz. (250 ml.) mason jars. The final yield may vary based on your preferred level of jam doneness.

Preserve Type Condiment | Jam | Sauce

Cuisine European

Keyword how to make mostarda | Italian mostarda recipe | mostarda recipe | mostarda sauce | plum jam canning recipe | plum mostarda recipe | plum preserve recipe

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace sugar with pectin in this plum mostarda recipe?

We use sugar in this recipe to macerate plums. Replacing sugar with pectin won’t let you achieve a desired end result.

How can I increase size of this mostarda batch size?

Increasing the batch size of your plum mostarda recipe is quite straightforward. Basically, you can scale up the ingredients while keeping the proportions the same. Additionally, keep in mind that you’ll also need a larger pot to accommodate the increased quantity of ingredients. Another key point is that the cooking time will be a bit longer due to the larger batch size.

What is mostarda used for?

Traditionally mostarda is used to go alongside cheeses and cold meat cuts on charcuterie boards.

I am not a fan of grainy mustard seeds in mostarda. Can I substitute them with dry mustard in this mostarda recipe?

Firstly, the reason this preserve is called mostarda is because of the mustard-infused syrup used to make it. While the classic recipe calls for mustard seeds, we made our first-ever Concord grape mostarda with powdered mustard. We liked the end result. However, the taste was quite different from what we would have gotten if we had used mustard seeds. In short, yes, you can substitute mustard seeds with dry mustard, but you will end up with a whole new recipe.