Make homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam from fresh rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lemon without pectin!
If you’ve ever made a homemade strawberry jam recipe, adding rhubarb enhances both the flavor and texture! You can easily store it in your refrigerator or freezer, or can it in a water bath to last all year long!
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STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM
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This Strawberry Rhubarb Jam recipe may have been the best jam, or preserves, or jelly… or whatever you want to call it… I have ever made.
No.
This is the best strawberry jam I have ever enjoyed. It was that good. But it’s not just strawberry jam. It’s strawberry rhubarb jam, and that makes all the difference. I will tell you why.
Strawberry and rhubarb are so amazing together. How about I tempt you in making any of these
Strawberry Rhubarb recipe ideas:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade – This perfectly sweet and equally tart fresh squeezed Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade is the ultimate kid friendly summer drink and will quench any thirst.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie – There are few pies better than a mouthwatering, sweet yet tart, flaky crusted, warm Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Oh yeah.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Muffins – Indulge in this naughty summer treat. Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Muffins are made with fresh strawberries and tart rhubarb wrapped in a brown sugar batter.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Lemon Bars – A summer twist on traditional lemon bars. These Strawberry Rhubarb Lemon Bars create a fresh tangy sweet taste that will have everyone wanting more.
The best way to make homemade strawberry jam:
It’s all about the quality of the fruit.
First of all, I used the best possible strawberries in the world. They are called Hood strawberries. Prized for their bright red color and exceptionally large size, Hood strawberries emerged from Oregon’s Hood River Valley in 1965.
They grow best in the Western States, but if you really know what you’re doing in the garden, I’m sure you can figure out how to grow them in your neck of the woods. They only have one harvest each year as opposed to plants that continue producing all season long, and its like a feeding frenzy when they’re offered at the farmers markets.
Reasons to add rhubarb to your strawberry jam recipe:
I actually use more than twice the amount of rhubarb in this recipe than I do strawberries.
I do this for a few reasons.
- First, rhubarb is much cheaper than strawberries (at least mine was).
- Second, if you’re not going to use pectin, you need a lot of sugar in order to get your jam to gel up. Strawberries are already incredibly sweet, so the addition of a ton of sugar is just nauseating. Rhubarb, however, is incredibly tart, so the addition of sugar makes everything right in the world.
I saw a lot of recipes online that called for a heck of a lot more sugar than I used and let me tell you – if you’re using good quality sweet strawberries, I wouldn’t put any more sugar than what my recipe calls for. The balance was perfect as was the final consistency.
How much does this strawberry rhubarb jam recipe make?
As written, this recipe makes about 4 cups of homemade jam.
As much pleasure as I would have taken in devouring all four cups with a spoon and some crusty white bread, I decided to can four jars of this liquid gold for the winter months when I’m craving the summer bounty that had long since come and gone. I did, however, get enough extra to fill this little dish which made for some incredibly tasty treats.
If you don’t want to can the jam, it will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, but let’s face it – canning is fun! So preserve it!
Can you use frozen strawberries and rhubarb to make jam?
Absolutely. My preference is always to make things seasonally when produce is fresh, but since both the strawberries and rhubarb are both cooked down, it makes no difference at all – zero, zilch, nada – whether you use fresh or frozen fruit.
Finding frozen rhubarb at the store, well, that’s a challenge in and of itself.
My advice to each and every one of you is to buy as much rhubarb from the farmers’ market when it’s in season as your freezer can hold and freeze it yourself.
What is the purpose of adding lemon juice when making jam?
Besides that glorious citrus flavor lemon adds, you need it in your recipe when making homemade jam, including this strawberry rhubarb version.
There’s a little food science involved in understanding the importance of adding lemon.
In a nutshell, when you cook down fruit like strawberries and rhubarb with sugar, the natural pectin in the fruit breaks down, but that pectin won’t bind together because the individual cells actually repel one another.
We all know lemon juice is acidic, which means it has a lower pH. When lowering the pH of your mixture, it neutralizes the negative charges on the pectin (the thing that made the cells repel), and then the jam can come together and gel.
What do you know? That chemical engineering degree of mine wasn’t a total waste after all!
Watch the recipe video below of How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam!
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
- 5 cups rhubarb about 3 large stalks, cut into 1⁄2" cubes
- 2 cups hulled and halved strawberries about 1 pint
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from about half of a large lemon
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a medium to large saucepan over medium heat. Once mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium low. You'll want the heat set to the point where it continues to bubble but not violently when stirred (you'll understand once you start cooking if jam bubbles start to pop out of the center of the pot). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the jam has thickened. Plan on cooking jam for about an hour and temperature of the mixture is over 205 degrees F.
