Orange Rhubarb Cardamom Jam with Strawberry Balsamic

Adapted from recipe by Marisa McClellan

Ingredients

2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 large navel oranges, peeled and roughly chopped

2-3 tbsp orange zest

4 ½ cups white sugar

3 tbsp fruit pectin (do not use low-sugar pectin)

¾ tsp ground cardamom

¼ cup Vinesation Strawberry Balsamic

Directions

1. Submerge 7 empty half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot of water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low to keep jars warm until ready to fill.
2. Mix rhubarb, orange chunks and orange zest into a wide, nonreactive 8-quart pot. Whisk together sugar, pectin, and cardamom in a small bowl, then stir into pot until combined.
3. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, until volume has reduced by at least one-third, 20 to 25 minutes. Add strawberry balsamic when it’s getting close to ⅓ reduced. Remove pot from heat and check for set.
4. Working with one jar at a time, remove empty jars from canning pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, carefully ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. Use a clean table knife to work air bubbles out of jars. Check headspace again and add more jam if necessary to bring to 1/2 inch from the top.
5. Wipe jar rims with clean cloth, apply lids and bands (finger tight), and return jars to canning pot; make sure water covers jars. Cover pot and return water to a rolling boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot lid, and let jars stand in the cooling water 5 minutes to help ensure a good vacuum seal.
6. Move jars to a folded kitchen towel or wooden cutting board. Let sit for 24 hours before checking seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. They are shelf-stable at least 1 year. 

*To check for set: place saucer in freezer before starting recipe. When jam looks glossy & thick, take off heat and place a tsp-tbsp on the sauce and place back in freezer for 30 seconds. Take it out and touch it. It should be slightly firm and the ‘skin’ on top should slightly wrinkle and not merely smear.  If it smears, the jam needs another 1-2 minutes of boiling then test again.