How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

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It's The Perfect "Starter Jam" For Canning Newbies

If you’ve always wanted to try making jam, but you were afraid to try, this easy strawberry rhubarb jam is a wonderful place to start. It’s sweet, bright, a little tangy, and surprisingly simple to make. You can do it!

The recipe is from my mom, Soffia. Homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam is a perfect choice, especially if you are a jam newbie. Jam is easier and more forgiving than jelly, so it's a great place to begin your adventure in canning and preserving!

Here's another secret: You can use fresh or frozen with equally happy results. We have a rhubarb bed, maybe your neighbor gave you some-feel free to use frozen strawberries. They are always perfect, easy, and readily available.

So, why not make a batch of strawberry rhubarb jam? There's something incredibly satisfying about canning and jam-making. A row of beautiful jars filled with brightly colored jam is a testimony to your efforts, visible proof of a completed task. We don't get much of that in this day and age.

After a "taste" of success and a little local fame 😉, you may be ready to move on to other kinds of jam and jelly. Here are three very simple ones- and watch for more, because I'll be jammin' all summer!

Pineapple Jam

Peach Jam

Raspberry Jam

Get Ready For A Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Session

My mom, Soffia, came here from Iceland. She taught herself how to make jam, passed along her recipe, and taught me how. Now, my daughters and I have a "jam session" every year and make several batches of strawberry-rhubarb jam.

It's become a tradition, and lots of people look forward to receiving their very own jar of this sweet concoction at Christmas. It's a memorable gift for almost anyone!

Strawberries and rhubarb make beautiful music together. The jam has an indescribable tang, sweet and slightly puckery. It's great on thick, grainy toast, especially with lots of butter.

Delicious Ways To Use Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

This jam is wonderful on biscuits, English muffins, pancakes, waffles, and peanut butter sandwiches, but don’t stop there. Use it as a glaze for chicken or pork, spoon it between cake layers, tuck it into thumbprint cookies, swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt, or warm it slightly and serve it over ice cream.

How To Get Ready For Your Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Session

Please read through the instructions and be ready to follow them. They are simple but critical to success.

Before you begin, get all your canning supplies together to avoid a mad rush to the store. Once you have started a batch of jam, it's almost impossible to stop.

Everything you'll need is readily available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and even Walmart. The gadgets you need are inexpensive and long-lasting. And believe me, you'll find lots of uses for jars, jar lifters, and canning funnels beyond making jam! Make sure you get a little canning magnet - it saves burned fingers, and you'll find endless uses for it!

Happily, we're revisiting and embracing the arts of the home again. As a result, many cute and fancy canning jars are available today. Four-ounce and eight-ounce jars are good options for jam. We use eight-ounce jars almost all the time. I buy mine at Walmart or Menards.

Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam With Fresh Or Frozen Fruit

• Start by measuring the sugar into a separate bowl and set it aside so it’s ready when you need it. Yes, it looks like a lot of sugar — because it is! Jam depends on the balance of fruit, sugar, and pectin to set up properly.
• Wash and dice the rhubarb into small pieces. You’ll need about two cups.
• Combine the rhubarb and strawberries in a large stockpot. Fresh or frozen strawberries both work beautifully here. I often use frozen berries because they’re already cleaned and ready to go.

• Heat the fruit mixture slowly over low heat until the strawberries soften, and everything begins to cook together.
• Stir in the pectin, lemon juice, and a small pat of butter to help reduce foaming.
• As the fruit cooks, mash it gently with a spoon or potato masher to break up the larger pieces.
• Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Once it reaches a boil that cannot be stirred down, add all the sugar at once and continue stirring constantly.
• Return the jam to a hard boil and boil exactly one minute while stirring continuously. The mixture will become glossy, bright, and very, very hot.

• Remove the pot from the heat and carefully ladle the hot jam into prepared jars, leaving the proper headspace. (about 3/4 inch)
• Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth, place the lids on top, and screw the bands on finger tight.
• Process the jars in a boiling water bath for fifteen minutes.
• Remove the jars and place them on a folded towel or rack to cool completely. Try not to move them while they seal.
• Listen for that satisfying little “ping” as the lids seal — that’s the sound of success!

