Our rhubarb jam recipe, infused with vanilla, makes for the perfect homemade gift.
Look for the pinkest rhubarb you can find to make this fantastic sweet and slightly tart jam. It's very special on crumpets or sandwiched in a Victoria sponge cake.
Cooking notes: plus infusing and cooling
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Yields:
1
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Cal/Serv:
44
Ingredients
1 .2kg trimmed rhubarb, cut into 1cm pieces
2 vanilla pods, split lengthways
1 kg jam sugar
Juice 1 lemon
You will also need
A sugar thermometer, see GH TIPS
Directions
Step 1Layer the rhubarb, split vanilla pods and sugar in a large stainless steel or preserving pan. Pour over the lemon juice and leave to infuse overnight (about 12hr).
Step 2Preheat oven to 110°C (90˚C fan) mark 1/4. Wash your jam jars and lids in hot soapy water, then rinse and dry with kitchen paper. Place on a baking tray in the oven for 20min to sterilise.
Step 3Meanwhile, lift the vanilla pods from the pan and on to a board. Scrape out the seeds and add the seeds back to the pan. Put the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Step 4Turn the heat up slightly, bring the mixture to the boil and bubble for 10-20min, stirring occasionally to make sure the jam doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. When you start to see large bubbles on the surface, check the temperature on a sugar thermometer - it needs to be 105°C.
Step 5Remove the pan from the heat and skim any scum or froth from the surface using a metal spoon. Ladle the hot jam into the hot sterilised jars and seal with lids. Allow to cool before serving.
To store
Keep in a cool, dark place for up to 8 months. Once opened, chill and eat within 6 weeks.
GH TIPS
• If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, test the jam by removing the pan from the heat and dropping 1tsp on to a saucer that has been frozen for 20min. Leave for 30sec, then gently push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles on the surface, it’s ready. If not, boil for a few more min, then test again.
• How long a jam takes to reach setting point can vary greatly, depending on the pectin levels in the fruit and the bubbling heat. So start testing at 10min.
Per 1tbsp serving:
Calories: 44g
Protein: 0g
Tota fat: 0g
Saturates: 0g
Carbs: 11g
Total sugars: 11g
Fibre: 0g
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The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
