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Home » Jam » Rhubarb Jam

Published: Jun 11, 2020 · Modified: Apr 11, 2021 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Rhubarb Jam

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A glass canning jar filled with a dark red jam.

Delicious homemade rhubarb jam is a perfect way to use up your spring rhubarb. This jam is so tasty on toast or a sandwich.

All you need to make this jam is fresh rhubarb and sugar and a bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice! That's it - no added pectin or other ingredients.

A glass jar filled with homemade rhubarb jam.

Rhubarb is tart and it lends itself to a variety of dishes. Rhubarb jam is a perfect jam with a bit of tart and a bit of sweet. This jam is delicious on toast, English muffins or on a peanut butter sandwich.

Rhubarb is in full season for us right now. I've been making lots of rhubarb recipes lately; rhubarb muffins, rhubarb bread, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb sauce and my latest is this rhubarb jam. 

An English muffin topped with rhubarb jam.

This jam is only made with fresh rhubarb and sugar and a bit of fresh lemon juice. That's it! There's no added pectin, water or other ingredients. 

The trick to making this jam is macerating the rhubarb. Macerating is simply mixing the rhubarb with sugar and allowing the water to be extracted from the rhubarb.

Table of Contents
To make the jam
Testing to see if the jam is done
Recipe tips
The color of rhubarb jam
Recipe Faqs
More delicious homemade jam recipes
Rhubarb Jam

To make the jam

  1. Cut up rhubarb into small pieces and place in a bowl
  2. Add sugar and stir
  3. Cover for at least 8 hours or overnight
  4. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Freshly chopped rhubarb in a glass bowl.
  • Sugar coating chopped rhubarb in a glass bowl.
  • Rhubarb in a bowl with melted sugar.
  • Macerated rhubarb in a bowl filled with liquid.
  1. Place rhubarb and all juices into a large pot
  2. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture begins to boil
  3. Lower to medium low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often
  4. Continue cooking over low heat until mixture begins to thicken
  5. Remove from heat and place in a glass container

Testing to see if the jam is done

There are a few different ways to determine if your jam is done:

  • Cook until rhubarb is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated
  • Cook until temperature of jam reaches 210-215 degrees. This is a slightly lower temperature than most jams that are cooked to 220 degrees, but it is a perfect temperature for rhubarb jam
  • Test jam on a plate - scoop out a tablespoonful of jam onto a plate. Allow to cool for a minute and then run the back of a spoon through jam. If the jam stays separated, it is done. 
  • Tilt the jam - the jam should only have a slight slide 
Rhubarb jam being tested on a white plate.

Recipe tips

  • Allow enough time for the rhubarb to release all of its juices
  • Use all of the juice along with the rhubarb for the jam
  • Use a non reactive pot for cooking the jam. A stainless steel or ceramic coated pot will work well.
  • Keep a close eye the jam while it cooks. Stir the jam often to avoid burning.

The color of rhubarb jam

The color of rhubarb jam varies, depending on your rhubarb. The rhubarb from my garden tends to be more green than red, but my mother in law's rhubarb is very, very red. When I use her rhubarb in this jam, my jam also turn out really red. 

It can also a light color with a pinkish hue. Sometimes it even turns a drab greenish brown color. Adding a bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice helps keep the color bright.

No matter the color, the taste is always the same. The color of rhubarb does not change the taste.  Adding a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice helps preserve the color. 

Homemade rhubarb jam in a glass canning jar with stalks of rhubarb in the background.

Recipe Faqs

How do I store rhubarb jam?

This batch of jam does not make a large amount. It yields approximately two cups of cooked jam. Since this doesn't make a large amount, I store the jam in the refrigerator. It will last for up to one month in the refrigerator. 
If you are making a larger batch and need a way to store it for a longer period, you can freeze the jam or can it into jars and process in a hot water bath. 

What color is rhubarb?

The color of rhubarb varies from deep red to bright green. Some stalks are both red and green. The taste does not vary with the color.

