Super Simple Old Fashioned No Pectin Rhubarb Jam Recipe

If you’re looking for super simple recipes, this 3 ingredient no pectin rhubarb jam is made the old fashioned way. It only contains rhubarb, sugar & lemon. It’s late spring rhubarb season here in NE Ohio and I cannot wait to get back to canning all my fresh rhubarb and making it into jam for all my friends and family! Rhubarb grows especially well in Northeast Ohio gardens, making this an easy spring recipe for anyone with an overflowing backyard rhubarb patch.

This easy homemade rhubarb jam recipe is perfect for anyone looking for a small batch rhubarb jam without pectin. Made with just 3 simple ingredients, this old fashioned rhubarb jam recipe is naturally thickened and has the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor. If you’ve been searching for how to make rhubarb jam without pectin, this simple recipe is beginner friendly and great for canning or storing in the refrigerator.

Why not use pectin in jam?

This no pectin rhubarb jam is sweet and tart and makes your springtime harvest last all year long! Not only does it make your rhubarb stalks stretch out through the year, but you don’t have to run to the store to buy extra things like added pectin. I love to make preserves the way our grandparents made it. Nothing complex, just simple ingredients that you have right in your home!

The generations before us didn’t have access to grocery stores like we do today, so they had to use the natural pectin found in things like apples and lemons to create the jam consistency. Real fruit has less pectin than commercial pectin. Because of that, it doesn’t set up quite as thick as their grocery store pectin counterpart. However, it has enough pectin that I think you’ll find this soft, spreadable homemade jam to be absolutely delicious. Whole fruit, natural pectin derived from real food, and a bit of sugar. Perfection.

Why I love no pectin jam

One of the things we have done over the years is to drastically reduce the amount of sugar in our diet. Unfortunately, most homemade jam has SO much sugar. In fact, typically it has more sugar in it than fruit! The Sure Jell recipe calls for 4 1/2c of fruit and a whopping 6 1/2 cups of sugar! And while it only takes a couple of minutes to set up, I think this low sugar jam is a perfect alternative, despite its longer cooking time.

Unfortunately, for commercial pectin to get to the jam setting point, it needs to have enough sugar. In contrast, my recipe calls for double that amount of fresh fruit, and less than half the sugar! I think it’s safe to say that this easy recipe for no pectin rhubarb jam is a much healthier option than the pectin alternative!

So let’s get started, shall we?

Quick Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 5-6 jars

3 Basic Ingredients: Rhubarb, sugar, lemon

No pectin required

Great for water bath canning or freezer jam

Ingredients for no pectin rhubarb jam

The ingredients are super simple. You just need rhubarb (fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb), sugar, lemon and optional sweet cherries for color.

• 8-9 cups of chopped rhubarb – you can use raw rhubarb or frozen rhubarb
• 3c. white sugar (I use white sugar but I bet you could use a more natural version like sucanat or raw sugar)
• Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
• Optional (12 chopped sweet cherries) for color (fresh or frozen)

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*NOTE*

I do not use the typical home food preservation method using a canning pot and a hot water bath. The first time I made jam, my friend taught me and she used the flip upside down method. The only difference was that instead of heating the half-pint jars in the oven, we put them into the water bath canner and brought them to a rolling boil. Then we took them out of the pot and filled them. While there are a number of ways to make jam, I find the way I do it now in the oven to be easier than the way I made my first preserves.

However, this way of making jam is not the way that is recommended by the National Center For Home Food Preservation. I couldn’t find rhubarb jam on their site, but HERE are the canning instructions for strawberry jam. If you’d like to follow the recommended method of a hot water bath for your no pectin rhubarb jam, the site for the National Center For Home Food Preservation will give you more instruction. Either way you process your half pints, you’ll end up with a delicious jam!

How to make no pectin rhubarb jam

Macerate the Rhubarb

Begin with fresh rhubarb that has been washed and chopped into small pieces. Measure out 8-9 cups. (I have also made this with rhubarb that I chopped and stored in freezer bags and it worked perfectly! So, if you don’t have time to make it right now, store the chopped rhubarb in the freezer until you have a free morning and then get to work!)

