Instructions:

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Here are my recipes for Strawberry-Rhubarb and Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam. The former is sweeter, the latter is a little tart. The proportion of ingredients varies slightly, but the procedure is the same. You can play with the amount of rhubarb, strawberries, and sugar, but I don't recommend less than 5 1/2 cups of sugar. The amount of cooked rhubarb and crushed strawberries should always total 3 1/2 cups.

If you haven't made jam before, don't be afraid to try one of these recipes. It really isn't very difficult to do and as long as you get the quantities correct, the results are very good. A jar of home-made jam makes a nice gift!

8 to 10 (1 cup (250ml, half-pint) glass jars,
    preferably with separate metal lids and
    bands. Put through the dishwasher or sterilize.
1 package liquid Certo fruit pectin (85ml pouch)

For Strawberry-Rhubarb (quite sweet)
About 5 to 7 large stalks rhubarb (1 cup when cooked)
Ripe strawberries (2 1/2 cups when crushed, about
    1 1/2 quart boxes)
6 1/2 cups granulated sugar

For Rhubarb-Strawberry (a little tart)
About 10 to 12 large stalks rhubarb (2 1/2 cups when cooked)
Ripe strawberries (1 cup when crushed)
5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

To prepare the fruit: Wash the rhubarb and chop it into 1 inch chunks. Do not peel it. Using a large pot (I use a Dutch oven), put in just enough water to cover the bottom and add the rhubarb. On low heat, simmer and stir the rhubarb until it gets mushy and stringy. Do not boil it. Turn off the heat and remove from burner. Wash the strawberries and remove stems and caps. Crush the berries.

To make the jam: Add the crushed strawberries to the cooked rhubarb. Add the sugar and stir well. If desired, add the lemon juice to help firm up the jam (if you cut back on sugar you may want to add the lemon juice to keep the jam from being runny). Place the pot on high heat and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full boil with bubbles over the entire surface. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the liquid pectin. Skim any foam off the surface. Fill the jars and seal tightly. Let them stand for a few hours, then you can refrigerate if you like. Consider putting a label on the jars to identify the recipe and date you made the jam. Always keep refrigerated after opening.