This Cherry Rhubarb Jam is easy and takes less than an hour to make a small batch of 3 to 4 cups. No pectin! It’s sweet cherries, rhubarb, juice, and sugar!
Cherry Rhubarb Jam is Sweet, a little Tart, and No Pectin Needed!
This delicious jam relies on the natural pectin in the rhubarb and also reducing the liquid to thicken it up to the perfect consistency.
I love this jam. It’s so sweet and has a little bit of tartness, thanks to the rhubarb.
Cherries and rhubarb are plentiful during the warm summer months and can be found at most local groceries and farmers markets. This recipe is a lovely way to preserve that bounty.
To start, just wash, pit, and halve your cherries. Then wash and slice the rhubarb into roughly 1/2 inch pieces. Place all the ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over med-high heat for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the texture you prefer for your jam. The longer it cooks the thicker it will be.
I used the heavy, 6 qt pot (pictured above) from a set of Cuisinart pans I got almost 20 years ago. They are almost no different from when I got them. I highly recommend them. You can find the 6 qt pot HERE and the entire set HERE.
I used lime juice instead of lemon juice. Not so much out of creativity, mostly just because I had lime juice but no lemon juice and I didn’t feel like running to the store. It added just a little depth of flavor. Do whichever appeals to you and use what you have in your pantry, it’s delicious either way.
The just let the cut fruit, liquids, and sugar simmer and boil while stirring occasionally at first, Stir more frequently as it gets thicker.
The jam mixture will get really bubbly and foam up in the pot. Just stir it. There’s no need at all to try and skim it off!
If you make jam with a loved one you can take turns stirring 🙂 After 12-15 minutes, begin stirring almost constantly to keep the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Cherry Rhubarb Jam Recipe Yields 3-4 Cups
Finally, the jam will have thickened up and when you stir or whisk it will start leaving an open spot in the bottom of the pot before filling in again.
That means you’re getting close to being finished. I like looser jams because they’re easier to spread and so I usually stop after 18 minutes or so. Let it bubble, stirring constantly, for an extra few minutes if you like a thicker jam.
When cool enough to safely handle, pour the jam into jars that have been cleaned and had boiling water poured inside. Place on lids and refrigerate for up to a few weeks. I LOVE these short, squarish, pint-sized ones.
Cherry Rhubarb Jam Small Batch Recipe No Pectin
Cherry Rhubarb Jam is easy and takes just 30 minutes to make a small batch of 3 to 4 cups. It's sweet, gooey and the rhubarb adds just enough tartness.
CourseCondiment
CuisineVegan
Keywordjam
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 56 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1/2cupscherriespitted and halved
- 1 1/2cupsrhubarbcut into 1/2" pieces
- 2cupssugar
- 1/4cuplemon juice or lime juice
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat slightly and then simmer, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes. The jam will reduce in volume and thicken ... the longer it cooks the thicker the jam will be.
Let cool for 10 minutes and pour into clean glass jars or containers.
Can be refrigerated for several weeks.
Makes about three 8 oz jars.
Nutrition Facts
Cherry Rhubarb Jam Small Batch Recipe No Pectin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 56
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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XOXO Lisa
Want more delicious, easy jam recipes? Try these!
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
This Strawberry Rhubarb Jam recipe is easy and takes less than an hour to make a small batch of 3 to 4 cups. It’s sweet and gooey and the rhubarb adds just enough tartness to make it perfect.
Hibiscus Rose Jelly with Lemon and Vanilla
Hibiscus Rose Jelly with Lemon and Vanilla isa quick, small-batch recipe for an elegant, unusual, and delicious jelly. It’s easy and inexpensive to make at home and takes only about a half-hour to get it into jars.
Or how about some CAKE made with jam? Try this!
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Cake is moist, rich, delicious, and so easy to make. It’s vegan and gluten-free, too!
Hello! I’m Lisa, a vegan artist, photographer, author, Vegan Life Coach Educator, and RYT 200 yoga teacher. I love showing others how simple and delicious a plant-based diet can be. I draw and paint, cook, write, take lots of pics, eat lots of chocolate, and practice gratitude daily.
FAQs
If you simply take fruit and cook it with some sugar to sweeten it a little, it will get thick enough to turn into jam by the naturally occurring pectin in the fruit and the process of reduction. Reduction occurs when we simmer the fruit, and the liquid turns to steam and evaporates, which thickens the jam.
Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›
Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.
Is rhubarb high or low in pectin? ›
Sugar, acid and pectin content of selected fruits
| %sugar | pectin level |
|---|
| Plum | 11 | low |
| Raspberry | 7 | low |
| Red currant | 6 | high |
| Rhubarb | 1 | low |
26 more rowsJun 6, 2015
Warm the sugar first so it dissolves quickly into the fruit mixture without lowering the temperature. Don't overheat or it will clump together. To set, jam needs pectin from the fruit and some varieties have more than others. For extra pectin, add a muslin pouch of lemon rind and seeds.
How did people make jam before pectin? ›
The secret ingredient to making jam without pectin is time. The fruit and sugar need plenty of time to cook and thicken. A long, slow boil drives the moisture out of the fruit, helping to preserve and thicken it at the same time.
Do cherries have natural pectin? ›
The thick skin of cherries has natural acidity and pectin in abundance. And yet, adding lemon juice helps break down the skin. Low-sugar – Fresh cherries are naturally soft and sweet, so you don't need to add a lot of sugar to this jam.
How do you thicken cherry jam? ›
Add pectin.
While this trick won't work for jam recipes that already call for pectin, adding pectin to a loose batch of jam while re-cooking it almost guarantees that the jam with set back up nicely. Whisk a tablespoon of powdered pectin (preferably the no-sugar-needed variety) into the pot of cooking jam.
What happens if you don't put lemon juice in jam? ›
It's Not Only About Pectin
There's another reason why lemon juice is added to most jam recipes: for safe canning and to prevent the growth of bacteria. Bringing the pH level down means jars can be sealed in a regular boiling water bath in a reasonable amount of time (sometimes as little as 10 minutes).
Can you use bottled lemon juice to set jam? ›
By using bottled juice, you ensure that your preserves have a consistent level of acidity, which makes them safe for canning. And when making jams or jellies, the degree of acidity in any citrus juice added affects the natural fruit pectin's ability to gel.
Are cherries high or low pectin? ›
All fruit has some pectin, but some fruits have a lot of pectin and others have hardly any. Apples, citrus, gooseberries all have loads of natural pectin, while most stone fruits (cherries, apricots, peaches and plums) do not.
The quick way to thicken jam is to use boxed pectin. The mixture is pretty simple: some fruit and sugar cooked together. Add the box of pectin and it instantly thickens.
Why did my rhubarb jam not set? ›
This is a very common mishap and can occur for a couple of reasons. It may be because there is not enough pectin and acid in the mixture. Or it may be because the temperature of 104C was not reached when cooking. While hot the jam will seem runny, but be patient, as it takes a while to cool and set.
Should you stir jam while it's boiling? ›
5. Do Not Stir Once Mixture Is Boiling. Once your jam/marmalade it has reached a rapid rolling boil do not stir it. Stirring it will alter the temperature of the jam/marmalade meaning it will take longer to reach the setting point.
What is the best sugar for jam? ›
Coarse-grain white granulated sugar is best for jam-making as it ensures a good clear jam, but fine caster sugar can also be used. The coarse grains dissolve more slowly and evenly, giving a better result. Granulated sugar with added pectin is also available, but it shouldn't be necessary to use this.
When to put lids on homemade jam? ›
As soon as the preserves are spooned or poured into the sterilised jars or bottles, they must be correctly sealed to prevent deterioration. Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot.
What can I use instead of pectin? ›
Pectin Substitute
Cornstarch - Another plant-based thickening agent, cornstarch is a great substitute for pectin. Gelatin - For non-vegan menu items, you can substitute gelatin for pectin, but it will yield a different consistency.
How to thicken without pectin? ›
If you aren't using pectin as a thickener, the sugar as well as the cornstarch slurry will work to thicken quite well. Feel free to add more for an even thicker jam.
Can I use lemon juice instead of pectin in jam? ›
The acid in lemon juice can help pectin to gel which is why it is often added to lower pectin fruits in jam-making, but it is not a straight replacement for pectin.
Can I use cornstarch instead of pectin to make jam? ›
Cornflour (or cornstarch) combined with lemon juice is a great alternative to pectin. It thickens up jam really well, combined with the sugar and heat. Also, this recipe is gluten free! There's so many way to use this homemade strawberry jam, it probably won't last you more than a month.
