Receipe: Simple Rhubarb Jam

To me there is nothing better than cooking fresh ingredients at their absolute best, ideally from your own garden. One of my favourite signifiers of the end of summer, akin to sharpening every pencil on my desk, is to make a start on my Autumn 'store', with pots of jam.

Having recently moved to that most treasured of things for a Londoner - a house with a garden - a small rhubarb plant was one of the first things I installed. With little expectation and zero experience of growing actual food, one year later it's pillowy leaves require almost daily curtailing and I am out of freezer space for crumbles. 

If you need me when the Nuclear War starts, I will be in the larder, in a tin hat, with a jam spoon

So, I can now be seen maniacally charging about town with brown paper packages of rhubarb, to be foisted across restaurant tables on to unwitting friends.

Once made, best give the jars a couple of days to settle, and then enjoy, ideally atop a teacake with a pot of Earl Grey around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 

Quick rhubarb fact: I was recently informed that the leaves of rhubarb are highly poisonous, so be sure to use only the stalks!

The recipe

Essentials

Preserving pan {or the biggest pot you have with maximum surface area}

Wooden spoon

Saucer {to test if jam has set}

Ladle

Jam funnel {you really need this to get jam into jars without scalding spillages}

Glass jars with lids {around 8-10 of them, depending on sizes}

1kg rhubarb, topped and tailed with the deadly leaves removed

1kg jam sugar (contains pectin which is the setting agent)

2 x fresh vanilla pods

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 medium sized lemon

Optional

Wax discs cut to size of jar lids {these form a seal over the jam and can be used for best results. Alternatively you can cut your own from baking paper, or feel free to leave out altogether}

Fabric scraps to cover jars {cut these into circles approx. 4-6 cm wider than lids, using pinking shears}

String

Small sticky labels

Non-smudge pen

Method

Pop saucer in the freezer

If using wax discs, check they fit the jars. If not, re-cut to size, as you'll hate doing this later on

Sterilise glass jars, lids, spoons and funnel by washing in hot water and placing them in the oven on a baking tray at 100 C) whilst you make the jam (20 mins or so)

Whilst the jars are sterilising, wash your rhubarb, drain well and chop into approx. 3cm chunks

Also slice the vanilla pods in half lengthways

Put your pan on the hob add the rhubarb, sugar and vanilla pods and turn up to a gentle heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (usually 2-3 minutes)

Once dissolved, add the lemon juice and increase the heat to a full rolling boil for 10 minutes, skimming off the froth that appears on top with a spoon and discarding

Meanwhile remove jars from oven and pop next to the hob for ease

After 10 minutes take the saucer from the freezer and spoon a small amount of jam onto it. Push the jam with your finger and if it wrinkles then you have a 'set'

If not, continue at a rolling boil and keep testing every couple of minutes until you get that super wrinkle

Once you are happy that the jam is at setting point use the funnel and carefully ladle into your patiently waiting jars

Place the wax discs on top, followed by the lids

Once cool you can label with the maker and date and get your fabric lids on if you wish 

Tip

If you have a stash of old glass jars in the cupboard with labels/residue on, mix some bicarbonate of soda with warm water and this will act like an exfoliant to remove it all

Other good jams you might like to try....

Strawberries and gooseberries: June – July

Cherries: – July

Black/red/white currants: July – August

Blueberries and raspberries: July – September

Raspberries: July – September

Blackberries, loganberries and greengages: August – September

Damsons: September – October