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While the jam is cooking, sterilize four 1-cup jelly glass jars plus their rings and lids. I do this by boiling them in water for 10 minutes or I boil the lids and run the rings and glass jars through the dishwasher.
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Transfer sterilized jars, lids, and bands to a clean dish towel.
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Have a very large covered pot of boiling water ready. There needs to be enough water in the pot so that when the filled jars are submerged, they're covered by at least 1" of water.
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Fill each jar with hot jam, leaving at least 1⁄4" of space at the top. Place lids on jars, and secure ring bands. Secure just tight enough so that they are hand tightened but you can easily unscrew.
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Transfer filled jars to pot of gently boiling water and let boil for 10 minutes. Transfer jars, set at least 1" apart, to a dish towel and let cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. You should hear the seals on the lids pop pretty soon after removing from the water.
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If any jar is not fully sealed, or you chose to skip the canning process, jam should be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks. Sealed jars will keep, in a cool, dark place, for up to a year.
Recipe Notes
Makes about 4 cups. Serving size based on 2 tablespoons.
This post was originally created in May 2016 and has been updated with more fun facts and tidbits for your reading pleasure.
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Thank you for the recipe and the beautiful photos. I am trying your recipe this weekend. Love the rhubarb combo as most jam/preserves are to sweet.
Agreed! Thanks, Debi. -Krissy
Can you double the batch?
Hi Debbie, Absolutely! I do it all the time! Just make sure your pot is big enough.
hi i made your jam right to the letter and it never got thick some but not the way jam should and i followed step by step, i have made jelly and jams for years but never without the sure jell or pecten in it , but it turned out to be thick sauce was good but i will make it again and add jello or pecten in it to make it thick.
Sorry to hear it didn’t set. I’ve made it several times and it always worked. Wondering if it has something to do with the type of fruit I use? Krissy
Do you need to increase the cook time if you double?
Hi Suzan, Not if you use a bigger pan. The time completely varies depending on the moisture of your fruit and your temperature, do base it on the thickness for sure.
First time making jam…I made this today and it’s great. Thank you for the recipe.
I have mine cooking right now. Must be nuts as we’re in the middle of a heat wave in the Northeast, but I don’t care!!! We grew our own rhubarb and I got the strawberries from a local farm(we picked them). I’m so excited for the end result!!!
My jars are finishing right now. 😀 I was going to make freezer jam and then I found your recipes. I had the perfect amount of rhubarb and strawberries. Now I’ve officially canned jam. Albeit a small batch. But definitely perfect for a newbie. Thank you for sharing. Now I need to make some scones for the extra little bit that didn’t fit. 😀 YUM!
I’d be happy to provide my mailing address for you to ship me said scones. 🙂 Thanks, Andrea! Krissy
Just made and very pleased my strawberrys were not the best but even so plenty enough sugar just like you said , and set up beautiful???
Made it today, everything worked out great, ty! It’s delish, didn’t know I liked rhubarb until today. Ťhanks again, great instructions too!
Thanks Lori!!! -Krissy
Wow! This is the best strawberry rhubarb jam I have ever had!
Thank you so much for the recipe and instructions. Very easy to make.
I am a newbie at canning, so I would recommend this recipe to anyone starting out or
To the expert canners out there. I’m going to have to make another batch lol
Thanks for the great comment, Becky!!! I totally agree with you. 🙂 Krissy
This recipe sounds delish! In the past, my strawberry rhubarb jam has not had the rhubarb punch that I am looking for- I bet this one will! I have a lot more rhubarb and berries than this recipe calls for. Can I double (or even triple) and still get it to set up?
Hi Betty, I don’t see why not! I’ve tried making jams without pectin for different fruits and they didn’t set up well, but I had no issues getting this one to gel. -Krissy
Hey thanks krissy to share us awesome post i really love strawberry and also love strawberry rhubarb jam.
May I use bottled lemon juice? Don’t have any lemons
Yes, but I always prefer fresh. Krissy
As much as I planned to use fresh lemon juice I’m thankful I can use bottled lemon juice instead. I made salmon yesterday and used my lemons up, forgetting about the jam I planned to make today. Oh, no! I already have the fruit in the pot, the jars in the dishwasher, the lids in a pot on stove when I realized I lacked fresh lemons. Next time!
This post reminds me of my grandmother. When I was a child, my grandparents lived on an old cherry orchard with wild rhubarb growing everywhere. When it was at it’s peak, my grandma used to bake up strawberry rhubarb pies and jar after jar of strawberry rhubarb jam. I’ve never made it as an adult, but I don’t know why. Thank you so much for this recipe – I’m going to have to make it!
If I didn’t want to can and instead put in freezer, is there something else I need to do? Gelatin?
