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Why It Works
- Macerating the strawberries helps concentrate the flavor of the fruit.
- Vanilla extract adds a light floral note to the jam.
Rhubarb season is fleeting: The vegetable (yes, vegetable!) appears for several weeks in late spring and early summer before disappearing for the rest of the year (unless you want to go the frozen route, and even that can be hard to find). Chefs and home cooks flock to the market, eager to get their hands on rhubarb for pickles, pies, crisps, and compote. As much as I enjoy all preparations of rhubarb, the one I return to most is the simplest: a strawberry rhubarb jam that’s delicious when swirled into yogurt, spread on toast, or simply eaten with a spoon.
The strawberry rhubarb jam recipe below comes from food writer and Serious Eats contributor Emily Teel, who first published it on our site in 2014. “Strawberry rhubarb preserves are by no means innovative, but they’re a classic for a reason,” she wrote at the time. “The bright, rosy flavor of the sweet-tart pairing is our best attempt at bottling the optimism of the season. Even after both fruits have concluded their brief, wonderful moments, we’ll still have this jam.”
Like Emily, this jam is my favorite way of preserving the season. Over the years, I’ve made batches of it and have given it away to friends, family, and neighbors. After I made a batch in the test kitchen, our senior social media editor, Kelli, messaged me to say she took the whole jar home and baked it inside puff pastry. One of my oldest friends Ross calls it “divine.” And divine it is. So head to the market, grab some rhubarb, and whip up a batch of jam before it’s too late—because rhubarb season waits for no one.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
April 2014
This Sweet, Tangy Jam Tastes Like Summer in a Jar
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
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2 pounds strawberries (32 ounces; 907 g), washed, hulled, and quartered
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300 g granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 1 1/2 cups)
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2 pounds rhubarb (32 ounces; 907 g), cut into 1-inch pieces
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Sterilize 3 heat-safe pint jars and lids: Set a wire rack inside a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Wash jars with soap and hot water. Place jars, open mouth facing downwards, on a prepared baking sheet and heat at 250°F (120°C) for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place rings and lids in a pan of water on the stovetop and boil for 10 minutes. (See notes.) Remove jars from oven and let cool, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, remove rings and lids from pan of water and set them on wire rack with jars to cool.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine strawberries and sugar, tossing to evenly coat. Let sit until the fruit begins to release their juices, 15 to 30 minutes.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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In a large non-reactive and heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine macerated strawberries and their juices with the rhubarb, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until strawberries and rhubarb are completely broken down and mixture registers at least 220°F (104°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a spoon, skim off any foam. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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Ladle jam into prepared jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space, and cover tightly with lids. Refrigerate.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Special Equipment
3 heat-safe pint jars and lids, wire rack, 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, tongs, large non-reactive and heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, instant-read thermometer
Make-Ahead and Storage
Strawberry rhubarb jam can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Jam can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in fridge before using.
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