Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Anton on May 20, 2010, 22:05

Title: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Anton on May 20, 2010, 22:05
There are two huge rhubarb plants on our allotment which no-one else is using. I have made a lot of rhubarb jam (I don't eat jam, it's for the kids and friends) and rhubarb and custard (I pour hot custard on thinly sliced uncooked rhubarb - nice and crunchy). My question is, is there anything else I can use Rhubarb for? Has any ever tried  putting Rhubarb in the freezer?

Another question: I know rhubarb starts getting stringy and almost inedible after a while but is that period due soon or will the plant remain good to eat until next month or later?

Anton
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Loubs on May 20, 2010, 22:12
I made some delicious rhubarb sorbet last year, which I must do again this year.

BBC website is an excellent resource - go to the Food section and look for the Recipe Finder, if you type in rhubarb 151 recipes come up. That'll keep you busy.

Someone may correct me, but I think you can keep harvesting rhubarb till around July - then best to leave the plant to recover & regather it's strength before Autumn comes.

Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: MoreWhisky on May 20, 2010, 22:30
To freeze Rhubarb just cut and dry freeze on a plate and when it frozen bag up.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Terrier on May 20, 2010, 22:43
Do you have to peel the rhubarb before freezing it?  :unsure: OH says all rhubarb should be peeled before eating it.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Anton on May 20, 2010, 22:44
Excuse my denseness, how do you mean dry freeze?
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: MoreWhisky on May 20, 2010, 23:07
i dont peel. 

i just wash it, then cut it, then freeze on a plate, then bag.

Ive actually got a good book called 'how to store your garden produce' which is great.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: STIG1963 on May 20, 2010, 23:22
Drinking a glass of rhubarb wine as i sit here
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Swing Swang on May 20, 2010, 23:32
Rhubarb is a vegetable and responds well to savoury treatment.

Chop it up finely and use it as a stuffing for poultry (cuts through the fat of duck quite well)

Ingredient for chutney.

Goes quite well with pork too.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on May 20, 2010, 23:49
I made some delicious rhubarb sorbet last year, which I must do again this year.


Mrs Learner turned my last rhubarb offering into the very same thing and even she enjoyed it!  ;)
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Salmo on May 21, 2010, 00:18
If you just pick the young stems it does not need to be peeled. After about mid June it usually packs up producing new stems and it best left to build itself up for next year.

To freeze wash, dry, cut into chunks, place in freezer bage in pie size portions.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: willowman on May 21, 2010, 07:46
Rhubarb vodka is rather nice during the winter months (hic).
Plenty of recipes around for it, using spices such as cinnamon and cloves.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Snoop on May 21, 2010, 13:36
I cannot believe that no-one has mentioned rhubarb crumble or rhubarb pie!

Plus, this is another nice recipe from Floyd on France:

http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/blogs/lynne-s-rhubarb-tart
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on May 21, 2010, 15:40
Thanks Snoop - we'll try pie. Crumbled out already though  ::)
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: mrsbean on May 21, 2010, 19:21
been taking loads of mine into work, people doing all previous suggestions.
one lad gone back to childhood and just walking round eating sticks dipped in
sugar..
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: New shoot on May 22, 2010, 09:08
me too mrsbean  :)  I didn't go to the plot on my day off this Wednesday so went to work rhubarbless on Thursday which went down like a lead balloon.  My weekend off so will have to go for a mass picking session at some point  ;)  :lol:

I'm freezing quite a bit in preperation for a wine making session.  It ferments and clears much faster if the fruit has been pre-frozen.

Willowman - is rhubarb vodka as simple as steeping it in the vodka?  Can I have a recipie please
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Aidy on May 22, 2010, 09:44
My favourite pud... no ang on second fave after bread n butter pud. Rhubarb crumble.
Put half a jar of ginger jam/ preserve into your dish, chop the rhubarb into 2 inches strips, place ontop of jam, put crumble mix on top and sprinkle with light muscavado and cinnamon powder and bake.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: plum crumble on May 22, 2010, 10:20
bllinkin' 'eck that sounds good............ :tongue2:
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: New shoot on May 22, 2010, 13:02
Hi Plum - got a piccie of the triffid so you can look forward to a ginger jam and rhubarb feast a la  Aidy next year once I get a piece of crown to you. 

