What is Umeboshi
Umeboshi (梅干, pronounced [ɯmeboɕi], literally ‘dried ume’) is a type of pickled plum, known for its extremely sour and salty taste. The acidity is so intense that it makes your face pucker and lips crumple. For most people, the initial taste can be overwhelming. It may also remain an acquired taste to some, but umeboshi has a respective place as an ingredient and food in the Japanese cuisine. We often serve umeboshi with steamed rice, ochazuke, okayu (rice porridge), sometimes as a filling inside onigiri (rice ball), or even in Japanese-style pasta!
Is Umeboshi Healthy?
It has long been said that you do not need a doctor if you eat one umeboshi a day. The effects of citric acid (クエン酸) on plums are said to be good for restoring energy, preventing heat stroke, and keeping obesity at bay. Since you can store umeboshi at room temperature, it is considered as emergency food. However, it’s also recommended not to take too many, as umeboshi is quite salty. Everything in moderation.
Umeboshi Process & Timeline
You can make umeboshi at home with fresh ume. The process is roughly a month long, but it is not difficult at all. I’ll go over each step quickly here. In mid-June when ripen yellow ume start to appear in stores, it’s time to begin umeboshi making. First, add ume plums and salt to a crock and let pickled for 7 days. Then around late June when red shiso leaves are available, add them in the crock for natural red coloring. It’s the rainy season in Japan around this time, so you will need to wait until the season is over. When the forecast shows strong sunlight for 3 straight days, get ready for the final step and dry the pickled ume under the sun. This is a crucial step for umeboshi, as you can tell from its name – ‘ume’ (= plum) ‘boshi’ (= dry).
Japan Umeboshi Timeline
California Umeboshi Timeline
The Ume Plum
Native to China, ume (梅, うめ) or Japanese plums grow on large broad-leaved trees with a very short growing season. Although generally referred to as a plum in English, they are more closely related to the apricot. In Japan, Nanko Ume (南高梅) is a very popular variety, and it is mainly used for making Umeboshi.
Young, Green Ume
The young bright green fruits are commonly used to make umeshu (plum wine) and ume plum syrup.
Ripen, Yellow, Blushed Ume
These ripen ume are called Kanjuku Ume (完熟梅) and they are the best to make umeboshi. If your ume are still green-ish, you can leave them out at room temperature and wait for them to fully ripen.
Where to Get Ume
Around early to mid-May, Japanese grocery stores (like Nijiya) start to carry ume plums (roughly 2 lb package). You need to be alert and look for them as they are in the store for a short period, probably 2 weeks or so. You can get ume plums ($10 per pound) from Nicholas Family Firm. Please text or call Penny at 559-393-3009. Make sure to mention JOC22 for 10% off!
How to Make Umeboshi
All You Need is 3 Ingredients
1. Ume Plums
To make umeboshi, you will need ripen, yellow, and blushed ume plums called Kanjuku Ume (完熟梅). You can make umeboshi with the green ones, but they have too much astringency, so you will need to soak the ume in water for 6 hours before you process. You will also need to use heavier weights to properly pickle.
2. Sea salt (Arajio 粗塩)
I use Japanese type called Arajio, but it’s basically coarse sea salt. Do not use table salt for pickling.
3. Red shiso (Akajiso 赤紫蘇)
Be patient and wait until red shiso leaves are in season, usually mid to late-June. Or grow your own! You can leave your ume in the crock as long as they are soaked in the pickling solution (ume plum vinegar). If you see red shiso in the store before your ume plums reach 7 days, go ahead and purchase them while supplies last. When you get home, wrap the stems with damp paper towels, and store the shiso in the refrigerator. Red shiso contains astringency (‘aku‘ in Japanese), so we must knead and massage the leaves with salt first before use. Do not skip this step.
5 Helpful Tools You’ll Need
1. 2-Gallon Crock
The #2 crock from Ohio Stoneware is sturdy and durable and it’s perfect for preserving and storing vegetables. It can contain 2 gallons, and the width is 9.75 inches, the height is 9 inches, and the depth is 9.75 inches. The 2-gallon crock starter kit comes with the crock, the lid, and 3.85 lb weights. You can also use: Any wide-mouth glass or ceramic container.
