Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam in the making

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 lb young pink rhubarb, chopped to about 1/2 inch
• 2lb of small strawberries (picked in dry weather), husked and sliced
• 7 1/2 cups sugar
• grated zest and and freshly squeezed juice of  2 unwaxed lemons
• 1 oz fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 -4  ½ pint jam jars with new sterilized lids

Instructions:

• Wipe, trim and cut rhubarb and put into bowl with strawberries, sugar, lemon zest and juice.  Cover and let stand overnight
• Crush ginger w/ Mortar and pestle, mince on a microplane (or blender) and add to fruit and sugar.
• Transfer fruit mixture to a saucepan and slowly bring to simmer, stirring constantly.
• Simmer until fruit has softened, then increase the heat and boil rapidly for 5 -10 minutes until jam reaches setting point.
• Once set-point is reached, skim jam w/ perforated skimmer and stir.
• Let stand for 20 minutes so the fruit can settle
• Ladle into sterilized jam jars and  (leaving ½ inch from top), wipe the rims of the jars, cap them and process the jars in hot water until they reach a seal.

Set Point: My method of testing for a set-point is to place a saucer in the freezer prior to heating the fruit.  After boiling the reduced preserve hard for 5 minutes or so, then take a spoonful of the preserve and place it in the saucer and put it back into freezer for 5 minutes.  Push it with a finger, if is crinkles or offers resistance, it is ready.