Discover the vibrant blend of tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries in this Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam recipe. With a perfect balance of tang and sweetness, this jam captures the essence of early summer in every spoonful.
Freezer jam recipes, such as strawberry freezer jam with Sure Jell, offer a quick and fresh way to enjoy homemade preserves without the lengthy canning processes, allowing you to savor the bright flavors long after the season has ended.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients YOU can pronounce
- Great on toast or as an ice cream topping
- Keep it in your freezer and skip the canning process
Featured Ingredients
- Strawberries - Use the freshest strawberries you can find. They will provide the most flavor.
- Rhubarb - Grab bright red rhubarb stalks if you can find them. The green ones will work too, just not provide as bright red color.
- Sugar - The key to making a great jam - plain white granulated sugar.
- Lemon Juice - I love to add it to jam recipes for the brightness it provides.
- Sure Jell - Powdered pectin is the key to getting the jelly to set up properly.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash and remove the hulls from the strawberries. I like to use a sturdy straw to make quick work of this task. This is also a great way to get kids involved!
Mash the clean berries with a potato masher to crush them.
Place the cleaned, crushed berries in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of sugar. Stir and set aside. This will macerate the strawberries, drawing out all that beautiful strawberry flavor.
Step 2: Wash and chop the rhubarb into small ¼ inch pieces.
To a medium saucepan, add the chopped rhubarb, the remaining 2 cups of sugar, and lemon juice. Cook on low heat until the rhubarb is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Set it aside.
Step 3: In a small saucepan, add the water and the Sure Jell. Stir. Bring it to a boil and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Step 4: To a large bowl, add the strawberries, rhubarb, and Sure Jell. Stir constantly for 3 minutes.
This step ensures that all the sugar is dissolved. I like to use a big bowl to make stirring easier and reduce the worry about a mess.
Step 5: Using clean, sterilized mason jars and a wide funnel, immediately fill the jars with the strawberry rhubarb jam.
Make sure to leave ½ inch headspace between the top and the jar to allow for expansion when freezing. Otherwise, you may get cracked jars, which is not great.
Step 6: Leave the covered jars on the countertop for 24 hours. After 24 hours, either store the jam in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer up to 1 year.
This is necessary because the jam was not canned, so it requires cold storage to prevent bacterial growth.
Tips and Tricks
Make a Double or Triple Batch! We love homemade jam in our house, and we always seem to run out before we can make more!
Wash the jars in advance to save a step! Have them ready and waiting.
Label and Date The Jars! Labels solve freezer mysteries, so don’t skip this step. I use freezer tape and a permanent marker to write on so I don’t destroy the plastic mason jar covers.
Storing and Freezing
Storing: Keep the jam in the refrigerator, and it will last up to 3 weeks.
Freezing: Freezer jam can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year. However, we found a rogue jar of jam while cleaning out the freezer, and it still tasted great, even after a year.
FAQs
Typically, a half-pint wide-mouth jar is the best. However, if you would like to give jams out as gifts, jelly jars topped with pretty ribbons and labels are also a great idea.
Ensure you use the correct amount of pectin (Sure Jell) and stir it thoroughly into the fruit mixture. Letting the jam set for at least 24 hours helps achieve the proper consistency.
If the jam remains liquid, your pectin (such as Sure Jell) might be expired or not mixed evenly.
The fruit is lighter than the sugar mixture. To fix it, once the jam is poured into the jars, use a spoon to gently push the fruit to the bottom of the jar.
No. Sugar is needed to make the jam consistency we all know and love. However, there is a low sugar pectin (Sure Jell) option in a pink box if looking for a different option.
Use airtight freezer-safe containers, leaving adequate headspace as the jam expands when freezing to prevent leaks.
Yes, you can use frozen fruit, but thaw and drain excess liquid before making jam to avoid a runnier texture. Frozen fruit sometimes requires slightly more pectin.
Yes, once thawed, keep freezer jam refrigerated and consume within 3 weeks to maintain its best quality and freshness.
After the jam has sat on the countertop for 24 hours, it is safe to store it in the freezer.
It depends on preference; some enjoy it straight from the freezer on ice cream, while others defrost it in the refrigerator and use it on buttered toast.
How To Use Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Spread it on a piece of toast for breakfast
- Stir it into Greek yogurt with a homemade granola
- Swap out grape jelly and use it in a peanut butter jelly sandwich
- Swirl it into vanilla or strawberry ice cream
Additional Rhubarb Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh ripe strawberries, crushed
- 4 cups white granulated sugar divided (Note 1)
- 2 cups rhubarb diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup water
- 1 box Sure Jell yellow box (Note 2)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the mason glass jars or freezer-friendly plastic containers with covers. Set aside.
- Wash and remove the hull and stems from the strawberries and discard. Mash cleaned berries with a potato masher.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups of crushed strawberries and 2 cups of white sugar. Stir and let them sit for at least 10 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, add diced rhubarb, 2 cups of white sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb is softened, about 8 minutes. Let the cooked rhubarb cool down.
- In a small saucepan, add the water and Sure Jell packet. Using medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the mixture constantly for 1 minute while it is boiling. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, add the strawberries, cooked rhubarb, and Sure Jell mixture. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. This will dissolve the sugar and create the jam.
- Using a ladle and a wide funnel, fill the jars immediately. Leave at least ½ inch space on the top because the jam will expand during freezing. Add the covers and set aside.
- Let the covered jam containers stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.
- If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Venessa Mandelkow says
Love this jam on a piece of toast! It is such a great variation from typical strawberry jam.