How To Freeze Rhubarb. Easy step by step directions on how to freeze rhubarb. A great way to enjoy the sweet tart taste of rhubarb in recipes year-round.
Hubby and I went out for a ride a few weeks ago, and he bought some rhubarb. While we made a fabulous dessert with a portion of the rhubarb, we had quite a bit leftover which we decided to freeze.
● Wash the rhubarb and remove the leaves.
● Dicing is the best choice – slit the rhubarb in half lengthwise, then slit each of the halves in half again. You are quartering, lengthwise.
● Dice the rhubarb.
● Bring several quarts of water to a rolling boil on the stove. I use a colander insert pot
for ease of blanching, and draining.
● Bring water to a boil.
● Immerse a colander of rhubarb for 90 seconds to blanch.
● Remove blanched rhubarb, and allow to drain for at least 30 minutes before attempting to freeze. You want to be certain it isn’t very wet.
● Hubby evenly divided the leftover rhubarb and bagged it.
● Yes, he is serious about evenly dividing.
● We had approximately six cups leftover which is perfect for two recipes be it a pie or crisp.
● Hubby put the rhubarb in a ziploc bag, the unzipped ziploc into a foodsaver bag. He then used his foodsaver on canister mode. At this point he sucked all the air out of the foodsaver bag which also squished all the air out of the ziploc bag. He quickly zipped closed the ziploc bag, and removed it from the foodsaver bag.
● The foodsaver bag never sealed because he never used the heating element, and he was able to suck all the air out of the ziploc bag!
● The bags are now labeled and ready for freezing. These will easily keep for 4-6 months
Need rhubarb recipes? Try one of these fabulous rhubarb desserts:
● Strawberry Rhubarb Galette Recipe – Using fresh (or frozen) fruit, this pretty galette dessert is easy to make, but impressive to serve – not to mention super tasty! Make it for a treat tonight!
● Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe – This updated, old time strawberry rhubarb crisp is simply delicious. The great sweet-tart taste of strawberries and rhubarb combined with a buttery good granola crumble topping makes for a dessert your entire family will enjoy!
● Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe – (different crisp recipe – strawberry rhubarb is Hubby’s favorite so I make it a lot.) A sweet-tart Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe that is not only fast and easy to make, but delicious as well.
● Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies Recipe – Homemade pie, but no utensils required to eat. These delicious, sweet and tart, easy to make Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies are great for dessert, lunch boxes, snacks and portion control.
● Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.
● For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.
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Tamona Valentine says
What on earth does rhubarb taste like? Does it have its own taste or is similar to something? It looks so much like celery I can’t even imagine the taste. I always see it in pies with strawberries and it really makes me wonder.
admin says
To me it is tart, Tamona. I think that is why people make strawberry-rhubarb pie – a sweet-tart!
Ann
Marg says
Tart and it tastes like spring.
Tamona Valentine says
But is it yummy? It sounds like it would make a good snack. Have you eaten it without cooking it before?
admin says
Snack on rhubarb!? I don’t know anyone that does that, although I bet if you looked hard enough you would find people that do.
Ann
pam says
My Family Eats It Raw…Peel OfF The Top And Sprinkle it With Salt Or Sugar. Out IT Is Very Sour But We Love It!
Dawn says
As a kid we used to take a stall and dip it on sugar and eat it. It is tart but there are lots of recipes. I just made a rhubarb cinnamon bread. Very good
Angie says
As a kid we used to snack on rhubarb dipped in sugar. It was good sweet and tart
Lisa says
You dip it in sugar and just eat it straight out of the garden that was a treat as a kid! You have to try it!
KimH says
Tamona, Rhubarb is sour.. Very sour.. Have you ever put a piece of Prickly Lime Ash in your mouth? It has that same pucker/bite to it.
I personally wouldnt eat it raw and I’ve never know anyone who did.. I would try it pickled but I never have done it myself or seen it done… it definitely needs sugar to make it palatable. I have read that some plants are very mild and arent as sour.
I dont know anyone who blanches rhubarb.. Everyone I know, including me, just chop it & toss it in the freezer..
admin says
Well, now you know someone Kim – me!
Ann
Janelle says
And me! I grew up plucking rhubarb from my yard, peeling it and dipping it in a little bowl of sugar ( my mom does salt… yuck.) And eating it for a nice summer treat!
