I am really getting into jam making this year and have discovered that you don’t need preserving sugar as long as you use lemon juice for fruits not high in pectin. The addition of the lemon rind to the pan is also helpful and adds a bit more lemon flavour. I also learned since my Strawberry Jam making last year that you don’t use a wax disc if you’re using a screw top lid which I had fretted about last year and needn’t have. According to the WI you only use a wax disc with a cellophane lid otherwise you prevent the vacuum forming under a screw top lid. I searched around for recipes and this is a culmination of all my findings and the combination of Rhubarb, Vanilla and Lemon compliment each other really well.
I gave a pot of this jam to my dad on Fathers Day and he loved it as did my husband and son. My daughter has yet to acquire a taste for rhubarb!
As this jam was made with some bargain rhubarb packs I found for 69p for 600g I am entering it into Credit Crunch Munch which is run by myself and Helen of Fuss Free Flavours and this month hosted by Anneli of Delicioux. I am also entering this into Javelin Warrior’s Cookin w/luv Made with Love Mondays challenge as it is made from scratch. I am also entering Calandar Bakes where the them is preserves this month which is hosted this month by Rachel at Dolly Bakes and run with Laura of Laura Loves Cakes. Anneli is hosting a Four Seasons Food Challenge in partnership with Louisa of Chez Foti where the theme is Picnics and Outdoor Nibbles, which I am also entering as who wouldn’t like a lovely scone and jam on a picnic? I’m entering Ren Behan’s Simple and in Season challenge as rhubarb is in season. Finally I am also entering the Breakfast Club event which is run by Helen and hosted this month by Elizabeth at Elizabeth’s Kitchen. where the them is High Fibre and rhubarb is just that!
Here’s a jam making step-by-step guide, it really is so easly:
- 900g Rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces
- Juice & zest of a lemon + keep ½ skin (wrap & keep in fridge over night)
- 900g Granulated sugar (from which remove 2 tblsp)
- 2 tbsp Vanilla sugar
- 1 Vanilla pod, split
- 10g Butter
- Place the rhubarb in a glass bowl along with the sugars, lemon rind and lemon juice.
- The next day place 4 saucers into your freezer.
- Then place fruit mixture into a large heavy based pan and add the half lemon skin plus the split vanilla pod.
- Heat gently to dissolve all the sugar crystals.
- Then bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 8 minutes.
- Put a dot of jam on a cold saucer and and wait for a couple of minutes.
- If the jam is ready it will wrinkle slightly when a finger is pushed through it and will also not run on the plate.
- If the jam is not ready keep boiling for another 3 minutes at a time and doing the plate test until it is.
- Next remove the scum by stirring the butter through the jam.
- Finally use a jam funnel or small fruit ladle to fill your warm jars.
- This recipe should be enough for 3 standard sized jam jars but I like to prepare a selection and pick the best as I go along.
42 comments
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Martina Evans
03/11/2015 at 11:34 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I’ve never made my own jam before but your jam recipe sounds so delicious. I would love to make me a batch. Thanks again for the recipe and instructions!
Jacqueline Roberts
27/08/2015 at 8:31 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I love rhubarb but I’ve never tried jam making is it difficult?
Camilla
27/08/2015 at 9:52 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Not if you follow my instructions to the letter:-
Ursula Hunt
27/11/2014 at 7:10 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Finding this recipe reminded me of the last time I had Rhubarb jam, I was only little and on my Aunty Jenny’s farm in Scotland. lovely memory
Camilla
27/11/2014 at 11:44 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Aah how lovely, childhood food memories are so special:-)
William Gould
03/10/2014 at 4:27 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Never tried making jam, but then again we don’t eat much jam anyways!
Ann Robinson
27/09/2014 at 6:19 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Another great looking and sounding recipe to try
Abigail Cullen
27/09/2014 at 10:11 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Really like this recipe for jam, loving the 3 combinations.
Camilla
30/09/2014 at 4:52 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thank you:-)
Carolyn Clapham
18/05/2014 at 7:04 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Another lovely recipe that I’ll try soon.
sj wesley
05/04/2014 at 2:15 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This looks lovely, i’m a jam making fanatic so definitely going to have to try this out!
Galina V
15/02/2014 at 10:44 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Another gorgeous jam recipe! Love the combinaton of flavours. I have never made a rhubarb jam, maybe some time this year, it sounds delightful
Deena Kakaya
24/01/2014 at 11:16 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
What a fab idea, sweet, tart, zing…lovely! Xx
Camilla
24/01/2014 at 11:28 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thanks Deena:-) Will have to make this again!
Laura Wilce
03/01/2014 at 6:20 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This sounds delicious! I’m bookmarking it ready for when I feel brave enough to attempt jam!
Camilla
03/01/2014 at 11:35 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Oh I do hope you give it a try, the most important thing is to keep stirring to avoid your jam burning. I’m sure you’ll get hooked after your first try:-)
Maya Russell
30/09/2013 at 5:19 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I’ve never eaten rhubarb jam. It looks nice.
