Strawberry rhubarb jam is a sweet, tangy, garden-fresh preserve that comes together in about 45 minutes and works with fresh or frozen fruit. I grow rhubarb in my backyard and have been making this jam since my first season with a real harvest; it uses less sugar than most recipes and still sets beautifully because of how the pectin and fruit work together. This is the jar people ask about when they see it on my counter.
Yummy!
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Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Ingredients needed:
- Rhubarb - Fresh is best, but frozen works well. If you are using frozen, do not drain it; that liquid is moisture and flavor the recipe is built around. Be sure to make my rhubarb syrup if you have extra stalks.
- Strawberries - Washed, hulled, and quartered for fresh; thawed frozen strawberries work too. The strawberries carry the sweetness that balances rhubarb's sharp tartness.
- Sugar - White granular sugar only. Do not substitute brown sugar or honey here; they change the set behavior and the color of the finished jam.
- Pectin - This is what gives you a reliable gel without cooking the fruit down for hours. Ball canning sells it pre-portioned in boxes or in a resealable jar; either works.
- Vanilla Extract - A small amount rounds out the fruit flavor and adds a warmth you will notice when you open the jar. I make my own vanilla extract, but store-bought is fine.
- Butter - Just 1 teaspoon of unsalted butter added at the sugar stage reduces foam significantly. It is optional, but it saves you from skimming.
Recipe Card?
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Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe
Prepare Your Canner and Jars
Fill your boiling water bath canner and bring it to a simmer. Keep jars hot in the simmering water until you are ready to fill them; a cold jar going into hot jam is a safety and seal risk. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside.
Prep the Fruit
Crush strawberries and cut rhubarb into ½-inch pieces. If you are using frozen rhubarb, include all the liquid that has released; that is part of your recipe's moisture balance.
Combine Fruit and Pectin
In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine strawberries, rhubarb, and pectin. Stir to combine. The heavy bottom matters here; jam scorches fast on thin pots and you cannot walk away from it.
Bring to a Simmer
Turn heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. You are softening the rhubarb until it is fork tender. This can take 10-15 minutes depending on how thick your pieces are. Do not rush it.
Bring to a Full Rolling Boil
Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. A full rolling boil cannot be stirred down; it should be churning hard even when you run a spoon through it. This is your pectin activation point.
Add Sugar, Vanilla, and Butter
Add all three at once and stir vigorously to dissolve the sugar completely. The mixture will bubble up; keep stirring.
Boil Hard for 1 Minute
Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Set a timer. This 1-minute boil is what activates the pectin and gives you a proper set. Pull off heat immediately when the minute is up.
Fill Jars
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Run a thin spatula or bubble remover around the inside of the jar to release air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean, apply the lid, and adjust the band to fingertip tight; not crank tight.
Process in the Canner
Lower jars into the boiling water canner. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if needed. Remove and set on a towel to cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Check the Seals
Press the center of each lid. A properly sealed lid will not flex. Any jar that moves or pops should go directly into the refrigerator and be used within 3 weeks.
This post was adapted from the recipe on BallMasonJars.com
5 Days To Canning Confidence
Make Ahead
This jam is a make-ahead project by design; the whole point of canning is shelf stability. Once processed and sealed, jars keep in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. For best flavor, let jars rest for at least 24 hours before opening so the jam finishes setting and the flavors come together.
Storage
Sealed, processed jars store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks. Any jar that did not seal during processing should go directly into the refrigerator and be treated as an open jar from day one. If you made freezer jam instead of canning, it keeps frozen for up to 1 year and in the refrigerator for 3 weeks once thawed.
FAQ's and Tips
Combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot, simmering until the mixture thickens. Stirring constantly, make this jam and enjoy spreading a spoonful of the naturally thickened jam on your favorite treats.
This recipe is written with pectin because it gives you a reliable, consistent set. You can make rhubarb jam without pectin by cooking the fruit longer with sugar and lemon juice until it thickens naturally, but the result is less predictable and typically requires more sugar to compensate for the missing gel structure. If you want to try it, test the set by placing a small spoonful on a cold plate; if it wrinkles when you push it, it is ready.
Give it 24-48 hours after processing before you call it. Pectin continues to set as the jam cools. If it is still too loose after that, it is likely that the boil was not hard enough or the pectin measurement was off. You can re-process runny jam but it is easier to use it as a syrup over pancakes or ice cream and consider it a win.
