Low-Sugar Blueberry-Rhubarb Jam Recipe

Blueberries and Jam
Michelle McMahon / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Plus: 9 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 40 servings
Yield: 5 cups

This blueberry-rhubarb jam recipe is lower in sugar than most jam recipes, calling for only 2 cups for a five (8-ounce jar) yield, as opposed to most 4-cup-sugar recipes. This jam gets a little kick from lime zest and juice and would make a great food gift. You must let the rhubarb stand with the sugar overnight to soften it, so bear that in mind when making this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 21 ounces rhubarb, washed and chopped into 1/2-inch dice

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1 1/4 cups water

  • 1/2 ( 1 3/4-ounce package) or 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered pectin for low-sugar or no-sugar recipes

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 10 1/2 ounces blueberries, washed and stemmed

  • 2 ripe limes, zested and juiced

  • 1/4 teaspoon unsalted butter, to prevent foaming

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine rhubarb and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight.

  3. In a large saucepan or pot, combine water, pectin, and 1/2 cup sugar.

  4. Stir in blueberries, reserved rhubarb, and its juices, lime zest, lime juice, and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

  5. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam that has risen to the surface.

  6. Ladle hot jam into 5 heatproof or canning jars that have been washed in hot soapy water (sterilizing isn't necessary unless the jam will be canned), rinsed and air dried. Top with lids and rings that have been washed in hot soapy water, rinsed and air dried. Turn upside down onto a clean dish towel.

  7. When cool, turn right side up and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.

  8. Jams such as this one make wonderful fillings for Polish sweet rolls known as drozdzówki and Hungarian sweet rolls known as bukta (they are known as buchty in Czech and Poish).

Tips

  • This jam does not need to be canned but must be refrigerated (up to 3 weeks) or frozen (up to 1 year).
  • If you decide to can, the jam for room-temperature storage up to one year.
  • Remember to label each container with the name of the jam and the expiration date.
  • If you decide to process this jam in a water bath for room-temperature storage at 55 to 70 F (up to one year).
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
54 Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 40
Amount per serving
Calories 54
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 15mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 54mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)