Season: Mid-January to late March. Early or forced rhubarb has been produced in West Yorkshire since the 1870s, as growers discovered that the heavy clay soil and cold winter climate suited the plant (a native of Siberia). Sequestered in dark sheds, carefully cultivated rhubarb crowns send forth slender, bright pink stems much more delicate in flavor than the thick green shafts of outdoor-grown rhubarb that appear later in the year. This is one of my favorite ways to capture the earthy flavor of rhubarb. It’s a plant that contains very little pectin, so the jam definitely requires an extra dose. The shortish boil time helps to preserve the fabulous color of the stems. I like to add a little Seville orange juice, but juice from sweet oranges works well too. This light, soft jam is good mixed with yogurt or spooned over ice cream, or you can warm it and use to glaze a bread and butter pudding after baking.
Recipe information
Yield
makes six 8-ounce jars
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Wipe and trim the rhubarb and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch chunks. Pour a layer of sugar into the bottom of a preserving pan, then add a layer of rhubarb. Repeat, continuing until all the sugar and rhubarb are used, finishing with a layer of sugar. Pour the orange juice over the top. Cover and let stand for at least an hour or two – preferably overnight. This draws the juice from the rhubarb, and the resulting syrup helps keep the rhubarb chunks whole when boiled.
Step 2
Gently bring the mixture to a boil, stirring carefully without crushing the rhubarb pieces. Boil rapidly for 5 to 6 minutes, then test for the setting point (see p. 41).
Step 3
Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes before pouring into warm, sterilized jars (see p. 21). Seal immediately (see p. 22). Use within 1 year.
VARIATION
Step 4
Add 4 ounces of chopped crystallized ginger to the rhubarb, omitting the orange juice. Sharper-tasting main-crop rhubarb can also be used for this recipe – try adding a few young angelica leaves or a handful of fragrant rose petals.
