How Long Does Stewed Rhubarb Last in the Fridge?

Stewed rhubarb keeps for one week in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container. There are several ways to store rhubarb. One option is to leave it at room temperature on a kitchen counter or in the pantry. Avoid wrapping it as this traps moisture and slows the drying process. Both room temperature and moisture accelerate the growth of bacteria. Rinse rhubarb well before putting it in the fridge. This will help the rhubarb last longer.

How Long does Stewed Rhubarb Last in the Fridge?

Before we discuss storage alternatives and times, I want you to know that you must trim and discard any leaves before storing them. Just in case your rhubarb arrived with leaves you haven’t yet removed.

  • Allowing your stalks to sit on the counter or in the cupboard is acceptable if you only need them to last a couple of days (let’s say 2 to 4 days).
  • When you arrive home, think about storing the rhubarb in the refrigerator if you intend to consume it raw. They will begin to dry out, but the modifications won’t be too significant, particularly if you plan to use the vegetable in a pie. Rhubarb needs to be chilled if you want it to last longer.
  • The vegetable should stay in good condition for around one to two weeks. Placing it in a plastic bag is one method of achieving so. Puncture a few holes in the bag to allow the ethylene gas, which causes fruits and vegetables to ripen, to escape and prevent your rhubarb from becoming overripe too rapidly.
  • If you wrap the stalks in aluminum foil rather loosely (without crimping the ends), you can preserve the rhubarb for up to three weeks if you need a little longer. This allows the gas discussed earlier to escape while still keeping the stalks moist.
  • Similar to mangos, papayas, and many other fruits and vegetables, ethylene is required for a product to ripen before being allowed to leave, preventing an early overripeness.

Can Rhubarb be Freeze?

If you feel that those two to three weeks are insufficient, freezing can be the best option. When used fresh and cooked (in rhubarb pie!), the vegetable freezes pretty well.

Rhubarb that has been frozen and thawed performs best in baked (pies) and cooked (soups, stews) dishes. Place the pie in an airtight container or freezer bag, secure the bag, and place the container or bag in the freezer to freeze the pie.

It requires a little more effort to freeze fresh rhubarb. Here’s how to approach it:

  • Prepare the rhubarb as you plan to use it in that specific dish. Trim, cut, and wash. Before continuing, make sure the rhubarb is completely dry.
  • Pack. Put the cut rhubarb into bags or containers that may be frozen. Each of them ought to have enough for a subsequent dish. By packaging the pieces in this manner, you can avoid the fact that they will stay together when frozen. Once the entire container has defrosted, you are prepared to use it.
  • Freeze. You’re finished when you place the container or bags in the freezer.
  • As you can see, the process is very straightforward and, depending on how many stalks you have, may take ten minutes.
  • This method of freezing rhubarb should preserve its quality for at least a few months.

What to Look for in Bad Rhubarb?

It’s not that difficult to determine whether your rhubarb is good or awful. If yours is off, you probably won’t notice it when you see it. But here is a helpful list if you’re not entirely sure what to look for:

  • Texture. New rhubarb is firm. If yours is limp or squishy and doesn’t quite maintain its shape when you grasp one of the ends, throw it away.
  • Color. Ruby-red rhubarb is commonly found in sporadic pale green areas. It becomes clear that the stalk is doomed if the skin begins to tan and eventually turns brown or black.
  • Mold. On both ends of the stalk, there may be a few microscopic mold spores, especially if you leave it at room temperature. You can snip them off and enjoy the rest as long as they’re little. Remove the rhubarb from the area if the mold begins to spread.
  • Smell. I’ve never had a bad-smelling rhubarb, so if yours does, something is wrong. Throw it away if that is the situation.

How to Store Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is now sold in a lot of supermarkets from spring to summer. We clipped and washed a few bunches and tried various procedures to find the best way to store them. The exposed ends of the rhubarb dried out when it was entirely unprotected in the refrigerator, and the stalks quickly became limp due to water loss.

The stalks softened after a few days even though they were wrapped tightly in plastic or a zipper-lock bag. This is because airtight storage traps the hormone ethylene that causes fruit and vegetable cell walls to deteriorate and soften during ripening.

Even though rhubarb and celery are unrelated, it turns out that the greatest technique for celery also works the best for rhubarb: loosely wrap the stalks in foil. The idea is to wrap the stalks securely enough to keep the rhubarb from drying out but loosely enough to allow ethylene to escape (no need to crimp tightly). Our rhubarb kept its luscious, scarlet perfection after being stored in this manner for more than two weeks.

This is a Wrap

To prevent the ethylene gas from being trapped, wrap the rhubarb securely enough to form a tidy bundle without overly crimping the edges.

What are the Best Rhubarb Recipes?

Rhubarb Crumble

The best pudding to enjoy with loved ones and friends are rhubarb crumble, and it all begins with a familiar dish. Enjoy this delectable dessert’s wonderful fusion of tart fruity filling, sweet crumbly topping, and creamy vanilla custard.

