Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam

As I've said before, the first thing to appear and the last thing to go in my garden is Rhubarb, and I'm always trying to find new recipes to use it up.  I think I've hit the jackpot:  Rhubarb-Strawberry jam.

I've never made jam before, and starting up was a bit of an investment.  I purchased the Bernardin Starter Canning Kit, and it was a life-saver; it has all sorts of little trinkets that are helpful and I am sure I would have forgotten to pick up.  I'm still working through the process of getting the jam to consistently set; this seems like more of an art-form than a learned skill! I think that once I have that piece down, I will be able to be a little more flexible and experiment with the spices and hopefully reduce the amount of sugar (key to the setting process).  For now, I am just happy to have fun making and gifting everyone I know with a jar of home-made jam!

Ingredients:
8 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 cups strawberries, quartered
6 cups sugar
1/2 tsp of butter
2 boxes + a bit more of pectin
ginger and cinnamon to taste

Stir the rhubarb and sugar together in a large pot and set aside for an hour or so. 

While this is stewing together, fill a large canning pot with water, add six or seven 500ml jars, and bring to a boil. For me and my stove, this takes about 30 minutes. Boil jars for 10 minutes, then leave in hot water until you're almost ready to fill them.   At the same time, soak the sealing-disks for the jars in a bowl of hot, but not boiling water.

Add the strawberries, spices and pectin to the rhubarb, which has most likely turned the sugar into a syrup.  Bring to a boil, and boil for about 15 minutes. Add the butter to reduce the foam.

This is where I run into trouble; the idea is to boil until it will set, but not so much that it turns into taffy.  The best way to test this is to keep a side plate in the freezer; at about 15 minutes, reduce the heat and put a teaspoon of the jam onto the plate, return to the freezer for 3 minutes, and then gently poke the jam with your finger.  If it has turned into a jam-like substance, you're good to go. 

This 3 minute window is a good time to retrieve the jars from the hot water.  I have a special jar-tong that I got with my canner, and it's brilliant.  Take the jars out, and put them on a cookie sheet.

When the freezer sample looks good, use a soup ladle and a large funnel to fill the jars to about 1/2 cm from the top of each jar.  This recipe makes about 5 jars of jam, but I would boil an extra jar or so just in case. 

Top jars with sealing-disks, remove any foam that may be floating on top, and screw lid on relatively tightly. Return to hot water and boil for another 10 minutes.  Remove from water as upright as possible, and store in a cool dark area for 24-48 hours.

Hopefully this sets!  If not, you can do one of two things.  Open up all the jars, pour them back into a pot with a couple of extra tablespoons of pectin and re-boil and try again, or just call it Rhubarb/Strawberry "compote", and serve over waffles or with ice-cream or yogurt.  Don't worry about it too much though; regardless of the consistency, I promise that it will taste fantastic.