Plucking and freezing Rhubarb

[PigletJohn]

It's getting colder, so I suppose I will have to pull my vast plant and freeze or bottle the stems.

How do you do it without it going mushy?

Sadly the stems ar almost all green, not red.

No idea. What will you be using the rhubarb for? Could you not stew it and deliberately mush it, to be frozen in portions for rhubarb crumble?

(Sorry, not much help am I?)

I chop into one inch pieces and freeze in bags. Then just use as and when I want.

Crumbles. I like them chunky. Can't do sweet pastry

It makes a passable wine.
Did try pickling it once. It was revolting.

Furball, I did this too, have yet to use any yet! Do I need to defrost or cook it down or anything before putting it into a crumble? Thanks!

freeze uncoooked, or cook first?

I cook mine first and then freeze it. I've tried it the other way round and you do end up with losing water from it and it being a bit mushy.

I freeze uncooked in 1 inch cuts, then take out as an when I need. I only make crumble with it and cook from frozen.

I freeze coooked with sugar in batches and defrost for crumbles and fools. If you do freeze uncooked remember to save in generous portions as it definitely shrinks down on cooking. We pulled a biggish plant but only had enough to for two family sized crumbles (or perhaps we're just greedy!)

is it true that thestalks go green in warm weather, and red in cold?

Is that the way they grow, or will they change colour?

I cut into 1" chunks and freeze raw in a freezer bag. To make in crumble I cook from frozen

well, I cooked and froze the first batch today.

The difference between green and red bits was quite striking. The red bits had a much better fragrance when cut, and kept their shape after quick cooking. The green bits make a greyish sludge. I think I will not bother freezing green stalks again if they do that. I may freeze a bag of raw pieces and see if they turn out better.