This small batch of strawberry rhubarb jam is the perfect embodiment of spring. Sweet, tart, and quick to make, you’re certain to be glad you spent the time.
It’s conventional wisdom will tell you that strawberries and rhubarb go well together. Just about everyone I know has a fond memory of a pie or cobbler made with a smattering of sugar and those two ingredients. It should come as no surprise to you that these natural partners make an exceptionally good jam.
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times recently, though as I looked for photos to use in this post, I realized that I didn’t manage to capture the process. This happens sometimes. When I’m awash in fruit and canning more for myself than for the blog (I know it might shock you, but this does happen), I will head into the kitchen and let myself slip into the meditation that cooking something familiar can offer. The camera doesn’t get much play when that happens.
Outside of the stack of sealed jars now cooling their heels in my coat closet, the only evidence that I even made this jam is the corner of that yellow bowl off on the right edge of this picture. It’s full of macerated berries and chopped rhubarb. The new copper preserving pan I got obviously stole the show that day. (I’ve made a few batches in the copper pan so far and I’m really enjoying it. I plan on writing up my thoughts in a more organized fashion sometime soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.)
Now, on to that recipe!
Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups of chopped rhubarb, approximately 1 1/2 pounds of stalks
- 4 cups of chopped strawberries, approximately one quart
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath and four half pint jars. Wash lids and rings in warm, soapy water.
- Place the chopped rhubarb and strawberries in a large, nonreactive pot.
- Whisk the sugar and pectin powder together. Add it to the fruit and stir to combine. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium high.
- Add the lemon juice and zest to the pot and let it cook at a low boil for approximately 20 minutes. As the jam cooks, use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to help break down any large pieces of fruit.
- Once the jam has reduced by about 1/3, looks thick, and very shiny, it is done. Double check for set using your favorite method. When you've determined it is done, remove the pot from the heat.
- Funnel the jam into your prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
- When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars stand in the cooling water for five minutes. Then remove the jars from the hot water, placing them on a folded kitchen towel or wooden board to protect them from heat shock.
- Let the jars cool undisturbed until they are no longer warm to the touch. Remove the rings and check that the seals are good. Sealed jars are shelf stable for up to 18 months. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
The best knife : one that my great-grandfather made out of a piece of an old windmill blade. It’s still one of the sharpest knives in the kitchen !
I love my Kyocera Porcelain knives – they stay sharp (although the handles have stained over the years). They are always the first ones I reach for.
This recipe is just what I needed to jump-start my canning season. I know I’m behind; I blame our cool spring – no local strawberries yet! My favorite knife is a Henckels santoku I received as a wedding gift (8 years already next week!). It’s the first one I reach for – light, sharp, and versatile. My wife isn’t as comfortable wielding it, but the smaller of the two CutCos looks perfect.
My Cutco pairing knife is my favorite! These knives would be a lovely addition to my collection.
We just got a set of Cutco knives and really love them. Would love to add these to the family!
I’m a J.J. Henkle’s girl — 6″ chef’s knife, 4″ paring knife — those are my go to knives. I even take them with me on vacation.
Ahhh, the joys of strawberry rhubarb! They sit side-by-side in my garden as well as on my jam shelf. Love them. As for my favorite knife, I once test drove a Shun Premier Sankotou knife. It was divine! But, I don’t have $300 to drop on one knife. At least at this point in my life. But, I’d sure like to try out the Cutco! It would definitely be the sharpest knife in my drawer.
Yes! Strawberry rhubarb has been my favorite since my mom used to grow rhubarb in our back yard and make pies, jams, etc with it when I was a kid. I recently made an apple/rhubarb/strawberry/oat crisp that turned out pretty well but I have been on the look out for a ham recipe – thank you!!!! Can’t wait to get a strawberry haul from our first CSA pickup tomorrow 🙂 OKay – favorite knives – definitely the Oxo color coded paring knives we got as a wedding gift – those little guys are great for nearly everything and SO sharp!! We also have one incredible Wusthof knife that I would hate to cook without…
I have one santuko knife I received for my wedding. It is so reliable that it’s the one I always grab for first! I also use my good steak knives for extra pairing knives. They don’t get used all that often, so are always sharp!
