Rhubarb + Zest Jam
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.
- Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Wash lids and bands and set aside.
- 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.
- Remove hot jars from canner and fill jars with (marmalade/jam/jelly), leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims and put on lids and screw bands, tightening bands only to “fingertip tight” (until resistance is met, and then just the tiniest bit more).
- Place jars in the hot water, on the rack inside the canner. (Make sure jars are upright, not touching each other or the sides of the canner, and are covered with at least 1-2 inches of water). Place the lid on the canner, bring the canner to a rolling boil, and boil for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)
- Turn off heat and allow canner and jars to sit for 5 minutes. Then, remove jars from canner. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Then, confirm that jars have sealed, then store properly. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
I assume I can substitute honey? Tia
Yes you may, it would be half the amount of the called for measurement of sugar.
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.
You sure can Lori! It can just be a bit too tart for some 😊
Can liquid ginger be used in this recipe?
1 teaspoon liquid ginger should be just fine in this recipe. Happy jamming!