Preserve your fresh rhubarb with these spectacular rhubarb jam canning recipes. You'll be able to enjoy these tart red stalks all year long!
Whether you've been enjoying spring rhubarb for years or you've just been given an excess of rhubarb by a well-meaning neighbor, you may find yourself wondering what the heck you can do with your newfound wealth of rhubarb stalks.
What is rhubarb, exactly? It's a vegetable, technically, though some call it a fruit because in the culinary world, it's typically used in the same culinary processes as fruit.
You can make jam with it or put it in a pie, (or even a strawberry rhubarb coffee cake) but you don't find many people willing to bite into a snappy stalk of the stuff. That's because it's tart, sour, bitter—in other words, not very tasty to most palates.
But these simple rhubarb jam canning recipes will make you fall in love with this vegetable posing as fruit. They're sweet, delicious, and perfect for spreading on buttery biscuits, a warm slice of toast, or fluffy muffins in the morning.
You'll never go back to the jarred stuff from the grocery store again! In fact, you may find more uses for those rhubarb plants than you ever thought possible.
Tools You Need to Start Canning:
We have a more detailed post on canning and preserving food, but for a short list of things you may need for making jam and getting started canning, take a look at the items below:
- canning jars
- canning lids (flat lids and screw bands)
- jar funnel
- large pan
- water bath canner
- freezer-safe containers
- canning cookbook
All homemade canned jams and jellies should be stored in a dry, dark place. Place jars (I love Ball mason jars)in your pantry, cabinet, or a dedicated area in your basement (if it's dry) to keep them away from moisture and sunlight.
Easy Rhubarb Jam Canning Recipes
While many of these rhubarb jams are canning recipes, not all are. Some are freezer jams or refrigerator jams. But because they're all terrific for using up your rhubarb stash, we've included them here.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe
Make this beautiful red Strawberry Rhubarb Jam by All Things Mamma for the fridge, freezer, or pantry. Rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and fruit pectin are all you need to bring this sweet jam together. And since rhubarb and strawberries are in season around the same time, it should be easy to find both!
The jam will last 3 weeks in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer, or up to a year if canned. Directions for canning are included in the recipe, and it's fairly simple.
Remember to leave ¼ inch of headspace at the top of the jars for jams and jellies to allow for expansion when canning. Leave a little extra room if you're putting yours in the freezer, and let the hot jars cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.
If you like this flavor combo, you have to try our strawberry rhubarb coffee cake!
Honey Rhubarb Ginger Jam
If you're new to making homemade jam, try this sweet and tart Small Batch Honey Rhubarb Ginger Jam by An Oregon Cottage. In just 40 minutes, you can have three small jars of the stuff to put in the freezer or can on the stovetop. It's made with five simple ingredients: rhubarb, honey, lemon juice, vanilla, and ginger.
Using honey allows you to use less sugar (or no sugar) in your rhubarb jam.
Canned, it lasts up to 18 months in the pantry. If frozen, it's good for up to a year.
Rhubarb Berry Jam
Not sure you'll love rhubarb? Try this small batch refrigerator Rhubarb Berry Jam by Garden in the Kitchen. It makes one small mason jar full of refrigerator-ready jam, which is good for about three weeks, generally.
It's made with fresh blueberries and strawberries to add sweetness and a beautiful deep color. Perfect on a piece of warm toast, you'll find yourself baking more bread than usual, too!
Rhubarb Cinnamon Jam
This Rhubarb Cinnamon Jam by One Hundred Dollars a Month sounds fabulous. One of the commenters on the post mentioned that it's yummy mixed into oatmeal, and that sounds amazing to us! You'll need rhubarb, pectin powder, butter, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a bit of water.
This recipe make a wonderful hostess gift for the winter holidays.
Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Easily one of the easiest rhubarb recipes on this list, with just three simple ingredients, this Rhubarb Freezer Jam by Hoosier Homemade comes together in no time. You'll need rhubarb, sugar, and strawberry Jell-O for this recipe.
First, you cover the rhubarb with sugar, mix it, and let that sit overnight in the fridge to form a syrupy mixture. Then, you'll cook that mixture along with strawberry gelatin and let that cool.
When it's cooled, put it in freezer-safe containers where it's good for up to a year. Once you thaw it, the freezer jam keeps in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
Rhubarb Chia Jam
Looking for a recipe with a lower amount of sugar? This Rhubarb Chia Jam by The Forked Spoon is just what you need. Using chia seeds, orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup allows you to make a yummy jam with no added sugar at all.
It's flavorful and easy to make—just 30 minutes, in fact. Store this jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It's delicious mixed into yogurt.