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m198/suec_02/037.jpg)

This is my modest 3 clumps  :blink:  ;)  :lol:  That's a water tap and butt being overtaken in the background  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: And they keep saying to me at work - are you sure this is all surplus.............oh yes it sure is!!!
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: plum crumble on May 22, 2010, 13:30
:ohmy: OH MY WORD!!!!!  :ohmy:

that looks fabulous. YUMYUM and thank you!!!!!
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on May 22, 2010, 16:59
My favourite pud... no ang on second fave after bread n butter pud. Rhubarb crumble.
Put half a jar of ginger jam/ preserve into your dish, chop the rhubarb into 2 inches strips, place ontop of jam, put crumble mix on top and sprinkle with light muscavado and cinnamon powder and bake.

There's a man who knows how to live  ;)
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: willowman on May 22, 2010, 22:28
Newshoot - yes it almost is that simple.
I used the recipe off the recipe forum on this site.
I can't direct you to the exact site but I'm sure you'll be able to find it.

I should add that it has a distinctive flavour, of rhubarb, lemon and spices; not to everybodies taste but, hey, it's alcoholic!

I made mine in a clean 2 litre plastic milk carton, and then decanted back into the original vodka bottle, with a little drop left over for sampling purposes.
In fact I make a few fruit vodkas and at decanting time my friend always appears to help me - usually quite an interesting afternoon.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Val H on May 22, 2010, 22:46
Here you go: http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/1286/rhubarb-vodka-recipe/
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: New shoot on May 26, 2010, 08:58
Thank you  :D



Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: gypsy on May 26, 2010, 13:56
We like rhubarb cooked with onions, chillis, sugar and a bit of salt. serve instead of apple sauce with pork.
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: mebanana on May 31, 2010, 21:11
I've made some rhubarb vodka but used vanilla instead of the cloves and cinnamon as OH isn't too keen on them.  Hope it will work!
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on June 01, 2010, 19:10
I've made some rhubarb vodka but used vanilla instead of the cloves and cinnamon as OH isn't too keen on them.  Hope it will work!

Sounds interesting...

I wonder what it'd be like without the rhubarb?  :lol:
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Yorkie on June 03, 2010, 17:42
Sounds interesting...

I wonder what it'd be like without the rhubarb?  :lol:

Terribly colourless  :dry:
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on June 03, 2010, 18:42
Green rhubarb.... loads of it!  :(

Two years ago I planted three rhubarb plants grown from seed - fortunately I decided three was enough. 

Yesterday I spent ages digging to Australia to remove two of them as the stems are green and I have an older crown that produces lovely pink stuff. (The third green monster will have to wait until I have another hour+ to spare)

Wow do they go down and anchor themselves well...3' and just reached the final tough end of the root. I just hope I have managed to remove every little last bit as I need the space for something else and can't be doing with rhubarb appearing in the middle of the bed.  ::)
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: iggyboy on June 09, 2010, 21:56
Here's what I did with my excess rhubarb at the weekend and my kids loved it. I cut it up and boiled it in a large pan. Then,with a strainer, I squeezed every ounce of juice out of the rhubarb using the back of a large plastic spoon. The resulting rhubarb juice was quite thick so to thin it a little I added two pints of water and half a pint of apple&blackcurrant cordial. Any cordial will do,depending on your own choice of taste. After stirring the mixture for a while I simply poured it into plastic containers the wife had saved up. Each container held about three quarters of a pint of the juice. I put the containers in the freezer and crossed my fingers. The result was  fantastic tasting Jublees! The kids love 'em and whats more,the jublees were that big it kept them quiet for ages apart from the occasional slurping noise!
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: iggyboy on June 09, 2010, 22:02
To Learner,your green rhubarb is known as apple rhubarb and is just as delicious as the red stalks you talk of  :mellow:
Title: Re: Rhubarb, rhubarb
Post by: Paul Plots on June 10, 2010, 01:23
To Learner,your green rhubarb is known as apple rhubarb and is just as delicious as the red stalks you talk of  :mellow:

Now you tell me!  ::)  :lol: It looks wonderful on the compost heap  :wub:

It really did have to go.... grown from seed it became mammoth in size and I needed the space.  :(

Can't have it all ways  ::)