Pickled Mirabelle Plums
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These Pickled Mirabelle Plums are an excellent way to make use of Summer’s bounty. A deliciously sweet and tangy accompaniment to any cheese or charcuterie platter.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 but in August 2025 I revisited it and retested it to see if it could be improved. I strive to make sure recipes on this website are the best they can be and always listen to feedback so I can adjust accordingly if there is an overwhelming opinion.
These Pickled Mirabelles were published very early on in my website days so they were definitely due an update, especially since it had received some reviews that the plums were too mushy and the pickling syrup too sour. So I have been recently re-testing this recipe to see if I can fix some of these issues. Our family has been loving this Mirabelle season and we are thrilled with the changes.
This is a quick and easy way to exhaust an excess of Mirabelles which have a very short season in late August and early September but can come thick and fast. They are sweet tiny plums and delicious when eaten fresh but like any plum they make an excellent jam and can be used for all kinds of dessert recipes.
Pickling the Mirabelles makes the most of their sweet flavour but also adds a complimentary tang by dousing them in this sugar vinegar syrup spiked with spices. It takes under 30 minutes and these pickled plums can be kept happily in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks.
These Pickled Mirabelle Plums are golden and jewel like in the jar, and when you remove them they sparkle in the October sunshine making them look utterly irresistible.They taste sweet with just a touch of sourness which makes them absolutely ideal with cheese or cold meats. They do have a small stone in the middle though so you must be careful when you pop them in your mouth that you don’t break your tooth.
You’ll also have a delicious splash of pickling syrup leftover once your plums are completed and I’ll give advice on the best way to use up this happy surplus.
What Are Mirabelle Plums?
The mirabelle is a small stone fruit from the plum family. They can most commonly be found in Lorraine in France, although the ones I used were from Essex, and have a short season in the late summer. They are yellow, tiny and particularly sweet and juicy. Mirabelles make a very lovely jam, but here we're doing something a little bit different.
Why You’ll Love These Pickled Mirabelles
- Quick and easy. This recipe takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
- Sweet tart and complex flavour. The balance of sugar and cider vinegar makes these mirabelles quite unique, especially with the gentle spicing.
- Versatile. Lovely accompaniment to a charcuterie or cheese board. These pickles are particularly good with a strong mature cheddar. Also lovely with roasted meats so definitely try with your Sunday lunches.
- Preserving. Extends the life of your mirabelles for a few weeks.
Ingredients Needed
Mirabelle Plums. Fresh is best here. Discard any bruised or rotting fruit and make sure they are ripe and sweet. If you don't happen to have the joy of a Mirabelle tree in your garden then you can find them at farmers' markets in the late summer. However, I have also bought fresh mirabelle plums online from Fine Foods Specialist in the UK.
Granulated white sugar. You can use any refined white sugar but granulated is the most economical. I have not tried this recipe with a sugar substitute so cannot recommend one.
Cider vinegar. Use a good quality apple cider vinegar for the best flavour. I like to use organic which comes with the mother. I usually use the Biona brand which you can buy in large quantities.
Cinnamon stick. I use a fresh cinnamon stick for this recipe (make sure it hasn’t been hanging around the larder too long), it gives out a gentle flavour and looks lovely in the jar. However, I have also tested the recipe with ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon and that works too.
4 cloves. Use whole cloves, again that haven’t been hanging around too long.
Black peppercorns. These are a new ingredient to the updated recipe and I like the slight spice they bring to the pickling liquid.
Nutmeg. I grated whole nutmeg here as I happened to have it in and it does give a fresher taste but you can use ¼ teaspoon of pre-ground nutmeg.
How To Make Pickled Mirabelles
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Place the sugar, vinegar, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorn, cinnamon in a pan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup reaches about 85-90°C (185-194°F).
Prick each Mirabelle with a cocktail stick so the fruit doesn’t split in the pan, then pour into the pickling syrup. Bring up to the boil again then turn off the heat.
Remove the mirabelles with a slotted spoon, decanting into sterilised jars. Pack them in tightly. Spoon the hot syrup into the jars so that the mirabelles are covered then tightly seal the jars.
Expert Tips
When packing the mirabelles into the jars make sure they are packed in tightly, they are covered with syrup but there is still 2cm gap between the top of the mirabelles and the head of the jar.
