Rhubarb Ginger Jam

By Caroline Cummins, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

Total Time	1 hour
Yield	2 cups

Introduction

This springtime jam is adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe. For a more traditional version of this English classic, see the variation below.

Ingredients

	2	lb. (about 8 stalks) fresh rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and sliced into 1-inch pieces
	1¾ to 2	cups granulated sugar, according to taste
	¼	cup finely minced fresh or crystallized ginger
	~	Zest of 1 lemon
	¼	cup lemon juice

Steps

Place all the ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot. Stir briefly to combine, then cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mushy and thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Cool and store the jam in the fridge for a few weeks, or can it using 2 pint jars or 4 half-pint jars. To can, sterilize the jars in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes and place the lids and ring bands in a bowl of hot water. Fill each jar with hot jam, wipe the rims, place lids on the jars, and screw on the ring bands. Submerge the filled jars in a pot of gently boiling water for 10 minutes. Transfer the jars to a dishtowel and place at least 1 inch apart; let cool for 24 hours.

Notes

If you like, add the zest and juice of 1 orange, or 1 cup raspberries or chopped strawberries, to the jam mixture. If you add berries, increase the sugar to 2 or 2 1/2 cups.

Variation: Cut up 3 pounds of rhubarb and sprinkle with 1/2 pound sugar. Let sit in a bowl overnight. Rub the inside of a stockpot with a bit of butter and put the macerated rhubarb into the pot; bring to a boil. When tender, add another 2 1/2 pounds sugar, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1/4 pound crystallized or candied ginger. Simmer until the jam passes the setting test: put a teaspoon of jam on a saucer and give it a minute or so to cool. If the jam forms a skin and isn’t too runny, then it’s ready to be canned.

This content is from the Culinate Kitchen collection.