Description
A straightforward recipe for making a balanced, flavorful jam using strawberries, rhubarb, and pineapple, with instructions for both canning and refrigerator storage.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 2 cups fresh rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered pectin (optional, for a quicker set)
Instructions
- Prepare your canning equipment if you plan to water bath process. Sterilize jars and keep them hot.
- Combine the chopped strawberries, rhubarb, and pineapple in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Let the fruit mixture sit for 15 minutes to release juices.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring often.
- If using pectin, add it now, stirring constantly until fully dissolved. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
- Add the sugar all at once, stirring until it dissolves completely.
- Return the jam to a full rolling boil. Boil hard, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until the temperature reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius) or the jam thickens enough to sheet off a cold spoon. This usually takes 10 to 20 minutes after adding sugar.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
- For canning: Ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, apply lids and bands, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust time for altitude).
- For refrigerator storage: Pour the hot jam into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. This jam keeps for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Notes
- To test for set without a thermometer, place a small plate in the freezer before starting. Drop a teaspoon of hot jam onto the cold plate. Return it to the freezer for one minute. Push the jam; if it wrinkles, it is set.
- If you skip the pectin, cook the fruit mixture longer after adding sugar until it reaches the desired thickness, which may take 30 to 45 minutes.
- The combination of tart rhubarb and pineapple balances the sweetness of the strawberries well.
- Use firm, ripe fruit for the best texture in your finished jam.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Preserves
- Method: Stovetop Cooking/Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 21
- Sodium: 1
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0