How To Make Rhubarb Jam | Easy Recipe
This delicious and easy-to-make rhubarb jam captures the taste of summer with its vibrant color and tangy taste.
Whether you’re a seasoned jam maker or just beginning, making your own rhubarb jam is both fun and rewarding. With just a few simple ingredients and a bit of time, anyone can make it.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
What’s not to love if
- it’s so easy to make your own jam
- captures the best of the rhubarb flavor
- uses only a few ingredients
- serves both as rhubarb compote and delicious jam
- is great for eating right away or to make canned rhubarb
The ingredients
You will only need some basic everyday ingredients:
- Fresh rhubarb: We have some rhubarb plants in the garden but during the rhubarb season you can often find it in a good grocery store or at farmers’ markets
- Sugar: The sour flavor of rhubarb needs a sweetener which also acts as a preservative. Just know that you can also use more or less sugar if you prefer that.
- Vanilla: While not absolutely necessary, a bit of fresh vanilla or the mark of a vanilla bean complements the rhubarb
- Lemon juice: I love adding a bit of lemon juice to brighten the taste and preserve the pretty color
Useful tools and equipment
You probably already have everything you need:
- Large pot: Any basic pot will do
- Canning jars: You can keep the rhubarb jam in any container you like but small Mason jars are always pretty and practical
Substitutions and variations
This is where the fun begins:
- Vanilla: Don’t have vanilla extract or vanilla sugar? Just omit it altogether!
- Lemon juice: While not strictly necessary, you can also use citric acid to enhance the flavor and preserve the pretty color
- Strawberries: Simply adding this fruit makes the perfect strawberry rhubarb jam with an even fruitier taste
- Other ingredients: You can experiment with your own addition but apples, raspberries, or ginger are great
How to serve
There are lots of ways to enjoy your homemade rhubarb jam:
- for breakfast over toast, oatmeal, cereal, muffins
- as a filling for a (strawberry) rhubarb pie
- as topping for muffins or in rhubarb muffins
- for dessert with vanilla ice cream
How long does it last?
If you follow basic canning principles, this simple rhubarb jam can last for years. However, the color of rhubarb tends to fade over time even if you keep the jars in a dark and cool place. Otherwise, your rhubarb compote will last for about one week in the refrigerator.
Tips for making
- It doesn’t matter what color the rhubarb has, the green stalks are just as good as the red ones
- Rhubarb contains natural pectin so you do not need to add any
- You can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking
- This is a very small batch recipe but you can easily double or triple it
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How to make this dish
Here are the simple step-by-step instructions:
1. Cut the rhubarb stalks
With a sharp knife trim the ends and cut the rhubarb stalk in 1″ long pieces.
2. Add the sugar
In a medium mixing bowl, combine rhubarb with sugar. Optional: you can let this mixture sit for up to 30 minutes which will help draw the juices out.
3. Boil the rhubarb
Transfer the chopped rhubarb-sugar mixture to a large pot. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and just a bit of water (a few tablespoons). Over medium-high heat, bring the rhubarb jam to a full rolling boil. Lower the heat and continue cooking it until the rhubarb is starting to fall apart without getting mushy.
4. Fill your jars
Fill the rhubarb jam into clean jars. I often like to use jars with a hinged lid.
5. How to can:
If you would like to can your rhubarb jam and make it last, be sure to fill the piping hot jam into hot glass jars, wipe the jar rims, and immediately place the lids on the jars. Once the jam has cooled off, make sure that you have a good seal.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
Easy Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound rhubarb stalks
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1" pieces.
- Combine the rhubarb with the sugar. Optional: let this mixture sit for up to 30 to release the juices.
- Add the rhubarb-sugar mixture to a pot. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and 5 TBSP of water.
- Bring to a rolling boil, lower the heat, and cook the rhubarb until it starts falling apart without getting mushy.
- Serve immediately, fill in pretty containers, or can for later.
Notes
- you can add some strawberries for an even fruitier taste
- experiment with adding some apples, raspberries, or even ginger