Canning rhubarb pie filling is one of the most useful ways to keep rhubarb ready for later. Instead of starting from scratch every time you want pie, crisp, or another baked dessert, you have a jar on the shelf that is already sweetened, thickened, and packed with fruit. It is practical, satisfying, and a very good way to stretch the rhubarb season.
This recipe is especially helpful because it gives both a single quart version and a full 7-quart canner batch. That means you can make just enough for a small project or fill a canner when rhubarb is at its peak. The filling uses sugar, bottled lemon juice, and Clear Jel to build a thick glossy texture that holds up well in jars and later in baking.
Ingredients for Canning Rhubarb Pie Filling
For a single quart, the recipe uses:
- rhubarb
- sugar
- Clear Jel
- cold water or juice
- bottled lemon juice
For a full 7-quart canner batch, it scales up the same ingredients:
- rhubarb
- sugar
- Clear Jel
- cold water or juice
- bottled lemon juice
The ingredient list is short, but each one matters. Bottled lemon juice is used for consistency, which is especially important in canning recipes. Clear Jel is the thickener called for here, and it gives the finished filling a pie-ready texture without turning cloudy or pasty.
Rhubarb can be peeled if you like, but the recipe says that is optional. What matters most is removing the tops and bottoms, discarding any leaves, and chopping the stalks into even pieces.
Altering the Canning Recipe for Rhubarb Pie Filling
One helpful note in the recipe card is that the measurements are given for both one quart and a full 7-quart batch. If you want a quantity in between, multiply the single-quart version to get the amount you need. That makes the recipe flexible without changing its ratio.
With canning, the best approach is to follow the ingredient balance as written rather than adjusting thickener, acid, or sugar casually. That gives you the texture and shelf stability the recipe is built around.
How to Can Rhubarb Pie Filling
Start by preparing the jars, lids, and water bath canner. This first step sets up the whole process, so once the filling is ready you can move quickly. Have your jars clean and your canner heating while you prep the fruit.
Wash the rhubarb, trim away the tops and bottoms, and chop the stalks into pieces between 1/2 inch and 1 inch. Then mix the rhubarb with the sugar and let it macerate for at least an hour or overnight. That resting time helps the fruit release its juices and gives the filling a better texture.
Next, whisk the Clear Jel into the measured cold water or juice until it is fully dissolved. This step is easier when the liquid is cold, and it helps keep the mixture smooth. Bring the rhubarb and sugar mixture to a gentle simmer in a large stock pot, then add the dissolved Clear Jel mixture and cook until thickened.
Once the filling is bubbling and thickened, add the bottled lemon juice and boil for one minute more. Then ladle the hot filling into prepared jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. De-bubble carefully, wipe the rims, apply the lids fingertip tight, and process the jars in the water bath canner for 30 minutes, adjusting for altitude if needed.
After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the canner for another 10 minutes. That pause can help reduce siphoning. Then lift the jars out and cool them on a towel-covered surface. Check seals after 12 to 24 hours and refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly.
Altitude Adjustments for Canning Rhubarb Pie Filling
The recipe card gives clear processing times for altitude:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 30 minutes
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 35 minutes
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 40 minutes
- above 6,000 feet: 45 minutes
That adjustment matters because boiling temperature changes with elevation. If you are canning rhubarb pie filling above sea level, use the processing time that matches your altitude rather than sticking with the base time.
Juice or Water for Canning Liquid?
The recipe gives you a choice of cold water or juice for dissolving the Clear Jel. Either works in the method, so the better choice depends on how you want the finished filling to taste. Water keeps the flavor very direct and lets the rhubarb stay front and center.
Using juice can add another subtle fruit note, which some cooks enjoy when they plan to use the filling in pies or crisps. Since the recipe allows both, you can choose based on what you have and how you plan to bake with the finished jars.
Troubleshooting
If the filling seems too loose before processing, keep in mind that it should thicken as it cooks and settle further in the jar. The Clear Jel and boil time are there to build that texture. Follow the order of the recipe closely, especially dissolving the Clear Jel in cold liquid before adding it to the pot.
If you notice siphoning after canning, the extra 10-minute rest in the canner is there to help reduce that risk. It is also worth checking that the jars were filled with the correct headspace and that the canner was handled gently after processing.
If a jar does not seal after cooling, do not put it on the shelf. Move it to the refrigerator and use it first. The recipe card is clear on that point, and it is a practical part of home canning. For broader home canning guidance, the National Center for Home Food Preservation is a helpful outside source.
Using Rhubarb Pie Filling
This filling is ready for much more than pie. It is lovely spooned into a crumble, baked under a cobbler topping, or tucked between layers of pastry for a quick tart. Because the fruit is already sweetened and thickened, it takes some of the work out of baking.
That is the real appeal of canning rhubarb pie filling. You do a bit more work once, and later you get a much faster route to dessert. On a busy day, opening a jar can be the difference between baking something homemade and skipping it altogether. It also pairs naturally with ideas like homemade cherry pie filling, simple bakes from the dessert category, and more inspiration from the main recipe index.
Storage Notes
The recipe notes say that sealed jars will keep peak quality for 12 months when properly canned and stored in a cool dark location. Once opened, the jar should be refrigerated. That makes this a very handy pantry item to prepare when rhubarb is plentiful.
Canning Rhubarb Pie Filling
Equipment
- Water Bath Canner
- Canning jars
- Large stock pot
- Jar lifter
Ingredients
For a Single Quart
- 3 1/2 cups rhubarb washed and chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Clear Jel
- 3/4 cup cold water or juice
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
For a 7 Quart Canner Batch
- 6 Quart rhubarb washed and chopped
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cup Clear Jel
- 5 1/4 cups cold water or juice
- 1 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare canning jars, lids, and heat a water bath canner.
- Wash rhubarb and peel if desired. Remove the tops and bottoms of the stalks and discard any leaves. Chop rhubarb stalks into ½ inch to 1 inch pieces.
- Mix the rhubarb and sugar and allow it to macerate for at least an hour (or overnight) to release its juices.
- Whisk the clear gel into the measured cold water (or juice) until completely dissolved, then set aside.
- Add the macerated rhubarb to a large stock pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add in the dissolved clear gel and water mixture and cook until thickened.
- When the mixture has thickened and begun bubbling, add the lemon juice and boil for one minute more.
- Remove from heat and quickly ladle into prepared canning jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. De-bubble the thick liquid as well.
- Wipe rims, apply 2-part canning lids fingertight, and process in a water bath canner for 30 minutes, increasing time as needed for altitude.
- After processing, turn off the water bath canner and allow jars to rest for another 10 minutes to reduce the chances of siphoning.
- Remove with a jar lifter and cool on a towel-covered surface. Check seals after 12 to 24 hours.
- Store properly sealed jars in a cool dark location. Refrigerate after opening.
