Wondering if freezing rhubarb to save your farmers market haul is possible? This guide was created to show you step-by-step instructions on how to freeze rhubarb and answer your biggest questions about the process.
Let’s dive right into it…
Can You Freeze Rhubarb?
Quick Answer: Yes, you can freeze rhubarb, and it’s a great way to keep it going well past the season. But to do it right, there are a few things you’ll need to know. Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything in detail below.
Directions for Freezing Rhubarb
Step 1 – Clean and Dry the Rhubarb
The very first step is to clean the rhubarb. Rinse the stalks well under running water. If you use a vegetable cleanser (side note: did you know that rhubarb is a vegetable?) and brush, go ahead to use them to get the stalks super clean.
Next, dry the stalks well. You can do this by laying them on paper towels and pressing them with another paper towel on top, or you can use a clean kitchen towel.
Why do you dry them off? Because excess moisture creates freezer burn, which damages the texture and flavor.
Step 2 – Slice the Rhubarb
Place a rhubarb stalk on a cutting board so that it’s facing you horizontally. Then take a sharp knife and slice it from end to end, tossing the very end of the stalk. If there’s a green leafy part still intact, make sure you cut that away, too.
How thick you make the slices depends on your personal preference. If you’re not sure, a good thickness is generally about an inch thick or a little less.
Step 3 – Flash Freeze the Rhubarb Slices
Take a baking sheet that will fit in the freezer and line it with parchment paper or wax paper. If you have a nonstick tray, that’ll work just fine on its own.
Spread the rhubarb slices out on the baking sheet so that they’re not overcrowded and piling up on top of each other. Then put the tray in the freezer for up to a couple of hours, or until the rhubarb is frozen solid.
This is a neat trick to get the rhubarb to freeze without clumping together in one big mess that you’ll struggle to separate down the road.
Step 4 – Put the Rhubarb in Freezer Safe Containers
When the rhubarb slices are frozen all the way through, it’s time to put them into a freezer-safe container, making sure to fill it all the way to remove excess air.
Another great way to freeze is to use plastic freezer bags. These will make it super easy to remove the air, and the bags will probably take up less space in the freezer.
There you have it! Perfectly frozen rhubarb for pies, jams and anything you like.
Bonus Tips
If you’ve ever heard that you should blanch vegetables before freezing, it’s true from many. Rhubarb is one that you don’t necessarily need to blanch, unless you’re planning to freeze it for a long time.
If you’re not going to use the rhubarb in the next couple of months, consider blanching for good texture, color and flavor with the help of this how-to video.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
