- 1). Heat a large saucepan of water to a boil. The pan should be deep enough to completely cover the plums.
- 2). Prepare a bowl of ice water. If you are using tap water, then add a tray of ice cubes to the bowl and wait a few minutes for the water to chill.
- 3). Put the plums in the boiling water for 30 seconds if you live around sea level. Add an additional minute if you live at an altitude above 3,000 ft. Water boils at a temperature lower than 212 degrees Fahrenheit at higher altitudes, so it will take longer for the skin to loosen. For example, at 3,000 feet, water boils at 206 degrees, which is only a slow boil at sea level.
- 4). Remove the plums from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse them in the bowl of ice water. Keep them in the ice water for the same amount of time that they were in the boiling water: 30 seconds at sea level or a minute and 30 seconds at high altitude.
- 5). Put the plums on a work surface and peel any pieces of skin that remain on the fruit. They should slide off easily.
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