Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
The combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb in this freezer jam recipe creates an explosion of flavor in your mouth with every bite. Its texture is smooth yet slightly chunky, and its unique blend of fruity deliciousness makes it hard to resist.
Equipment
- 10 half-pint mason jars, lids and rings OR use 5 pint jars
- 1 funnel
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh strawberries, ½" dice
- 5 cups fresh rhubarb, ⅓" dice
- 4 cups sugar, divided (You can use 1 cup of monkfruit sweetener to replace 1 cup of sugar if desired. I haven't tried replacing more but this ratio works well!)
- 4 tbsp fresh or bottled lemon juice
- 1 cup cold water
- 5 tsp Pomona's Universal Pectin
- 5 tsp Calcium water (made from Pomona's Pectin box)
Instructions
- Set a few tablespoons in your freezer, first, so you can test the jam's consistency while cooking. This is super helpful.
- Combine the diced strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 cups of sugar in a large non-reactive bowl, such as glass, ceramic, or stainless steel. Stir well.
- After about 5 minutes the strawberries will become soft and juicy. Set them aside as the strawberries will not be cooked.
- Meanwhile, stir the remaining 2 cups of sugar and 5 tsp of pectin powder together in a small bowl.
- In a non-reactive saucepan mix together chopped rhubarb, 5 tsp of calcium water and 1 cup of water.
- Turn heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Pour in the sugar and pectin mixture. Stir very well, constantly, so there are no lumps and everything melts together and the pectin dissolves nicely. It will become foamy.
- Continue to boil, stirring well for 3 minutes until the rhubarb is tender but not mushy. The rhubarb pieces should still hold their shape.
- Turn heat down to low while you test the consistency of the jam.
- Drop a teaspoon of jam onto a chilled spoon. Turn spoon on its side and see if the jam has set. If the jam clings to the spoon it has set. If it runs off easily it has not. Cook jam over med-high heat for a couple of more minutes to get it to set properly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the raw strawberry mixture. Stir briskly for 2 more minutes making sure you are scraping the bottom of the pan. The jam will continue to set further as it cools.
- Ladle the jam into jars, using a funnel to keep things tidy, leaving 3/4" of headspace to allow for expansion in the freezer.
- Label the jars with the date and name of the contents. Place the jars in the refrigerator for 24 hours to cool them down before placing them in the freezer.
- Jam will stay fresh for 3 weeks in the fridge or one year in the freezer.
- Yield: Approximately 10 cups
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