The color of the rhubarb will affect the color of the jam, but the taste will remain the same.

More delicious homemade jam recipes

  • Strawberry Jam
  • Apricot Jam
  • Seedless Blackberry Jam
  • Apple Butter
Rhubarb jam in a glass canning jar.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my homemade jam recipes!

  • Small Batch Strawberry Jam
  • Seedless Blackberry Jam
  • Orange Marmalade
  • Apricot Jam
A glass jar filled with homemade rhubarb jam.

Rhubarb Jam

Kathy
Delicious homemade rhubarb jam is perfect for spreading on toast or adding to a peanut butter sandwich.
5 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Macerate the rhubarb 8 hrs
Total Time 8 hrs 40 mins
Course Jam
Cuisine American
Servings 2 cups
Calories 43 kcal

Equipment

  • Stainless Steel Pot
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups rhubarb (chopped)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

Instructions
 

  • Place the rhubarb in a large glass bowl. Add sugar and stir to distribute. Cover and let sit for at least 8 hours stirring once or twice to redistribute sugar.
    6 cups rhubarb, 2 cups sugar
  • The rhubarb will release a lot of liquid while sitting with sugar.
    Macerated rhubarb in a bowl filled with liquid.
  • Place rhubarb and its juice into a nonreactive pot.
  • Add lemon juice.
    1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • Cook over medium high heat until mixture comes to a simmer, about 20 minutes. Stir often.
  • Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning.
  • Test jam on a plate. Place a small spoonful on a plate and let cool for one minute. Draw a line down the center with the back of a spoon. The mixture should remain separated. Tilt plate slightly - the mixture should only run a small amount.
    Rhubarb jam being tested on a white plate.
  • Remove jam from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer jam to a glass canning jar or other storage container. Cover and refrigerate.

Notes

Recipe Tips
  • Allow enough time for the rhubarb to release all of its juices
  • Use all of the juice along with the rhubarb for the jam
  • Use a non reactive pot for cooking the jam. A stainless steel or ceramic coated pot will work well.
  • Keep a close eye the jam while it cooks. Stir the jam often to avoid burning.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1TablespoonCalories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 19IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Keyword rhubarb jam, rhubarb jam no pectin added
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Comments

  1. Valerie says

    May 29, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    5 stars
    mine turned green colour, but still a wonderful taste! I am use to the strawberry rhubarb jam my mother is making, and was a little skeptical about using rhubarb alone, but I was proved wrong:-) Now, I just need to make a good loaf of dried fruits and nuts bread to go with it!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      May 30, 2022 at 6:16 am

      Hi Valerie,
      Rhubarb varies in color. Some is mostly green with a tinge of red and some is all red. My rhubarb at home produces a mostly green jam, while the rhubarb I get from my mother in law is a deep red color. Both taste the same. Glad you enjoy!
      Thank,
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  2. Meredith says

    January 28, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    5 stars
    The best rhubarb jam recipe I've ever used! I make up a large batch and freeze most of it and take it out as I need it. I made enough to last probably for 8 months and after 3 months I'm having to remake it, that is how much my adult children love it! Might as well just put it on the table and stick a spoon in it! Thank you for the great recipe

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      January 28, 2022 at 3:26 pm

      I love it!!! It's the best compliment when whatever you make disappears so quickly and they keep coming back for more! Thanks for your lovely comment.
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
      • Meredith says

        January 30, 2022 at 1:03 pm

        5 stars
        Since rhubarb Is not in season in December I used frozen rhubarb that I had bought in the grocery store, which was hard enough to find, but I found it! I usually use fresh rhubarb but the Frozen turned out just as well as the fresh! Thank you again kathy, exceptional rhubarb recipe and the directions are spot on!

  3. Rose Rockvoy says

    August 20, 2021 at 6:54 am

    5 stars
    I made this a triple batch for a guy that loves rhubarb jam but I added 1 pk strawberry jello to it for the red color since mine was brown/green color. Perfect product.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 20, 2021 at 8:00 am

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics..

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