Rhubarb Jelly

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5 from 3 votes

Rhubarb jelly captures the fresh flavor of rhubarb in an easy to make homemade jelly.

Prep Time2

Cook Time20

Additional Time10

Total Time2 30

Course: Jelly

Cuisine: American

Keyword: rhubarb

Servings: servings (makes 5 to 6 half pint jars)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Juice

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb leaves removed
3 cups water

For the Jelly

4 cups strained rhubarb juice
1 box powdered pectin 1.75 oz regular powdered pectin, or 6 Tbsp bulk pectin
5 cups granulated sugar See notes for low sugar option

Instructions

Trim and discard the rhubarb leaves and root ends, wash the stalks, and chop them. Place in a large pot with the water.
Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, watching closely since rhubarb foams up easily, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the rhubarb breaks apart and the liquid is bright pink.
Strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer for 1 to 2 hours without squeezing. Measure the strained juice.
Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids if you're canning.
Pour the juice into a jelly pot and whisk in the pectin until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add all the sugar at once, stir to dissolve, return to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
Ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, center the lids, and apply bands fingertip-tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Rest the jars 5 minutes, then cool 12 to 24 hours and check the seals.

Notes

No Lemon Needed: Rhubarb is naturally acidic enough that the jelly sets and cans safely without any added lemon juice. It is low in natural pectin, though, so the boxed pectin is essential.

Remove the Leaves: Use only the stalks. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and are toxic, so trim and discard them.

Pectin Type: Any regular powdered boxed pectin works (Sure-Jell, Ball). To reduce the sugar, use Sure-Jell Low Sugar or Pomona's Universal Pectin and follow the package directions. With low-sugar pectin, use 1 to 3 cups of sugar for 4 cups of juice.

Liquid Pectin: Not recommended, since it needs more sugar to set. If you do use it, the order is reversed (sugar first, then pectin) and you'll need 3 1/2 cups juice, 7 cups sugar, and 2 pouches (one 6-ounce box) of Certo.

Don't Overcook: Pectin sets as the jelly cools, not while it boils, so the jelly looks thin in the pot and that's normal. A full rolling boil for one minute after the sugar dissolves is all it needs. Give it 24 to 48 hours to set before deciding anything went wrong.

Storage: Sealed, processed jars keep on the pantry shelf for about 18 months. If you're not canning, refrigerate for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Altitude Adjustments: 0 to 6,000 feet, 10 minutes. Above 6,000 feet, 15 minutes.

Nutrition