Since sugar became a common kitchen staple the late 19th century, one of the usual ways to save summer fruits for the winter was to add sugar. Some fruits, like peaches, can be canned as halves or slices, but rhubarb turns to mush when cooked, so pieces do not can well. Happily, there is Rhubarb Jam: tart and sweet, it is delicious on toast or English Muffins. In the dead of winter, this jam will remind you of June. At this year’s Rhubarb Festival there was a contest for the best Rhubarb Jam — spread the goodness!

Rhubarb Jam, recipe from Wild Preserves by Joe Freitus

5 cups jam	need 1-cup canning jars + lids
2 pounds rhubarb stalks – the redder, the better ¾ cup water	Chop into 1/2-inch pieces, put in saucepan with water. Bring to boil, then simmer until tender
	Run through a food mill, measure 3 cups sauce.
3 cups sauce 4 c white sugar	Put sauce in a large saucepan with sugar, mix well, bring to a boil.
6 oz liquid fruit pectin	Stir in pectin, keep mixture boiling 1 minute. Take off heat.
	Skim off any foam, pour into hot, sterilized jelly jars and seal with canning lids.

This is the blog of the Bennington Rhubarb Festival, started in 2013 to benefit the G.E.P. Dodge Library Building Fund.

If you would like to help the Building Fund, please contribute any amount to the G.E.P. Dodge Library Building Fund, Bennington, NH 03442.

The next blog installment will be posted on August 27, 2024. If you click the Subscribe button, all future posts will be sent straight to your inbox every month.