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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do with all that rhu..barb?

It's a rhubarb jungle out there! At least it is in my yard. I have a lot of rhubarb plants. During rhubarb season I sometimes question my wisdom-or lack thereof for planting so many. In my defense, many of the plants were here when we moved in.......but then I stupidly decided that I needed to add a few more-like 20....nobody needs that much rhubarb.

We love rhubarb, don't get me wrong, but thinking of new and exciting uses for rhubarb has gotten to be a challenge over the years. I mentioned in a previous post that I was going to make Blueberry-rhubarb, or 'Blubarb' jam, which, by the way, turned out fabulously delicious. I have been trying for some time to find a recipe for plain old rhubarb jam..a real recipe...not a rhubarb mixed with Jello recipe. I am sorry if I have offended anyone that goes the Jello route, but to me that is, well, fruit and Jello, not jam. After scouring the Internet and only coming up with said Jello recipes, I finally turned to my little booklet from Stringtown grocery (my favorite, OK, the only Amish grocery store within an hours drive) and found a very simple recipe for plain old rhubarb jam....using pectin...not Jello. After saying that I am wondering if my dear friend, Miss Effie, is scoffing at me for using pectin just as I am picking on the Jello people. Miss Effie goes old-school and makes real jam by just cooking her jam to perfection-no cheating with pectin for her....Miss Eff is a hard-core canner and even teaches classes on the subject.......of course Miss Effie also does something called "nearly naked canning" so sometimes we wonder about Miss Eff....she doesn't teach classes in that though. I digress.

Here is the recipe:

So, first you are going to need some rhubarb. It should be easy to find...call me.

You will also need pectin. If you are not lucky enough to have an Amish grocery store nearby then you can buy the box of pectin.
Simple, simple, simple. Rhubarb Jam

4 cups thinly sliced rhubarb

1 box pectin

6 1/2 cups sugar.

1 cup water...cause rhubarb just isn't very juicy.

Pre-measure sugar and set aside.

Mix rhubarb, water, and pectin in large kettle. Bring mixture to a full boil. Quickly add sugar and bring back to a boil and boil for one minute. Skim off foam; pour into sterile jars with tight fitting lids. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Done!

I was hoping for a prettier color than what it looks like in the jar.
But out of the jar it has a lovely pinkish color. My friends reading this are probably wondering how that white bread made it's way into my house.

OK, so...that used 4 cups of rhubarb......hmmmm. I needed to find something else to do with this stuff and as luck would have it, it looks like other people have faced this dilemma because I came across the holy grail website of rhubarb uses....someone had waaaay too much time, and rhubarb, on their hands!

9 comments:

Michelle said...

I only have three young plants and wish I lived next door to YOU!

Karen Anne said...

That's lovely looking jam, I can see I'm going to have to plant more rhubarb :-)

Karen Anne said...

How much jam do you get out of that recipe? Thanks.

Crosswinds Farm said...

Come on down, Michelle!

Karen Anne, It makes about six 8 oz. jars. : )

girlwithasword said...

I am so linking to this! i have been doing a series on rhubarb recipes on the prairieland herbs blog. Rhubarb chutney, rhubarb martinis, rhubarb liqeuer, rhubarb lavender jam.... :) :) :)

And really - 20 MORE plants? REALLY?? sheepie!!!!

lisa said...

confession: in my youth i was a rhubarb thief. i used to sneak a coffee mug with sugar in it out of my grandparents' house and sit behind their neighbor's garage...in the rhubarb plants...and eat raw rhubarb dipped in sugar. (i think i just realized why rhubarb makes me feel guilty.)

Teresa said...

My mom seems to be the supplier for our entire town. She was very nice, and now I have a lot of rhubarb in my freezer, so I might have to visit that rhubarb site.

tbsomeday said...

mmmm
that looks fabulous and beautiful!!

i miss rhubarb...i used to eat it as a child as i roamed the neighborhood
so tart

http://prairielandherbs.blogspot.com/

there are some more uses for you
rhubarb martini anyone??

I need orange said...

Chicken math, rhubarb math -- seems to me that you are a "more is more" person. Just like me.....

:-)

I live in town and don't have even one rhubarb plant, but I buy it at the farmers' market.

It freezes well, as I'm sure you know. I have sliced it (pretty much as you show in your "making jam" pic), put it in freezer plastic bags, and have used it later with good results.

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