Just keep it refrigerated. It will keep for quite some time!
This is so easy n so delicious yummmo thanks for sharing
Easy and delicious! Did a double batch and it turned out perfect.
I made this earlier in the day- and have a second batch on the stove right now. So delicious! I’ve been eating it with a spoon. It had to use four stalks both times to reach 5 cups, though.
Hi! wanted to try this this weekend. you dont have to de-sting the rhubard?
Sorry for the late reply. I have no idea what that means. I just cut off the bottom and the tips, much like I do for celery.
OMG this stuff is amazing! Very easy to make.
This recipe is great! Since we have a lot of honey on hand, I used that instead of sugar. I love how simple this recipe is. Thanks for sharing it!
I typically cut and freeze our rhubarb, thinking I’ll use it for baking at a later time. It never fails – I always forget about it in the freezer!! Hubby suggested canning instead, and I’m so glad he did! 🙂
Is there a way to make this for diabetics? Thank you!
Sugar substitute… but I have no idea if it will turn out.
Get some sugar free pectin. It has been modified to work without sugar, so you can use sugar substitutes without a problem.
Also, I just made this recipe and I didn’t have quite enough rhubarb, so I peeled, cored, and diced apple to make up the difference. Because apples are milder in flavor, i used two lemons of juice and one lemon of zest.
I’ve been looking for a strawberry rhubarb jam that is heavier on the rhubarb side. I am going to make this soon! One question about the instructions- cook for an hour? Or until it reaches 205? Am I looking for a certain texture? Seems like a long time to cook but I’m fairly new at jam making. I’ve never had a canning recipe with a temperature stated so I want to be sure I execute it properly. I will have to buy a candy thermometer I guess. Just a little confused about the cooking step. Thx
Sorry for the late reply. I never measured the temp of this jam (although I should have). I’ve made it several times and always just when by time and its always turned out the same.
I was a bit worried it wouldn’t set up with the lower sugar and no pectin, and unfortunately, it didn’t. Wondering how to get a less runny jam?
Did you cook it the full hour? I think a hotter temp might make it thicken up a bit too. On the bright side, your pancakes will taste awesome!
I have been making jam for decades, this is the best strawberry-rhubarb jam I have ever made or eaten. We did not have your variety of strawberries, but had local, picked today, fruit; wonderful. The ratio of strawberries to rhubarb is perfect. Thanks!
My daughter sent me some rhubarb from Alaska. It’s hard to find in Florida. I made your jam recipe. It is excellent! Thank you for sharing! I’ve been making jam for over 40 years and this is the first time I’ve ever made it without Surejell/pectin. It’s so yummy!!!
Just made this and oh-boy is it tasty!!! My first attempt at jam and it was super easy!! Should of doubled the recipe but being my first in jammin thought i better take it alil easy;) Thank you!!
This is a great recipe because the sugar is less than half the amount of fruit. I’ve seen some recipes in which the sugar is twice the amount of fruit! We have such a bumper crop of black raspberries that my husband suggested I harvest some of the rhubarb and use up a bunch of the berries. The rhubarb is past its prime, so I had less rhubarb (3 cups) than black raspberries (4 cups). I canned all of it–but we eagerly scraped it out of the pan and licked every spatula and spoon–even the canning funnel! It is fabulously good! Thank you so much for your recipe. By the way, Kerr and Ball say that tests have proven that the lids don’t need to be heated, just washed well. Just one less thing to do.
Tried it..GREAT!!!! So easy to make and very tasty.Like that it is a small recipe.
Thanks
I only used 1.5 cups of sugar and its sweet enough ?
I’ve this recipe a few times and it is delicious!! I have a ton of raspberries to use up. Could you use them in place of the strawberries?
Yes, although it will most likely be a bit more tart and there will be seeds.
First time making jam and your recipe made it real easy. Great consistency, I think i will double up next time and the family loves it.
I’m just wondering if I could make this using frozen rhubarb?
I’ve never tried, but I don’t see why you couldn’t?
Hard to believe that only 21/4 cups of sugar?
Thks for recipe!
So Happy to have this recipe which is great and with so little sugar!
Great tasting recipe and so little sugar!!
In the nutrition facts, is the serving size the whole jar???
Hi Olivia, I just updated the nutritional info. The recipe makes about 4 cups of jam and I was basing it on 1 cup serving sizes (which no one should eat unless the craving is STRONG). I updated to base serving size on 2 tablespoons. Hope that helps!
Is the 125 grams carbs. for the whole jar? It doesn’t list serving size…
Hi Connie, I just updated the nutritional info. The recipe makes about 4 cups of jam and I was basing it on 1 cup serving sizes (which no one should eat unless the craving is STRONG). I updated to base serving size on 2 tablespoons. Hope that helps!
