Preparing Rhubarb for the Freezer:
You can twist and pull the stalk out at their base to yank it up from the ground and out of the main rhubarb plant. If you find this too difficult to manage you can chop the rhubarb stalk low to the ground keeping in mind that the remaining stubble may interfere in future growths.
Remove the rhubarb leaves as these are toxic and should never be eaten. Wash the rhubarb stems thoroughly. Remove any woody or damaged stems.
How to Package Rhubarb for Freezing:
You can freeze your stalks whole or you can dice your rhubarb into bite sized pieces. There are a number of methods for freezing rhubarb,
It can be put in airtight plastic bags or within plastic storage containers for freezing.
It can be frozen as whole stalks within either freezer bags or bread bags.
It can be chopped and frozen in its natural state, frozen with added sugar, or frozen within a syrup mixture.
I generally freeze my rhubarb plain as this is the easiest and quickest method to freeze this vegetable. I simply chop my rhubarb, pop it into the bags, and then into the freezer. I do, however, place my rhubarb into a variety of different-sized containers so I have an ample variety of sizes to select from. This ensures that no matter how large a batch it is that I am choosing to cook that day I'll be sure to have the correct package in the freezer for my needs.
If you are adding sugar in with your rhubarb, generally use about one part sugar for every four parts of rhubarb. You can stir your sugar and rhubarb within a bowl before bagging it or just dump the sugar into the bag over top of the rhubarb. Shake the container to coat.
Anyone who has ever eaten rhubarb plain knows that it is a very tart vegetable it is therefore best when it is combined with other fruits to give it a little more natural sweetness. For a more tasty treat in your recipes combine apples along with the rhubarb. Apples tend to compliment the flavour of rhubarb very nicely.
Don't forget to put the date on your packages before you put them in the freezer to insure that older batches are used first.
It was a standard plant in rural gardens but as produce became easier to purchase this plant was often treated as simply a decorative addition by those who did not realize its true potential. Looking much like a weed with its huge leafy foliage rhubarb is of late being once again more widely recognized for the tasty and nutritious food that it is.
Rhubarb is such an easy vegetable to preserve that it takes just minutes to prepare for freezing and once frozen it will maintain its nutritional value for up to nine months. Rhubarb can be added to all kinds of tasty treats to add that little extra nutritional value to your desserts.
In addition to being an economical option and saving more plastics from being created or thrown into a local landfill, reusing your plastic containers also gives you a wider range of various sized containers to choose from.
When freezing your rhubarb, as with all fruits or vegetables, try to put a variety of sized packages in your freezer for later use. Having a number of size options in your freezer will help prevent waste when cooking or baking.
Apple Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Ingredients:2 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
2 cups diced rhubarb
2 cups diced apples
1/4 cup white sugar
Directions:
Prepare the crumb mixture by creaming the margarine into the brown sugar. Add the next four ingredients and mix till crumbly.
Dice the fruit into small squares and mix with the white sugar.
Combine one-quarter of the crumb mixture with the diced fruit in a baking pan. Pour the remaining crumb mixture atop the rhubarb, apple and crumb mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for thirty-five to forty-five minutes. Top with ice cream, whipping cream or serve with a small amount of milk.
Note: You can lessen the brown sugar to one cup if you like your crisp less sweet. This crisp can also be prepared without the apples. Just replace apples with two cups of additional rhubarb.
I've already let you know that rhubarb is a natural cleanser for your body, but did you know that apples will also help remove toxins from your body too? Apples are well-known for their rich vitamin content, but a lesser known fact is that the pectin / malic acid within apples can help to detoxify your system as well. It binds with heavy metal toxins such as aluminum and mercury and aides in their removal from the body. Apple-rhubarb pie . . . what a yummy way to get a little healthier.