Flavorful Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Rhubarb is unique in many ways. Technically, it’s a vegetable, but it’s often classified as a fruit because it’s usually used in sweet foods like desserts or, of course, in jams. It’s actually rather sour until cooked with sugar, when its flavor profile turns pleasantly tart. And rhubarb only grows in the spring in most parts of the Western Hemisphere, with availability from April to mid-June, depending on your region.

Fortunately, strawberry season coincides with rhubarb season. When you bring the beloved strawberry and the more obscure rhubarb together in a rhubarb strawberry jam, the result is a delightful concoction you’ll want to spread on every bread and pastry you can lay your hands on. Strawberry jam with rhubarb will become your new go-to taste of the summer, so make a batch while there’s still a fresh rhubarb crop.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Ingredients

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• Strawberries: It’s ideal to use fresh strawberries for this jam. They should be at peak ripeness and with the leaves and whites removed, and then crushed in a bowl. Make sure you don’t lose any juice that comes out during the crushing process.
• Rhubarb: Like the strawberries, you need to use fresh rhubarb for this recipe, which is why it’s such a summery jam, rhubarb season being so short. Make sure you only use the stalks of the rhubarb plant, as the leaves contain a toxin. Granted, you’d have to consume multiple pounds of the leaves to be in any real danger, but still, stay safe.
• Lemon juice: You should use store-bought, bottled lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon juice adds a bright, fresh flavor to many recipes, but when making jam (or pickles) bottled lemon juice is the way to go. The level of citric acid in bottled lemon juice is consistent, while the citric acid levels in fresh lemons will vary based on their ripeness.
• Powdered fruit pectin: What is fruit pectin, you ask? It’s a complex starch sourced from the cellular walls of various plants. It helps thicken jams and jellies, creating that gel-like texture you love.
• Sugar: Yes, this recipe uses quite a lot of sugar, to be sure. But think of the sugar not only as a sweetener, but also as a preservative that lets you enjoy the taste of rhubarb long after the fleeting rhubarb season has passed for the year.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the jam

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In a Dutch oven, combine the strawberries, rhubarb and lemon juice; stir in pectin. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Once a boil is reached, stir in the sugar and return the jam to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for one minute.

Step 2: Add to jars

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and skim off any foam that has built up. Ladle the hot jam into six hot half-pint jars, leaving a quarter inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles by gently shaking the jars and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding more of the hot jam mixture. Wipe the jars’ rims, then center the lids on the jars and screw on their bands until they are fingertip tight.

Step 3: Simmer and cool

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Place the filled and capped jam jars into a canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with the water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jam for 10 minutes. Finally, remove the jars and let them cool.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Variations

• Use frozen strawberries: If need be, unsweetened, frozen fruits can be substituted for fresh fruits in this jam recipe. Just make sure to let them thaw fully before you begin the cooking process.
• Add blueberries: Swap out about a third of the strawberries for blueberries for an even more complex jam. Though, to be fair, strawberry jam with rhubarb is already near to perfection.
• Cut the sugar, or add more: Depending on how sweet your strawberries taste, you may want to reduce the sugar or to add more. This is an art, not a science: try eating a few strawberries and, if they’re on the more tart and bitter side, add pinches of sugar as you nibble on them until the flavor is right, then use this taste test as a guide for how much more sugar you need to add.

How do you store strawberry rhubarb jam?

Provided all the jars are properly processed and lids have popped, strawberry rhubarb jam will last one and a half to two years. If you have a jar with a lid that didn’t pop, store that jam in the refrigerator and consume it within 30 days.

Can you freeze strawberry rhubarb jam?

Yes, you can freeze jam, but if it’s made and stored correctly, there’s really no reason to, as it won’t extend the shelf life. The only good reason to freeze jam is if you don’t have a consistently cool, dry place to store it in its jars.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Tips

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Why is jam headspace important?

Jam expands during the heating process after it was jarred. Add too much jam to the jar, and it might force its way out past the lid, preventing proper sealing and safe storage. And if you leave too much headspace, excess air may speed the spoiling process.

Why didn’t my jam set properly?

If you are having jam setting issues, make sure you are using enough pectin and bottled lemon juice. Ensure that you truly bring the jam mixture to a full boil as called for in the recipe—addressing those issues should solve the problem.

What should I serve rhubarb strawberry jam on?

Just about everything. This jam is a delight on toast, bagels or croissants. It’s delicious swirled into cookies or pastries and adds tasty layers in a cake. And yes, it’s OK to enjoy a bite right off the spoon!