If I had to choose my very favorite jam flavor, it would indeed be strawberry and rhubarb. The sweetness of the strawberries paired with the sourness of rhubarb is a match made in heaven. Last year I shared my strawberry rhubarb sauce recipe, and today I’m sharing my strawberry rhubarb jam recipe, with water bath canning instructions.
Yield: 3 pints (or 6 – 8oz jars)
Ingredients
- 5 cups (1.5 pounds) strawberries, hulled, quartered
- 4 cups (about 6 to 8 stalks) rhubarb, chipped into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups white granulated sugar
Directions
Wash berries and rhubarb well. Once berries are quartered, add them to a heavy-bottomed pot and use a potato masher to break down the strawberries into a chunky consistency.
Add the remaining ingredients to the strawberries, mix well and bring the mixture to medium-high heat. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the jam thickens. Stir often to avoid burning the jam.
Cook until the jam has visibly thickened. If you have a candy thermometer, 220 degrees F is the temperature to reach for.
Refrigeration Instructions
Ladle the hot jam into warm prepared jars (canning jars washed with warm, soapy water and kept warm until filling). Add washed lids and tighten the rings. Once cooled, refrigerate and enjoy within two months.
Water Bath Canning Instructions
Ladle the hot jam into warm prepared jars (canning jars washed with warm, soapy water and kept warm until filling). Leave 1/4-inch headspace (room from the jam to the rim of the jar).
Use a clean, dampened, lint-free towel or paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, removing any spillage. Place the canning jar lids on the rim of the jars and screw the rings on until they are gently snug (not fully tightened).
Lower the jars into a hot water bath and cover the canning pot with its lid. Turn up the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes. Adjust time for altitude.
Once the water bath is processed, carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel-lined surface for 12 hours without touching them. After 12 hours, remove the rings and test that the lids are completely suctioned to the jar. Wipe jars clean, label and date the jars.
Preserved jars of jam will keep for at least one-year shelf stable but must be stored in the refrigerator once the seal is broken.
For more information on safe home water bath canning, check out this publication from the USDA.
This recipe has been shared with permission from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. from Thurow’s book Can It & Ferment It.
