Easy Rhubarb Jam
from https://leitesculinaria.com/
Made from just rhubarb, sugar, lemon, and water. Just a little stirring turns them into simple, pretty, perfect preserves that taste like old-fashioned rhubarb jam.
Rhubarb, which is a vegetable, is low in pectin. But all isn’t lost. While there’s no added pectin in this recipe, aside from what comes from the lemon, it’s created to give you a soft, luscious preserve without the hassle of pectin.
Use a large whole lemon for making this jam. The seeds are necessary for adding pectin, so don’t attempt to substitute bottled lemon juice.
4 pounds rhubarb, preferably red, trimmed, rinsed, and cut into small chunks (about 16 cups [1 pound for me was 3 cups, not 4])*
4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 lemon, halved and juiced, seeds reserved
[*I found the small bit of leaves left on at the farmer's market make up about 20% of the weight of the rhubarb with the leaves on.]
FMM: The first time I made: I only have 10 ounces rhubarb. Use 2/3 cup sugar (about 6 oz.), 1/4 cup water, 1/4 lemon juiced and seeds wrapped in cheesecloth. I cooked this over high heat so that it boiled, and after 10 minutes it was a thick mass that would have burned if I didn't contantly stir it. I maybe should have added more water to begin with, but not all recipes call for adding water. It seemed like a jam after 10 minutes so I stopped there, and it was not runny on the freezer plate and it went into the sterlied jar in glops. I got just 1 small jar of jam (1/2 pint). The amount of sugar seems about right. I enjoy it on toasted English muffins.
The next year that I made rhubarb jam, I used 1 pound of rhubarb (3 cups of cut rhubarb), about 5 stalks weighed without the small bit of leaves they leave on at the farmer's market. Added a cup of sugar, 3/8 cup water (decided on 1/2 cup) - the water just barely covered the rhubarb, 1/4 of a lemon (there were no seeds in the lemon to add in cheesecloth - next time just add the lemon juice, maybe some zest, there may have been a little bitter taste from the pith), and let it sit for a few hours until the sugar had dissolved. I cooked this over high heat to bring it to a boil, then turned the burner to about medium and let it cook for 5 minutes until the rhubarb started to soften. I then turned the burner to low and cooked it down for about another 10 minutes. The texture was better than last year's batch which was basically a mush of rhubarb. This has some sauce to it, with chunks of rhubarb. It made
1 and 1/2 pints. Although I liked the texture better, the rhubarb flavor was not as strong, probably because there is more water left in it.
Prepare the jars
Sterilize the jars and lids for canning by boiling them for 10 minutes in a large pot of water. Place a small plate in the freezer.
Make the jam
In a large bowl, place the rhubarb, sugar, water, lemon juice, spent lemon halves, and lemon seeds (which provide the necessary pectin for thickening), and let rest on the counter for 1 hour. (If you want to make your life easier later on, tuck the lemon seeds in a tea ball or tie them in cheesecloth to make for simple retrieval.) [Some say to refrigerate overnight.]
After 1 hour, dump the rhubarb mixture into a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring the jam constantly, for about 15 minutes. Skim any foam from the surface of the jam as it arises.
After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium to keep the jam at a constant simmer, stirring frequently, to make sure the jam isn't scorched at the bottom of the pot.
After a total of 30 minutes simmering, check to see if your jam has set by taking the plate from the freezer and dolloping a small spoonful of the jam on the plate. The jam is set when it holds its shape on the cool plate rather than turning into a blob. If it seems a little runny, continue cooking over medium-low heat until set.
Remove the lemon halves and seed bag and toss them in the compost or trash.
Store the jam
If using the rhubarb jam within a week or two, ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, filling them to the bottom-most ring at the top of the jar. Gently tap the bottom of each jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Using a damp clean towel, wipe the rims of the jars and secure the lids and rings. Place in the refrigerator and use to your heart's content.
If canning the rhubarb jam and using it over the next year, ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, filling them to the bottom-most ring at the top of the jar. Gently tap the bottom of each jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Using a damp clean towel, wipe the rims of the jars and secure the lids and rings. Continue with the following steps.
Process the jars of rhubarb jam in a water bath for 5 minutes if using pint jars, 10 minutes if using quart jars. [For more information on canning, see our handy Guide to Canning below.] Use tongs to remove the jars from the pot and let them cool on the counter.
When the jam is room temperature, remove the metal rings, check for proper seals, and label with the date and contents. Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year.
Notes:
Freezing–The jam can also be frozen in jars or resealable bags for up to 6 months. If you choose to freeze it, you do not need to process it in a water bath. Thaw in the refrigerator and use within 1 week.
Scaling–The recipe can be halved or quartered. Reduce the ingredient amounts and follow the recipe as directed.
Makes 5 pints
Rhubarb Jam
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 lemon juiced
3 1/2 cups rhubarb roughly chopped, 4 large stalks
Prepare your jam jar by washing and sterilizing the jar and lid. Keep in hot, but not boiling water until ready to use.
[Some recipes mascerate the rhubarb ovrnight in the frig.]
Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then cook over medium-low heat until it thickens significantly to a jam-like consistency. Stir occasionally, about 45 – 50 minutes. Stir more frequently during the last 15 minutes of cooking to prevent burning. Up to 40 minutes.
Remove the jar and lid and thoroughly dry. Ladle the jam into the jar and screw the lid on well. Place in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating. It will thicken more as it cools.
Makes 2 cups
Small-batch rhubarb jam (made with pectin)
from https://fannyzanotti.com/, from Northern Sweden
The sugar – which should be of the thicker granulated kind, as it contains less impurities, and thus creates less foam to skim – and fresh rhubarb juice get cooked to 120°C (220°F) before the fruits are added. This step which I see as fundamental has one major impact on the jam cooking time. Which makes it not only convenient, but also reduces the time during which the fruits are cooked, maintaining a fresh flavour.
A note on the citric acid: I like to use citric acid powder and not lemon juice, as I’ve found that it keep the fruits’ flavour more intact. No matter which one you go for, always add it at the end of the cooking process – off the heat.
Uses powdered Pectin.
1/2 tsp (2.5 g) citric acid powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 g) water
550 g trimmed and washed rhubarb, chopped into 5mm slices
500 g granulated sugar
120 g freshly-made rhubarb juice (or water)
30 g caster sugar
1/2 tsp (3 g) pectin powder, optional
Sterilize 3 x 0.25L glass jars and their lid.
In a small bowl, mix the citric acid and water, and set aside until needed.
Place the sugar and water in a pan larger than you think you’d need. Cook over medium heat to 120°C (220°F). Add the rhubarb slices and cook to 105°C, mixing every two or three minutes – I like to use a whisk for this. For this quantity it should take around 15-20 minutes; every now and then, skim off the foam that forms using a small ladle.
While the jam is cooking, combine – very very well – the caster sugar and pectin in a small bowl (make sure it is very dry).
Once the jam has reached 105°C, sprinkle the pectin mix (if using, otherwise, jump to the next set of instructions) off the heat, whisking as you do so. Return over medium heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Off the heat, add the citric acid mixture and whisk well. Immediately transfer to sterilized glass jars, to around 1-2cm up to the rim. Screw the lids on and turn the jars upside down. Allow to cool down completely and store.
Makes 2 .25L jars
Rhubarb Jam
from https://www.allrecipes.com/
This rhubarb jam, pure and simple, is a rhubarb lover's delight. It's sweet, tart, and easy to make when rhubarb is in season. Fabulous!
2 1/2 pounds fresh rhubarb, chopped
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Combine rhubarb, sugar, water, orange juice, and orange zest in a saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes. Jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Use a jelly funnel and soup ladle to pack jam into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw rings on tightly.
Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 5 minutes.
Remove the jars from the stockpot and let rest, several inches apart, for 12 to 24 hours. Press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.
Store any opened jars of jam in the refrigerator.
4 (1/2-pint) jars
