Simple and Delicious No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe

No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is one of the simplest, most flavorful ways to preserve early spring fruit. Strawberries and rhubarb are a classic combination — sweet, tart, and perfect for jam.

I love that this recipe uses just a few basic ingredients and lets the fruit shine. After long Northern Illinois winters, the first rhubarb leaves feel like a fresh start, and it’s not long before strawberries join in.

Curious about other seasonal jams and preserves? Explore our Jams and Jellies page for more ideas that celebrate what’s growing now.

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Quick Summary: No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

• Step 1: Wash and chop strawberries and rhubarb.
• Step 2: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Step 3: Simmer and boil gently for about 1 hour, until the jam reaches 220ºF.
• Step 4: Fill hot jars with jam, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, and apply lids and rings.
• Step 5: Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then let rest 5 minutes.
• Step 6: Cool jars for 24 hours, check seals, and store or refrigerate unsealed jars.

Give me the Guide!

Ingredients & Canning Supplies for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients

• Rhubarb- Tart and bright, rhubarb gives this jam its signature tang. Use fresh or thawed frozen pieces, cut small for even cooking.
• Strawberries- Sweet, juicy berries that balance out the rhubarb’s tartness. Fresh is best, but frozen can work if well-drained.
• Sugar– Helps preserve the fruit and brings out its natural sweetness. Also helps the jam reach the right consistency when cooked down. I prefer to use organic, raw sugar.
• Lemon juice- Adds acidity to keep the jam safe for canning and brightens the flavor of the fruit.

Supplies

• Water bath canner– Used to safely process your jars and make this jam shelf-stable. A must-have for high-acid recipes like jams and jellies. The canner I linked also comes with a canning tool set.
• Canning tools– A basic set includes a jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, and headspace measurer. These tools make filling and handling hot jars safer and easier.
• 8 oz jars (half-pint)– Perfect size for jam and great for gifting. Be sure to use jars made for canning so they can handle the boiling water bath.

I Love Home & Locally Grown Rhubarb & Strawberries

When you’re growing rhubarb, you want to cut off the stalks that have seed pods attached to them. When the plant sends up a seed pod, it will stop putting its energy into making more rhubarb, and you don’t want that! Cut those seed pods off so you can have good-quality stalks and a lot of them. After the rhubarb comes the strawberries!

My wonderful neighbors have a large strawberry patch that we have picked from several times this year to make jams and other goodies. It doesn’t get better than homegrown strawberries. I love eating them straight out of the garden, and my 1-year-old learned very quickly how to pick them for herself this year.

More Strawberry Rhubarb Recipes

• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling– This is PERFECT for storing your pie filling for later in the year. Use the filling for pies, crumbles, crisps, etc.
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble– This is one of my favorite things to do with all different kinds of fruit. You can’t go wrong with this crumble recipe.
• Rhubarb Coffee Cake– Coffee cake is new to me this year, and it was a welcome change! I’m so used to making pies that this moist and delicious cake was the perfect way to change it up a little bit.

How to Make No-Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

I used to be intimidated by making and canning jam, but truthfully, it is simple! Sometimes it can get a little tough when you’re not using pectin, but this recipe firms up nicely without it, so it’s a good one to try if you want to venture into no-pectin jam making.

Check out some of our favorite canning supplies. Wash and cut the strawberries and rhubarb into about 1/4-inch pieces. They will break down during all the cooking, so don’t worry about smashing your berries.

Combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and lemon juice into a medium saucepan. Don’t skip the lemon juice; this is an important ingredient to ensure the jam is canned safely. Cook on medium heat until the juices are released from the strawberries and the mixture starts to boil.

Don’t put the heat on too high, too early, or you will burn the fruit to the bottom of your pan. Once the juices are released from the fruit, you can turn the heat up a bit until the mixture comes to a good boil.

Once it is boiling, lower the heat so the mixture continues to boil lightly. Boil for about an hour, or until the mixture reaches about 220ºF. I was super exact with my temperature when I was making this particular jam, and it still turned out perfectly. When the strawberry rhubarb jam is almost done, fill the water bath canner with water and bring it to a boil.

Processing the No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ladle the jam into half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe the rim and put the lid in the center of the jar. Put the ring on and make it fingertip-tight. Using a canning tool set is helpful when you’re filling jars, tightening the rings, and moving jars to and from the canner.

Place the jars in your water bath canner and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Put the lid on the canner and bring the water back to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and then let jars sit for 5 minutes with the lid off. You can also skip the water bath canning altogether if you are making freezer jam! Just pop your jars into the freezer and remove them when you’re ready to enjoy.

Remove the jars and allow them to cool for 24 hours without being disturbed. Check the seals by removing the rings and gently pulling on the lids. Lids should not come off or flex up and down. If the jars are sealed, store them for later use. If you find one that is not sealed, put the ring back on and store it in the fridge. Enjoy that one first!

More Jam & Jelly Recipes

Who doesn’t love a good jelly or jam recipe? If you want to try a few more recipes after you make your no-pectin strawberry rhubarb jam, check out the ones below. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on thimbleberries, give our jam recipe a try. This is my husband’s favorite, and his family perfected the sugar-to-berry ratio. It is MUCH less sugar than most other recipes, and the flavor is to die for. It is also a no-pectin recipe that cooks quickly into a delicious spreadable jam. You’re going to love it.

• Black Raspberry Jam
• Cran-Raspberry Jam
• Thimbleberry Jam
• Lilac Jelly