RHUBARB JAM

Rhubarb Jam

Fast and easy, homemade Rhubarb Jam has always been our family favorite jam!  I usually use our first rhubarb crop of the season for Rhubarb Jam or Raspberry Rhubarb Jam, just the first of many batches that will be made thru the short growing season.  The tender shoots are a beautiful shade of pink, red and tart green, and the first jars usually are gone within days.

​My little ones love helping make Rhubarb Jam - from picking the rhubarb, to stirring the jam as it cooks, and then licking off the spoon when we're done.  There is nothing better on a nice sunny summer morning than warm golden toast or English muffins smeared with butter and fresh Rhubarb Jam.  And if you've never had a peanut butter & rhubarb jam sandwich, you haven't lived!

In search of perfect Rhubarb...

We actually moved all of our rhubarb plants from our fertile garden in Minnesota to Ohio when we moved years ago, and I add another plant to the row every year or so...we never seem to have enough!  There is something so innately satisfying about harvesting fruit from plants that have been in the family for generations, I really feel a tug tying me back to my Mom and childhood when I make this wonderful Rhubarb Jam. 

Pick your rhubarb early in the morning while the dew is still on it, and early in the season.   As the summer months arrive, the stalks will become tough and woody, so you are better picking and freezing if you want to use later in the year.  

This refrigerator jam is so stinkin' easy to make.  Picking the rhubarb, washing & chopping, a short period of simmering and thickening, and you'll have half a dozen jars of sweet and delicious jam ready in no time!

Fresh Rhubarb from the Garden

ALL ABOUT RHUBARB:

• Rhubarb is a perennial grown locally in the Midwest and is available in the late Spring.  If you are not lucky enough to have rhubarb planted and growing in your garden or yard, you can often find it at farmer’s markets or the grocery store. 
• If you live in a climate where the ground freezes in winter, chances are that you can grow rhubarb!  The hardest part is finding rhubarb plants!  Rhubarb needs a cold winter where temperatures dip below freezing in order to grow and thrive, and it is considered hardy in zones 3-8.
• Because Rhubarb is a perennial, with very little care it will come back year after year – it’s a very tough and hardy plant!  Most rhubarb plants need to be dug up and divided after several years for the best plant health.  This is also a great opportunity to expand your rhubarb plot or share your plants with family and friends. Once established, rhubarb is a plant that can produce for more than 20 years.
• There are many varieties of rhubarb and many shades, from palest green to deep crimson, but the flavor is the same!  Your rhubarb sauces, jams and jelly will vary in color depending on your rhubarb, but the flavor and texture is the same! 
• The stalks are the only edible part of this early spring plant, while the green parts of the leaves are toxic, which is why you never see rhubarb stalks for sale with the leaves attached. 
• Stalks of rhubarb look similar to celery, but have a strong and very tart taste if eaten raw. 
• The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps.  The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results, as the rhubarb stalks will get tough and “woody” as the season goes on.  Young and tender stalks are the best!
• Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it’s used as a fruit for culinary purposes. People are still confused!
• To freeze fresh rhubarb, first wash and dry it.  Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and lay out on a baking sheets.  Place the pans in the freezer for an hour, or until the rhubarb is frozen solid.  Transfer to sturdy zip lock freezer bags (I usually measure out 4 cups into gallon sized freezer bags).  Frozen rhubarb will last for up to a year.
• Fresh rhubarb is best for all recipes, but you can also use frozen – just be sure to add any liquid that released from the frozen rhubarb to your recipe.
• Rhubarb is healthy for you – it’s loaded with calcium, lutein, vitamin K and antioxidants.  

RHUBARB JAM TIPS & TRICKS:

• The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps.  The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results.
• Refrigerator jams are the easiest to make and require no additional canning or processing.  Cook the jam, cool off and then simply refrigerate or freeze.
• Small containers no larger than 8 to 10 ounces are recommended.
• Freshly made Rhubarb Jam should go into the fridge as soon as it’s cooled off or will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.  It is still safe to eat after that, but the quality may decline.
• You can also store homemade Rhubarb Jam in freezer bags.  I usually use pint or quart-sized freezer bags with 8 to 16 ounces of jam in each, and freeze.  Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator before transferring to an airtight container to use. 
• Freeze Rhubarb Jam for up to 1 year, or store in fridge for up to 3 months unopened, or up to 6 weeks once opened.

