Strawberry rhubarb freezer jam is a delicious way to capture the taste of summer and store in your freezer. This sweet-tart jam is perfect for spreading on toast, waffles, or as an ice cream topping!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This jam is made with fresh strawberries and rhubarb, and sweetened with just enough sugar to tone down the tart rhubarb.
No pectin is required, as the fresh fruit have enough on their own when activated with the lemon juice and sugar. That means this strawberry rhubarb freezer jam is a healthier option than store-bought jams. You'll also find this recipe to be:
- Easy to make, no pressure or water bath canning required!
- Made with fresh in season strawberries and rhubarb.
- Low in sugar.
- Can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
- Delicious flavor combination.
- Versatile. Smear this juicy flavored jam on bagels, ice cream, and use to make jam bar cookies!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam Ingredients
- How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
- Add Lids and Cool Before Freezing
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storing and Thawing Freezer Jam
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- 📖 Recipe
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam Ingredients
This recipe for freezer strawberry rhubarb jam makes about six 8 oz jars of jam. Six 8 oz jars though is enough to last the year for most families, or to share with others as a token of friendship.
PRO TIP: You can easily use our recipe card resizing tool to make a smaller batch, just adjust the bar to 50% or 25% for a perfectly resized recipe!
- Strawberries - Fresh, washed, hulled, and quartered.
- Rhubarb - Fresh, in season, washed and chopped.
- Sugar - Granulated sugar.
- Lemon juice - Fresh squeezed lemon juice.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Use clean jars when making any type of jam, jelly, or preserved food. For high acid foods you can usually just wash with hot soapy water if the jars are new, or run them through the hot cycle of your dishwasher.
- Clean the plastic freezer jars and set them aside to dry completely.
Prepare the Strawberries and Rhubarb
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut the berries into quarters and chop the rhubarb in ½" wide pieces.
- Add the chopped fruit to a deep, 6 quart stainless steel pot.
Add Sugar and Lemon Juice
- Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Use a masher and mix the sugar in well over medium high heat.
- Continue to cook the fruit on medium high heat, stirring frequently while mashing the fruit up smaller.
Bring To A Boil
- Use a spatula thermometer or an instant read thermometer while stirring, and bring to a boil.
- Continue to boil for about 6 to 8 minutes until the temperature reaches 220 F (218 F if you live in a high altitude location).
Fill The Freezer Jars
- Remove the pot from the burner after it reaches that 220 F (or 218 F for high altitude) and let cool for 30 minutes before ladling into the plastic freezer jars.
PRO TIP: Use a canning funnel to keep the jar rims clean.
Add Lids and Cool Before Freezing
- Screw the lids on the jars, after wiping rims if needed. Let the jars come to room temperature before placing in your freezer.
PRO TIP: You can use the instructions at the Ball website to pasteurize your jam using the Hot Water Bath Canning Method. This canning method is easy, and will let you store your strawberry rhubarb jam in the pantry.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for strawberry rhubarb freezer jam is most popular during the spring and summer months, when strawberries and rhubarb are in season. Opening a jar in the middle of winter will bring a smile to your face.
Add a spoonful to yogurt and granola (see our Lactose Free Yogurt Recipe, and our Almond Vanilla Granola recipe for two recipes that are healthy and high power morning fuel), or Raspberry Chia Pudding.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations using this recipe as a base:
- Frozen strawberries and rhubarb are fine to use if fresh fruit is not available, but defrost first.
- You can use the instructions at the Ball website to pasteurize your jam using the Hot Water Bath Canning Method. This canning method is easy, and will let you store your strawberry rhubarb jam in the pantry.
- Make this freezer jam entirely rhubarb, entirely strawberry, or blend with other berries for great flavors to share with friends and family.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this strawberry freezer jam recipe.
- Canning Funnel - Perfect for regular and wide mouth Mason or Ball canning jars.
- Plastic Mason Jars for Freezing, 8 oz
- Stainless Steel Stockpot
- ThermoPro Thermometer
- Digital Spatula Thermometer - I LOVE this product for making jam, jelly, preserves, candy, ganache, and yogurt!
Storing and Thawing Freezer Jam
- If using plastic jars, let the jam cool down for 30 to 45 minutes first.
- Ladle jam into plastic freezer jars or glass mason jars, leaving a ½ inch headspace for expansion and cap with lids. Let jars cool completely before setting in the freezer.
- Label the jars with the date and contents.
- Freeze the jars for up to 1 year.
- To thaw the jam, remove it from the freezer and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Once thawed, freezer jam can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks. This is not a pantry stable jam.
Tips for Success
- Use fresh strawberries and rhubarb for the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the jam, or it will become too stiff to spread.
- Use an instant read thermometer, or a spatula with a thermometer, and remove from heat when temperature reaches 220 F.
- Let the jam cool completely before storing it in the freezer. It will thicken as it cools.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use other fruits in this freezer jam recipe, such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries with similar results.
To thaw this jam, simply remove it from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours.
You don't need pectin because the strawberries have natural pectin that is activated by the sugar and the acid in the lemon juice and fruit.
Yes, just be sure to leave a 1" headspace for expansion before screwing lids on and freezing.
Yes, you can. You can even use the same amount of vinegar! It's the acid in the lemon or vinegar that reacts with the sugar and natural pectin in fruit when heated that causes jams, jellies, preserves, and chutney's to set up.
Food Safety
- Do not eat rhubarb leaves or roots, as they contain oxalic acid, which is poisonous to humans and animals.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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- Sausage Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
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- Instant Pot Applesauce
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cup strawberries washed, hulled, and quartered
- 5 cup rhubarb chopped ½" to 1" chunks
- 3 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Clean the plastic freezer jars and set them aside to dry completely.
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut the berries into quarters and chop the rhubarb in ½" wide pieces and the chopped fruit to a deep, 6 quart stainless steel pot.5 cup strawberries, 5 cup rhubarb
- Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Use a masher and mix the sugar in well over medium high heat.3 cup sugar, 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- Continue to cook the fruit on medium high heat, stirring frequently while mashing the fruit up smaller. Use a spatula thermometer or an instant read thermometer while stirring, and bring to a boil.
- Boil the fruit and sugar mixture for about 6 to 8 minutes until the temperature reaches 220 F (218 F if you live in a high altitude location).
- Remove the pot from the burner after it reaches that 220 F (or 218 F for high altitude) and let cool for 30 minutes before ladling into the plastic freezer jars. PRO TIP: Use a canning funnel to keep the jar rims clean.
- Screw the lids on the jars, after wiping rims if needed. Let the jars come to room temperature before placing in your freezer.PRO TIP: You can use the instructions at the Ball website to pasteurize your jam using the Hot Water Bath Canning Method. This canning method is easy, and will let you store your strawberry rhubarb jam in the pantry.
Notes
- Use fresh strawberries and rhubarb for the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the jam, or it will become too stiff to spread.
- Use an instant read thermometer, or a spatula with a thermometer, and remove from heat when temperature reaches 220 F.
- Let the jam cool completely before storing it in the freezer. It will thicken as it cools.
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