Rhubarb Jam
This is my version of a traditional Icelandic rhubarb jam. Everyone has his or her families best, and this is mine. My family loves this on waffles with some whipped cream, baked in a sort of pie crust, on icelandic pancakes, just on everything. Enjoy.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Pot or a pan (not aluminum)
- Wooden spoon
- Glass jar
Ingredients
- 700 g rhubarb (1,5 lbs)
- 200 g castor sugar (7 oz)
- 200 g brown sugar (7 oz)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- If you just picked your rhubarb you need to clean it and cut it into 2-3 cm (ca 1 inch) bites. I just lightly rinsed mine outside and cut them and then put them into a large bowl, filled it with water and gave them a good stir. All dirt will fall to the bottom. Took them out and laid them out on a clean dish towel to drain a bit, because I wanted to freeze the bulk of them.
- After I discovered that my go-to pot for jam making is aluminum I had to make due with a smaller one. So I adjusted my amounts accordingly just because even heat is the key for easy jam making. So into the pot all the ingredients save for the salt. The lid goes on and then I let the whole thing sit overnight. This will allow the sugar to extract some of the juices from the rhubarb, softening them up, so you don't need to add water in the beginning and it cuts down on the actual cooking time.
- The next day before you start the cooking process you need to choose the jars and sterilize them (or as close as). Take the jar and place it into the oven upside down and heat it up to 160°C (320°F) for 10 minutes. If you use a clip top jar then remember to take the rubber off before you place it in the oven. If you are using a metal lid, put it into boiling water for about a minute before you use them. When you start the oven you are ready to cook the jam.
- Take the pot and put it onto a medium heat, stirring occasionally until it begins to bubble. Then I turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, again stirring occasionally. The rhubarb will start to fall apart after about 15 minutes and then it is just a matter of consistency.
- When the consistency is to your liking, it is time to transfer the jam over to the now sterilized jar. Take care not to burn yourself and try not to touch the inside of the jars. You need them to be as sterile as possible. You could put the jam into a pitcher and pour it in but I just take my time and concentrate, which let’s be honest can be difficult for an ADD person. Leave about 2-3 cm (about an inch) on top and close the jar. Now you have your rhubarb jam.
- This will keep unopened for a long time in a cool and dry place like your cupboard. I would say at least 3-4 months. Just remember that because contamination can happen if we are not careful so if you see mold on top just throw it out. After you open a jar, keep it in the fridge.
Notes
There are a variety of sugars you can use, cane sugar, unrefined sugar, brown sugar, caster sugar, and a multitude of others so use what you have and are used to. Now there are a wide variety of condiments and juices you can add to your jam to make it something special. Cinnamon, vanilla, cardamon, lemon, you can even use strawberries or dates and instead use less sugar. Just go wild and make it in small batches so you can experiment. Food making should be fun. My recipe is just the basic rhubarb jam. Rhubarb, sugar and a little salt and that’s it.