Kelly loves jams. She is always looking at jelly & jam recipes and suggesting that I make them. I like making jellies & jams, but they have to be different or really, really good for me to take the time and effort to make them. We’ve made some interesting ones and some really good ones.

Kelly was looking for a strawberry rhubarb jam for me to make for her and she found tons of recipes, but to me they all seemed pretty much alike, nothing noteworthy about them so I resisted making them. It was getting near the end of the rhubarb growing season, so I stockpiled the rhubarb from the garden, storing it in the freezer, just waiting for the perfect new recipe to try. Then Kelly mentioned a strawberry rhubarb ginger jam that she made with her friend, Kara. The ginger hooked me!

I am a HUGE ginger fan. Many years ago, Eric’s niece & nephew gave him a tin of candied ginger for Christmas. I had never had it before and hadn’t used ginger much except in the occasional Asian recipe. After trying the candied ginger, I searched out recipes using any form of ginger. Ginger martinis, ginger cookies, candied ginger, chocolate covered ginger and so on and so forth! I love it all. I started growing my own ginger just to have a constant supply of it. So I tried a batch of the strawberry-rhubarb-ginger jam, and I have to admit, I became a fan! It definitely falls into the interesting AND good category!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Ginger Jam  (adapted from www.coconutandlime.com)

Makes 8 8-ounce jars of jam

Ingredients:

• 7 cups finely diced strawberries (42 ounces)
• 3 cups diced rhubarb (12 ounces)
• 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (2 ounces)
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 6 ounce box liquid pectin (both packets)

 

Wash 8 jars, lids & rims with hot, soapy water for canning. Set them in a canning pot to sterilize. Allow them to boil for at least 15 minutes. Using tongs to handle the hot sterilized jars, remove them from the boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for 3 minutes. The jars, lids & rims can stay in the boiling water bath until the jam is ready. Remove the sterilized items from the water bath and turn them upside down on a clean paper towel to drain just before the jam is ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the strawberries, rhubarb, ginger bits, sugar and butter to a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Cook until the jam looks thick, about 20 minutes.

Pulse the mixture with a immersion blender to the desired chunkiness.

Add both packets of the pectin to the jam. Continue cooking at a low, rolling boil for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the boiling water bath and fill the hot jars with the jam. Wipe the tops of the jars with a clean paper towel to remove any excess jam. Top the jars with a lid and a rim, screwing them on securely and process the sealed jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and allow the jam to cool to room temperature. Unopened jam can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Refrigerate the jars once they are opened for up to 3 weeks.

This jam is worth the time and effort!  ~Linda

Strawberry-Rhubarb Ginger Jam  (adapted from www.coconutandlime.com)

Makes 8 8-ounce jars of jam

Ingredients:

• 7 cups finely diced strawberries (42 ounces)
• 3 cups diced rhubarb (12 ounces)
• 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (2 ounces)
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 6 ounce box liquid pectin (both packets)

Wash 8 jars, lids & rims with hot, soapy water for canning. Set them in a canning pot to sterilize. Allow them to boil for at least 15 minutes. Using tongs to handle the hot sterilized jars, remove them from the boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for 3 minutes. The jars, lids & rims can stay in the boiling water bath until the jam is ready. Remove the sterilized items from the water bath and turn them upside down on a clean paper towel to drain just before the jam is ready.

Add the strawberries, rhubarb, ginger bits, sugar and butter to a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the jam looks thick, about 20 minutes. Pulse the mixture with a immersion blender to the desired chunkiness.

Add both packets of the pectin to the jam. Continue cooking at a low, rolling boil for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the boiling water bath and fill the hot jars with the jam. Wipe the tops of the jars with a clean paper towel to remove any excess jam. Top the jars with a lid and a rim, screwing them on securely and process the sealed jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and allow the jam to cool to room temperature. Unopened jam can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Refrigerate the jars once they are opened for up to 3 weeks.