I love a good knife, but don’t really have one. I tend to favor my 10″ santoku. Even though it’s not fabulous, it’s what I’ve got.
To tell you the truth, I’ve had CutCo knives ever since a friend of mine sold them in highschool. They’ve been great! I find they stay sharp longer than cheaper knives.
I’m another Henckels 8 inch chef’s knife person. Though mine is one of their cheaper lines and feels too flimsy for some tasks. I would love to get a slightly thicker/heavier knife.
I used the knives inthe henkels block set we received as a weddding gift about a dozen years ago favoring the bread knife until i found a henkels chef knife on the cheap at tj maxx. I’d love to play with other brands of cutlery someday and very well may do so should I receive an inheritance :).
Marisa, I appreciated what you said about sometimes going into the kitchen and leaving the camera behind. Not surprisingly, that’s when some of my best preserves happen.
My favorite knife has turned out to be a 7″ Miyabi Santoku (http://ow.ly/5kbQ3). I use it for almost all my fruit and veggie prep, and I take good care of it. I’ve never before had a knife that I’m willing to sharpen every time I use it, like I do this one. I would love to try the Cutco knives.
My favorite knife is a little paring knife that I’ve had for years.
Love my Henckels Santoku knife, just feels right in my hand.
My favorite knife is one I got over 10 years ago at the grocery store on promotion. It claimed it never needed to be sharpened and cut through anything (there was even an infomercial about it!). Anyhow, I haven’t had to sharpen it once and it works fantastic everytime. I am intimidated to try new knives so don’t buy as many as I should.
I am drowning in rhubarb still I need to get my jam on!
We have an ancient paring knife that we got from my parents when they got new knives. It’s so old it has no markings to indicate where or when or who manufactured it, but it’s still razor sharp!
a friend gave me the Rachael Ray Brand.. they do the job
My favorite knife actually is a small paring knife from Cutco, I probably shouldn’t say this but I use that sucker for everything.
My beloved maternal grandmother an antique dealer for over fifty years was devoted to an antique King Kutter knife. Oddly shaped but quite beautiful it has to be my number one.
A parting gift from a dear roommate was a Wusthof chef’s knife. It has been amazing! Thanks, Katie Walsh!
Those knives look nice! I actually have a cheap kitchen aid(I think that’s the brand) veggie knife that works so well. I love it! I’ll be so sad when it’s dull.
I love Cutco knives, but don’t actually own any myself. I keep buying them as gifts for my family and they are a hit! My knife drawer is filled with Henkels (my favorite is a french knife) but it is time to add some Cutco to the mix. Would love to win a set!!
My parents have Cutco knives! My favorite knife is my big chef’s knife–I rarely use anything else!
I must say that recipe sounds delish! And I would dearly love to win those knives, and could definitely use them as well. Tee-hee. My longtime USMC Ka-bar knife has just about been worn down from use. Thanks.
I have those same knives and love them. Would love to win another set for my daughter. Thanks for the canning tips. I am just learning and really getting into it.
Its a toss up – a santoku knife that I just enjoy using, or the paring knife, kitchenaid? oxo? that is also just enjoyable to use.
A chinese cleaver my parents gave me 45 years ago, but I love knives and can never own enough.
cutco knives are great! I would LOVE to add some santokus to my collection
My favorite knife is the one I liberated from my mother’s house when I moved away to college, thirty-ahem years ago. It’s a 60’s era wooden handled chef’s knife that’s been sharpened so often it’s not the right shape anymore, but the notch in the blade from when I used it to chop kindling for a campfire is still there, literally decades later. I’m amazed it didn’t break.
It was my companion for camping trips, living with roomates, living on my own, throwing parties for anyone who happened to drop by, small dinners for two or for four as I was dating and working out how to be a partner and part of a couple with other couples, hashbrowns for one in the times in between.
