Once a year, the boys head out for a Father-Son's campout with the other gents from our church. You'd think they would revel in roughing it, but instead they stay at a cabin, project sporting events on to a sheet, and eat prime rib, shrimp, dutch oven potatoes, and chocolate cream puffs. I'm not making this up. Cream puffs, people, cream puffs. It sounds so cush, I'm tempted to throw on a baseball cap, draw in a sharpie handlebar mustache and sneak in. Except that I always have a wonderful time at home with my little girl having our Mother Daughter weekend. I'm sorry to be so 1870's, but we made jam this year. 
OK-that isn't all we did-we also went out to dinner and spent hours and hours in Barnes and Noble. We didn't wear bonnets or churn butter, but we did make jam while the men folk were away. Truthfully, we would have made it if they were here, too. They would have helped us, since we are a liberated modern family, daggum it. Besides, this jam's a huge family favorite. The recipe hails from the Quiet Man's South Dakota Grandma Darland. I never cared much about jam, until we stopped on our cross country honeymoon road trip for a day or two on the farm. Grandma set out a jar of the bright red sticky stuff with breakfast. One smear later I was hooked. It shouldn't really be called jam-no, it's more like candy. I've made Grandma Darland's jam for many people with the same addictive results. It's got three ingredients-just rhubarb, sugar, and strawberry jello. The chopped rhubarb stands all night, soaking in syrup. 
After a quick boil, the strawberry jello thickens the jam without having to use pectin or Sure-Jell. You don't have to heat process it if you don't want to. Simply freeze it in pint jars until ready to use. But don't count on it lasting too long. Hurry up now, before spring rhubarb gets replaced with summer veggies.
Rhubarb Strawberry Jam
Estimated Cost: $5.00 for 3 pints
Tips: Look for rhubarb at the Farmer's Market for the best prices. I'm buying a rhubarb plant to make it even cheaper for next year.
3 cups sugar
5 cups chopped rhubarb
1 (3 ounce) box strawberry jello
Combine sugar and rhubarb in medium pot. Let stand overnight. Bring rhubarb mixture to a boil. Boil 12 minutes. Stir in jello. Process in jam jars, or freeze. Try a little stirred into plain Greek yogurt. Yum!
Up Next:Ice Cream Tart
wow this is like an answer to a prayer thrown up to heaven today for me...my grandma made this jam but i never got a recipe from her for it, and today i was just thinking about it and was going to google it in search of a recipe to bring her back for a few moments, and here it is--thanks so much i can't wait to mix up a batch--the only thing missing will be grandmas love and approval but iknow she will be looking down with a smile on her face--thanks again
ReplyDeleteYUM! I love anything with rhubard! This looks so good! Come say hi :D
ReplyDeleteHuge rhubarb fan. Just a warning - it takes 3-4 years for a rhubarb plant to be ready to really harvest. Then you're good for years.
ReplyDeleteI like those favorite family recipes that have been passed on.
ReplyDeleteThey are usually the very best!
Jules Someone:
ReplyDeleteI had no idea. Sounds like I had better rub up to someone who has a good rhubarb plant for a few years!
oh wow prudy that looks soooo good. I love rhubarb so much! Come say hi :)
ReplyDeleteI have been looking for this recipe! Thanks for posting it. My rhubarb is almost ready to cut (hooray)!
ReplyDeleteI love Rhubarb!! I will try this out later this week. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePrudy--My husband loves strawberry/rhubarb anything --I've never made processed jam before. In your post you said, "process in jam jars or freeze" -- would you kindly explain to me??
ReplyDeleteAimee:
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want to hassle with heat processing jam so that it is shelf stable, all you have to do is pack it into jars or plastic tubs and freeze it. I really love freezer jams. They taste really fresh and bright. I usually freeze the jam in pint portions and defrost it one at a time. I think you'll love it! Give it a try!
I need to make this, we have four rhubarb plants!
ReplyDeleteI've been frightened by rhubarb since I was a wee slip of a girl in Michigan, where rhubarb grew like a Neanderthal's back hair. My sister kept telling me that "the leaves were poisonous" and to "be careful not to touch them," and "by the way, I think mom accidentally dropped a leaf in YOUR bowl of rhubarb crisp." Can I get over my fear? This jam looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI just planted rhubarb this year - I didn't know it took 3-4 years to be able to harvest some :(
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll keep buying at the farmer's market for the next few years.
The recipe sounds delish!
We made a double batch this weekend. DIVINE! It turned out perfect, especially considering I've never made jam before. Thanks for the great recipe.
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ReplyDeleteI'm making this jam today! I let the rhubarb sit overnight... It smells delicious!
ReplyDelete