What to Do with an Abundance of Rhubarb

Rhubarb is thriving this time of year here in the Midwest, both in home gardens and in the wild. Rhubarb is a springtime delicacy and gets us excited for the abundance of seasonal produce to come. The best time to harvest rhubarb is late April through early June, this is when it’s the most flavorful and has the best texture. Late season rhubarb tends to have a less intense tart flavor, and the longer it grows the more fibrous it becomes.

Rhubarb is a polarizing food. People tend to either love its tart, acidic flavor or find it unappealing. The taste is unique, often paired with other fruits (like strawberries) and sugar to balance the sourness. While some enjoy this, others find it bitter, and don’t like the texture.

Rhubarb is a hardy perennial in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). There are many species of plants called rhubarb, but not all are botanically related to the edible type. The first humans to eat rhubarb unfortunately chose to begin with the leaves that look like chard. However, the leaves contain a toxic amount of oxalic acid and are poisonous. Cramps, nausea and sometimes death from ingestion made people lose interest in the plant. A while later they found that the tart stalks were the part to eat – perfect for tarts and pies giving rise to the nickname “pieplant.”

Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable. But you’ll most commonly see it treated like a fruit, usually used in desserts. It also works well as an accompaniment to savory foods. Because of its tart and almost bitter taste, it almost always needs sugar added to it to make it palatable.

If you ever happen to find yourself with an abundance of rhubarb, it will stay good in the fridge for a couple weeks, before it eventually starts to go limp and dry out. When in doubt, preserve it! There are so many great ways to preserve these rhubarb to use it in the coming months. If you have the space, cut the stalks up and freeze or dehydrate them.

Here are some uses for rhubarb:

• Pies
• Tarts
• Crumbles and crisps
• Cobbler
• Custard and Curds
• Jams and Jelly
• Cakes
• Breads
• Muffins
• Scones
• Donuts
• Biscuits
• Compotes and syrups
• Relish
• Cocktails
• Ice cream and sorbets
• Pickling
• Mostardo

These muffins are one of my favorite batters to make with seasonal fruit. They are soft and fluffy, moist, nutty, and slightly tart. All these flavors work so well together, making this the perfect batter for a muffin or a cake. The sugar streusel adds the perfect crunch to the top, adding a caramel-like taste.

Rhubarb Muffins

Yield: 20 muffins

Prep time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

For the muffins:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter - room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the streusel topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan.

2. Cream together brown sugar and butter until smooth.

3. Add egg and vanilla. Cream together until light and fluffy.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

5. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until almost combined.

6. Pour in buttermilk and sour cream and mix until just combined.

7. Stir in rhubarb, coconut, and walnuts. Make sure not to overmix.

8. With a medium size scoop, scoop muffin batter into prepared liners.

9. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and melted butter and mix until combined. It should be a sandy texture.

10. Sprinkle sugar streusel over the top of each muffin and bake for 25-30 minutes.

11. Serve these muffins warm and enjoy!

Here are some additional fun and easy recipes to utilize rhubarb.

Rhubarb Syrup

This syrup is sweet, tart, and delicious. My favorite ways to use it are in cocktails, mocktails, sparkling water, and lemonades.

Yield: 1 quart

Active time: 30 minutes

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

10 oz rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste - optional

1. Place all ingredients in a small pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rhubarb has broken down and juices have released.
2. Remove from heat and strain into a separate bowl.
3. Pour into desired jars or bottles and refrigerate.

This syrup will last 3-4 weeks in the fridge or a couple of months in the freezer.

Quick Pickled Rhubarb

Eat this straight out of the jar, put it in salads, on meats, or on a charcuterie board.

Yield: 2 pints

Active time: 20 minutes

For each jar:

2-3 stalks rhubarb cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon allspice berries

For the brine:

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup distilled vinegar - or vinegar of choice

1. Make the brine: in a small pot, bring water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
2. Place all ingredients in a jar, and pour hot brine over, leaving space at the top.
3. Let cool completely, then place in the refrigerator.

For best flavor, allow rhubarb to ferment for 2-3 weeks.

The Chopping Block is utilizing rhubarb in a bunch of different upcoming classes this month. If you want a taste of Spring, don’t miss out on these classes that are filling up fast:

• Spring Dinner Party on Friday, May 9 6pm featuring Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler
• Meatless Monday: Spring Garden Spotlight on Monday, May 19 6pm featuring Strawberry-Rhubarb Cornmeal Skillet Cake with Lavender Whipped Cream 
• Chef Sara Salzinski’s Tasting Table Demo on Tuesday, May 20 6pm featuring Strawberry-Rhubarb Filled Crêpes with Vanilla Ice Cream