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.
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.
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.
To make the jam
- Cut up rhubarb into small pieces and place in a bowl
- Add sugar and stir
- Cover for at least 8 hours or overnight
- Add fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Place rhubarb and all juices into a large pot
- Cook over medium high heat until the mixture begins to boil
- Lower to medium low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often
- Continue cooking over low heat until mixture begins to thicken
- 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
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.
Recipe Faqs
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.
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
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!
Rhubarb Jam
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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
Julie says
This was my first time making jam of any kind. It was delicious! Mine is a horrible green/brown color, but it tastes good. When I make this again, I am going to add some cinnamon.
Kathy says
Good for you!!! 🙂 Rhubarb varies in color and often it's more green than red resulting in that drab color. The taste is still amazing though!
Terri says
I'm macerating my rhubarb for my second (doubled) batch! And this one uses my daughter's rhubarb, which is much more red than mine. I'm excited to share the jam with her.
Kathy says
The color of rhubarb varies plant by plant. Mine is a bit more greenish while my mother-in-law's plants are very red.
Enjoy 🙂
Kelly Schlegel says
Can this jam have a hot water bath for extended preservation? My son loves rhubarb and is out of the area, I would like to take it to him in 6 weeks.
Kathy says
Hi Kelly,
Yes, you can preserve this jam with by using a hot water bath. I have steps to preserve jam in this Blackberry Jam recipe. I hope your son enjoys it! 🙂
Kathy
Kelly Schlegel says
Made this recipe for my Military Son, he loves Rhubarb. I admit I tried it and it is wonderful!
Kathy says
You always have to give it a try! I'm so glad your son will get to enjoy this when you go to visit! What a lovely treat to bring him! Please thank him for his service to our country! 🙂
Rickey says
Thanks for this excellent recipe! It looks greenish brown but tastes fabulous.
Kathy says
Hi Rickey,
The color of the rhubarb stalks will determine the color of the jam. My rhubarb sauce recipe I also have is much more on the greenish side. This jam is from stalks from my mother-in-law and they turn the jam the lovely red. The color is still the same though! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Kathy
Heather says
At what point is the lemon juice added?
Kathy says
Hi Heather,
Add the lemon juice after you have let the rhubarb sit to let all the juices form and just before you begin to heat the jam. It looks like I included this step in the directions in the post but not in the recipe card itself. Thanks for letting me know - I'll add it now!
Kathy 🙂
Steve P says
110 - 115 degrees? Did you mean 210-215 degrees F?
Kathy says
Oh my goodness! Yes!!! I will correct that right away. Thank you so much for catching that! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
I love homemade jam! I haven't made any in ages, though, and this recipe is totally making me want to hit the kitchen. I've never made (or had) rhubarb jam, but it sounds awesome. (Thanks for the macerating tip there!) Robbie loves to spread jam on his bread, and we've been baking bread like crazy lately. Now it's time to make some jam I think! 🙂
Alex says
I just love homemade jam so much - I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
With our weather, our rhubarb is always a little later to the party. When it is ready to harvest, this would be a delicious use for it! Perfect on my morning toast with butter!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Nothing better than homemade jam during the summer Kathy! And I love rhubarb!
Kathy says
Thanks, Mary Ann!