Rhubarb jam

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 700 g rhubarb, peeled and weighed
• 300 g blackcurrant juice or nectar
• 1 lemon(s)
• n. B. gelling sugar, as desired

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Sterilize four to five jam jars. Boil them or leave them uncovered with a bowl of hot water in an oven preheated to 120 degrees Celsius for at least 10 minutes. Don’t forget the lids. The steam and heat sterilize the jars reliably. The oven method is ideal because you can start before preparation, and the jam/marmalade will be hot when it enters the jars, so you can take the jars out of the oven just before decanting. Cut the trimmed rhubarb (700 g trimmed = approx. 1 kg untrimmed) into approximately 1 cm pieces and mix with the juice of one lemon and the appropriate amount of gelling sugar for 1 kg of fruit. Now you can either let the mixture rest for a while so the sugar can draw more rhubarb juice from the pieces, or you can continue processing it straight away. Then add the blackcurrant juice/nectar, bring everything to a boil over medium heat, and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes. To test for settling, place a small spoonful of the mixture onto a cold saucer and wait a moment until it cools. It should then have the consistency of jam/marmalade, meaning it won’t run. Otherwise, continue for a few more minutes. Pour the jam into the hot jars and immediately seal tightly. Allow to cool completely (takes about 2 hours). Note: I believe the juice is necessary because rhubarb itself doesn’t release enough juice, and currants are a better choice than the often-used strawberry because the slightly tart/sour note of the currant juice brings out the rhubarb’s natural flavor.