Heather Haigh
19/09/2013 at 10:24 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
That is such an interesting combination of flavours – I can’t actually imagine the taste – must try some…
Jane English
28/07/2013 at 11:32 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I’m not a lover of rhubarb, but the rest of the family loves it. We always used to get lots from the Father in Law, sadly no longer an option.
Shu
27/07/2013 at 7:47 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Looks gorgeous! Love the flavour combination – rhubarb and vanilla is beautiful, and now tih the added citrusy freshness of lemon- Yum!
P.S. garden looking gorgeous too. x
Camilla
27/07/2013 at 10:11 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thank you so much!
lady_appaloosa
17/07/2013 at 6:53 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I love home made jam and will make some this summer with my daughter as she has not seen any made yet. I like an adult version of rhubarb and champagne – it’s very lush but very frothy
Herbert Appleby
16/07/2013 at 2:41 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This mix of flavors sounds deliciously mouth watering, I love to plaster a crumpet or ten with this jam.
Laura H
07/07/2013 at 6:23 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thanks for this yummy sounding recipe – have a glut of rhubarb on my allotment and have been making nothing but schnapps with it!
Laura H
Camilla
07/07/2013 at 9:11 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Great, jam making is so easy, it’s just a case of planning:-)
Tracy Nixon
05/07/2013 at 8:40 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
OMG how mouth watering! Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth
02/07/2013 at 11:15 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Oh this looks stunning! I love homemade jams. My mother always used to make her own when we were growing up, but I’ve never tried homemade rhubarb jam before. I might just have to make some myself! Thanks for sharing with the Breakfast Club!
DANIELLE VEDMORE
30/06/2013 at 11:32 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Oh yum! Ive never made jam – Im too scared of wrecking it! On the rhubarb front – had another rhubarb pudding this weekend 🙂 xoxo
Camilla
01/07/2013 at 12:16 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
You really can’t wreck it. It’s so simple, it’s just boiling fruit & sugar until it gets to a gel consistency!
Anneli (Delicieux)
30/06/2013 at 1:42 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Those scones look so good! I have not had one for ages and you have made me crave them! They really are the perfect vessel for jam! What a great entry for Credit Crunch Munch & also Four Seasons Food! Thanks Camilla x
Claire toplis
27/06/2013 at 6:59 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thought I’d redeem myself. It’s sounds a unique flavour.
What sort of scones could you have with it.
Ps did mull this over.;)
Camilla
27/06/2013 at 8:50 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Any sweet scone would be great with this, I love fruit ones but my daughter won’t eat them so I have to do plain!
Jacqueline @How to be a Gourmand
27/06/2013 at 10:09 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Wow, you have put the rhubarb to great use this year Camilla! Really like the idea of combining it with vanilla and lemon. Nice presentation with the little jam pots in your immaculate garden!
Camilla
27/06/2013 at 10:29 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thanks, well you know me and a bargain Jacqueline, I just can’t resist. I aslo made a toffee rhubarb upside down cake with the rest which was a disaster but was still eaten and enjoyed by the boys and me (was a tad raw). But it’s the failures that make the successes all the sweeter I think and hopefully we learn from our mistakes:-) My little preserving pots were a bargain from Tesco as they had some very reduced Finest chutney in them! They are now housing my latest jam which I shall post soon!
Javelin Warrior
26/06/2013 at 10:01 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I never knew rhubarb was high in fiber! Now I’m all excited, Camilla, because I always knew rhubarb was delicious but I never realized was also pretty healthy… So pleased and what a delicious jam!
Camilla
26/06/2013 at 10:22 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Glad to have excited you Mark:-) Thank you for your kind words:-)
olivia kirby
26/06/2013 at 8:32 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This looks really nice. I have a new book about jam making and I have actually never been much good at it, I seemed to think I could just make it without looking up a recipe!
I haven’t actually eaten rhubarb for ages but I do like it.
Is it very sweet?
And I do like a good scone.
Camilla
26/06/2013 at 9:15 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This jam is sweet but then there’s also the tang of lemon which sharpens it and then there’s the mellowness of the vanilla:-) When you said you had a new book, I though you’d written it LOL but then you said you weren’t much good at it and the penny finally dropped LOL!
claire toplis
26/06/2013 at 8:00 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
mmmmm its looking good in y garden
Camilla
26/06/2013 at 8:19 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Glad you spotted this is really a gardening blog:-)
Busylizzie
26/06/2013 at 9:05 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Hi Camilla, That looks so scrummy and appealing, but then scones and jam are my only weakness especially homemade. We planted a rhubarb crown a few weeks back so maybe next year when it has grown a bit I will give this a go. I too like making jam and save all my douwe egberts coffee jars. This year will be heading off down the lanes around here for mirabelles (wild yellow plums) They make great jam too and free!
Camilla
26/06/2013 at 9:13 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Thanks Lizzie. Wish we had room to grow rhubarb, but I couldn’t even grow a cabbage so not sure if I’d be any good! I must find some brambles this year and I already have an eye out for my parent’s Damsons!
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