Lebanon County Rhubarb Jam

Lebanon County in central Pennsylvania has a Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouse jam tradition that runs deep, and this rhubarb-and-orange version is a perfect example. Four ingredients, no commercial pectin, just fresh rhubarb cooked down with sugar and the rind and juice of two oranges until it sets into a glossy ruby-pink preserve.

The orange zest is the trick that elevates this above plain rhubarb jam. Stripped from two whole oranges and added with the juice, the zest provides aromatic oils that perfume the entire pot and give the jam a bright, slightly bitter undercurrent that cuts through the heavy sweetness.

No pectin is used. The natural pectin in the rhubarb, combined with the long stovetop simmer, is enough to thicken everything into a spoonable jam consistency. Pennsylvania Dutch cooks have been doing it this way since their German ancestors brought the technique over centuries ago.

A full 30 minutes of cooking is the minimum. The water and rhubarb juices need to evaporate substantially for the jam to set, and the natural sugars need time to caramelize slightly for that deep, complex flavor.

Canning Tips

• Use young, firm rhubarb stalks with bright pink to red coloring, mature woody stalks turn stringy and dull-flavored after the long cook.
• Trim off all leaves and any green tops completely. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and are toxic if eaten.
• Sterilize jars and lids by boiling for 10 minutes before filling. Hot jam into cold jars will crack the glass.
• Test for set with the cold-plate trick: drop a teaspoon onto a plate from the freezer. If it wrinkles when pushed with a finger, the jam is ready.

Variations

• Add a 2-inch knob of grated fresh ginger for a warming, slightly spicy version.
• Use 1 lemon and 1 orange instead of 2 oranges for a sharper, brighter citrus profile.
• Stir in a half teaspoon of vanilla extract at the very end for a deeper, more dessert-like jam (great on scones).