StrawBarb Jam recipe (no pectin) super easy!!!!

Yea!! I am going strawberry picking next week!! ooooh, can't wait! So, in anticipation of all the yummy things I will be making from the strawberries, here is an awesome recipe for StrawBarb Jam recipe. I just made a smallish batch with some strawberries and rhubarb from our local farmers market, just to make sure the recipe was yummy enough to make gallons of jam with it. 




And, yes...it is. :) 

Now, before we get into the recipe, I wanted to share some pictures of Grandpa Farmer's farm (and rhubarb patch) in Minnesota. Yep, this is the real deal! Everyone in the county comes and picks rhubarb and he still has more than he could ever use!

Please, don't laugh...this is my rhubarb patch. :) 

Grandpa Farmer...chuckin' some 'barb :) (actually, he is my dad...but, we all call him Grandpa) 

How awesome is it, that the rhubarb was almost as tall as my kids? 

Ok, so these aren't Grandpa Farmer's rhubarb, but they will have to do for the time being. These are the two bundles of rhubarb I purchased at my farmer's market last week. One wonderful thing about them was... I did not have to peel these to make the jam. Just cut all the root and the top and wash well, before chopping. Then, chop into 1/4 inch chunks. Don't worry, they will totally be broken down in the cooking stage.

These bags are from Grandpa Farmer's rhubarb haul. I generally don't like to peel the 'barb, because then your jam turns out not so pink. But, on big stalks of rhubarb you gotta peel it or it is too tough.

Rhubarb, swimming in sugar. Just how we like it. 




Super Easy StrawBarb Jam (without added pectin):


PREP:

• 2.5 pounds of washed and chopped rhubarb in bowl 1. Cover with 3 cups of sugar and freshly squeezed juice from 2 limes.
• 2.5 pounds of washed and topped strawberries (nope, you don't have to chop or pit them - just take off the green topper). Again, cover with 3 cups of sugar and freshly squeezed juice from 2 limes. 
• Refrigerate overnight. 

COOK:

• Drain the juices from the strawberries and the rhubarb into a large pan. (I used my soup pot, because all the fruit will be going in there in a few!)
• Simmer liquids for approx. 15 minutes (stirring often, to prevent scorching)
• Add both fruits, and simmer for another 15 minutes (still stirring every minute or so to prevent scorching).

COOL:


Allow pan to sit on the stove until COOL and then, put into the refrigerator to re-cook tomorrow. (My first batch was so small, I actually only cooked it one day and the consistency was perfect!)


Just a few notes:
You can adjust your fruit amounts. For example, on one batch that I made, I had three times as much rhubarb as I had strawberries. It still came out perfectly! The only adjustments you will need to make is the amount of lime juice and sugar. (for one pound of fruit, use 1 cup of sugar and juice of 1 lime). Don't worry, this recipe is flexible!


Also, I do believe the juice of the lime actually encourages this jam to set up, as pectin is mainly extracted from citrus fruits to help in the jelling process. The nice thing about using the juice is that your jam doesn't end up tasting like cheap strawberry jello. When you use powdered pectin, that can easily happen. Don't let bad pectin happen to you! :) lol...ok, you know you are a foodie when even bad pectin jokes make you all giggly inside!  


By the way, if you make the full recipe, you will need to either give all your jars away - or you will need to can the jam. Please don't be afraid of canning...it's seriously as simple as boiling water! 


THANKS:
Recipe adapted from Christine Ferber's Mes Confitures -  Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

See you at the strawberry patch!
Kristen