Rhubarb is one of those flavours reminiscent of childhood, from rhubarb and custard sweets to crumbles. It has such a great colour and tart taste that makes it a delicious jam.
Rhubarb jam goes perfectly topped on toast, ice-cream or any baked dessert. Here's how to make rhubarb jam and other tips and tricks.
Simple rhubarb jam recipe without pectin
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Setting time: 12 hrs
Servings: 3 Jars
What you will need
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3 Jam jars and lids
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Funnel
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Deep bottomed pot
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Wooden spoon
Ingredients
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1 Kg Red rhubarb stems
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1 Kg Jam sugar (or regular sugar)
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4 tsp Lemon juice
Method
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Make sure to sterilise the jars, lids, and rings before you begin. You can run them through the dishwasher or wash them with hot soapy water. If choosing the latter, make sure to rinse them well and dry them with a clean tea towel.
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Rinse the rhubarb stems in cool water and then trim the leaves and bottom of the stem. Slice the stems into 1/2" pieces and place them in a large saucepan. Pour the sugar over the rhubarb, stir to cover all the pieces, and then let sit overnight. You can leave the fruit on the counter but make sure to cover it with the pan lid.
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Overnight the sugar will have drawn the juices out of the rhubarb and the pieces will look slightly shrivelled. Pulling the juice out of the 'fruit' will help keep the pieces from falling apart completely in the jam-making process.
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Now place the pan on your hob and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice and stir carefully for about five minutes, trying not to break up the pieces.
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Spoon or funnel the jam into clean, sterilised jars and screw the lids on fully but not super tight.
Recipe from Lovely Greens
To learn more about how to properly sterilise your mason jars see our article on how to make jam here.
If you are feeling a little adventurous here is a video showing how to make rhubarb and ginger jam
Is rhubarb high in pectin?
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, so it is low in pectin. However, it is possible to make a rhubarb without pectin. For best results macerate the rhubarb in sugar overnight. This draws out the liquid from the rhubarb, and the liquid can be cooked into a syrup.
Do you need to peel rhubarb for jam?
You do not need to peel rhubarb entirely, just peel it as you would peel the strings of a celery stalk.
What flavours work with rhubarb?
Rhubarb can be combined with many flavours as you can see from gin, jams and cakes.
Some compatible flavours are apples, caramel, cinnamon, ginger, honey, lemon, orange, berries, vanilla, and on pork.
How long does homemade jam last?
The jam will have a long shelf life if it is processed properly with the canning method. If you do this, you can keep the jam in a cool dark place for 2 years. Otherwise, it will keep in the fridge for three months.
When is rhubarb in season?
Rhubarb is one of the first foods harvested and is usually ready to pick around mid-spring to mid-September.
Rhubarb can be picked when the stems are a dark red colour streaked green.