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    Home » How to » How to Freeze Rhubarb: A Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Freeze Rhubarb: A Step-by-Step Guide

    June 7, 2021 , Updated June 1, 2023 Maria 2 Comments

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    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board.

    Do you happen to have an excessive amount of fresh rhubarb on your hands? Or how about a glut ‘ready to pick’ harvest that you are not quite ready to utilize yet? If so, learn how to freeze your rhubarb most effectively and seamlessly.

    Not only does freezing rhubarb help you reduce waste and maintain freshness, but it allows you to leverage this wonderful vegetable to make delicious tart desserts and savory dishes now or a year from now.

    Since rhubarb is often coupled with strawberries, you may also be planning on freezing fresh strawberries. Be sure to consult this step-by-step guide and more in-depth information on how to freeze strawberries.

    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board, next to a knife.
    Jump to:
    • Introduction
    • What you’ll need
    • How to freeze fresh rhubarb: From harvesting to freezing to thawing 
    • FAQ
    • Simple rhubarb recipes
    • Summary 
    • Preserving fresh herbs
    • Recipe

    Introduction

    There is something quite exhilarating about picking perfect ‘ready to harvest’ rhubarb stalks from your garden and heading straight to the kitchen to whip up your favorite rhubarb recipes.

    From rhubarb compote, puddings, cakes, jams, and muffins to everyone’s favorite tart dessert, strawberry rhubarb crostata!

    Rhubarb, or pieplant, is a truly delectable (and healthy) vegetable used in many mouthwatering recipes.

    This bright-colored green and red vegetable can easily be harvested from late spring into early summer.

    But here’s the zinger; what if your bumper crop of rhubarb is ready to be harvested, but you are not ready to use it just yet? 

    If you ever find yourself in this unique and wonderful situation, don’t deem your rhubarb harvest doomed just yet! There is a key solution to solve this dilemma, and it’s called freezing your rhubarb!

    Despite its short season, rhubarb is a wonderful preservative, and freezing rhubarb is the easiest and most effective way to get the most out of your bountiful harvest all year long. 

    If you are ready to learn how to freeze rhubarb and reduce waste, look at these step-by-step directions.

    Diced rhubarb in a Ziploc freezer bag.

    What you’ll need

    • Rhubarb – as much as you’d like
    • A sharp chef’s knife 
    • Freezer bags or freezer containers
    • boiling water (optional for blanching)
    A handful of fresh rhubarb.

    How to freeze fresh rhubarb: From harvesting to freezing to thawing 

    Harvesting

    If you are new to the rhubarb harvesting game, you may have questions about when to pick your rhubarb.

    Like asparagus, rhubarb is one of the first vegetables harvested, usually from mid-spring to early summer. 

    You can pick your stalks when they are about as thick as your finger and at least 8 inches long. Please make sure they are blemish-free. For reference, rhubarb tends to be the tastiest when closer to 12-18 inches long. 

    Make sure not to harvest your rhubarb in the first year of planting. As a young perennial plant, it still needs to develop a strong root system.  Instead, wait for the second year and harvest just a few stalks over a 3-4-week period. By the third year, you can harvest as many mature stalks from your rhubarb plant as you’d like over a period of 8-10 weeks. 

    So now that you know when to harvest your rhubarb, here’s how to do it. First, grasp and twist the base of the rhubarb stalk with an upward movement. As a second option, you can use a sharp knife.

    Although this tart vegetable is often used fresh, it freezes well. The best time of the year to freeze rhubarb is in peak season, either available at your farmer’s market, grocery stores, or freshly picked. This will ensure the flavor and texture of the rhubarb is at their maximum.

    If purchasing, look for crisp, brightly colored stalks. Limp and soft stalks are an indication that they are not fresh. 

    Rhubarb stalks in a colander.

    Prepping 

    Let’s say you have your supply all harvested and ready to be frozen. The next step towards freezing rhubarb is getting it prepped and ready.

    The leaf and root are cut off from the rhubarb stalk.

    This includes cutting off the leaves and the bottom part of the stalks. Although the leaves are toxic to ingest, they are safe for your compost pile. [source]

    Once done, thoroughly wash rhubarb stalks under cold running water. 

    Rhubarb stalks on a clean dish towel.

    Place on a clean tea lint-free tea towel and pat dry with paper towels or another clean tea towel.

    Rhubarb stalks next to a knife, lined up to get cut.

    Line up your stalks, and with a very sharp knife, cut the stalks into ¾-1 inch pieces.

    Blanching (optional step) 

    Blanching is a favored process that helps preserve the bright color of rhubarb and other vegetables before freezing. This is an entirely optional step but one to consider implementing if you plan to freeze your rhubarb longer than three months.

    To do this, boil a pot of water, and drop your cut raw rhubarb into it for one minute.

    Once that minute is up, drain the boiling water immediately and run your rhubarb under cold water to stop it from cooking. After this, thoroughly dry your rhubarb before heading to the freezing phase.

