Rhubarb Strawberry Jam Recipe (no pectin)

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Rhubarb Strawberry Jam is easy to prepare and so delicious! The tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries are the perfect pair in this old fashioned favorite. It's perfect to spread over buttered toast and surprisingly, it requires no pectin to thicken. And if you have leftover Rhubarb, be sure to make some Rhubarb Gin!

My Easy Rhubarb Jam Recipe

Lately, my social media feed has been bombarded with rhubarb posts. Friends have been making rhubarb sauce, tortes, and all sorts of goodies! So I decided to elbow my way in and get in on the fun.

I've loved the combination of rhubarb and strawberries since the first time I tasted my mother-in-law's strawberry rhubarb pie.

You know how some people are known for certain recipes? My mom, for example, was known for her delicious Dolma.

I, on the other hand, am known for making Fig Cake, Fig Preserves, and for sneaking cardamom into many of my recipes.

Scott's mom wasn't necessarily known for her cooking (sorry Marlene) but her Strawberry Rhubarb Pie was on point!

Since she didn't pass down her recipe, I decided to use this great combo to make Rhubarb Strawberry Jam instead. After all, jam-making is another thing I am known for.

Let's take a look at what we'll need to make this tasty jam:

Ingredients

• 5 cups chopped rhubarb
• 3 cups chopped strawberries
• 7 cups of sugar
• 1 medium lemon (juiced and zested)
• ½ tsp. cardamom
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. dried and ground orange peel (optional)

Instructions

Wash and slice enough rhubarb to equal five cups. Prepare strawberries by removing the leaves and slicing in quarters. 

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Place rhubarb in an eight-quart Dutch oven and sprinkle with some of the sugar. 

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Add prepared strawberries and cover with more sugar.

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Add lemon zest and the juice from the lemon. Quarter the juiced lemon and add to the pot, along with the cinnamon, cardamom, and dried and ground orange peel (if using). Citrus fruit are naturally high in pectin and will make up for the lack of pectin in the strawberries and rhubarb.

Cover with the remaining sugar.

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Place the lemon seeds inside a tea ball or soup bag and add to the pot. Why? Because lemon seeds are also loaded with pectin.

Place the pot over low heat, uncovered, allowing the sugar to melt slowly.

Once the sugar begins to liquefy, gently stir so that the fruit does not get scorched.

When the mixture begins to boil, adjust the heat to low-medium and allow the preserves to simmer. Skim the foam that forms on the surface.

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Meanwhile, place the jars and lids in a large pot filled with enough water to fully submerge the jars. Boil for approximately ten minutes to sterilize.

After the preserves has simmered for 30 to 35 minutes, it should start to jell. 

A quick way to test the jam's consistency is to take a few tablespoons of the jam and place it in the refrigerator for five to ten minutes. If the jam does not jell, it needs to simmer further.

When you're satisfied with the texture, remove the lemon rinds and carefully pour the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving a 1/4" space from the top of the jar. A canning funnel really helps with this step.

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Wipe off the rims and sides of the jars with a damp washcloth, then screw the lids, but not too tightly, so that the air can escape. Process in the boiling water for an additional ten minutes.

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Once the jars seal, tighten further and store in the panty up to a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rhubarb high or low in pectin?

Rhubarb is low in pectin, which is why you'll often see rhubarb jam recipes that include liquid or powdered pectin.

Strawberries are also low in pectin. Although the addition of liquid pectin wouldn't be a bad idea in this recipe, it's not necessary. Read on to see how we thicken this jam.

How do you thicken rhubarb jam?

Instead of using pectin, why not take advantage of the high pectin content of the lemon that's used in the recipe? Not only is the juice high in pectin, but so are the pith and seeds.

After zesting and juicing the lemon, you'll want to add the lemon in with the jam and fish it out just before canning the jam. I also added the seeds in a tea ball and popped it in the jam as it cooked. This ups the pectin content even further.

Can I reduce the amount of sugar in this jam?

Readers always want to know if they can reduce the amount of sugar in jam recipes.

I realize we're all calorie-conscious these days, but keep in mind you'll only be consuming one or two tablespoons of the jam in one sitting so calm down!

Although reducing the sugar sometimes works, most of the time it keeps the jam from jelling and results in a jam that's too watery.

I would suggest reducing the amount of sugar by no more than 1/2 of a cup at a time to see what works and what doesn't.

If after reducing the sugar the jam is too watery, you can most likely still save it by stirring some liquid pectin into it and boiling the jam for a few additional minutes.

Cook's Tips

• I've noticed a lot of rhubarb-strawberry jam recipes use an equal amount of strawberries to rhubarb. If you use an equal amount, the strawberry flavor tends to overpower the rhubarb. You can either use equal amounts of the two or stick to the measurements above.
• Resist the temptation to cook this jam longer, thinking it's not thickening. Instead, test a small amount at the 35-minute mark to see if it needs further cooking.
• If you decide to reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe, you may want to add liquid pectin so that it will jell properly.
• If you prefer a smoother texture, allow the jam to cool, then blend using an immersion blender. Once you have the desired texture, heat jam once more before canning and processing.
• Rhubarb jam is pretty tart. If you prefer sweeter jam, add an additional cup of sugar and use 4 cups of strawberries and 4 cups of rhubarb.
• If you want the flavor of the rhubarb and strawberries to really stand out, add a pinch of salt, and leave out the cinnamon and cardamom.

Stay in touch with me through social media!

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