Only one of the many ways to enjoy Strawberry~Rhubarb Jam
One of the first jams I make every spring is a blend of Strawberries and Rhubarb, for fairly obvious reasons: they are two of the fruits ripe at this time of year in Seattle. Rhubarb is at its peak between April and June, and fingers-crossed, strawberries follow closely after.
This is a wonderful project for beginners for a couple reasons. There are just 4 ingredients, and as you will see, it only takes a few simple steps, from start-to-finish.
1 pound each strawberry and rhubarb, lemon zest & juice, and sugar
For every 2 pounds of fruit*, you'll need the zest and juice of one lemon, plus 2 cups of sugar. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl...
(Pugs love strawberries)
...then stir gently, but thoroughly....
Cover the bowl and let the mixture macerate on the counter for a couple hours, or in the fridge overnight. You can even let it sit for longer**.
A lovely syrup will form in the bowl as a result!
The next day, stir the mixture well, and transfer it to a heavy-bottom pan. Boil vigorously over medium-high for 5-10 minutes, stirring often to be sure it isn't sticking. It won't take long for the jam to thicken. If you cook it much longer than this, the rhubarb will begin to fall apart. I don't know about you, but I happen to like small chunks of rhubarb in the jam, so I am careful not to overcook it.
Seal in jars using the Boiling Water Bath method if you want your jam to be shelf-stable (for up to a year). Otherwise you can store it sealed in the refrigerator for a month, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
See, now isn't that easy?
So what are you waiting for?
Go grab a pound of rhubarb and get started!
*You can adjust this recipe and use up to 4 pounds total of fruit, but use a larger pan when cooking. You want a wide shallow pan, rather than a stockpot; it's important that there is sufficient surface area to allow for evaporation.
**I've actually let the fruit & sugar mixture macerate for up to 11 days! The sugar toughened up the walls of the macerating fruit (in a good way) meaning my fruit held it's shape better in my finished jam.