Making homemade jam in small batches is a small (and easy!) pleasure during the spring and summer growing seasons.
This maple rhubarb jam is lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and has a gentle warming note of ground cardamom. Like many traditional jam recipes, this jam is made with pectin.
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Ingredients
- Rhubarb
- Maple syrup
- Lemon juice
- Pectin powder
- Salt
- Ground cardamom
Can I Substitute Frozen Rhubarb For Fresh Rhubarb?
I haven’t tested this maple rhubarb jam recipe with frozen rhubarb but I can’t see why frozen rhubarb wouldn’t work. A friend invited me to her house to cut as much fresh rhubarb as I like so I’ll probably chop and freeze enough to cook and bake with throughout the summer and fall. Wouldn’t it be so nice to give small jars of maple rhubarb jam as Christmas gifts?
What Is Pectin?
In simple terms, pectin is a natural starchy fibre found in the cells of many fruits and vegetables. Commercially available pectin powders and liquids are used as a thickening agent (mostly for jams, jellies, and marmalades) and can usually be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Do I Need Pectin To Make Maple Rhubarb Jam?
I’ve made small-batch homemade jams without pectin, allowing my fruit mixture to simmer until thick and most liquid is gone. I’ve also tried making homemade jam with apple juice as an ingredient since apples are naturally high in pectin and help thicken your jam. Both methods yielded tasty results, however, neither had the gooey consistency that a spoonful of pectin provides to homemade jam.
More Rhubarb Recipes
Did you make this maple rhubarb jam, or any other recipe on my site? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you made out in the comments below. You can also stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!
Printable Recipe Card
Maple Rhubarb Jam
Equipment
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- medium-sized pot
- heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- glass jar with tight fitting lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed if possible
- 1 tablespoon powdered pectin
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon cardamom, ground, divided
Instructions
- Place the chopped rhubarb, maple syrup, lemon juice, powdered pectin, and salt in a medium-sized pot. Bring everything to a boil over high heat then continue to allow the rhubarb to boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the rhubarb with lively bubbles for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon of cardamom. Cool the jam completely in the pot then adjust cardamom to suit your taste, adding the remaining ¼ teaspoon if you like. Spoon the cooled jam into a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep it in the fridge for up to one week.
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