With the rise in home gardening this year many new green thumbs are coming into a real bounty of fresh, homegrown produce. From watermelon vines taking over your backyard to buckets of cherry tomatoes, you may find you have a surplus of summer splendor. Not sure to do with this newfound bounty? We’ve got you covered.
Even if you don’t have access to a garden space, or if the bunnies have gone after your plantings, many of us have more beautiful fresh produce at hand than other years. Maybe you are getting the kids out of the house and putting them to work in the fields of a pick-your-own berry farm or you are simply taking advantage of the plentiful baskets at your local farmers market.
If your cup runneth over with delicious fruit, consider home canning and preserving. Get in touch with your inner homesteader and make great tasting memories of summer! Almost all summer fruits can be canned or preserved and one of the most flexible and delicious ways is making jam.
Sweet-tart rhubarb is a cult favourite flavour, and the few weeks in early summer when it is in season can be the best tasting for sure. I went on a bit of a road trip and bought an armful of rhubarb from a farmer’s market and got ready to make pies, cobblers, and of course jam. This basic jam recipe can work for any low-pectin summer fruit or berry. Do check the resources linked below for more detailed pectin ratios and recipes.
Jam Maker’s Beginners Guide: Essential Equipment
Canning Jars
Utensils
Liquid Pectin
Canner
Early Summer Rhubarb Jam
I used this basic recipe from Bernardin for my jam and doubled it to suit the amount of rhubarb I had on hand. It yielded 11, 1 cup/250mL jars.
Ingredients:
Method:
Home preserves take a bit of planning and set-up, but the process really takes less than an hour. The impact is huge though, slip a jar of homemade jam into a holiday hamper or housewarming gift and you’re sure to impress. Plus, it’s just plain tasty!
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