I love rhubarb — for so many reasons. First, it is sour and I am a sour-junky. Second, it is cheap and abundant (now) and freezes beautifully for months. Third, and most important for this blog, it gives jam the perfect consistency.

Rhubarb added to any fruit (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry — I’m sure there are others) makes jam that is sweet-sour and adds a slightly fibrous consistency to the gel. So, instead of fruit surrounded by gel, you get fruit interspersed with a smooth rhubarb paste (see the close-up photo below). The jam is thick, but not overly gelatinous. Last weekend, I made raspberry rhubarb. I think it’s my favorite jam yet — even better than my beloved fig jam. Here’s the method I used:
1) Thaw one bag (~ 2c) frozen berries.
2) Chop four stalks rhubarb, and cook with juice from thawed berries (~ 3/4c) for 5 min.
3) Add thawed berries, 1 tsp lime juice, and 1 tsp calcium water (from the Pomona’s pectin box), bring to 185 degrees for 2 mins
4) Mix 1.5 tbln Pomona’s Pecting with 1c sugar, add slowly while stirring
5) Add 1c more sugar slowly while stirring
6) Bring to 185 degrees
7) Can and boil in hot water bath for 5 mins.

Because I am a sour-junky I use a higher rhubarb to berry ratio then many recipes call for, but you can, of course, adjust this to your taste.