Put the rhubarb into a stock pot with 3 cups of sugar and the juice and zest of one lemon. I love this lemon juicer! It works so well! Mix well. If you don’t have time for the next step, you can get started right away. It is helpful to wait to let the rhubarb release some of its juices but it is not essential.

The photo above is right after the chopped rhubarb, lemon zest and lemon juice, and rhubarb are mixed. Below is after its macerated. See how much juice it releases? This allows it to cook down without burning so it makes the cooking process just a bit easier.

Let the mixture macerate until the rhubarb has released a bit of juice. The maceration process takes about a hour. *AT THIS TIME, PUT A SMALL PLATE IN THE FREEZER. YOU’LL NEED IT LATER!* (You can also do this portion the night before and leave the stock pot in the fridge overnight so that it’s ready to go in the morning!)

Cook your no pectin rhubarb jam

After it’s macerated, put 6 clean jars into a 285 degree oven to sterilize them. I love this size of jelly jar for everyday use and this size jar for gift giving. Also take the lids and rings and put them into a saucepan of water on low heat. (please see note above find variations on methods of canning this jam)

Once the rhubarb has released the juices, and you’ve got the jars and rings going and a cold plate in the freezer, it’s time to make your simple rhubarb jam! Bring the large pot of jam ingredients to a gentle boil and then turn the heat down to medium heat. You do not want this at a rolling boil because it will pop everywhere and that hurts!

Add cherries for color (optional)

At this point, you can leave the preserves exactly how they are, or you can add in some sweet cherries for color. I have used both frozen cherries or fresh cherries for this and they both work great. Fresh rhubarb can vary in color from green stalks to a brighter red color. My rhubarb tends to be on the green stalk side, so it turns this brownish color when I cook it down. I don’t mind, but I don’t love to give it away looking that way.

I just chop up a handful of sweet cherries and toss them in and that really helps to make it a nice ruby color that is just more appetizing. It really does not affect the flavor of the jam at all, but it absolutely makes it prettier in the jars. So, if you have some on hand, toss them in and I think you’ll be happy you did!

The photo below is after I added the cherries and began to cook it down. Doesn’t that look so much prettier?

Finish cooking the rhubarb jam without pectin

Let the large pot of no pectin rhubarb jam cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes until the rhubarb mixture is thicker and has large bubbles. If you’re making multiple recipes, you can use this time while the jam boils to prep the rhubarb and lemon zest for the next batch. The jam cooks for a while and I find this time to be so useful to clean up or chop rhubarb for the next batch while I’m occasionally stirring.

This part doesn’t really follow a recipe and my mom says it’s how my grandma used to make jam. As it thickens up and looks more jam-like, you’ll need to test it. You won’t quite know how thick it is until it cools. So, take your frozen plate out of the freezer and put a dollop of the thickened jam on it to see if it sets up like jam after it cools for a moment. If it’s still runny, keep cooking.

When the mixture resembles jam once it’s on the frozen plate, turn off the heat and begin to fill your jars.

Put rhubarb preserves in half-pint jars

Take your hot jars out of the oven one by one so you keep them nice and hot. Use a jar grabber and funnel. Fill the jars until they have about 1/2-3/4″ head space. DO NOT fill to the top of the jars. You need to make sure to leave that space. You can use this tool to find the correct head space, or you can just fill it up to the bottom of the place where you screw on the lid. That’s what I do.

Dip a clean towel into the simmering water from your lids and wipe the top rim of the jar to make sure it’s clean and will give you a really tight seal.

Use your magentized lid grabber and take a lid and ring out of the simmering water. Put on the freshly cleaned jar lid and carefully tighten. I don’t really crank it super tight, but you definitely want it tight enough so that the hot jam doesn’t come out when you flip it over. Don’t ask me how I learned that….

Let the rhubarb jam without pectin set up

Flip the filled jars upside down and continue to fill each of them one by one until you’ve filled all the jars. I know it looks like I did not do mine one by one in these photos, so do as I say not as I do! 🙂

I usually end up with 5-6 jars of jam, depending on how far I cooked the jam down. Because this is an old fashioned recipe, it’s a little less precise in the amount you get in the end. Just like grandma did!

