When in season, rhubarb grows quickly. Once picked, however, it doesn’t keep very well. Stewing rhubarb is the quickest and easiest way to use it all up (aside from whipping up a rhubarb crumble, tart or cake, of course). It takes just five minutes to make stewed rhubarb on the stovetop, but if you prefer a less hands-on method, you can also stew rhubarb in the oven.
“Rhubarb – I am mad for it,” says chef Ed “Fast Ed” Halmagyi, adding, “It’s pretty good just stewed on ice-cream.”
Watch: Fast Ed makes dessert pies with a stewed rhubarb filling
How do you cook and prepare rhubarb?
The biggest thing to consider when you cook rhubarb is that while the stalks are perfectly safe to eat, the leaves are toxic to humans and animals. Although you would need to ingest a large number, it’s best to steer clear. So, to safely prepare and cook your rhubarb, simply wash the stalks and trim and throw away the leaves.
Next, cut the stalks into small pieces, approximately 2.4 cm long. Now you are ready to cook rhubarb.
Do you need to peel rhubarb before you cook it?
No, you do not need to peel rhubarb before cooking it. The skin of rhubarb stalks is edible, and it softens during cooking. Just make sure you wash the stalks before cooking them.
How to stew rhubarb
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 minutes plus 2 hours cooling time
- Yield: 1 ⅓ cups
Ingredients
- 450g trimmed rhubarb, roughly chopped
- ½ cup caster sugar
Method
Step 1
Put rhubarb, caster sugar and 1 Tbsp water in a medium saucepan and cook over a medium-low heat, covered with a lid for 5 minutes or until rhubarb is fall-apart tender. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 2
Serve warm or transfer to an airtight container. If serving cold, refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold. Keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Quick tips for cooking rhubarb
- When choosing rhubarb, pick stalks that are firm and crisp, trimming off and discarding the leaves.
- When chopping the rhubarb, make uniform pieces for even cooking.
Ingredients that complement rhubarb
- Vanilla
- Citrus (lemon, orange)
- Ginger (fresh, ground or glacé)
- Nuts (hazelnut, almond)
- Berries (strawberry, raspberry)
- Apples (sweet and juicy, such as pink lady)
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