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Rhubarb season might be a little short, but if you learn How to Freeze Rhubarb in a few easy steps, you can savor its tangy bite all year round! I'll show you the secret to prepping and freezing rhubarb, so you can enjoy an endless supply. It takes just 10 minutes!
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Freezing Rhubarb
One of my favorite kitchen tricks has always been freezing vegetables! It's such an easy way to prevent food waste and save money. And, when it comes to rhubarb, it's the perfect vegetable (yes, believe it or not, rhubarb is technically a veggie) to learn how to freeze!
Unless you live in the midwest, rhubarb can be difficult to get your hands on. Living in Florida, I have a harder time finding it, so whenever I manage to pick some up, I love to buy it in bulk and freeze it for later.
Freezing rhubarb is an absolute game-changer. You'll be able to have it at your fingertips throughout the year for baking into desserts, serving in side dishes, or enjoying for breakfast!
No matter what you're using it for, frozen rhubarb is a tangy-and-sweet treat worth having on hand. Let's get started freezing rhubarb!
Freezing Rhubarb Ingredients
- sliced rhubarb
Where can I find rhubarb?
When it's in season in early to late spring (rhubarb harvest is roughly April through June), rhubarb plants can be found at your local grocery store, or, if you're lucky and live in a place where it's widely grown, the farmer's market.
If you live in a location where rhubarb is tough to come by fresh, all the better reason to learn how to freeze it!
Trimming Rhubarb
Before you can freeze raw rhubarb, it needs to be trimmed and washed.
To trim rhubarb, cut the ends of each stalk. You want to trim away the lower white end of each stalk in addition to all of the leaves, leaving you with just the pink (sometimes slightly green) flesh of the stalk.
Discard the leaves immediately - they are toxic.
Washing Rhubarb
Once you've trimmed the stalks and thrown away the leaves, rinse the stalks under cold running water and gently scrub to remove any debris or dirt. Once clean, dry gently with a towel or paper towels.
How to Cut Rhubarb
- Rest washed and trimmed rhubarb stalks on a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the stalks at an angle into 1-inch pieces.
- Once all stalks are cut, you can prepare them for freezing.
Blanching Rhubarb
This is an optional step before freezing.
To better preserve the color and texture of your rhubarb, you can blanch it in boiling water for 1-2 minutes before freezing. To do so, boil a large pot of water. Once boiling, add the rhubarb and let it cook for 1 minute. Remove, then place in a bowl of ice water.
Once cooled down again, follow the instructions below to freeze rhubarb.
How to Freeze Rhubarb
- Arrange cut rhubab slices on top of parchment paper on a baking sheet or tray.
- Place in the freezer and freeze until the stalks are firm to the touch, which will take a few hours. Place them into freezer-safe bags, press out as much air as possible, and store them in the freezer for up to a year. Make sure to label with the date!
Thawing Frozen Rhubarb
Once you're ready to use your frozen rhubarb, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. If you need to thaw it faster, you can place the freezer bag in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. This will gradually thaw it out.
What can you make with rhubarb?
- Pies and tarts: Rhubarb makes an excellent addition to homemade pies, cobblers, and tarts. I love it in Rhubarb Dump Cake and Rhubarb and Apple Crumble.
- Jam, rhubarb compote, or rhubarb sauce: You can use thawed rhubarb to make strawberry rhubarb jam, stewed rhubarb, rhubarb chutney, or rhubarb sauce. Rhubarb jam is wonderful for breakfast, stewed rhubarb and rhubarb sauce are perfect additions to dessert, and chutney is great for serving with dinner!
- Muffins and bread: Try using it to make Rhubarb Muffins or Rhubarb Bread for breakfast or a sweet snack.
- Ice cream: You can use it to make your own ice cream! See my rhubarb ice cream recipe.
Freezing Rhubarb FAQ
You can freeze rhubarb without cooking it first. Simply trim, wash, and cut rhubarb stalks into 1-inch pieces, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop in the freezer until your rhubarb pieces are completely frozen.
The best way to prepare rhubarb for freezing is by first selecting fresh, vibrant rhubarb, trimming the white part of the stalks and leaves, washing and drying the stalks, then cutting into 1-inch pieces.
Rhubarb can be kept in the freezer for up to one year if properly stored. Store in an airtight freezer-safe container, such as tightly sealed freezer bags. Remember to label the frozen rhubarb with the date.
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
How to Freeze Rhubarb
Video
Equipment
- Freezer Bags
Ingredients
- 2 stalks fresh rhubarb - sliced into 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups
Instructions
- Begin by cutting washed and trimmed rhubarb stalks (see notes below) into 1-inch pieces. Make sure all leaves are discarded. Lay the stalks flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet.2 stalks fresh rhubarb
- Place in the freezer and freeze until the stalks are firm to the touch, which will take a few hours. Place them into freezer-safe bags, press out as much air as possible, and store them in the freezer for up to a year. Make sure to label with the date!
Notes
- Discard the leaves immediately – they are toxic.
- Rest washed and trimmed rhubarb stalks on a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the stalks at an angle into 1-inch pieces.
- Once all stalks are cut, you can prepare them for freezing.
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