I’ve been asked twice for this recipe since I posted about making Peppered Rhubarb Jam on Instagram last week. The truth is, it’s such an easy recipe I almost feel bad making a whole post for it! I’ll also add my Rhubarb Blueberry Jam recipe just to round this post out a bit.

The Basics

To start with, yes this is a safe recipe to can! According to several extension offices, including the University of Alaska (PDF), adding dried herbs to your canning recipes is safe. Adding fresh herbs are unsafe as they can change the PH of your finished product for canning, allowing for bacterial growth. Certain types of bacteria that can be found in home canned goods, when not canned properly, can lead to hospitalization, or even death. Botulism poisoning is the biggest worry with home canning, which is why some items are pressure can only, like the salmon I did here.

Also, because rhubarb is processed and canned like a fruit (although it is actually a vegetable!) sugar is not actually necessary for canning it safely. Sugar can help fruit retain its flavor, color and shape through canning. In this case, I’m using sugar to turn this from stewed rhubarb to jam.

Peppered Rhubarb Jam Recipe

Like I said, this one is super simple! Because rhubarb does not need sugar for safe canning, start with less and add until you find the flavor right for you. Because this recipe uses no pectin, it is cooked down longer to allow it to set properly. Cook longer for a harder set, or less time for a more sauce like consistency perfect for pouring over pancakes!

Peppered Rhubarb Jam

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Canning Time 5 minutes mins

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• 12 oz Wide Mouth Jars with Lids
• Candy Thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups Rhubarb cut in 1" pieces
• 3 ½ cups sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 dash cracked black pepper
• butter

Instructions

 

• Place cut rhubarb in a large pot.
• Add sugar, salt and pepper.
• Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly.
• Add butter to stop foaming. A thin slice from a butter stick should be enough.
• Check the set of your jam. This can be done either with a candy thermometer reaching 220°F, or by placing some jam on a cool plate to see if it holds up.
• Ladle hot into sterilized jars.
• Water bath jam for 5 minutes.

Why Pepper?

I know, I know, pepper seems like a weird choice for a jam. But really there are all kinds of jam recipes that include black or red pepper. Check out this Sweet-Hot Red Pepper Jam, or this Strawberry Black Pepper Jam and you’ll see it’s not so weird at all! While the salt in this recipe draws out the flavor of the rhubarb, the pepper adds just a little bite to the sweetness. Less is really more when adding pepper to this jam, as rhubarb has such a unique flavor on its own.

Bonus Recipe: Rhubarb Blueberry Jam

Rhubarb Blueberry Jam

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Canning Time 5 minutes mins

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• Candy Thermometer
• 12 oz Wide Mouth Jars with Lids

Ingredients

  

• 7 cups rhubarb cut into 1" pieces
• 4 ½ cups blueberries
• 4 ½ cups sugar
• ⅓ cups lemon juice
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 dash pepper (optional)

Instructions

 

• Place cut rhubarb and blueberries in a large pot.
• Add sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly.
• Add butter to stop foaming. A thin slice from a butter stick should be enough.
• Check the set of your jam. This can be done either with a candy thermometer reaching 220°F, or by placing some jam on a cool plate to see if it holds up.
• Ladle hot into sterilized jars.
• Water bath jam for 5 minutes.

Notes

If it wasn't obvious, I like black pepper and rhubarb together! This recipe works just as well without it though, so leave it out if you'd like.