    Freezing

    The last step in this how-to-freeze rhubarb guide is the freezing itself.

    Diced rhubarb on parchment paper on a rimmed pan.

    Arrange your rhubarb pieces, in a single layer, on a rimmed baking sheet or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Remember to use a baking sheet that fits in your freezer.

    Place it in the freezer for about 2-3 hours.

    Frozen rhubarb in a Ziploc bag on a baking tray.

    Transfer the individual partially frozen rhubarb to resealable freezer bags. Use a straw or a sealer to remove the excess air, which reduces the formation of ice crystals and freezer burn.

    Label your bags by indicating the date and place them in the freezer.

    Thawing

    Congratulations! You successfully froze your rhubarb.

    Now, depending on what you want to make with it, there are different methods of thawing it. 

    You can use the frozen pieces without thawing if you are cooking stewed rhubarb or making a rhubarb sauce. However, remember that you may have to reduce the amount of liquid used in the recipe to compensate for the high moisture content in the frozen rhubarb. 

    For best results, thawing rhubarb is strongly recommended for delicious recipes like rhubarb cake, muffins, bread, crumbles, etc.

    Now, there are several ways you can do this. 

    The most common is to place your frozen rhubarb in a sieve over a bowl to collect the excess liquid. You can leave it covered overnight in the fridge or on your kitchen counter, at room temperature, for a couple of hours.

    You can also place the bag in a bowl of cold water to quickly thaw. Follow up by placing the bag’s contents in a sieve over a bowl to collect the excess moisture. 

    Fun Fact: One pound of harvested rhubarb equals about three cups of chopped pieces, both raw and frozen. This same amount yields about two cups when cooked.

    Rhubarb stalks on a sheet of aluminium foil.

    FAQ

    How to store fresh rhubarb?

    The best procedure to store fresh rhubarb in the refrigerator is to wrap the stalks loosely in aluminum foil. This method maintains crisp stalks for up to 10 days. 

    How long can you freeze rhubarb?

    Frozen rhubarb will keep in the freezer for up to one year. However, it is more likely to experience freezer burn the longer it stays in the freezer. If you have one, use a chest freezer as this will provide a higher quality when the time comes to defrost it.

    Simple rhubarb recipes

    Strawberry rhubarb compote in a white dish.

    Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

    This strawberry rhubarb compote is the perfect topping for yogurt, biscuits, or pancakes. The strawberries’ sweetness balances the rhubarb’s tartness, creating a perfect combination of flavors.

    Get ready to embrace the tangy goodness and elevate your culinary adventures with this versatile spring vegetable. Start your day with delicious rhubarb muffins, perfect for breakfast or snacks. Equally delicious is this mouthwatering recipe for rhubarb cake.

    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board.

    Summary 

    In summary, freezing rhubarb is not as complex a process as one may think. It all boils down to knowing when the perfect time to harvest is, the quick prepping process in-between, and using your rhubarb supply within the allocated one-year window to ensure its freshness.

    And for anyone wondering if freezing rhubarb hinders the quality of nutrients, the answer is no. Freezing your rhubarb holds in more nutrients than if you left your rhubarb out for a couple of days!

    Overall, rhubarb freezes well and is an excellent ingredient to make tasty dishes and desserts any time of the year.

    Luckily, all you need is a simple step-by-step guide on freezing rhubarb like this one, some fresh rhubarb, and an old-fashioned freezer to make that happen. 

    Be sure to check out these other step-by-step guides on how to freeze tomatoes as well as freezing green beans, Swiss chard and parsley.

    Such a great way to enjoy summer produce throughout the year! 

    Happy freezing!

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

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    Recipe

    Fresh rhubarb cut into pieces on a wooden board.

    How to Freeze Rhubarb

    Do you happen to have an excessive amount of fresh rhubarb on your hands? If so, here's how to freeze your rhubarb effectively and seamlessly. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: how to
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Freezing Time: 3 hours hours
    Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 cups
    Calories: 24kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
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    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch rhubarb or as much as you want
    • water

    Instructions

    • Trim the ends and discard any leaves attached to the plant as they are toxic.
    • Place the rhubarb in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
    • Remove excess moisture with a tea towel.
    • Cut the rhubarb into ¾-1 inch pieces.
    • Place cut rhubarb on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.
    • Place the baking sheet in your freezer for about 2-3 hours.
    • Transfer the individual partially frozen rhubarb in resealable freezer bags.
    • Use a straw or a sealer to remove as much air as possible. This, in turn, will reduce the formation of ice crystals.
    • Properly label your bags by indicating the date and place your bag in the freezer.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon’t miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg
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    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. val

      June 11, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a helpful guide! I can’t believe how easy this is! Thanks Maria1

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 11, 2021 at 12:58 pm

        Thanks Val! I already have a few bags in the freezer… saving them for the winter months.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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