Last week, the newest issue of Kaia came out and I was more than a little excited to see my article on canning in it. I grew up making freezer jam and terrrified of the idea of a boiling water canner. I learned to can because as a wedding gift I was given a Ball start up kit from Lehmans and since I had everything, I needed to bite the bullet and get over my fear of getting burnt. Some people get hooked on shopping or running races, I discovered that I love making jam. I really, really do. I love testing for the jelling point, wiping the threads of each jar and then listening to the jars sound their triumphant “ping” as they seal.
Every year, I mean to make strawberry rhubarb jam and every year, and yet every year passes and somehow, I have not managed to make any! This year was the year though and I am thrilled with how it turned out. The berries were really sweet, so there is a much lower amount of sugar in this jam than in other recipes I found. I think that there is just enough sweetness to overcome the tartness of the rhubarb without overshadowing the flavor.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- 4 cups Rhubarb
- 6 cups Strawberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup + 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract