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Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Rose Jam Recipe

By Joyce Goldstein
Published on March 26, 2019
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Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Rose Jam. Photo by Ed Anderson.

This is a crowd-pleaser. You can make this with plain sugar, but the rose sugar adds a subtle perfume to the jam. It’s hard to resist a classic pairing, but as a change of pace after you’ve made this a few times, try using raspberries in place of the strawberries.

Use as a filling for shortcakes, atop rice pudding or panna cotta, or on toast or biscuits.

Yields 9 half-pint jars.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds rhubarb
  • 2 pints strawberries
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 cups rose sugar
  • 1/2 cup blood orange juice,
    for color, optional

Directions:

  1. Place 4 small plates in the freezer.
  2. Wash, trim, and dice the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces. (There’s no need to peel it unless it’s particularly stringy.) You should have about 8 cups. Trim, hull, and quarter the strawberries.
  3. In a large preserving pot, gently toss rhubarb and strawberries with lemon juice and sugars. Let sit overnight to macerate.
  4. The next day, bring the fruit mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Set a colander over a large bowl, and transfer the rhubarb and berries to the colander using a slotted spoon. Set fruit aside.
  6. Place 2 baking sheets on the counter near your stove, and line them with towels. Set 2 stockpots on the stove, divide the empty jars between them, and fill the stockpots with enough hot water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, and sterilize the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes. Heat the lids in a saucepan of hot water. Leave both the jars and lids in the water to keep them warm. You can also keep the jars warm in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Reduce the fruit syrup in the preserving pot until it thickens and passes the “firm set” plate test. Gently add the rhubarb and strawberries to the preserving pot, along with any juices that have collected in the bowl under the colander. Add the blood orange juice, if desired.
  8. Cook the combined fruit and thickened syrup briefly until it passes the plate test again, achieving a soft set that mounds on the plate and isn’t runny. Remove the pot from the heat.
  9. Remove the jars from the stockpot, and bring the water in the stockpot back to a boil.
  10. Ladle the jam into the jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, set the lids on the mouths of the jars, and twist on the rings.
  11. Using a jar lifter, gently lower the jars into the pots. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to an active simmer, and process for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave the jars in the water for 1 to 2 minutes.
  12. With the jar lifter, transfer the jars to the baking sheets, and let sit for at least 6 hours, or until cool enough to handle. Check to be sure the jars have sealed. Label the jars, and store the sealed jam for up to 2 years. Once open, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Note: You can buy rose sugar at some spice shops, or you can create your own by grinding 1/2 cup dried, unsprayed, organic rose petals with 1 cup granulated sugar in a food processor. Dried edible rose petals are available online. Or, if preferred, you can simply substitute granulated sugar for rose sugar.

For more flavorful recipes, visit Preserving Fresh Fruit.

Reprinted with permission from Jam Session by Joyce Goldstein ©2018, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

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