This irresistible rhubarb jam is so simple to make with only four ingredients. Spread on toast, swirl in ice cream, or just eat with a spoon!
Why you'll love it
Rhubarb jam is a delicious balance between sweet and tart. It has a luscious texture that lends itself well to contrasting so many things from crunchy granola to swirls of ice cream.
This jam is more of a preserve as it contains the stalks and no pectin added. It only has four ingredients and takes almost no time to make.
You can easily double or triple the recipe to can and save for later use.
Ingredients
Only four ingredients are needed to make this jam. You likely have them already in your kitchen!
- Rhubarb - Rhubarb comes in varying colors. Most commonly, you may see them with deep red or pinkish stalks. Many varieties of rhubarb are also green. There is no real difference in flavor, so whatever you can find will work.
- Lemon - Lemon brightens the rhubarb and adds more dimension to the jam. It also helps the jam come together without the need for pectin.
- Sugar - To sweeten the jam, use granulated sugar. You cannot substitute it with any other sweeteners.
- Salt - A small amount of salt helps to amplify and enhance the flavors of the rhubarb. You can skip it, if you'd like.
Prepping rhubarb
A lot of people ask if you need to peel the rhubarb before making jam. You can, but it is not necessary. The skin still packs some great nutrients, so I like to leave mine on when possible. The stalks are more tender during rhubarb season which is from April to July and don't need to be peeled. Just give the stalks a good scrub in water, and they should be ready to go.
If you are using late season stalks, they can be more fibrous and you will want to peel them to keep a nicer texture.
I do recommend slicing the stalks into about ½-inch slices. This helps speed up the process of cooking down the rhubarb.
Some people like to macerate the rhubarb - which means they coat the chopped stalks in the sugar to help release the juices. I have not found that to be necessary.
Fresh vs. frozen
The reason I prefer to use fresh rhubarb is that I own a rhubarb plant, so it is a way for me to preserve some of my rhubarb for later. That doesn't mean you can't make a delicious jam using frozen stalks.
In fact, frozen rhubarb means you can make delicious jam any time of year which is great because it is only available during certain months of the year in most grocery stores. The process of making the jam isn't different either. All it means is a slightly longer cooking time.
How to make
This rhubarb jam is incredibly easy and quick to make. You also do not need any special equipment to make it.
- Slice your rhubarb and add the ingredients to the saucepan.
- Turn on the heat to medium-high and stir slowly.
- Continue to stir occasionally while the rhubarb cooks down.
- Allow the fruit to cook and gently mash. Continue to cook until the mixture is visibly thickened.
- Ladle into your jars.
To ensure the jam thickens enough, you need to make sure the jam reaches the thickening stage, this means that you should boil the mixture until it reaches between 215ºF (102ºC) and 220°F (104°C)
Test the jam for doneness on a plate - scoop out a tablespoonful of jam onto a plate. Allow it to cool for a minute and then run the back of a spoon through jam. If the line doesn't close back up, it is done.
How to use
Basically, there isn't anything you can't do with a simple rhubarb jam like this. The recipe double and quadruples or more perfectly if you are like me and have plenty of rhubarb.
I love making recipes with rhubarb whenever I can. Each year I make a batch of strawberry rhubarb ice cream and sometimes I will just use the jam I have and swirl it in. If you want to add strawberries to your jam to make it easier, then go for it! Just toss them in alongside the rhubarb.
I replaced the fig in this fig margarita with my rhubarb jam and it is amazing.
You can also use it on toast, scones, cupcakes, cakes, and just about everything you can imagine. My favorite? Lemon rhubarb macarons.
Storage tips
If you are canning your jars properly, your jam should last months. Once opened, the jam should last about two weeks in the refrigerator.
You can freeze your jam, but I don't recommend freezing them in jars. Instead, I would freeze them in a non-glass airtight container. The jam will last several months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can turn this into strawberry rhubarb jam by adding two cups of hulled strawberries to the recipe. No need to change anything else to the recipe, but be prepared for there to be more jam.
Absolutely! You can can the recipe as you normally would for freezer jam then keep and use it as you would any other freezer jam.
The rhubarb stalk (which is actually a vegetable), is very low in pectin. We do not add any to the recipe, however and use a longer cooking time to thicken the jam. You can also mascerate the rhubarb with sugar and lemon seeds to add some natural pectin to the jam.
Jar labels
If you do decide to make several jars for yourself and/or for gifts, here are labels you can print out for your jars! Just click here to download the PDF! I use sticker paper to print out my labels.
I absolutely loved making this jam and creating the jar labels for you. Please let me know if you would like more fun jam recipes and/or add-ons for recipes I make! Your feedback means the world to me!
Recipes you may enjoy
If this was totally your jam, you'll need to try my peach jam, rhubarb simple syrup, and homemade applesauce. You may also want to try my pear rhubarb crisp, grapefruit rhubarb lemonade, berry rhubarb galette, rhubarb crumble ice cream, and strawberry rhubarb ice cream.
Recipe Card
Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 ½ cups rhubarb roughly chopped, 4 large stalks
Instructions
- Prepare your jam jar by washing and sterilizing the jar and lid. Keep in hot, but not boiling water until ready to use.
- Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and stir to combine.
- Heat the saucepan on medium-high and allow the mixture to cook, stirring occasionally.
- Continue to cook, stirring and mashing the rhubarb as you go, until the mixture thickens significantly to a jam-like consistency. Up to 40 minutes. The mixture should come to a boil until it reaches at least 220F.
- Remove the jar and lid and thoroughly dry. Ladle the jam into the jar and screw the lid on well. Place in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe first appeared on Food Fanatic where I am a contributor.
Kate says
This recipe is amazing! It reminds me of summers with my Great Grandmother, Ruby, who always made everything rhubarb 🙂 It set perfectly after only 35 minutes (I made three 8 oz jars). I didn't quite have enough rhubarb, so added some frozen strawberries to make up the difference. My kids even gave it a thumbs up!
Stephanie says
I made this exactly as is. I used frozen cut up rhubarb from my garden It thickened nicely. I just kept stirring Sometimes I have to use my hand blender to get the consistency I like but did not have to this time. Thank you it is a keeper. I prefer jams without pectin. This recipe was not too sweet either. Tastes like rhubarb. Thank you
Jennifer Mitchke says
Just picked rhubarb, followed directions. It's been cooking almost an hour and still has soup-like consistency. Does this need pectin? It wouldn't work as jam as it is.
Amanda Powell says
It does take a while and requires the jam to reach between 215 ºF (102 ºC) and up to 220 °F (104 °C). I am updating this post to give more helpful information to ensure success every time.
Tracy says
This was my first attempt at any kind of jam. Great recipe, and I was so proud of the results!
Amanda Powell says
I am so happy to hear that! I hope you enjoy using it!