Two further rhubarb crumble flavors are rhubarb & strawberry crumble with custard and rhubarb & ginger crumble. To replicate the tastes of this dish, we also baked a delicious rhubarb custard pie with butter crumble.

Rhubarb Gin

Gin is still popular, and our rhubarb-infused version will appeal to rhubarb fans. This stunning pink beverage will be well received because it’s simple to Instagram and is wonderfully cooling on a hot day.

Rich rhubarb cordial, delicious rhubarb & strawberry vodka, or a classic rhubarb & custard drink can all be used to create more zingy concoctions.

Rhubarb and Custard Meringue Tart 

For a magnificent dinner party showstopper, bake our eye-catching rhubarb & custard meringue tart. Put some of the rhubarb in a blender, add it to the custard filling for taste, and arrange the remaining stalks in a pretty pink mosaic pattern. The crowning glory of this pudding is the rhubarb-tinged tiny Italian meringues.

Is Peeling Rhubarb Before Cooking Required?

Ensure that you cut rhubarb stalks with a sharp knife. Use a sharp knife when planning to chop or freeze rhubarb for a recipe. Any rhubarb “strings” that separate from the stalks can be cut off with a sharp knife. Wash the stalks thoroughly, then scrub them with a vegetable brush.

The rhubarb stalks don’t need to be peeled during peak season, but by July, they become harsh and fibrous, so you may need to peel them to make them sweeter. The answer to this query is a resounding “NO”! Peeling rhubarb is not necessary or recommended. I’ve cultivated rhubarb and gathered copious amounts of it for a long time, but I’ve never peeled the stalks.

How can Stewed Rhubarb be Sweetened without Sugar?

Orange, apple, or cranberry juice can be used to provide the rhubarb with a tiny bit of vitamin C. The natural sweetness in the juice will infuse the rhubarb stalks as they cook in the boiling juice. You can exclude the sugar from the stewed rhubarb recipe if you want to make it healthy.

To make stewed rhubarb, you can use honey, maple, agave syrup, unrefined coconut sugar, or any other natural sweetener.

Rhubarb requires less sugar to be sweetened when paired with sweet fruit like apples, oranges, or strawberries. The sweetening agent for rhubarb can be honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup. Rhubarb does all of this due to its powerful antioxidant and nutritional content. The only drawback is that you must add sugar to make it drinkable because it is so tart. It truly is a superfood.

Is Stewed Rhubarb Healthy?

Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants, particularly proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which give it its red color. These antioxidants’ antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties aid in defending you against a variety of illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Note that all the leaves must be removed because they are deadly. Many advise dipping the stalk in sugar or sweet substances like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar to lessen its tartness.

Because they think it needs too much sugar to cover up its strong, acidic flavor, many people shy away from rhubarb. Due to this, its use in the kitchen was delayed until sugar became more affordable 100 years ago. Ken solved the sugar issue by including sweet Sicily, a herb that lowers blood sugar (Myrrhis odorata). Additionally, rhubarb dice can be added to yogurt or oat porridge.

Reference: Potential Health Benefits of Rhubarb

Can Old Rhubarb Make You Sick?

Oxalate, present in rhubarb, is toxic and can be fatal if ingested in excessive quantities. Trim and discard the rhubarb leaves since they contain most of the oxalate. Oxalate, present in rhubarb, is toxic and can be fatal if ingested in excessive quantities. Trim and discard the rhubarb leaves since they contain most of the oxalate.

The stalks of rhubarb are hardly poisonous. High doses of oxalic acid can be detrimental to your respiratory, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. Some reports claim that 11 pounds of rhubarb leaves would be required to produce a lethal dose.

Is Rhubarb Toxic When Frozen?

Let’s differentiate between rhubarb that has been frozen and rhubarb that has been frostbitten.

Rhubarb is immediately sliced and frozen after being quickly gathered in the spring and early summer. No leaves are present; the stalks are as crisp and fresh as the season allows. In addition to being available in frozen food sections of supermarkets, rhubarb can also be frozen at home. If you have a lot of healthy, fresh rhubarb stalks, you may slice them up, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and store them for up to 6 months.

Rhubarb that has been affected by frost but is still in the ground is called unharvested rhubarb. The texture is extremely fibrous, and the flavor is hardly detectable. Once it receives its first frost, the rhubarb’s stalks and leaves will go limp (mid-fall). It serves no purpose to eat that rhubarb.

Conclusion

If the rhubarb doesn’t appear to be edible, try freezing it. Rhubarb can keep its freshness for months by freezing. You can then defrost it after that. As an alternative, you might prepare it first and freeze it. Before freezing the rhubarb, some people blanch it. Use cold water to rinse it.

Freeze rhubarb in a glass or a freezer bag while it’s in its prime. In addition to being healthy, rhubarb contains purgative and digestive properties. Although its main function is as an ingredient in pies, it is also used to treat diarrhea and constipation. The plant is a stimulant laxative that accelerates bowel movement due to its tannins. When used with other stimulants, rhubarb can cause dehydration and mineral depletion, so use caution.