I have no idea what brand it is, but I know that its handle fits my hand.
I have a Henkle International set of knives – they are great, but I could totally use a few more!
I have a Henkels Santoku knife that I received for a Christmas gift from my husband who passed away in 2008. I use it every time I cook, and I always think of him when I do.
My favorite knife is actually a Cutco pairing knife that I received as a wedding gift. Seven years and it is still going strong, I use it every day and would LOVE more Cutco in my life!
I love my cleaver best!! Great giveaway!!
Great giveaway! My favorite knife is my Wusthof Santoku, which has been going strong for 6 years now.
Love, love, love Cutco! I have used many good knives, but the lifetime guarantee has made me a convert!
I love my Cutco. I sold them while still in school over 25 years ago. I still have my demo set and have added over the years. They are still as wonderful as when I got them. Would love to add to the collection.
My favorite knife is my shun classic chef’s knife. My brother got it for me for christmas 2 years ago and it’s just the best, for everything!
i have a small wusthof chef’s santoku knife i got for my birthday a couple of years ago. it was the first knife i owned that cost more than, uh, free with omaha steaks. i still love it and use it multiple times a day.
My favorite knife was my Cutco bread knife. Until it broke in half. I think my dh dropped it and the blade just snapped in half near the handle.
You know.. I have never tried rhubarb before. It is not big here in Texas. Maybe this will be the summer I change that.
My favorite knife is a Henckels 5″ chefs knife. I have small hands and I like that it fits comfortable without being too heavy.
New knives have been on my wish list for awhile now. It’s a big investment to get quality knives. My favorite knife is probably a Rapala fillet knife. It stays sharp. I’ve done everything with from butchering an elk to slicing up a cake. Please take note that I washed it in between 🙂
I love my cutco and henckels but my all time favorite is the GINSU that my parents bought at a trade show years ago. That knife could do anything! or so they sold you it could at the show And it had a cool name!
my all time favorite knife that I have is a hand forged steal chefs knife. It was made by John (a monk in WV.) It copies a knife that was passed down in the family for over 100 years.
It is fiddly, and must be washed as soon as it is used, then whipped down with oil. Or it gets a grey patina. It is sharp, deceptively heavy, and the best knife I have for chopping veggies, Quartering and boning a chicken, or just cutting a pie.
My favorite knife used to be a Japanese chef’s knife we got years and years ago, but now I think it’s the bread knife that came in our Henckel’s set. It cuts the crust of my homemade bread like it’s nothing (and as the week progesses that gets tougher and tougher!) but can also slice through a tomato without crushing – perfect! New knives are always welcome though 🙂
My favorite knives are actually from Cutco. As a young adult my son was selling these knives so I have a couple that I just love. They are especially nice during hunting season when I am butchering venison as they stay sharp.
I gotta say, i LOVE all the knives you have. They always feel so balanced when you hold them, and they’re super sharp.
In my own household i LOVE the following three knives:
Chroma type 301 from Porsche. Yes, a super splurge for this cute sharp paring knife, i just love the shape, so unique! (plus it was on sale)
Global vegetable knife (ultra light…I need to have it sharpened though…i use this knife the most I think)
Kitchen Aid santoku knives: $16 for a knife that does a great job just like my 8″ Henckels? Yeah it is a great deal.
My brother gave me a pair of Sabatier knives (a chef’s knife and a paring knife) for Christmas many years ago. I love them. Having good knives makes such a huge difference when cooking. He made sure to show me how to care for them properly to maintain the blades. Never, EVER, leave them dirty in the sink. Putting them them in the dish drainer is also a no-no. Just wash the blade after each use, dry, and put back into the knife drawer. I’m glad I follow his instructions, because I don’t know how many other knives I’ve misplaced for weeks at a time because they’ve fallen to the botton of the dirty dish pile.
My favorite knife is the Cutco Chef’s knives. I rescued 10 Cutco knives from my mother’s garage sale, including some that were my Grandmother’s, and sent them in for polishing and sharpening. The only charge was $10 for shipping!