Rhubarb juice, sans blending or squeezing
Is it just me, or is blending way too much effort for juice? As great as fresh juice is, if I need to get out any appliances my eyes glaze over a little. So when I spotted this recipe on Scandi Foodie, my eyes lit up. Rhubarb? Juice with no blending or squeezing? Delicious chunks of sweetened, slightly tenderised rhubarb that you can use afterwards?!
In my version I used honey rather than raw cane sugar to sweeten, which was delicious, but the result is a little bit cloudier (if that bothers you, just use raw sugar).
Initially, I went on a serious red-rhubarb stalking (buahaha) mission. If you’re a serious rhubarb connoisseur, you’ll know that the red part of the stalk isn’t just pretty, it’s also where the amazing berry-like flavours of rhubarb come from. To test this recipe though I just used the pinky-green bits of my precious stash, but stuck two reddy stalk bits in too. If you’re wondering what colour the juice actually is, it’s the bottom pinky colour. Not sure what happened with the light but I liked this photo too much to use another one! The second time I made it just with the bottom red parts and it was a bit more red, but still not quite this red. So it depends on your rhubarb.
The rhubarb pieces are much less aggressively sour once prepared this way, and still a little crunchy but much more tender. I like the fact that they aren’t cooked to death either, which makes them a little healthier (maybe?) and easier too, especially in summer when turning on the oven makes me want to shrug.
Rhubarb juice
makes as much or as little as you like
Place some chopped rhubarb, lemon slices (optional but recommended), and lemon peel (optional, only the yellow bits – shave with a peeler) in a seal-able jar (whatever size you have). Pour just-boiled water over the rhubarb to cover the rhubarb (it’ll float up a little), and almost fill the jar. Pop the lid on, wrap the jar in a tea towel or a wooly jumper, and let sit for 12 hours or so.
After the 12 hours, open up the juice and dollop in some honey or raw/blond sugar to taste (start with less, since you can add more later…also honey is sweeter than sugar, so use less). Pop the lid back on and shake*, then let sit for another 12 hours. After that it’s ready to use, and you can store it in the fridge. You can either strain it or leave the rhubarb bits in and just keep the lid mostly-on to just get the juice out. If it’s too sweet, you can add lemon juice and/or water to tone it down. The rhubarb pieces work great on breakfast cereal or in crumbles or cooked a little more with vanilla sugar…go wild.
*My jar actually leaks (fyi: don’t get your jars at Countdown), so I had to do a violent twist-back-and-forth dance…rather entertaining.
Currently Clickalicious
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Candied strawberries @ V. K. Rees Photography
Edamame hummus @ Meatballs & Milkshakes
Salmon with sumac, fennel seeds & lime dust @ Five Course Garden
Foodie fave
Radio NZ recipes – just discovered this page and am loving it, although would love to see more photos. They also have a series of interesting talks about food chemistry, which is where I learnt that honey (which has fructose) is sweeter than sugar (sucrose), so you can use less of it for the same sweetness. Bit sad that the government has frozen Radio NZ’s funding :(
Two Spoons 
Could you call this a rhubarb tea perhaps?
I am on a rhubarb mission at the moment. I have never used it before and don’t know where to get it. Any suggestions?
I want to like rhubarb so much because everyone else seems to but… I just hate it
This is so pretty. I have one friend who grows rhubarb in her backyard: I need to beg or barter something for some so that I can try this.
B: Why not! I was tempted to call it rhubarb-ade too. You can usually find rhubarb at greengrocers, sometimes supermarkets and farmers’ markets. This recipe for poached rhubarb looks really excellent too: http://bravetart.com/recipes/LemongrassPoachedRhubarb
S: I know, it needs a bit of taming. I’m starting to feel that way about rocket/arugula – I actually don’t think I like it >.<
T: Well you can always say you'll make her some rhubarb juice hehe.
I am drooling as I read this. Can’t believe how easy this is! Would be perfect with a spot champagne and sipped on a sunny day methinks xox
I have four sticks of rhubarb just waiting to be made into this rhubarb tea. It looks and sounds amazing. I agree about the blender. Too many moving parts, too much washing up, for too little impact. I wonder what other fruit would work steeped like this? Or herbs. Lemon verbena and mint perhaps?
Nice idea and u rhubarb I have just harvested from the garden. I’d love to have seen our dance :0)
My eyes must be painted on. I’ve just been to the market for a proper look and came back with 2 bunches of rhubarb. I think they had been there all along, just sitting there on the edge of recognition.
Looks yummy! Maybe you could add some strawberries and it would be like pie in a glass!
so pretty!
lovely greetings
Maria
Such a cool idea and that looks really refreshing.
This looks great for summer! Will have to get some Rhubarb from the next Farmers Market ;) do you think it would work if you made it more concentrated (ie used less water)? Then you could use it as a mixer?? The left over Rhubarb would be great over porridge or pancakes! There are loads of possibilities- thanks for sharing :)
N: Yes I am already wondering which cocktails I can put this in and where I can sip with maximum sun :D
F: Ohhhh, lemon verbena tea! I’ve got more in the garden that I’ll be using too…maybe could do rhubarb and lemon verbena hehe…might not be the prettiest colour though.
P: Haha, think of a demented version of the twist and shake ;)
B: I bet you’re quicker at shopping than I am lol…there are downsides to keeping your eyes wide open all the time
M: Oh my goodness, that sounds so delicious. Imagine rhubarb and strawberry punch…droooool! I’d probably put the strawberries in after the 12 hours though, as they might go a bit too mushy par-boiled. Thanks for the awesome idea!
D: Thanks, it certainly is, even though the green bits floating in the jar look a bit ominous at first!
R: It really is…also very filling in the morning as it turns out!
G: It certainly would work! Yay am looking forward to Saturday already. The leftover rhubarb was *sublime* cooked in a little vanilla syrup (just sugar, a teensy bit of water and home made vanilla extract). That was the lot steeped in kamahi honey too, so it was like a flavourplosion without being too rich. Was super yum over my Mum’s birthday cheesecake :D
Thank you for this idea Zo, nice and easy, I should try (with some good glass jars :-).
Any particular honey to recommend?
Ciao
Alessandra
A: You’re welcome, although kudos must go to Scandi Foodie for the original idea! I’ve tried clover and kamahi honey so far and I like both, but clover is definitely milder whereas kamahi has a nice metallic kind of tang to it, which is more overpowering (but then I like it). So it’s up to your personal taste :)
Fascinating, what a cool method for making this juice! I know what you mean about appliances, I don’t know what it is about them – probably my lack of dishwasher, really…
Rhubarb just got added to tomorrow’s shopping list; can’t wait to try this. Such a beautiful color, and I imagine that tartness is just what the doctor ordered on a summer day (perhaps in a pink variation on whiskey sour?).
H: Yes ever since I left the dishwasher behind I’ve been much less motivated to make a lot of things!
J: Ooo, a rhubarb whisky sour sounds amazing. I really like butterscotchy flavours with rhubarb after all.