rhubarb

a. growing rhubarb at home

2013-2015

If you can find a rhubarb plant a spot they like, these are easy and quick growers. I had a few plants from 2013 through 2015 when the tornado razed my entire vegetable garden. They did quite well and were not nearly as sour as the rhubarb I bought in the store in 2020.

directions

2013

Pic2-4: 2013 rhubarb in a raised garden bed take up a lot of space

2014-2015

Pic5: 2014-02-13 sprouting after winter
Pic6: 2014-03-29 flower stalk
Pic7: 2015-03-21

Plant in a fertile soil.
Keep moist, not wet.
Do not eat the leaves. They are toxic.
Wait until the 2nd year to harvest.
- Harvest the stems by pulling with a twisting movement close to the root to avoid damaging the root or break the stem.
- Do not harvest more than 50% of the stems to avoid weakening the plant too much.
Rhubarb originated in Siberia and is very winterhardy.
- Cover with straw in winter after the leaves die off.
- The plant will sprout again in spring.
- Flower stalks grow early in the season.
  Don't let the plant waste energy on making seeds: remove them early.

a. rhubarb jam / confiture

2013-08-15

2013

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 6 cups:

3 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces (about 7 c.)
4 cups sugar

Optional:

salt

Pic1: 2013-08-15 — rhubarb jam / confiture

Directions

Compote or jam: cut small, cook until melted.
Jam / confiture: add up to equal weight in sugar, simmer down until syrupy-thick.
I do not use pectin for rhubarb.
If desired, add salt to taste.
Pour in sterilized jars.
Clean and close.

Optional:

for longer shelf-life, process in waterbath.

c. rhubarb compote

various dates

Rhubarb compote is easy to prepare and goes a lot quicker than the confiture.

Peel the outside layer only if it is extremely sour to avoid wasting too much. Sugar or other sweetener will be needed to make it more pleasant. Cook until liquid for compote.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 3 quarts:

4 lbs. rhubarb stems
sugar to taste

Pic1: 2013-09-28 — garden-fresh rhubarb

Directions

This green rhubarb cooks up brown.

2013-09-28

Pic2-4: from garden to kitchen

Rhubarb is quite sour. Waterbath canning is sufficient.

2015-05-04

Pic9: newly harvested rhubarb
Pic10: cut off leaves and bottom
Pic11: wash, cut small

Pic12: cook until melted
Pic13: crockpot duck in rhubarb
Pic14: rhubarb duck served

Compote or jam: cut small, cook until melted.
Compote = less sugar, less cooking time = more liquid.
Jam / confiture: add more sugar, cook longer until syrupy-thick.

This red rhubarb variety stays red and was extremely sour

2020-03-18

Pic15-17:

Cut the rhubarb in 1" pieces.
Here I went too long, and lived to regret it.
Bring to a boil over low heat.
Cover and simmer until the rhubarb is completely melted.

Pic18-20:

Stir in sugar or other sweetener to taste.
Because I didn't cut the pieces small enough, the stringy fibers were too long and I was forced to blend it all to get rid of them. The end result was initially a very foamy mixture. That foam disappeared by the next day.
Refrigerate until needed.
Because this can be very acidic, it can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.

I served this over the following weeks with a variety of meals. At first I had to almost force myself to eat this, so sour that it was, but that improved gradually until I even started looking forward to it.

Pic21+22: 2020-03-27 — cod, tilapia, sausages with rhubarb compote and creamed spinach
Pic23: 2020-04-05 — jalapeno cheddar sausages with rhubarb

Pic24: 2020-03-28 — lamb steak with rhubarb
Pic25: 2020-03-30 — chicken breast with rhubarb and brown rice
Pic26: 2020-04-01 — king salmon with rhubarb

directions

This green rhubarb cooks up brown.

This red rhubarb variety stays red and was extremely sour

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org