The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Recipes => Topic started by: pickleandpreserve on April 20, 2009, 04:54:23 pm

Title: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: pickleandpreserve on April 20, 2009, 04:54:23 pm

If, like us at the moment, anyone is a bit overwhelmed with rhubarb, this recipe is well worth trying out. We made a batch last week and are already most of the way through the first  jar.

Ingredients
1.1kg (2.5lb) rhubarb (prepared weight), chopped
1.1kg (2.5lb) sugar
juice of 2 lemons
25g (1oz) root ginger
100g (4oz) preserved stem ginger, chopped

Method
Place the rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl in alternate layers, cover and leave overnight.
Next day, peel and bruise the root ginger slightly with a rolling pin, and tie it in a piece of muslin. Put the rhubarb mixture in a preserving pan with the muslin bag, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove the muslin bag from the pan, add the stem ginger and boil for a further 5 minutes.
Test for set, and when setting point is reached remove any scum with a slotted spoon, pot and cover.

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: Crofter on April 20, 2009, 10:21:32 pm

Sounds great!  A couple of more weeks before we get enough rhubarb here on the Isle of Lewis, then we'll try it.

Dave

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: pickleandpreserve on April 21, 2009, 09:23:53 am

Hope you enjoy it..

A further tip, if you don't have any crystallised ginger you can finely chop the fresh ginger and add it all to the jam instead.

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: gillandtom on April 21, 2009, 02:28:34 pm

Sounds good apart from the Ginger bit ... Cant stand the stuff do you think it would be OK to omit it or replace it with something else?

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: pickleandpreserve on April 21, 2009, 02:45:38 pm

What a shame you don't like ginger, it does add an interesting kick to the finished jam. The small crystallised lumps also add texture.
I think your first option would be to just leave it out, it's such a small amount (by volume) that it shouldn't make any difference to the way the recipe works.
Second option would be to replace it with something, the obvious replacement for crystallised ginger would be candied citrus peel. You could buy some and chop it up quite fine, or make some yourself. This would give little tasty/crunchy nuggets of something different to the rhubarb.

Good luck and let me know if you try it out!

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: gillandtom on April 25, 2009, 07:07:57 am

Thanks pickleandpreserve I made it last night and went with your alternative recipe adding the peel instead - It worked a treat! We tried it when it was still hot in the jar last night and it was delicious - almost tasted plumy?  Looking forward to my breadmaker finishing this morning to have a proper taste session.

Thanks again I was struggling to come up with something this time of year as the last of all the 'berry' stuff from last year has just finished.

Thanks again.    :yum:

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: pickleandpreserve on April 25, 2009, 09:31:01 am

Excellent.
I'll have to try it with some candied peel next time - although I do like the ginger.
I'm going to try some rhubarb chutney myself today.

Title: Re: Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Post by: garrybaldi on May 06, 2009, 04:58:29 pm

Another thing that goes great with rhubarb for jam is cloves. You can use ground cloves but I think the whole cloves work better although they can be a pest when it comes to fishing them out as you won't want to eat them.