Rhubarb Jam Recipe (Easiest and Quickest)
This rhubarb jam recipe, is the easiest ever! Not only that, if you’re a rhubarb lover, this is the jam for you! There’s none of that pesky ginger (or even strawberries) to mask one of the best flavors in the world.
Rhubarb jam will make you a fan of rhubarb, if you are yet to be sold on this pink stalked vegetable. If I had to choose, rhubarb is definitely one of my top 10 foods/flavors.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure: I received rhubarb from Frieda’s Produce with no strings attached. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.
Maybe it’s because it’s something I absolutely loved as a child. (FYI, it is not a fruit, but a vegetable.) In Scotland, my mother grew rhubarb in our garden, then she’d pull a stalk for me, cut off the leaf, and wash it. Then she’d give it to me (as is) with a little sugar to dip it in. I still love rhubarb this way!
A few weeks ago, after not being able to find rhubarb in the grocery store where I most often find it, I almost gave up all hope. I thought it was another year without rhubarb and I was so very sad. Until I spoke with a friend who had “rhubarb connections”, however, all the rhubarb was spoken for.
But wait, there was more–yes, more rhubarb coming in! A 20 lb box, she said, and asked how much I wanted. I said, “I’ll take whatever you want to give me!”, meaning that I’d be happy with just one pound at that point. However, the next message floored me: “20 lbs it is then!”
OMG, you have NO idea how happy I was!
Suffice it to say that there are more rhubarb recipes on the way, this being the first, but I have added many classics, like this rhubarb tart (with or without meringue).
The rhubarb arrived and it was absolutely perfect!
I froze some, made some compote, some tarts, and even some dried rhubarb chips, thanks to my friend Jill at Mad About Macarons. I highly recommend making these as they are simply marvelous! Everyone who tasted them fell in love with them.
Back to the jam: I used natural pectin in this recipe as it’s so much easier than messing with citrus pits and waiting, and that whole lengthy process. This has been one of the best jams I’ve ever made. I sent a little to my parents and my mother flipped (that’s huge)!
And if you are more organized and like to give lovely specimens of jam away, you may like these French jam jars!
Rhubarb crumble ice cream is a dream!
Easiest Rhubarb Jam Recipe
Recipe loosely based on Sure-Jell’s basic jam recipe Makes about 8, 8 oz jars
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- rhubarb
- sugar
- lemon juice
- natural pectin
Special equipment: clean jam jars with lids.
Directions
Put a saucer in the freezer.
Heat rhubarb and lemon juice over medium heat.
Increase the heat and boil for 10 minutes. Add pectin and boil for another 10 minutes.
Now add the sugar and boil for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until a little jam congeals when dripped onto the saucer from the freezer.
Boil some water to rinse the jars and lids just before filling them. Pour hot jam into the jars using a wide-mouth funnel and close immediately. Process in a water bath if you want to follow the FDA regulations for jam-making.
You can let otherwise, let the jars cool and then keep them in the fridge if you’re concerned about them sealing properly. Each jar should make a pop, and the middle of the lid will be concave once sealed.
Then all there is to do is reap the rewards of the easiest rhubarb jam recipe, ever! Try making no knead bread to put the jam on. You’ll be in heaven!
If only you could smell this, too!
Sooooo good. And the color is absolutely stunning!
And if you’re really willing to live dangerously, this incredibly delectable rhubarb and custard cake recipe is yours to try, from Emma at Mason Kitchen! I’m dying to make it, but have to wait until this heat wave ends!
Easiest Rhubarb Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs rhubarb chopped
- 4 lbs sugar
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1.75 oz natural pectin
Instructions
- Put a saucer in the freezer.
- Heat rhubarb and lemon juice over medium heat.
- Increase the heat and boil for 10 minutes. Add pectin and boil for another 10 minutes.
- Now add the sugar and boil for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until a little jam congeals on the saucer (from the freezer).
- Boil some water to rinse the jars and lids just before filling them. Pour hot jam into the jars and close immediately.
- You can let the jars cool and keep in the fridge or process them so that they're safely sealed.
Notes
Nutrition
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I remember my mom making rhubarb strawberry pies in the summer, but I’ve never tasted rhubarb jam. Sounds easy and the color is beautiful, isn’t it?
The color is insane! Love everything about rhubarb and this jam!
I’ll be making some this weekend. Finally bought rhubarb, perhaps for the first time (?) and want to make this jam. I love the purity of the flavors in this recipe, right up my alley. Will report back soon…
Fantastic, Frank! Do let me know!
This recipe landed in my inbox at just the right time. I was recently given loads of home grown rhubarb from a family member’s garden! It’s sitting prettily in my freezer and now I have just the right recipe to try. Your recipe sounds simple enough for me as I’ve never made homemade jam before. Thanks for sharing Christina!
Oh how lucky are you? Have fun using it all (and eating it)! :) YUM!
I am like you – I want my rhubarb unadulterated! (Well, sugar is okay…. 😉) Wish it we’re easy to get rhubarb here! I will check the stores this weekend. xx
Yes! It’s so frustrating not to be able to have access to our favorite foods, isn’t it?! Ugh! Hope you found some, David!
How many jars does this recipe make Christina!! Thank you! Our favorite way to eatRhubarb was snap off the leaf and just munch away. My daughter used to get such weird looks when she boarded the school bus with the stalk – no one have ever heard of Rhubarb, much less eaten any.
Sorry I see it makes 8 jars – many thanks!!
So sorry, Judy! You wrote to me on the day I left for Italy and I just got back home! Glad you found the info! :) Let the others give strange looks, more rhubarb for US! haha!
What do you mean by “natural” pectin? Sure Jell powder? Liquid? Or something else?
What is natural pectin . ? I make jam all the time but use either liquid or powder CERTO. Which is expensive here in Ontario. I make rhubarb and ginger and pear and ginger because it is not readily
available in the stores. I make it for our church sales and it sells out immediately.
I am really surprised that rhubarb isn’t available in Ontario. It seems like the right climate to grow it. I live in Oregon and it grows like a weed here so i am thrilled to have found this recipe. I grew up in Northern England and it grew by the field full there too. It even grew wild. I have both types if rhubarb, the green and the red. No real taste difference.
Yes, it absolutely is the right climate, Hazel. My uncle grows it in Toronto and it does really well. Lucky you that you have your own! :)
If you click the link, you’ll see the product. It’s available in gocery stores.
The jam looks beautiful! Maybe I’ll make jam too! Or a crumble or a fool!? Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
What did you make?
Just made this recipes using a food scale to come up with proper amount. Used about 3.75 lbs. rhubarb and .25 lbs. raspberries all from my garden. I followed the recipe exactly and found myself short four 8 oz. canning jars so I was pleasantly surprised that this yielded a lot more. Very good!
Oh goodness, that’s a big difference, but that’s wonderful that it made so much more! If I’m lucky enough to score that much rhubarb in future, I’ll have to double check the jars! Thanks, Carla! (If you could click the 5 stars above the PRINT button, I’d be so appreciative) THank you again!
Have you ever cooked with medlars? I haven’t been able to find them in Indiana and I really want to make jam from them.
Never heard of those, will google it later as am traveling overseas right now. 👌😎
Hi. How much pectin do you add?
Hi Rona, I added the link to the product I used. It was 1.75 oz of natural pectin. :)