2. A large bamboo strainer (Bonzaru)
The Japanese uses a large bamboo strainer called bonzaru (盆ざる) to put the ume for sun drying. I have two large bonzaru from MTC Kitchen. The strainer is good for air circulation and helps to keep the bottoms of the ume dry. If you use a plate, the bottoms don’t get dry. So use some kind of wooden rack. Do not use a metal rack. What else can we use a Bonzaru for? How about using it as a serving tray for Onigiri (rice balls), Daifuku Mochi, or Taiyaki for parties? Tips: Initially I debated if I should just use this mesh hanging dry net, but I bought one anyway. In the end, I ended up using the hanging net for drying red shiso (akajiso) to make Yukari (more about it in my recipe).
3. Mesh Food Cover Tent
To avoid fruit flies, bugs, or bird droppings, it’s best to protect these precious babies with mesh food cover tents. You can also use: Two of these mesh hanging dry nets instead of purchasing large strainers and food cover tents. Tips: If you live in a windy neighborhood like ours, you may need to tape it down so the food cove tents won’t fly away!
4. Homemade Plastic Drop Lid
To evenly distribute the weights over the ume, you’ll need a drop lid. My ume supplier friend, John recommended making a DIY drop lid with a cheap plastic cutting board, and it worked perfectly (Thank you John!). You can also use: A plate. Do not use a metal drop lid. Tip: Cut the plastic cutting board slightly smaller than the crock opening. I made it a bit too tight that I can only lift the drop lid with a (food styling) tweezer (haha!). Don’t follow my mistake.
5. Mason Jars to Store Umeboshi and Ume Plum Vinegar
You will need some sterilized mason jars to store the completed umeboshi and ume plum vinegar. You can also use: Any airtight containers.
Quick Overview
Early-June: In a crock, layer the salt and the ume alternately. Store in a dark, cool place for 7 days (or more till red shiso is in season)Mid-June: Remove astringency from red shiso leaves with salt and add to the crock. Store in a dark, cool place for a month.Mid-July: Sun dry the ume and red shiso for 3 days and pack in jars.
Tips on Umeboshi Making
The number one enemy when it comes to umeboshi making is mold growth. Luckily, I live in a very dry and cool climate even during the summer, so I don’t have to worry too much. But if you live in a hot and humid climate, please follow the instructions carefully.
1. Salt must be 18% of the weight of the ume plums.
Traditionally it is 20%, but these days many people make umeboshi with 18%. The higher content of salt is to preserve the ume, keeping it safe from mold growth. Do not lower the amount.
2. Sterilize equipment with alcohol.
You must clean all the equipment with alcohol. You can use any alcohol that is higher than 35% ABV, like shuchu and vodka.
3. Use the right amount of weights.
The weights help pressing down the ume plums, drawing the moisture out of the fruits and creating brine for umeboshi. This brine, ume plum vinegar, keeps the umeboshi from mold growth. To speed up the process of brine making, use heavy, double weights of the ume. You can remove the weights after the ume are completely covered by the brine. When the weights are too heavy, they may smash the ume and tear the skin. So be careful.
4. Use good ume and discard damaged ones.
Don’t try to save the damaged plums. It’s not worth throwing the entire batch away just because you tried to save one that has a damaged spot.
5. Dry the ume for 3 days in bright sunlight.
The ume are dried in the sun for about three days after being pickled in salt and red shiso leaves. This process not only helps with the shelf life of umeboshi, but also improves the meaty texture from moisture evaporation, giving you the characteristic wrinkly look.
What to Do with Red Shiso and Ume Plum Vinegar
When I dry my umeboshi, I also leave the red shiso under sunshine until they are completely dried, about 2 days or so. Then I run them in the food processor to make homemade yukari (ゆかり), Japanese rice seasoning. The leftover red-color ume plum vinegar (umezu) can be used for beni shoga (pickled ginger), salad dressing, or for coloring ingredients. Despite its name, ume plum “vinegar” is not a true vinegar. The sourness comes from the natural sour and tangy ume and saltiness from umeboshi’s salt-pickling process. This by-product is unique and the fruit of your hard work, so don’t throw it away.
Other Ume Plums recipes
If you are looking for more ume recipes to try, here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!
Umeshu (Plum Wine)Ume Plum SyrupUme JamUme Plum Compote
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