Cool the filled jars of pickled mirabelles quickly by placing in an ice water bath. (a large pot or pan filled mostly with ice but a little water). They should take about an hour to cool, replenish the ice in the bath every so often. This rapid cooling will help to limit the cooking of the mirabelles so they don’t get overly soft and reduces the bacterial growth window.
To sterilise the jars place the very clean glass jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C (284°F) for 20 minutes. If the lids you are using are not glass then you should sterilise them differently by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar.
I prefer to eat these without the skin as I find it a little stringy in the mouth (my husband is happy skin and all). You can easily push the skin off before eating. Tell everyone who eats them to be wary of stones however, as they will still retain them and can be a nasty surprise if not expected.
Also don't discard the excess pickling syrup. Decant into a separate sterilised jar and store in the refrigerator for future uses (see below).
FAQs
You can eat these Mirabelles immediately, however the vinegar will mellow over time if you prefer a reduced tang. This recipe is supposed to be sweet and sour though.
These Pickled Mirabelles need to be stored in the refrigerator and are best consumed within 2-3 weeks.
Not for this recipe, the texture would not be as good.
Other fruits may need to be simmered in the syrup for longer. Plums are very soft fleshed so any longer and they turn to mush. However, you can try larger plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries, grapes or melon too.
These Mirabelles fit handily into either 2 x 580g Weck jars or 2 x 500g Kilner jars. In this instance I am rather partial to using the Kilner jars though as I find the mirabelles pack slightly better without trying to float to the top of the syrup.
Leftover Pickling Syrup Uses
After you have topped up your jars of pickled mirabelles with the pickling syrup then you will have some leftover. This is what I like to do with it.
More Quick Pickles. Don’t dismiss the idea of quick pickling some more fruit or even vegetables. Try grapes, cantaloupe melon, cucumber, carrot ribbons or thinly sliced red onions.
Homemade cocktails. The vinegar might put you off but if you think of shrubs they add a lovely tang. Add 1 tablespoon to a tall gin or vodka soda. It’s so delicious.
Everything Dressing Recipe
3 tablespoons pickling syrup
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅛ teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper – a couple of turns of the mill
Pour all the ingredients into a small screw top jar and shake together until fully emulsified. Delicious with goats cheese, leafy greens or instead of mayonnaise in your coleslaw.
You can also use this dressing to coat fish, pork or chicken (wings and drumsticks are particularly good) before roasting, grilling or barbecuing.
If you remove the olive oil then you can toss the dressing with just baked cocktail sausages for a sweet sticky glaze, perfect for appetisers.
More Preserve Recipes You'll Love
Plum and Beetroot Chutney is gently spiced and gorgeously smooth with a few tender bites of seasonal beetroot. Perfect for sandwiches and lovely with cold cuts, quiche, sausage rolls or cheese.
Homemade Plum BBQ Sauce will become your new favourite condiment. Its deep rich flavour is tangy, and fruity with a spiced and smoky undercurrent. An incredibly versatile sauce which can be used as a dipping sauce, to accompany grilled meats or for basting and marinades. Soy free, gluten-free, vegan and no tomatoes.
Green Plum Jam is an excellent way to use unripe plums. You might have an excess of green plums due to pruning your plum tree or because of a surprise windfall. This 2 ingredient jam is a perfect solution, it’s delicious, quick and easy and needs no jam sugar or added pectin.
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Pickled Mirabelle Plums
Ingredients
- 1 kg mirabelles
- 450 g granulated sugar
- 240 g cider vinegar
- 1 cinnamon stick - split in half
- 4 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- Place the sugar, vinegar, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorn, cinnamon in a pan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup reaches about 85-90°C (185-194°F).
- Prick each Mirabelle with a cocktail stick so the fruit doesn’t split in the pan, then pour into the pickling syrup. Bring up to the boil again then turn off the heat.
- Remove the mirabelles with a slotted spoon, decanting into sterilised jars. Pack them in tightly.
- Spoon the hot syrup into the jars so that the mirabelles are covered then tightly seal the jars.
- Cool the jars rapidly by placing them in a large pot filled with ice and a little water. They need to lower to 4°C (39°F) before they can be moved to the refrigerator. Since you can’t really test the temperature without opening a jar it takes between 60-90 minutes. Keep replenishing the ice to keep it cold. Once refrigerated they are best consumed within 2-3 weeks.
