Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam with Earl Grey from Food in Jars

VANILLA-RHUBARB JAM with EARL GREY from FOOD IN JARS

I had never seriously considered making my own jam before met Marissa McClellan author of the wonderful blog Food in Jars, and upcoming cookbook from Running Press with the same name. I designed the book, and it was one of those projects that really made an impact on me. After reading the manuscript it was impossible not to want to attempt some sort of preserving. When we did the photo shoot I couldn't resist sampling a bit of every jam, jelly, marmalade, pickles, and all of the other amazingly good stuff in the book. And after watching Marissa do a demo on how to make her Strawberry-Vanilla Jam, I was pretty sure I could do it too.

So, it being springtime, what better choice than rhubarb? There are two rhubarb jam recipes in the book, and one for jelly. I went with the Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam with Earl Grey because I can never get enough vanilla, and it's so, so good. It was fairly easy to make and now that I've made it, I can't imagine not making more of it. Try it and see! For more resources, check out www.foodinjars.com

-Amanda

VANILLA-RHUBARB JAM WITH EARL GREY from FOOD IN JARS

Makes 4 (1-pint/500 ml) jars

8 cups chopped rhubarb

(about 3 pounds/1.4 kg rhubarb stalks)

4 cups/800 g granulated sugar

1 cup/240 ml double-strength brewed Earl Grey tea

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Juice of 1 lemon

Pinch salt

1 (3-ounce/85 ml) packet liquid pectin

Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars

according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan,

cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.

In a large, nonreactive pot, combine the rhubarb, sugar, and tea and bring

to a boil. Add the vanilla bean and seeds, lemon juice, and salt to the pot

and let the mixture bubble gently over medium-high heat for 15 to 20

minutes, stirring regularly, until the rhubarb has broken down.

Add the packet of liquid pectin and increase the heat to high, to bring the

jam up to a rolling boil. Let the jam boil vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes,

stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning.

Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe

the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for

10 minutes.