Put a towel over the top of the upside down filled jars and set a timer for 10 minutes.

When the timer goes off, flip the filled jars right side up and you’ll begin to hear the lids pop as they seal. 

After the jars have cooled to room temperature, check the lids to make sure they are sealed. Just tap the button in the center of the canning lid. If it clicks, the jar is not sealed and needs to be stored in the refrigerator. If it doesn’t click, the jar sealed and can be stored in a cool, dark place for about 2 years. 

Enjoy!

And that’s it! You have just made your own rhubarb jam! Isn’t it super simple?! Now you’re ready to use the preserves or give them away as the sweetest homemade gifts! I honestly adore this jam on any of my homemade breads – like overnight sourdough, or sourdough challah, fresh milled bread, on top of sourdough pancakes or rolls. It’s also great on a yogurt bowl or oatmeal or over ice cream. Literally it’s amazing on anything!!

What does rhubarb jam taste like?

Rhubarb jam has a bright, sweet-tart flavor that tastes a little bit like a mix between strawberries and lemon. The longer it cooks, the richer and deeper the flavor becomes. Because this no pectin rhubarb jam uses less sugar than traditional recipes, the fresh rhubarb flavor really shines through.

Can you use frozen rhubarb for jam?

Yes! Frozen rhubarb works beautifully in this homemade rhubarb jam recipe. Simply thaw the rhubarb first or add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if using it straight from the freezer. This is a great way to preserve fresh rhubarb during rhubarb season and make jam later in the year. I do find that when I use frozen rhubarb, I need a longer amount of time for cooking, but it’s worth the extra time when you can make rhubarb jam whenever you please, and not just during rhubarb season!

Common Questions:

Why didn’t my rhubarb jam thicken?

Because this is a no pectin rhubarb jam recipe, the consistency will naturally be softer than traditional store-bought jam. If your jam seems too thin, continue simmering it a bit longer and test it again on the frozen plate. The jam will also thicken more as it cools. There is no need to add additional pectin to this recipe. Just be patient and do it the old fashioned way!

How long does homemade rhubarb jam last?

How to store homemade rhubarb jam

Properly sealed jars of rhubarb jam can last a long time – up to 2 years in a cool, dry place like a dark pantry. Once opened, store the jam in the refrigerator and use within a few weeks.

Can you make this into no pectin strawberry rhubarb jam?

Absolutely. Rhubarb and strawberry work perfectly together because the sweetness of the strawberries tames the tartness of the rhubarb and it makes a delicious strawberry rhubarb jam recipe. Simply cut back on the rhubarb and add strawberries instead! I’d also cut back on the sugar a bit since fresh strawberries tend to be sweeter. Follow the rest of the instructions the same!

Can I swap out the rhubarb for strawberries to make a strawberry jam?

This is delicious with strawberries only! Actually I make it every year and we call it strawberry lemonade jam. Just cut back on the sugar in order to keep it from being too sweet.

Can I double or triple this recipe?

This does make small batches of jam, but when the recipe is doubled or more, it does NOT give a consistent result. I would absolutely not recommend it. Unfortunately, I did that with an old fashioned Concord grape jam that I make, and the results were disastrous. It took forever to set up and then was so hard, we had to throw it all out. So disappointing!

As a result, I believe this should be done in small batches of jam, and just make multiple recipes in a row. Even though it takes a longer amount of time, making one batch of jam at a time yields more consistent results.

Can I use more sugar if I want to?

If your personal taste is to have a sweeter jam, it is not a big deal to add more sugar. Looking at the Sure Jell recipe, you would need to add a LOT more sugar to get it even in the ballpark of a traditional jam recipe that has added pectin in it. You can adjust the sugar amount without concern that it won’t set up. The end results will be amazing even if you adjust the sugar amount.

Can you freeze rhubarb jam?