LOVE this flavor combo – it’s always such a family favorite. I need to get back to making jam, starting with this one!
What a delicious combo! I’m so excited strawberry season is here!
Made this morning and it’s yummy! My lids have not popped yet though. What did I do wrong? First time canning anything. Any help is appreciated. 😊
Hi Kim, Glad you liked it! How long were they in the bath? How much head room do you have? Have they popped yet? Let me know… Krissy
Oh nvm!! My lids did pop after all! This is an awesome recipe that I know I will make often. I’ve recently started growing rhubarb and I have so much that I need to find things to make with it! I’ll be trying more of your ideas soon!😊
Awesome to hear! Thanks!!! Krissy
As a diabetic I mastered your recipe using stevea instead of sugar excellent.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! The flavor of the jam is perfect! I love how simple the recipe was and how little sugar is used. I cooked for 1 hour and 10 minutes to a temp of 205F, with my next batch I may try a little longer or a wee bit higher temp to thicken up a bit more! 5 stars for this jam and I’ll be keeping this recipe for years to come.
Going to be trying this in a few minutes! Great reviews so I’m excited to try my first one 🙂
Made this today and it tastes great! However I don’t think it is going to set up can I put back in kettle and add pectin or Muriel then can again?
Hi Betty, Yes – I believe that will work. If you do that, will you come back and let me know how it turns out? thanks, krissy
We love this recipe and are wondering if you have a chow chow recipe
I actually had to google chow chow because I had never heard of it!
Do you think you could substitute raspberries for the strawberries?
I’m not sure if raspberries have the same properties as strawberries and you might need more sugar. If you try it, will you come back and let me know if it worked? Thanks!
i wish i knew why my jam didn’t jell up i did everything right . this is first time i ever made jam without the pecten next time i am adding it
Sorry to hear that! I’ve made this jam several times and it always set perfectly. Wondering if you didn’t cook long or hot enough?
How do you can? I only made preserves once or twice but kept in fridge.
Hi Peggy, you need to add a new canning lid and ring to the jar. Submerge in gently boiling water with at least and inch of water above the lid and allow to boil for 20 minutes. The seal should pop within 20 minutes or so and then it should be shelf stable. Krissy
I have made jam ad jelly for 50 years and have never canned it. I just fill to the very top of the jar and then turn the jar upside down to cool. Then put in the basement to store. It lasts forever that way. Does this jam have to be canned?
Hi Rosemary, If I’m not going to refrigerate and use within a few weeks, I always water bath can to seal the jars.
I made a batch of jam for my hubby and friends, but I’m a jelly person. Do you think I could use my juice steamer to extract the juice and then add the sugar and lemon and boil? Or do you think I’d need to add pectin if I’m not using the fruit?
Hi Beth, Great question! Since strawberries don’t have obnoxious seeds, I wouldn’t bother juicing and would just use the whole fruit. Because this is a no-pectin recipe, it does turn out a bit thinner than a traditional jam. You might just like it as-is! Krissy
Can I freeze what I don’t plan to use right away? I am not a canner!
Absolutely!
A correction regarding keeping jam in the freezer. It will keep just fine for up to a year.
I also added a tablespoon of very finely grated orange rind which compliments the berries and rhubarb.
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Yep! Anytime you cook fruit, you can use fresh or frozen and get the same results. Just be sure to thaw first.
would you have just a strawberry jam recipe
Hi Michael, I actually made some pure strawberry jam (with pectin) earlier this year and didn’t bother writing down the recipe. I wish I had because it turned out perfect! Sorry! Krissy
Thank you for this recipe! I am nauseated by how sweet all the strawberry jam recipes are and the strawberry-rhubarb ones never have enough rhubarb. I’m excited to try this!
Rhubarb has to be the easiest plant to grow, ever. Just stick it in the ground and, other than watering it the first summer (to get it established) and during very dry spells, you can ignore it. And, every few years it can be split into more plants. Deer won’t bother it and very few pests do, either. I think everyone with a patch of dirt should grow rhubarb!
What a great comment. Thank you! I just planted my first rhubarb plant this year and it is crazy big!
Made this today. Absolutely spectacular! Just the right balance between sour and sweet. Thanks for the recipe! Keen to check out the rest of your recipes.
Lana from Sydney, Australia.
I am going to make the Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam but realized hubby brought home lemon juice in the plastic container. Store too far away, so can I use this instead of the other
Not sure if I did something wrong.. All my fruit is at the top with clear jelly at this bottom. Any idea what I did wrong?
No idea! The strawberries I use are very juicy and red all the way through. Is it possible your fruit was watery?