Why it works: Rhubarb and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,852 recipes. Both carry 1-penten-3-one, which smells fish, pungent. The science ↓
Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash the rhubarb.
Cut the rhubarb into 1‑inch pieces; do not peel.
Weigh the rhubarb and measure 1.5 pounds of sugar for every 2 pounds of rhubarb.
Place the rhubarb and sugar in a porcelain kettle.
Cook
Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, then boil and stir continually for 45 minutes.
Jar
Transfer the jam to jars and seal them tightly, or store in tumblers covered with paper.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Rhubarb + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,852 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Rhubarb
- Provides the bulk and tart flavour, and its pectin and acid help the jam thicken and set.
- Granulated sugar
- Sweetens the jam and, by drawing out water, helps it thicken and keeps it preserved.
The step that matters
Boil and stir continually. Sugar can scorch on the bottom of the kettle if the mixture is not stirred, giving a burnt flavour. Continuous stirring with a steady boil also helps the mixture reach the thick, set consistency needed.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More rhubarb jam recipes
You might also like
Rhubarb Pie152 recipes
Rhubarb Marmalade35 recipes
Rhubarb Jelly28 recipes
White Cake431 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.