Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

the classic English spring preserve: rhubarb stalks slow-cooked with chopped stem ginger and ginger syrup, set to a glossy, warmly spiced jam; one of the most characterful preserves of the British kitchen-garden tradition

Origin: England — the Kitchen Gardens of Georgian Britain

From the journey of Rhubarb.

The pairing of rhubarb and ginger is one of the most instinctive and most successful combinations in the British preserve tradition. Ginger had been used in English cooking since the medieval period, when it was among the most commonly traded spices in the London markets; by the Georgian era it had become completely embedded in British domestic cooking, appearing in gingerbread, syllabubs, pickles, and preserves. When rhubarb entered the kitchen garden in the mid-18th century, ginger was a natural companion: its warmth and gentle heat moderated rhubarb's sharp, sometimes strident acidity and added a complexity that made the resulting jam far more interesting than rhubarb with sugar alone. Stem ginger (ginger pieces preserved in sugar syrup, a product that became standard in British preserve-making in the Victorian period) is the preferred form here. Its syrup contributes both ginger flavour and additional sweetness, while the pieces themselves, finely chopped, distribute warmth throughout the jam. A small amount of ground ginger added separately sharpens the heat; together the two forms give the jam a layered ginger character that is assertive without being aggressive. This jam captures the first flush of the rhubarb season (particularly beautiful made with forced rhubarb, whose vivid crimson stalks produce a jam of extraordinary deep rose-pink colour) and keeps for a year or more in properly sealed jars.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 800 g preserving sugar (with added pectin) or jam sugar
  • 100 g stem ginger in syrup (about 6 balls), finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp ginger syrup (from the stem ginger jar)
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, zest finely grated

Method

  1. The night before: layer the rhubarb pieces and preserving sugar in a large preserving pan or heavy-based saucepan, alternating layers. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger syrup, and ground ginger. Stir briefly to combine. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight, the sugar will draw out the rhubarb's juice to form a syrup, and the pieces will soften slightly.
  2. Before beginning to cook: sterilise your jars. Wash them in hot soapy water, rinse well, then place in an oven at 140°C for 15 minutes. Place three small saucers in the freezer; these are for testing the set. Place a sugar thermometer in a jug of hot water if using one.
  3. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved; this should take 5–7 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil before the sugar has dissolved, or the jam will crystallise.
  4. Add the chopped stem ginger. Bring to a full, rolling boil (a boil that cannot be stirred down) over high heat. Boil hard for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the base. Begin testing for set at 10 minutes.
  5. To test for set: place a small amount of jam on one of the chilled saucers. Return it to the freezer for 1 minute. Push the jam with your finger: if it wrinkles and holds the shape, the set is reached. Alternatively, use a thermometer: setting point is 104–105°C. If not yet set, boil for a further 3–4 minutes and test again.
  6. Remove from the heat and skim any foam from the surface with a slotted spoon. Leave to stand for 5 minutes; this helps prevent the ginger pieces from floating to the top of the jars. Pour carefully into the sterilised jars, filling to within 5 mm of the top. Seal immediately with sterilised lids. Leave to cool completely before labelling.

Notes

The ratio of sugar to fruit here uses jam sugar (with added pectin) because rhubarb is naturally very low in pectin and will not set reliably without it. If using ordinary granulated sugar, add the juice and zest of an additional lemon and be prepared for a softer set. Some recipes add a small amount of crystallised ginger (rather than stem ginger) for a more pronounced, drier ginger flavour; the two types can be combined. Fresh ginger (grated, about 30 g) can substitute for stem ginger but produces a sharper, greener heat rather than the mellow, preserved warmth of the stem variety.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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