Colette says
Thank you. Blanching and vacuuming seems a lot off trouble. We have an abundance of it growing in the garden and I usually make apple 🍎 and rhubarb crumble from it. Served with custard or cream or both 🤗 crumble made from equal parts (8oz of each) flour, hard butter (real butter 😉) and brown sugar. Trick is to cut the butter into small squares and using gloves mix the 3. Sprinkled on top of (brown sugared) chopped fruit and into the oven on a medium heat for about an hour. More if you like it slightly caramelised. Quick easy foolproof 🤗
kasualkat says
I ate it raw when I was a kid (we grew it in our garden). Very sour tart. Makes you pucker up!
My mom made rhubarb sauce, like applesauce and strawberry rhubarb pies. Yummy!
Clarice says
I have a good pie recipe if you’d like to try it.
kasualkat says
Yes, please.
Clarice says
If you’re going to use frozen rhubarb take it out the nite before.
3 cups rhubarb, cut in 1/4″
3 tablespoons flour, well rounded
1 cup sugar
1. 9″ unbaked pie shell
3 eggs separated
1 tablespoon thick sour cream (I don’t use this)
Topping
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Put rhubarb in large bowl. Combine flour & sugar then add to rhubarb and let stand while getting pie crust ready. Brush the bottom & sides of crust with egg white (prevents crust from becoming soggy). Beat egg yolks and sour cream until thick, and add to rhubarb. Pour into pie shell. Combine topping ingredients, spread evenly over pie. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 mins.; reduce heat to 350 degrees, bake 50 mins. more
kasualkat says
Thank you! My sister is freezing some of her rhubarb for me. Stock that came from my grandfather’s farm more than 50 years ago.
Melissa M says
I can’t wait to try this also. I just inherited a lot of rhubarb and want to at least make a desert while freezing or canning the rest.
Marg says
I have been using rhubarb since I was a child and I’m in my 70s now. First of all, get a plant or buy stocks that are red or at least mostly red. They are not as sour and produce a much more attractive end product. secondly, I have never ever heard of blanching rhubarb before freezing it. I just cube it and put it in one big bag and shake it once in awhile to keep it from freezing in a lump or, if you have room, pre measure it into the amount you use it in your recipe. Be sure to date it as shown in the demo. Just used my last bag of frozen rhubarb today, May 28th, that was frozen last June. It was delicious!! A good rhubarb pie recipe often has an egg or two egg yokes in it.
Katiemac says
I have frozen rhubarb for years and never blanched it. I have used freezer bags, food saver bags and plastic freezer containers, whatever was handy or fit the space I had. But, go ahead and do that if you think it’s a good idea.
One of my favorite things is a Rhubsrb Matramonial Square, like a date square, but with rhubarb, pick it up with your hands and eat it like a piece of cake.
I’ve done variation mixing cherries and/or blueberries in with the rhubarb, I find strawberries are a little dull in the flavor department do I rarely use them for this. If your doing just the Rhubsrb, a little Orange or lemon zest really perks it up. The mixed fruit rhubarb squares are always a big hit.
cindy says
Can u use a foodsaver bag to freeze the rhubarb? Is there Weba certain reason for using ziploc bags?
Marg says
Yes. Use the food saver. Be sure the rhubarb is not too wet or it will freeze in a lump or freeze it in pre measured portions.
Lorie Torbeck says
I’m curious what blanching does for the rhubarb?
BTW, I ate raw rhubarb with sugar as a kid, but the only memory I have is that I didn’t care for it.
holly says
I have an abundance of frozen rhubarb. And when I use it from the freezer. All of my recipes that I use it on come out extremely watery. Is there I can rectify this?
Patty Knight says
My frozen comes out watery also. Afraid to use for pies because of this. What do you do?
C. Jenkins says
I have frozen rhubarb for years and never blanched it. Not necessary. Recipes always turn out great. Just wash chop and bag then freeze. Don’t chop it so small.
Shirley says
Have frozen rhubarb for decades and never blanch it! Wash, dry, dice and bag it…done!
BETTY BURNS says
Simple and yum recipe. Rhubarb upside down cake 13X9 inch baking pan, spray with Pam, measure 5 cups of rhubarb cut into 1/4 ” slices, and spread into bottom of pan. Next, evenly spread 1 large dry strawberry jello, over rhubarb, then spread evenly 3 cups of miniature marshmallows over jello. Mix a store bought cake mix either yellow or white, by box directions, and pour over evenly, and spread, now cook it at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until middle of cakes is done.
When it comes out of the oven, cool 5 minutes, loosen sides with a knife and dump it out onto a cookie sheet. Cool whip, if desired… Yum!
Ann says
Thank you for the recipe, Betty! That sounds fun and easy to make!
Ann
Betty Burns says
You are welcome. Easy, easy easy, been making this for 40 years. A family favorite!