Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, we often think of it as a fruit because it is cooked with sugar and served as a sweet side or dessert. The stalks are edible and similar in texture and appearance to celery. I do not recommend eating it like celery though, as the stalks are extremely tart. The leaves are not edible and are considered poisonous due to high levels of oxalic acid.

Rhubarb is easy to grow and harvest. It likes a sunny location and does not require a lot of moisture. It also does not require a rabbit fence. Unlike the rest of my garden, the bunnies will leave it alone. Once the plant is established (usually in it’s second year when the stalks are no longer spindly), harvest rhubarb every 4-5 weeks or as you need it. Pull the stalks away from the base and leave about 1/3 of the plant to feed the regrowth. Once the growing season is finished harvest the entire plant.

If you have more than you can use, freeze the extra to use over the winter. Clean fresh picked rhubarb and allow it to dry. Once dry, cut the stalks into one inch pieces and spread on a sheet pan. Freeze the rhubarb on the sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to 1 gallon resealable bags and label. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

I use a similar method for freezing summer berries. Once cleaned and stems removed, lay flat to freeze and then bag. Do not cut berries before freezing.

The berry sauce to add to the rhubarb starts with a gallon of frozen strawberries, or frozen mixed berries. Pour the frozen berries into a saucepan, no need to thaw them. Turn on the heat and cook until the berries are completely broken down and saucy.

Strain the cooked berries mashing the pulp as you go. Press out as much juice as possible. I use a mashing tool that I originally bought for browning ground meat. It works great for this and I love a gadget that can be cross utilized. A one gallon bag of berries will yield about 3 cups. You will use 1 1/2 cups for the rhubarb sauce.

While the berries are cooking clean and chunk the rhubarb. Use a sharp knife to cut cleanly through all the strings. Two pounds of rhubarb will yield about 8 cups. Add the rhubarb, sugar, and a very small amount of water to a saucepan. Cook the rhubarb down until it becomes sauce. The rhubarb cooks surprisingly fast and releases a lot of juice. Resist the urge to add more water to the pan.

Once the rhubarb has become a sauce stir in the berry sauce and test the sweetness. Add 1/4 cup sugar at a time until its as sweet as you like. Cook a few minutes to dissolve the additional sugar and remove from the heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store the sauce chilled up to a week.

Look at the amazing color when served over ice cream! It is also a great way to sweeten plain yogurt and then you don’t have to wait until the socially acceptable time to eat dessert.

Rhubarb Berry Sauce

Berry sauce:

1 gallon bag Frozen strawberries

Rhubarb sauce:

2 lbs. Fresh rhubarb
3/4 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 1/2 cups Berry sauce

Berries: Place frozen berries in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat to low.
Mash berries and continue to simmer until berries are broken down.
Strain sauce into a bowl.
Mash the pulp to get all the juice. Makes about 3 cups of juice.
Rhubarb: Clean and chunk rhubarb. Two pounds of rhubarb will yield about 8 cups.
Place rhubarb in a saucepan with sugar and water.
Cook rhubarb over medium heat until it begins to break down and juices are released.
Reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir occasionally until sauce forms, about 15 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups of berry sauce.
Bring back to simmer and cook about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool.
Store sauce in refrigerator until ready to use.

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There are many other ways to serve rhubarb sauce - over pancakes or French toast, and as a side to grilled chicken or pork. Freeze the sauce in portions to pull any time all year long.

If you don’t grow your own rhubarb, it is plentiful at the Farmer’s Market in June. For another rhubarb recipe, check out our kickoff blog from June, 2019.