Strawberry Rhubarb and Basil Jam
Up the flavor factor with this Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Basil Jam by Recipes From a Pantry. It has a beautiful color and gets its unique flavor profile from the fresh basil. The jam is naturally low in sugar, vegan-friendly, and makes a great vanilla ice cream topping or jam for your PB&J.
You can use frozen strawberries and rhubarb for this recipe, though you may need to cook it longer to get rid of the excess liquid.
Rhubarb Chutney with Strawberries and Ginger
If you're confused by the the chutney vs. jam debate, you're not alone. As it turns out, chutney is a type of jam, but it's more acidic and less sweet thanks to the addition of vinegar and hot spices. This Rhubarb Chutney by Happy Kitchen is great on sandwiches, as a topping on meats, or as a dipper for crackers or chips.
The ingredients list is a bit more involved: onions, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, cardamom, cloves, salt, lime, vinegar, rhubarb, strawberries, and black pepper make the list. But it will quickly become one of your favorite condiments for summer.
Vanilla Rhubarb Jam
You won't find any strawberries here! This Vanilla Rhubarb Jam by One Hundred Dollars a Month has a milder flavor and is made with rhubarb, sugar, Earl Grey tea, vanilla bean, lemon, butter, salt, and pectin. This jam is good for baking jam rolls, jam and nut bars, or thumbprint cookies with jam in the center.
It's likely this jam will have more of a greenish tint without the strawberries, so feel free to toss in some food coloring or berries if a green-tinted jam is unappealing to you.
Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
With 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, you can have a gorgeous red Raspberry Rhubarb Jam. This recipe by A Farmgirl's Kitchen is the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors and is a great way to use up raspberries and rhubarb, which are often in season (and in abundance) together.
She recommends Pomona's pectin, which also requires calcium water. You can get tips for the right amount to add to your jam from the product packaging.
Rhubarb Ginger Jam
If you're the type who really enjoys the rhubarb flavor and don't want to hide it in other ingredients, try this Rhubarb and Ginger Jam by Farmersgirl Kitchen. While the ginger accentuates the rhubarb flavor, it doesn't conceal it.
As one of her commenters said, it's "sweet and zingy." Add more ginger if you'd like. This jam recipe makes a great hostess gift any time of year.
The post also offers some great tips for canning jam, like making sure your rhubarb mixture comes to a full rolling boil, how to make sure it's set properly, and more.
Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jam
More adventurous types will love this Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jam by Homemade In the Kitchen. It's sweet, spicy, and just a little tart. It's great with cream cheese on crackers but will taste yummy on meats like chicken or pork as well.
You don't need any pectin if canning this jam; the raspberries have enough pectin on their own. Leave out the jalapeno if you're not a fan of spicy things or just use the flesh and dig out the seeds and membrane if you only want yours mildly spicy.
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Canning novices can start with this Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam by Mad in Crafts with confidence. It's a low sugar recipe that gets its sweetness from the strawberries and honey rather than a bunch of added sugar. Make sure you use low-sugar pectin instead of the regular kind!
Rhubarb Jam with Juniper Berries
Pair juniper berries with your fresh or frozen rhubarb to make this unique Rhubarb Jam with Juniper Berries by The Bake School. There's no pectin here, so you have to use a thermometer (or the wrinkle test) to ensure that you've hit the jam set point temperature-wise.
Serve on thick toast, scrumptious scones, or tasty muffins to start your morning off right.
Rhubarb Pineapple Jam
Nothing says summer like rhubarb and pineapple. Well, it may sound strange, but it's actually a delicious combination. Try it in this recipe for Rhubarb Pineapple Jam by The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.
Grab some rhubarb, crushed pineapple, pectin, sugar, and apricot brandy to begin canning this delicious jam. You can omit the alcohol if you prefer, and it will still taste great.
Blueberry Rhubarb Jam
One of the prettiest jams on this list, this Blueberry Rhubarb Jam by Noshing With the Nolands looks like it would be delicious over some ice cream or on a big, fluffy blueberry muffin.
You only need four ingredients to make it: rhubarb, fresh blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Still have rhubarb in the freezer from last year? You can absolutely use the frozen stuff, adjusting the cooking time a little to make up for the extra liquid that comes off as it defrosts.
Rhubarb and Gin Jam
For a fun and interesting take on ja, make this recipe for Rhubarb and Gin Jam by Fab Food for All. Though she made this jam recipe with forced rhubarb, regular rhubarb will work fine. However, the color won't be as pink. The alcohol boils away completely, so it's safe for the kiddos to eat. It also has a light vanilla flavor from the vanilla seeds sprinkled throughout.
Which rhubarb jam recipe do you plan to try first? Don't forget to pin this post to come back to it when you harvest your rhubarb and have all of your canning supplies ready!
