Family Favorites - July 2018: Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam (Soy, Wheat, Nut, Milk, Fish and Egg-Free)

This year, I decided to list a family favorite recipe from the blog (with any adaptions that we use regularly, if applicable) on the fourth Friday or Saturday of every month.  This recipe will be one that we make quite often and that we all enjoy greatly.  This post is the seventh Family Favorites recipe of 2018.

If you have a recipe on your blog that you consider a family favorite that you'd like to share, please comment below with a link to the recipe, and I'll make sure to pop on over and visit your site to check it out (and leave a comment), and hopefully some of my other readers will, too.

This month's Family Favorite recipe is Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam.  This is simply a re-post of my Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam with a few tips and tricks added in.  It is top 8 free (if all your ingredients are), easy to make, and super delicious!  It tastes just like pie filling!  It is one of those recipes that my family begs for every summer when rhubarb is in season.  I missed my chance to make some this summer, but I do plan on making some again next year. 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam

1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and halved

(We always use local strawberries for this recipe whenever possible, and generally we pick them ourselves.)

1 lb. fresh rhubarb, rinsed, dried and cut into into no bigger than inch-sized pieces

(We always use local rhubarb for this recipe whenever possible, and generally we get it from a friend of ours who grows her own.)

4 Cups white sugar

(We always use cane sugar for this recipe.)

3/4 Cup water

1 box Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin

(We always use this brand and type.)

1. Rinse 6 (1 Cup size) clean, freezer safe containers and lids with boiling water and dry thoroughly; set aside.  (Note: We always use glass Ball mason jars like this.  You normally find them next to the pectin in the grocery store.  They are also available at hardware and farm stores - you can find them a lot of places, honestly.  Also, cleaning and sterilizing the jars is a crucial step in jam making!  Do not skip this step even if the jars are brand new!)
       
2. In a blender or food grinder, crush the strawberries until you have 1 Cup mashed fruit and transfer to large bowl.  (Note: You can do this by hand, too, if you prefer, and you may not use the full pint of strawberries.  If you use a blender (unless you have a powerful one like a Ninja), you will probably have to pulse the berries, stir them, pulse them, stir them, etc. until they really begin to mash.  DO NOT ADD WATER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BLEND!  It will ruin your jam.  Also, I always use a large, stainless steel bowl to add the mashed berries to, but you could use glass.  I would not recommend using a plastic bowl, however because you will be adding boiling hot liquid to it later in step 6.  Also, the more you mash your fruit, the less chunks for fruit will be in your jam.  If you want your jam smoother, mash the fruit more.  If you want it more chunky, don't mash your fruit as much.  I don't mash mine too fine, but enough so that there are not super large chunks of fruit, but a few medium bits are present and it is not a thin puree, if that makes sense.)
      
3. In the same blender or food grinder, crush the rhubarb in the same manner until you have 1 Cup mashed fruit and transfer it to the bowl with the strawberries and mix well.  (Note: As with the strawberries, you can do this by hand, too, if you prefer, and you may not use the full pound of rhubarb. If you use a blender (unless you have a powerful one like a Ninja), you will probably have to pulse the rhubarb, stir it, pulse it, stir it, etc. until it really begin to mash.  DO NOT ADD WATER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BLEND!  It will ruin your jam.  Again, the more you mash your fruit, the less chunks for fruit will be in your jam.  If you want your jam smoother, mash the fruit more.  If you want it more chunky, don't mash your fruit as much.  I don't mash mine too fine, but enough so that there are not super large chunks of fruit, but a few medium bits are present and it is not a thin puree, if that makes sense.)
      
4. Stir the sugar into the strawberry-rhubarb mixture and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Note: Do NOT adjust the amount of sugar or use a sugar substitute!  The jam will not turn out!  Sure-Jell does make a less sugar pectin that will give you a different amount of sugar to use, but I'm not sure if you can use a sugar substitute even with that, but you'll have to check the guidelines on the box and follow those steps exactly.)    
5. Mix the water and the pectin in a small saucepan, bringing it to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.  (Note: Boil here means rolling boil with huge bubbles that are still present when you stir, not just tiny bubble and some steam that disappear as you stir.  DO NOT start the timer until the bubbles are as described or your jam won't gel properly.)
     
6. Add the pectin mixture to the fruit mixture; stir for 3 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy, though a few sugar crystals may remain.  (Note: This step is crucial to good jam!  It should look kinda glossy, almost like pie filling, but not quite as thick, though it will thicken upon standing.)
     
7. Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops.  (Note: Do NOT overfill as the jam tends to expand, especially in the freezer.)
     
8. Wipe off top edges of the containers; immediately cover with lids.
     
9. Let the containers stand at room temperature for 24 hours (the hardest part!!!), after which jam will be ready to use.  (Note: As the jam sits, if you use mason-type jars and lids, you may hear them "pop" when the lids seal.  This is normal, and what you want!  If they do not seal, they will still be edible, though, because you store them in the freezer/fridge, not in the pantry.  Resist the urge to use the jam before the 24 hours is done, too - they really do need the time to finish setting up.  I promise, it is worth the wait! :) )
     
10. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year (Thaw in the refrigerator before using.).

Makes around 6 (1-Cup) jars.

Variations (Please keep your individual allergen needs in mind when using substitutions/variations!):

• Flavor Change: There are tons of recipe ideas on the Sure-Jell site to try.  The freezer jam ones are all super simple and pretty fool proof.  I've made Mixed Berry with success, too, though I used 1 Cup of strawberries, and 3/4 Cup each blueberry and raspberry.  You can even use varying amounts of strawberries and rhubarb in the recipe above as long as your total amount of mashed fruit is 2 Cups.

I know some of you will think that making homemade jam is too difficult, but freezer jam really is easy.  There is time involved, sure, but the steps aren't that difficult, and the results are amazing!  Definitely worth the little bit of effort, for sure!  At any rate, I hope you will give it a try and that it becomes a family favorite for you, too!