Every time I look in my preserves cupboard now I smile. My fridge is also happy since I had some extra jam and no sterilized jars and had to leave some un-canned in glass jars in the fridge. So whether or not you actually want to put this jam in jars and seal them for later this year (or gifts, but you won’t want to give this one away…), your fridge (and your stomach) can be happy too.
Ingredients:
2 lbs rhubarb (1 quart or 2 pints), peeled if necessary and cut into small 1/2″ pieces
8 cups of sugar (I did 3 cups of brown sugar, 2 cups of honey, and 1/2 cup of maple syrup, and wow was it rich!)
Optional sprigs of thyme
Notes: If you’re canning the jam don’t skimp on the sugar(s). It’s not always safe to replace sugar with substitutes because the sugar makes the canning process safer. In my version I used the equivalent amount of sugar as 1 cup honey or maple syrup = the sweetness of 2 cups of white or brown sugar.
Some pieces of rhubarb don’t seem to need to be peeled at all, but pull back the stringy ones with your hands or a paring knife. Throw out the leaves and don’t handle them too much with your hands as they’re poisonous.
Directions: The trick to great rhubarb desserts is to sprinkle the granulated sugar over the peeled, chopped rhubarb for at least eight hours or overnight.
8 or more hours later wipe the strawberries with a damp cloth or paper towel (don’t wash, since you don’t want to have to evaporate the excess water), and hull them.
Put the rhubarb pieces and sugar (and honey and maple syrup which can now be added if you’re making my version) in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add the hulled, whole strawberries to the boiling rhubarb, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until you achieve a jam-like consistency (if you’re not canning them only!). The Joy of Cooking says 15 minutes, but my strawberries were watery and took about 35!
If you’re actually canning the jam, boil it until a candy thermometre reads 220-222 degrees. Or until you reach the “sheeting stage”:
Put a small plate in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it. Then take a small amount of jam on the tip of a spoon, and drop it on the plate. Put the plate back in the freezer for 30 seconds. Remove it and press down on the jam with your finger and it should be gel-y, not liquid-y. If it’s too liquid-y keep cooking the jam. Try again in a few minutes.
To properly can this jam you need to have eight 250mL canning jars sterilized and ready to go. You also need a giant canning pot of boiling water.
How to sterilize cans: Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Sterilize your jars, screw bands and lids by washing them in hot, soapy water. Then place the jars and screw top lids (not the replaceable wax-rimmed lids) in a giant canning pot of water, bring the water to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes in the pot, turn off the heat and leave them until you need them. Don’t remove them from the oven or pot.
How to can: Remove the jars and lids from the oven or canning pot (jar-lifters or a slotted spoon and tongs are key here).
Place the wax-rimmed lids in a small pot of water and bring to just below a boil. Turn off the heat and leave the rims until you need them (they need to sit at least 5 minutes in the hot water).
Note 1: Don’t use your hands to touch the rims or lids. Use canning tongs or a slotted spoon and kitchen tongs, or some ramshackle approach where you don’t burn yourself like I did. Place the jars on a kitchen towel and carefully fill with the cucumbers. Don’t press down.
Scoop the jam into the sterilized jars using a wooden spoon and use a plastic chopstick or something long, thin and not metal to remove any air bubbles from the jars. Wipe down the tops of the jars with a clean, wet kitchen towel. Sticky, syrupy rims don’t help the seal.
Now use your chopsticks or jar-lifters to place a wax-rimmed lid on each jar and also to place a screw band ring on top. Tighten as much as you can using just your finger tips of your strong hand. You don’t want to over-tighten or under-tighten.
Place the jars in the huge pot of water you used to sterilize the jars earlier, bring it back to a boil, and start the timer for 15 minutes only when the water comes back to a rolling boil.
After 15 minutes remove the pot from the heat, remove the jars from the pot, let cool overnight, and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
Yay! Jam!
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