Easy Rhubarb Jam – Conserve Method - Helen's Fuss Free Flavours

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Two toasted English muffins, one cut in two, spread with butter and rhubarb jam, on a plate.

5 from 6 votes

Easy Rhubarb Jam – Conserve Method

My gorgeous home-made rhubarb jam recipe is perfect for toast and crumpet. This quick and simple small-batch recipe produces a couple of delicious pots from three simple ingredients and needs no pectin or preserving sugar. Ginger is optional!

Servings: servings

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Steeping time8

Total Time8 40

Ingredients

400 g rhubarb
400 g sugar
1 4 cm ginger - 2" – adjust to how much you like ginger.
1–2 tbsp lemon juice - Riper fruit needs more lemon, firmer fruit needs less.

Instructions

Wash your rhubarb. Trim the ends and cut into 1"/2.5 cm pieces.
Put the rhubarb and ginger root (if using) in a bowl, and pour the sugar over. Cover and leave overnight. The sugar will draw out the juice from the rhubarb making a pink syrup.
Sterilize& warm clean jam jars and lids by placing them on a baking tray in the oven at 120°C/250°F/GM 1.
If using raw ginger, remove from the bowl. Transfer the rhubarb and sugar mixture to a large saucepan or preserving pan, and simmer gently until all the sugar is dissolved. This will take 5-10 minutes. It is important to simmer to dissolve the sugar. This will prevent the jam from crystallising at a later stage. The pieces of fruit will still be whole for now.
Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice.
Bring the jam to a rolling boil. Be careful to avoid splashes as the mixture is very hot! As the jam reduces, the appearance of the boil will change, and you can start testing for setting point.
Once the jam has reached setting point let the jam cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to the prepared jars.
Finally, seal the lids while the jam is still hot. As it cools, you'll hear the lids pop as the vacuum forms.

Notes

Setting Point

The first way to check is by temperature, using an accurate electronic thermometer. The jam should reach 105°C/221°F. Once this happens, you know that it should be ready. You should, however, use temperature as a guide. Thermometers can be inaccurate and a pan of boiling preserve will have some hot spots. Always check using one of the other methods below too.
The traditional way to test for jam set is by dropping a little onto a chilled plate. Before you start, put a small plate in the freezer to chill. Once the jam is boiling, you can start testing. Drop a little jam on the plate and let it cool. When you push your finger through, look for a wrinkle ahead of your finger. When you see this, your rhubarb jam is ready. This technique takes a bit of practice.
Finally, you can test by checking the way that the jam runs off a spoon. Take a little from the pan and turn the spoon vertically so that the jam falls. If it all runs off, it won't set. If, however, a little remains on the spoon in a sort of wide drip, the jam is ready.
Again, this works best with a little practice. The great benefit of making small batches of jam is that by making little and often, you learn to recognise when the jam is done and will be able to see when it is ready by its appearance.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.