’tis the season….rhubarb in the supermarket = strawberry rhubarb jam in my fridge. And in my friend’s fridges too; this is so easy and makes such a generous amount that you can gift your dearest buddies with what I consider to be the most delicious jam of the year. There is no gelatin and no pectin, just produce and sugar.
berry and rhubarb macerating
All you need is a few small clean jars with lids to pack it up, ’cause as much as I promise myself this will be the year, I have yet to do any real canning/preserving.
Into the clean jars!
Rhubarb facts: It is a vegetable, but it is used as a fruit. Originally from Asia, its botanical name is Rheum rhabarbarum (which is a really unappealing name, I must say). The stem – the only edible part of the plant – looks a lot like celery with a reddish tint). It is in season in late spring and summer.
duck, duck, jam
I have posted this before (Here is the original post ) but since I make it every year, I think it is worth posting again. It’s a pretty flexible recipe; these amounts are guidelines only. And click here for a strawberry rhubarb shortcake idea!!
jam on toast. YUM
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (Refrigerator)
1.5 pints strawberries (about 24 oz), washed, hulled, sliced in half or quarters
5-6 medium stalks rhubarb, sliced into 1” chunks (about 1.5 lbs)
2 Cups sugar
2 Tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
In a large bowl, mix strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice. Stir to coat and let sit for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Place two saucers in the freezer.
In a large saucepan, bring fruit to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Use a hand-held mixer or immersion blender to puree the fruit until pretty smooth. Reduce heat and cook at a lively simmer until mixture begins to thicken, 20-25 minutes.
To test for gelling point, drop one teaspoon of jam on one of the chilled saucers and put back in the freezer for about a minute. When you take it out, the jam’s surface should wrinkle gently when pushed with your fingertip. If not, keep stirring and heating and try again in another five minutes or so, then try again with the remaining saucer.
Ladle hot jam into jars. Allow to cool and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Hot, Cheap & Easy 