How to Store Rhubarb

Overview

A delicious crop of rhubarb can be made into jams, chutneys and even wines. It's best to use young shoots in the spring and look for dark pink to red stalks that are slightly thin, but crisp. You'll want to avoid the thicker, greener stalks, which are more sour and coarse. Fresh rhubarb can only be stored in a bag in your fridge for just under a week. But freezing sliced rhubarb can allow them to last much longer.

Step 1

Rinse any dirt or debris from the rhubarb stalks and blot thoroughly with a paper towel to remove excess water.

Step 2

Cut the stalks into 1-inch chunks. Lay the chunks out on a cookie sheet in a single layer with none of the chunks touching.

Step 3

Place the cookie sheet in the freezer and leave until the chunks of rhubarb are frozen solid. Open-freezing like this usually takes 5 to 6 hours, but a good rule of thumb is to leave them overnight so you are certain they are well frozen.

Step 4

Put the frozen chunks into a labeled freezer bag and press out any air before you seal it. Store the bag in the freezer for up to a year. One pound of rhubarb should give you about three cups of chunks.