If you aren’t into canning projects, this no pectin rhubarb jam freezes perfectly and makes a delicious rhubarb freezer jam. It makes the time investment much smaller because the canning process does add to your time. Simply put the jam in glass jars with 1″ headspace to allow for expansion and freeze. Additionally, you can store in plastic airtight containers in the freezer. I would wait until it cools before putting it into the plastic containers.

What to eat with no pectin rhubarb jam

How to use rhubarb preserves:

This homemade rhubarb preserve is delicious on toast, biscuits, sourdough bread, oatmeal, yogurt bowls, vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, or even added to a spring charcuterie board.

• Spread on sourdough bread or toast (find my simple recipe HERE!)
• Pour it over cream cheese and serve with crackers at your next party
• Top English muffins
• Add to your hot biscuits
• Get a sweet and salty flavor by using it on fresh milled cheddar scones
• Slather on sourdough cornbread muffins
• Use for thumbprint cookies
• Add as a cheesecake topping
• Swirl it into a yogurt bowl
• Make a peanut butter and rhubarb jam sandwich
• Add to your next charcuterie board
• Use as a glaze for pork or chicken
• Top your vanilla ice cream
• Make sourdough pancakes and swap out your maple syrup for fresh jam!
• Put a dollop in precooked tart shells for a little strawberry-rhubarb pie

Why use lemon in rhubarb jam?

Lemon is one of the whole foods that contains enough pectin to make jam set. While it makes a bit more of a runny jam than what you find with commercial pectin, it allows us to make 3 ingredient jam – just fresh fruit, lemons and sugar. Additionally, you need MUCH less sugar in a no pectin jam than if you’re using a commercial pectin like Sure-Jel or Pomona’s Pectin to make the jam set.

How to tell when jam is set

It’s impossible to tell how thick jam will be when it is cooled by looking at it when it’s hot. You’ll see as it thickens that the jam bubbles will look thicker and more viscous. The cold plate method is the one our great grandmas used to see the jam set. Put a small dollop on the cold plate and it will cool the jam, allowing you to see how thick it will be when it is cooled. This is the best way to test for your jam consistency.

Can I use bottled lemon juice to make rhubarb jam without pectin?

I have never used bottled lemon juice to make any of my jams without pectin. Since I also use the zest of the lemons, I’d hesitate to substitute bottled lemon juice unless you’re also adding lemon zest. Although at that point since you need the lemons to zest, it just makes sense to use the juice too!

Variations

Add a hint of vanilla by putting in 1T of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract after you remove the rhubarb jam from the heat.

Skip the jam process and just make a rhubarb sauce by omitting the lemon juice and lemon zest and then using an immersion blender to make a smooth sauce.

Add a deeper flavor by putting a splash of balsamic vinegar in after you remover the no pectin rhubarb jam from the heat.

Swap out some of the raw rhubarb for other fresh fruits like cherries, peaches, or strawberries for a deliciously sweet and tart jam.

Put in 4oz mason jars and give a little jam as a great gift idea! If you made multiple varieties of your own jams, you could even give a little basket of multiple types tucked in with a cute tea towel. Who doesn’t love a jar of jam as a gift!? And if you put a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread in with it, you’ll be their best friend forever!

Final Notes:

I hope you find this to be the best rhubarb jam recipe without pectin. Because this jam does not contain pectin, it doesn’t set up as firmly as commercial jam that does. I find that it’s a bit of a runnier consistency, but it’s so worth it to only have 3 ingredients and be able to reduce the amount of sugar in the jam!

The shelf life of the jam is 2 years if you store the pints of jam in a cool, dry place like a basement or pantry. Do the work once and you can enjoy the rhubarb flavor for years!

If you’re looking for an easy old fashioned rhubarb jam recipe without pectin, this simple homemade preserve is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh rhubarb season. Whether you spread it on homemade bread, swirl it into yogurt, or give it away as a homemade gift, this sweet and tart rhubarb jam is a delicious way to preserve spring flavors all year long.

***IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR, SO FOLLOW ALONG FOR MORE RHUBARB RECIPES AND LOW SUGAR JAMS!***

Old Fashioned No Pectin Rhubarb Jam Recipe Card