Easy Rhubarb Jam

RHUBARB JAM VARIATIONS:

• RASPERRY RHUBARB JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh raspberries.
• STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with washed, hulled and chopped strawberries.  Replace Raspberry Jello with Strawberry Jello.
• VANILLA BEAN RHUBARB JAM:  Add 1 tablespoon of pure Vanilla Bean Paste before cooking.
• RHUBARB GINGER JAM:  Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger before cooking.
• RHUBARB BLACKBERRY JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh blackberries.
• RHUBARB BLUEBERRY JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh blueberries.

Rhubarb Jam

 I usually use our first rhubarb crop of the season for the first batch of our family favorite jam. 

The tender shoots are a beautiful shade of pink, red and tart green, and the first jars of Rhubarb Jam are usually gone within days. 

For next batches, as I get a little bit choosier for what to use my rhubarb for, I’ll add fresh raspberries, strawberries or blackberries. They add nice texture and flavor to this thick, rich and flavorful jam.  The combination of berries give it a deep, dark, sweet flavor, and the rhubarb adds just the perfect amount of tartness.  

Homemade Rhubarb Jam

RHUBARB JAM

Rhubarb Jam has always been our family favorite jam!  I usually use our first rhubarb crop of the season for Rhubarb Jam or Raspberry Rhubarb Jam, just the first of many batches that will be made thru the short growing season.  The tender rhubarb shoots are a beautiful shade of pink, red and tart green, and the first jars usually are gone within days. 

Rhubarb Jam

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of fresh rhubarb (cleaned, washed, and cut into 1/3- inch slices)
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh apple cider or natural apple juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small box (3 oz.) Raspberry Jello (not sugar free)
4 (8 oz.) jelly jars
 
HOW I MAKE THIS:

1. Pick rhubarb and trim leaves and root, leaving only the stalk.  Wash in cold water and drain well.  Cut the stalks into 1/3-inch slices. 
2. Mix the rhubarb and sugar together in a heavy Dutch oven or large stainless steel pot. 
3. Let macerate for about 10 minutes (the mixture of fruit and sugar starts to liquefy as it stands). 
4. Add the fresh lemon juice and apple juice (apple juice contains natural pectin, which will help to thicken your jam).
5. Over medium heat, stir constantly until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
6. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture just starts to simmer.  Immediately reduce heat to low and continue stirring frequently, until the rhubarb pieces are tender and start to fall apart (this can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes).
7. Remove from heat and stir in Raspberry Jello powder, blending well.
8. Ladle into clean, sterilized jars.
9. Let jars cool off to room temperature.
10. When completely cooled, cover and store in the refrigerator or freezer.  This is called “refrigerator jam” because it is not processed any further.

 
YIELD:  Makes 4 (8-ounce) jars
 
RECIPE NOTES:

• The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps.  The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results.
• Refrigerator jams are the easiest to make and require no additional canning or processing.  Cook the jam, cool off and then simply refrigerate or freeze.
• Small containers no larger than 8 to 10 ounces are recommended.
• Freshly made Rhubarb Jam should go into the fridge as soon as it’s cooled off or will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.  It is still safe to eat after that, but the quality may decline.
• You can also store homemade Rhubarb Jam in freezer bags.  I usually use pint or quart-sized freezer bags with 8 to 16 ounces of jam in each, and freeze.  Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator before transferring to an airtight container to use. 
• Freeze Rhubarb Jam for up to 1 year, or store in fridge for up to 3 months unopened, or up to 6 weeks once opened.

 
RHUBARB JAM VARIATIONS:

• RASPERRY RHUBARB JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh raspberries.
• STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with washed, hulled and chopped strawberries.  Replace Raspberry Jello with Strawberry Jello.
• VANILLA BEAN RHUBARB JAM:  Add 1 tablespoon of pure Vanilla Bean Paste before cooking.
• RHUBARB GINGER JAM:  Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger before cooking.
• RHUBARB BLACKBERRY JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh blackberries.
• RHUBARB BLUEBERRY JAM:  Replace half of the rhubarb with whole fresh blueberries.

Originally posted May 2012; revised and reposted July 2021.
 
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