Helpful Tips For Beginner Jam Makers

Keep a spoon and a piece of bread nearby for tasting. The cook deserves a sample!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Yield: 80 servings about one tablespoon each

Simple Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Print

Easy homemade jam for beginners, delicious enough you'll want to make some every year!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups unsweetened sliced strawberries fresh or frozen
• 2 cups diced raw rhubarb, fresh or frozen 
• 6 1/2 cups sugar
• One 1.75 ounce package pectin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tsp butter

Instructions

1. Get ready for your "jam session."
2. Choose a tall stockpot for cooking jam. If using frozen fruit, it needs to be defrosted and mashed up a little. It's up to you how chunky you want to leave it. 
3. You'll need a second tall pot of water, deep enough to cover the jars by 1 inch, for the boiling water bath after filling them. Start it now. Add a tablespoon or so of vinegar to the water so lime doesn't form on jars. Put flats (lids) in a bowl of very hot water, ready to use.
4. Lay a thick bath towel on the area where you'll fill your jars. Assemble a canning funnel, sterilized jars, a jar lifter, flats, rings, and a clean, damp dishcloth for wiping rims. Jars are fine to use if you've run them through a dishwasher on a hot cycle.
5. Now, combine fruit, pectin, lemon juice, and butter in the stockpot. Bring to a boil.
6. Next, add sugar all at once, and keep cooking and stirring until the mixture comes to such a boiling point it cannot be "stirred down." You do not need a thermometer.
7. Keep cooking for one minute, set a timer! Remember: The jam will be HOT! Use a very long wooden spoon to keep stirring, or wear an oven mitt on the hand you're stirring with!
8. Remove from heat. Put the pot of jam on a heatproof cutting board or trivet. It's hot!
9. Ladle jam into sterilized jars with a canning funnel. Leave about 1/2" headspace. Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean, damp cloth. Check for any nicks on the jar rim with your fingertip. Do not use if a nick is present. Put on the lid and ring. Tighten by hand.
10. Put jars in a boiling water bath and process for 15 minutes. Using the jar lifter, remove jars from the water bath onto a rack or towel-covered surface. Allow them to sit without moving them until they are cool. You'll hear the distinctive "ping" sound as the jars seal.
11. If one does not seal, refrigerate it, and use it within a month or so. Trust me, this will not be hard to do!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

80

Serving Size:

approximately 1 tablespoon
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g

What should I do if my jam jars don’t seal?
If a jar doesn’t seal properly, don’t panic. Simply refrigerate the jam and use it within about a month. It will still taste delicious.

Can I freeze strawberry rhubarb jam instead of canning it?
Yes! This jam freezes very well. If you plan to freeze it, leave about one inch of headspace in the containers to allow for expansion.

How long does homemade strawberry rhubarb jam last?
Properly sealed jars will usually keep well on the pantry shelf for a year or more. Once opened, store the jam in the refrigerator.

Can I use frozen strawberries for this recipe?
Absolutely. Frozen strawberries work beautifully and make this recipe even easier because the berries are already cleaned and prepared.

Why didn’t my strawberry rhubarb jam set properly?
Sometimes jam takes up to 24 hours to fully set. Be sure the mixture reached a full rolling boil and that the ingredients were measured carefully.

Ready To Try Another Easy Jam or Jelly?

Homemade jams and jellies also make wonderful little gifts. Tuck a jar into a holiday basket, take one to a neighbor, welcome a new family to town, or surprise a friend who could use a little cheering up. People get genuinely excited about homemade jam because it feels thoughtful, personal, and made with care.

Now that you’ve made strawberry rhubarb jam, here are a few more homemade jams and jellies that are just a little more challenging but still very doable.

Jalapeno Jelly - Jalapeño Jelly is beautiful and mysteriously both sweet and hot. Use it in so many ways!

Orange Marmalade - Sunshine in a jar! Beautiful and bright, this sweet and tangy marmalade has bits of citrus peel.

Christmas Jam - A wonderful crimson red sweet-tart jam that's made of strawberries and cranberries. Easy enough for beginners! makes amazing and welcome gifts!

If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you would leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or a comment. It really helps my little business connect with people who cook and eat like us. Thanks so much. ❤

Love, GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.

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