2nd & 3rd Choices ... STILL RHUBARB!!

Well the first entry is the one I'm standing by "Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Filling" but I just couldn't resist sharing the couple of other recipes I had to try! But, before I do, I want to make a plea for asparagus! I LOVE THIS VEGGIE... it is among my favorites, but somehow, canning it just doesn't do too much for me! I wanted to use my dill pickle recipe with it, but I need the fresh grape leaves & fresh dill heads and they won't be available for a while! I can buy the asparagus in the store easier then I can get my hands on the other so, that will have to wait till later this summer!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam     

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 cups diced rhubarb (4+ stalks)

1 pkg. powdered pectin

1/4 cup lemon juice

5 1/2 cups sugar        

            

Combine strawberries, rhubarb, lemon and powdered pectin in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add sugar stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Skim off the foam if necessary.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Adjust the two piece lids and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. It was so yummy that I made two batches!! Hopefully, I will get my hands on more rhubarb and make a couple more batches! (Thank you Ball Blue Book 100th Anniversary Edition for this awesome recipe!)         

NOW.... the last recipe that I tried is RHUBARB KETCHUP!! Yes, you read that correctly! We made a grape ketchup years ago from an old recipe and it came out awesome...  Pete thought it would be good to try it with rhubarb too! So... I did some digging and actually found a recipe for it here. The recipe is similar to the one we used before .... but not the same! So, here goes....

RHUBARB KETCHUP

  

4 Cups diced rhubarb

3 medium onions, chopped

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon pickling spice

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Cook for 1 hour or until thick. Cool. Refrigerate in covered containers.  OK, now that is the directions given in the recipe....  here's what I did to modify it!

I used all the same ingredients and simmered it for about 1 hour. I let it cool down and then put it in my blender to puree it. Afterwards, I put it back into a saucepan and brought it to a boil and put it into 2 pint jars and a 1/2 pint jar and water bathed them for 10 minutes.

 I guess the best way to describe it would be to make a comparison...  what apple butter is to apple sauce, this rhubarb ketsup is to rhubarb sauce! It has a spicey & tangy flavor....