You can make freezer jam instead. Follow all steps through filling the jars, then skip the canning process entirely. Let jars cool on the counter for 24 hours and freeze. Use freezer-safe jars with straight sides. Freezer jam keeps for up to a year frozen and 3 weeks in the refrigerator once opened.
Headspace is the empty space between the top of the jam and the lid; ¼ inch for this recipe. Too little headspace and the jam has nowhere to expand during processing, which can prevent a proper seal or push food under the lid. Too much and you trap excess air, which can also interfere with sealing.
It is not recommended. Jam recipes are tested in single batches because doubling changes the boil behavior and can affect how the pectin sets. If you need more jam, run two batches back to back.
Ingredients
- 1-¼ lbs Strawberries hulled and quartered, 4 cups prepared
- 1 -¼ lbs Rhubarb trimmed, sliced into ¼ inch pieces, 4 cups prepared
- 5 ½ Tbsps. Ball® Classic Pectin
- 3 ½ Cups Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Butter
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath canner. Heating jars in simmering water until ready to use, but do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with clean, damage-free bands.
- Crush strawberries and measure out the berries.1-¼ lbs Strawberries
- Slice rhubarb into ½ inch pieces.1 -¼ lbs Rhubarb
- In a heavy bottom pot combine the strawberries, sliced rhubarb and stir in pectin.5 ½ Tbsps. Ball® Classic Pectin
- Turn heat to medium and bring mixture to a simmer, cook for 10 minutes without boiling, to help soften rhubarb.
- Once the rhubarb has softened enough to press it down with a spoon, heat to high and bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar, vanilla and butter all at once, stirring to dissolve the sugar.3 ½ Cups Sugar, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 Teaspoon Butter
- Return jam to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
- Ladle hot jam into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim.
- Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
- Any jars that did not properly sealed should be stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Notes
- Be sure to remove the leaves of the rhubarb, they are not edible.
- Check the rhubarb to ensure it is spoon or fork tender. It may take longer than 10 minutes to soften.
- Fresh rhubarb is best but use frozen if that is all you can find. Just be sure to add any liquid that releases from the frozen rhubarb.
- Serve on a buttered, toasted English muffin.
- The butter is added to help reduce the foam. It is optional.
Sarah's Culinary Insight
- Do not drain frozen rhubarb. That liquid is flavor and moisture the recipe accounts for; pour it off and your jam may not set correctly.
- The rhubarb needs to be truly fork tender before you add the sugar. Rushing this step means you will have firm rhubarb pieces in the finished jam.
- The butter is optional but worth it. 1 teaspoon cuts down the foam significantly and saves you from skimming.
- "Full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down" is not a suggestion; it is the activation point for the pectin. If you are not at a hard boil when you start your 1-minute timer, your jam may not set.
- Any jar that does not seal goes straight to the refrigerator and gets used within 3 weeks.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Cindy says
Thank you for the recipe. I just finished making this and it is amazing! So simple and easy.
Carol says
Made it it is wonderful I got 6/12 jars but as I used frozen rhubarb cooked a little longer Highly recommend
Michele guacobbi says
Hi there I just did a batch . It’s pretty runny. Will it thicken as it sits ? Also can you add more fruit to make it have more substance in the jelly?
Sarah Mock says
When making jam I always allow them to set and cool for 24 hours before checking for runniness. It is still 'fluid' for at least 12 hours after making.
Waiting is so difficult!
Let me know if it sets up after 24 hours.
Sarah
Rachel says
Tastes delish! It didn’t set, but I think it’s because my house is too hot/humid. I put a jar in the fridge and it firmed up a bit. So I will just refrigerate each jar before I use. I just sliced the strawberries, not mashed and was pleased with the texture. Thanks for recipe!
Sarah Mock says
thank you Rachel!
It can take up to 24 hours to set up. Glad you put it in the fridge and glad you liked it!
Sarah
Rachel says
If I want a chunky jam can I just slice the strawberries or do they have to be crushed?
Sarah Mock says
Slice away! Keep in mind that strawberries DO break down as the jam cooks. I would suggest cutting the strawberries in quarters, depending on the size. Thanks for asking and let me know how it turns out!
Sarah