Strawberry rhubarb jam without pectin

A jar of strawberry rhubarb jam made without pectin, next to fresh strawberries and rhubarb stalks

5 from 1 vote

Strawberry rhubarb jam without pectin

Twice as much rhubarb as strawberries makes a perfectly sweet-tart jam. No commercial pectin is needed as the fruit cooks down and gels naturally on its own.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Canning in boiling water bath15

Total Time1 5

Servings: half pint jars

Calories: 95kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs rhubarb
1 lb strawberries about 1.5 pints
2 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoon bottled lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract optional

Instructions

Prepare fruit: chop rhubarb into small pieces (¼" in size, roughly). They break down some when cooked, but not completely, so you don't want large pieces. Remove tops of strawberries and cut in half (cut large ones into quarters). Alternatively, chop in a food processor (a mandolin attachment works great, a shredder does not).
Cook jam: Combine all ingredients into a large, wide pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir as it continues to boil. (The wider the pot, the faster the water cooks off).
Cook until it reaches 220℉ at sea level. This is the temperature when the jam gels up. It takes me anywhere from 30-60 minutes to reach 220℉ depending on the batch - it depends on how much liquid is in the fruit. The more water in the fruit, the longer it takes.
It will reach 210℉ after 15-20 minutes, then take another 10 or more to reach 215℉, and a much longer time to crawl up to 220℉.
The temperature for gelling is adjusted down for higher elevations: Sea level at 220℉ / 2000 feet at 216℉ / 4000 feet at 212℉ / 6000 feet at 209℉. If you stop below the gelling temperature, it will be a little softer, more like preserves than jammy.
Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam. The foam takes up head space in the jar which can cause problems when canning. You want to do it quickly enough than the jam hasn't cooled because you need to pour hot jam into the jars for sterile canning.
Pour into jars & add to water bath: Pour jam into jars, leaving ¼" of headspace. Wipe the rims clean. Add the rings until they are finger tight. Place in a gently boiling water bath, covered by at least 1 inch of water.
Boil for 10 minutes (adjusted for altitude). Turn off heat and let the jars sit in the water bath for 5 additional minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seals.
Altitude adjustments: 0-1000 feet needs no added adjustments, boil for 5 extra minutes up to 3,000 feet, add 10 minutes for up to 6,000 feet, and add 15 minutes for elevations over 6,000 feet.

Notes

Nutrition is calculated based on a 2 tablespoon serving.

Scan QR code for full recipe page with images & more helpful tips

Nutrition