- If there is any vinegar syrup left over then decant into a separate bottle and store in the refrigerator for future uses.
Notes
- This recipe was amended in August 2025 due to reviewers commenting that the pickling syrup was overly vinegary and the plums turned to mush. The quantity of vinegar in the recipe has now been reduced and the plums are cooked for a very short amount of time so they retain their shape but are still soft.
- This recipe produces enough to fill 2 x 580g Weck jars or 2 x 500g Kilner jars.
- You can eat these Mirabelles immediately, however the vinegar will mellow over time if you prefer a reduced tang. This recipe is supposed to be sweet and sour though.
- Cool the filled jars of pickled mirabelles quickly by placing in an ice water bath. (a large pot or pan filled mostly with ice but a little water). They should take about an hour to cool, replenish the ice in the bath every so often. This rapid cooling will help to limit the cooking of the mirabelles so they don’t get overly soft and reduces the bacterial growth window.
- These Pickled Mirabelles need to be stored in the refrigerator and are best consumed within 2-3 weeks.
- To sterilise the jars place the very clean glass jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C (284°F) for 20 minutes. If the lids you are using are not glass then you should sterilise them differently by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar.
- I prefer to eat these without the skin as I find it a little stringy in the mouth (my husband is happy skin and all). You can easily push the skin off before eating. Tell everyone who eats them to be wary of stones however, as they will still retain them and can be a nasty surprise if not expected.
Ingredient measurements
- Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.
- US customary measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups
Hello - just a comment to the “mushy” factor of the pickled Mirabelles. They hold there shape but are very soft on the inside - they are a very small, delicate plum, so I imagine this is to be expected. Utterly delicious though!
Yes you are right, these are a soft fruit so they will be soft - even though they are cooked for such a short amount of time.
Thank you so much for this delightful recipe. My Mirabelle tree is a finicky bearer. I had a huge crop last year and a middling one this year. I have tried freezing and preserving Mirabelles before, stones removed, and found they darkened and lost their “Mirabellness”. This recipe is the perfect answer and they look lovely in their Weck jars. Thank you so much for giving all ingredients in metric weights - if only everyone did that. I like eggs - out of the shell - measured that way too. Here in the States, they doggedly cling to the cups measures which is a waste of time and energy! Thank you again
You are welcome - I'm so happy you enjoyed preserving your Mirabelles!
This is a superb recipe. We had mirabelles coming out of our ears - jam, pies, fruit salads but the pickle has been a revelation.
I used it in a recipe for pork chops. The original recipe was for pork chops with gooseberry sauce. I used the pickled plums instead. It was delicious. I have a load of mirabelles in the freezer. Im going to get pickling now.
That's great to hear - thank you!
There seems to be much wrong with this recipe. Like others, I ended up with a mush that was extremely liquid. Took ages to then boil down. So much for pickled mirabelles, mine was a very fine spicy jam - quite unpleasant.
The original recipe does result in soft pickled mirabelles. However, I appreciate your comment and I will re-test this recipe this week to see how it can be improved.
Mine was absolutely wonderful. Used the plums in a Nigel Slater recipe instead of gooseberries. Used the setup as a salad dressing. The flavours are so subtle. You woud pay a fortune in an up market deli for a jar of this!
I'm so happy you enjoyed your Pickled Mirabelles - thank you for leaving your feedback!
I used stuff that I had in the cupboard, so granulated sugar, with a bit of brown, ground spices and white wine vinegar. Plus 3 colours of 'hedge plums'. However I used your quantities and method, and it looks and smells delicious, can't wait to start eating it. Thanks for the inspiration!
You are welcome - let me know what you think when you try them!!
I tripled the recipe, followed the directions to a “T”. My results were very disappointing. The plums turned to mush. I love sweet and sour and felt the 3x recipe tasted like vinegar with barely a hint of sweetness - and these plums were over the top sweet this year.
I’m curious to get your feedback, thank you,
Thank you for your feedback on the tripled recipe. I'm sorry to hear about the disappointing results. You are right that the plums do soften which I hope is reflected in the images. I'll review the recipe to identify any potential improvements for the future.
Great recipe, but it would be so helpful if the number of jars required were included. Thanx
Thank you - yes I agree, I'll include in the update.
How long do you leave sealed before you eat these. Refrigeration required before opening?
You can have them straightaway.