Q&A for How to Cook Rhubarb

Don't add any water to begin with. Put the cut pieces directly into the pie shell. You can use some flour or tapioca to thicken the juice. If using flour, coat the fruit before putting it into the pie shell. If using tapioca, sprinkle on top of the fruit before putting the top pie crust on.

No, you do not.

You can certainly use green rhubarb. The Victoria variety is green with few red streaks, but the flavor rivals the reddest of rhubarbs.

You certainly can! There will be some change in texture after freezing but for most purposes, this is okay. For more information, read How to Freeze Rhubarb .

Stainless steel or cast iron is best for any type of cooking.

They may get a bit mushy as strawberries are a lot softer than rhubarb, but if you add them in toward the end, it might be okay.

No, just clean it thoroughly.

No. Clean it and cut into small pieces, 1/2 to 3/4" inch. Follow the pie recipe's instructions.

Of course! You also might try golden syrup, black treacle or muscovado sugar. Each gives a slightly different flavor.

Yes. You can also try maple, rice or even agave syrup.

Absolutely! It has a bit of a tart flavor. You can dip the stick in sugar too.

No, green rhubarb will stay green, but if the color is important to you, you may add a few drops of red food color.

Not a good idea, honey works best. Use half the amount of sugar it calls for. For example, if the recipe calls for 2 cups sugar, use 1 cup honey.

Yes, cooking the rhubarb before making a crumble is ideal.

No, that's not necessary. Just cut the stems, skin and all, into small pieces. The skin on the stems will soften and they will give your rhubarb sauce or pie the lovely red color.

Yes! That would be very good.

You can partially cook it but it is not necessary unless you are adding strawberries, then you need to cook the rhubarb about halfway, because the strawberries cook twice as fast.

Mix 4 cups of fresh cut up rhubarb with about 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup flour. Pour into 8x8 pan and add your 'crumble' topping. Bake for 45 minutes or so. I don't precook the rhubarb.

Yes, caster sugar is fine to use.

Put one layer of washed rhubarb in a shallow pan with lid, sugar, no extra water. Cover, cook on lowest heat for 10 - 15 minutes.

If you really want to go on that diet, just don't add the sugar to the recipe or use Splenda.

Yes. It will gel after it cools down, and refrigerated, use less or no water when using the gelatin. The color will naturally be pink after melting down in the pot. If you mean food coloring, you could use it without ill effects. The minimum of cobbler would be 4 cups of rhubarb melted down to one package of mix.

Probably just a reasonable amount. Clean 1 pound of rhubarb and cut it into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces. This should produce approximately 3 cups of rhubarb. Combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Yes you can and it tastes great. Use the kind that measures like sugar.

Rhubarb should be good to eat still up to 2 weeks of storage in the refrigerator. Just be sure to keep it in an airtight container, fully sealed, to prevent contamination from other flavors in the refrigerator. It can be eaten cold, at room temperature or heated up, with condiments such as custard or ice cream.