3-Ingredient Rhubarb Jam
This small-batch rhubarb jam without pectin uses just three ingredients, and it's good enough to eat straight from the jar. Make it to swirl into some pistachio ice cream; keep it for everything else.
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 116kcal
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Instant-Read Thermometer
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 454 g rhubarb (1 lb, chopped)
- 454 g cane sugar
- 28 g fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Add 454 g rhubarb, 454 g cane sugar, and 28 g fresh lemon juice to a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium-high and stir continuously. The sugar will begin to melt within 2–3 minutes as the rhubarb releases its liquid.
- Stir until all of the sugar has melted.
- Once the sugar has fully melted and the mixture is liquid, reduce the heat to medium and stir frequently. It will begin to bubble and foam.
- Check the temperature frequently with an instant-read thermometer. Once the mixture reaches 224°F, immediately remove it from the heat. This takes about 20–25 minutes total from when you started.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy, or leave it chunky if you prefer texture.
- Pour into a heatproof container and cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely before using.
The rhubarb will start to break down and lose its shape as the temperature climbs. You'll see it go from distinct chunks to a soft, pulpy mass. Keep stirring to prevent burning on the bottom.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes approx. 2 cups of jam. A serving is 2 tbsp.
- Fresh rhubarb varies widely in color, but not in flavor. Field-grown rhubarb tends to be greener and will give you a more muted, earthy-pink jam. Garden rhubarb with redder stalks gives a deeper, rosier result.
- Don't be alarmed when the mixture looks impossibly dry at first. The sugar will melt, and the rhubarb will break down quickly once it hits the heat.
- For a jam that holds its shape as an ice cream swirl, cook it to 224°F. This is intentional, so you have a nice, thick jam with very low water content.
- Blending after cooking gives you a smooth, glossy swirl that ribbons cleanly through ice cream. If you prefer a chunkier texture, you can skip it.
- Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating, and chill it completely (overnight is ideal) before using it as a swirl. Warm jam will melt into your ice cream rather than staying distinct. Cold jam holds its shape.
- Ways to use rhubarb jam: swirl into homemade pistachio or vanilla ice cream, spread on sourdough toast, spoon over Greek yogurt or oatmeal, use as a filling in Happy Marriage Bars, or layer into a thumbprint cookie.