Rhubarb + Zest Jam is a low-sugar cooked jam made with Pomona’s Universal Pectin. Pomona’s Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener. Connie, our founder, created this recipe after picking both green rhubarb and ruby rhubarb from her backyard plants. The addition of orange zest, lemon zest, and grated ginger root made for a lively taste!
Servings 5 cups
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rhubarb about 2½ lbs rhubarb stalks
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice bottled
- 2 teaspoons calcium water see step #1
- 3 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 4 teaspoons finely grated ginger root
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin mixed with sweetener
Instructions
- Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
- Wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small saucepan; cover and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
- Wash and trim rhubarb stalks. Cut into ½ inch pieces. Put in saucepan, add a little water, and simmer until soft.
- Measure 4 cups cooked fruit back into saucepan.
- Add calcium water, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, and grated ginger, and mix well.
- Measure sugar into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sugar. Set aside.
- Bring fruit mixture to a full boil. Add pectin-sugar mixture, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jam comes back up to a boil. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
- Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals; lids should be sucked down. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Breda
I assume I can substitute honey? Tia
Shelby Collings
Yes you may, it would be half the amount of the called for measurement of sugar.
Lori Patton
Do you have to use so much sugar in this recipe, or can I reduce that to the 3/4 cup used in most of the jam recipes on this site? I really want to taste the rhubarb.
Shelby Collings
You sure can Lori! It can just be a bit too tart for some 😊
Rebecca L Ross
Can liquid ginger be used in this recipe?
Shelby Collings
1 teaspoon liquid ginger should be just fine in this recipe. Happy jamming!