This Maine Aunt’s Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Is The Best You’ll Ever Have

One of my favorite things in the world is anything toasted, especially an English muffin. My sweet Aunt Paulette made the most amazing strawberry rhubarb jam every spring and would bring everyone in the family a small plastic butter tub of it. When I was all grown up and had moved out, she would drop off a tub for me at my mother's house because she knew how much I loved it. She was such a thoughtful, loving person to take the time to do that. Before she died I asked her for the recipe. I've changed it just a bit by adding fresh strawberries, and sometimes I use raspberry jello and raspberries instead of strawberry. My heart is in the same place as Aunt Paulette's was when I make it and give it to the people that I love. Her legacy lives on through jam!

I have re-named it, inspired by an 80's mixed tape...

Mama's Slow Jam:

• 5 cups of chopped rhubarb, I like mine chunky so I cut it pretty big, dice it if you aren't into the texture
• I add 2 cups of fresh quartered strawberries or raspberries
• 3 cups of white sugar
• 1 3 ounce package of Strawberry Jello. I sometimes use raspberry instead.

This is so simple because I don't can it, aint nobody got time for that. At least I don't.

I use a pasta pot and put my fruit and sugar in there. I know, it is a LOT of sugar! It will break down the strawberries and rhubarb and turn into what looks like fruit soup by morning.

Put the cover on the pot and let it sit in the fridge overnight, stir it every now and then.

Cook it down the next day. I leave the mixture right in the pot and bring it to a boil for about 3 minutes, or until the rhubarb becomes tender.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the packet of Jello mix.

Let it cool a bit before putting it into plastic containers and refrigerating it.

Thank you, Aunt Paulette. I still think of you and miss you :) Do you have a family recipe or food tradition? Share it in our Fan Page.