Strawberry Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam Made Oh So Easy

Strawberry Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam Made Oh So Easy

No homestead pantry is complete without homemade jellies and jams. Besides being so tasty to eat, they’re also very easy to make!

If you’re intimidated by making your own jams and jellies, don’t be! Learn how easy it is to use the Jelly and Jam Maker from Roots & Harvest to make the perfect strawberry rhubarb vanilla bean jam and then get the creative juices flowing with so many more flavor combinations – many of which you can make from foraged fruits and flowers!

Before we get into the basics of making your own fruit spreads, here’s a quick primer on the difference between jam and jelly. Both are delicious combinations featuring fruit, pectin, and sugar but their makeup is a little different depending on how they are prepared. We certainly have our favorite type of fruit spread. Do you?

Made from fruit juice, jelly is the firmest, clearest fruit spread option. It’s generally soft and spreadable. Some people with food texture issues may prefer the consistency of jelly.

Jam is made from crushed or chopped fruit. It’s a bit chunkier and can be runnier. It’s also my favorite which is why I’m sharing this particular recipe. We love the chunkiness of the added fruit in jam. So gather your supplies and ingredients and get busy preserving the harvest.

Strawberry Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam Made in the Jelly and Jam Maker

Rhubarb is one of those fruits you either love or hate! Along with being so easy to grow it’s sometimes considered a weed, we think the tangy taste can’t be beat. Rhubarb is perfect in scones, pie, and of course it makes a great jam too. Pairing rhubarb with strawberries is such a delicious flavor combination.

If you’re trying to eat more local grown foods, rhubarb is perfect because it’s often one of the first fruits of the growing season. I’ll never forget reading about it the book that inspired me to want to grow more of our own food, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

Though I knew I liked rhubarb long before reading that book, it definitely encouraged me to take another look at a food many people don’t even bother to harvest.
 

In Iowa, rhubarb is ready to pick weeks before the strawberries are ready. Luckily, that doesn’t have to stop you from combining the two fruits to make mouth-watering flavor combinations. To use rhubarb and strawberries at the same time, simply slice the rhubarb thin and flash freeze. When the strawberries are ready, get out your rhubarb and start creating.

Here’s how to make a winning jam!

Supplies

Roots & Harvest Jelly and Jam Maker

Half-pint canning jars, lids, and rings or freezer jars

Canning Jar Labels

Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries, crushed

1 ½ cups chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen

3 tablespoons pectin

Juice from half a lemon, about 2 tablespoons

1 vanilla bean, split in half seeds removed, reserve pod

3 cups sugar

½ teaspoon butter, to help reduce foaming

Directions

1. Fit the Jelly and Jam Maker with the stirrer and sprinkle pectin on the bottom.
2. Spread all ingredients EXCEPT SUGAR evenly over the pectin.
3. Cook for 21 minutes using the jam feature.
4. After four minutes, the jam maker will sound four short beeps. After these beeps, slowly add the sugar and put the lid on the pot.
5. At the end of the cooking cycle, the jam maker will beep again. After this beep, press the CANCEL button, remove lid, and stirrer using a potholder. If necessary, skim any foam from the top of the jam and remove the vanilla bean pod.
6. Immediately process jelly by water bathing canning. If water bath canning, ladle hot jam into clean jars leaving ¼” headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the jars, add lids and rings, and process for 5-10 minutes.
7. If freezing, let jam cool to room temperature. Fill freezer safe jars and put in the freezer.

I really like how easy it is to make both jams and jellies in the Roots & Harvest Jelly and Jam Maker. Usually, I don’t like one use gadgets, but this machine really makes it so easy even my kids can make jam on their own. We also like that we don’t have worry about the cooking jelly over-boiling and making a mess on our stove.

They are all so good, you’ll never need to buy store bought jam again. What’s your favorite? Jam or jelly?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Marine is an Eastern Iowa based writer and content creator focusing on eco-conscious family living and travel. Simplify, Live, Love encourages busy families to lead healthier lives and to focus on what matters – good food, fun memories, and dear family and friends.