A strawberry rhubarb jam canning recipe includes fresh juicy strawberries and pairing it with tart rhubarb, making this the perfect fruit mixture, letting you enjoy spring flavors all year long.

strawberry rhubarb jam on biscuit and scrambled eggs

Making a strawberry jam is wonderful, however if you don’t have a strawberry patch in your backyard, it can get expensive. Rhubarb is a great filler that pairs perfectly with strawberry. If you don’t have time to make jam during the season, both fresh rhubarb and strawberries can be placed into the freezer until it’s time to make. If you aren’t quite sure on what rhubarb is, scroll down past the recipe to learn more about rhubarb.

I have made strawberry rhubarb jam with pectin and without pectin. I have about a 50% success rate of thickening using natural pectin, so depending on my patience level for the day, kind of dictates if I will be using store-bought pectin or not. Pomona’s Pectin is my favorite but I have used sure-jell pectin too.

Canning jam is very easy. The hardest part is cutting all the fruit. Today, I will show you a strawberry rhubarb jam canning recipe with store-bought pectin. This recipe is great if this is your first time canning anything.

The simple ingredients in a strawberry rhubarb jam recipe will beat the a jam bought at the grocery stores all day long. Not only does it taste better, but it is much healthier for you. Strawberry-rhubarb jam tastes amazing on some homemade bread with butter or peanut butter or even on top of some ice cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Canning Recipe

Step One:

Cut all the tops off strawberries. Cut rhubarb into small pieces. Place a small plate into the freezer to use for later.

strawberries with tops cut off in glass bowl

Step Two:

Place rhubarb and strawberries into heavy-bottomed pot. Add ¼-½ cup water. Smash fruit with a potato masher or use an immersion blender if you don’t want large chunks in the homemade jam. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. Simmer after bringing to a boil until rhubarb is soft.

Step Three:

Add lemon juice and 4 cups of sugar. You can also add a teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming, but I never do that. Depending on the sweetness of the strawberries, you get to decide if you want to use more or less sugar.

Step Four:

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. The mixture should boil even when you are still stirring. At this point, be stirring constantly.

Step Five:

Add in pectin. Bring back to a full rolling boil for one minute.

Step Six:

Check if jam is ready by doing the freezer test. Accomplish this by placing a tablespoon of jam on a cold plate. If the jam slowly falls, it is ready. If the strawberrry-rhubarb jam moves fast, it is not ready. You can add more sugar.

Step Seven:

Ladle into clean, hot jars with hot jam. Leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim and cover with lids and bands. Screw bands on finger tight. Half pint jars are the typical size of jars used for homemade strawberry rhubarb jam.

Step Eight:

Place jars into a water bath canner. Have 2” of watering covering jars. Bring to boil and process for 10 minutes.

Step Nine:

Remove jars with a jar lifter and place on a towel. Afterward, check seals around 12-24 hours. If the mason jar didn’t seal, it can be reprocessed within 24 hours, or placed in the freezer. Store sealed jars in a dark place.

What pairs well with strawberry rhubarb jam?

FAQ’s

What if I don’t have a boiling water canner?

That’s okay, a large saucepan works too, as long as the jars can be covered by two inches of water. If you don’t have one, you can also make the jam and then place it in the freezer.

Do I need to use a lot of sugar in homemade jam?

Nope! That’s the great thing about preserving food at home, you get the best results for your own taste buds.

Is pectin needed for jam?

Yes, a thick jam needs pectin. However, store bought pectin is not necessary. Naturally occurring pectin happens in fruit. Fruit pectin just takes longer to make the jam. When picking strawberries, try and pick 25% greener strawberries for more natural pectin. As a general rule, the more firm a fruit, the more pectin it contains. Adding lemon juice adds pectin. Also, adding more sugar will help it thicken.

How long does canned jam last?

If the jars sealed correctly, this jam will last at least a few years if stored in a cool, dark place. Alternatively, unsealed jars can be placed in the freezer and will last about 6 months.

What is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is grown in cold climates. It is best harvested between April and June, which is why its is typically paired with strawberries, as strawberries are harvested at the same time of year. Rhubarb is a perennial, which makes it a wonderful addition to any midwesterner’s garden. The stalks of the rhubarb are the only edible part. There are large leaves on the rhubarb plant, but those need to just be thrown in the compost pile, as eating them in large quantities is poisonous.