Pickled rhubarb is a wonderfully crunchy, flavorful treat from a seasonal vegetable that will totally surprise you. It always does.
Pickled rhubarb is a delightful way to enjoy and preserve the tangy taste of fresh rhubarb. With its sweet and slightly spicy flavors, pickled rhubarb is an excellent condiment to have in your kitchen and a versatile ingredient in many recipes.
You may be surprised by how well pickled rhubarb pairs with different types of food. By creating your own pickled rhubarb, you can enjoy this tasty condiment year-round.
This was inspired by my quick homemade mango jam and strawberry jalapeno jam on this site, and pairs well with our amazing burrata cheese board.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and quick to make using a few simple ingredients.
- A topping for cheeses, steak, pork chops, or a salad.
- Balanced flavor - Right amount of sweet and tangy.
- Easily customized - Add spices or adjust the sugar to desired level.
Ingredients
If you enjoy rhubarb you're gonna love this easy recipe.
- Rhubarb - Use cranberries, a tart apple like Granny Smith or raspberries instead of or in combination.
- Lemon Zest - Use orange zest instead.
- Granulated Sugar - Necessary to balance the tartness of rhubarb.
- Red Wine Vinegar - Remember apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar will work too.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
When making pickled rhubarb, you may find yourself in need of substitutions for certain ingredients. Don't worry, there are options available to help you create a tasty and successful batch of pickled rhubarb.
- Granulated Sugar - consider using brown sugar, honey, or even maple syrup as alternatives but be aware these substitutes will alter the taste and color of your pickled rhubarb.
- Add Flavor - If you desire more flavor consider adding mustard seeds, ground mustard, cinnamon, ginger, celery seeds, fennel seeds, whole cloves, or caraway seeds as alternative flavor enhancers.
Instructions
Recipes do not get much easier than this.
In a 1-pint jar, combine rhubarb and lemon zest.
Add sugar, water, vinegar, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring it to boil over medium heat.
Pour brine into jar. Rhubarb should be completely covered. Allow mixture to cool completely.
Cover with airtight lid for 24 hours before to serving.
Hint: Depending on the style of your jar, you may have extra brine. The important thing is to make sure that the rhubarb is fully submerged.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our easy rhubarb sauce recipe.
Storage
Once you've made your pickled rhubarb recipe, it's important to store it properly to ensure it maintains its taste and freshness.
Refrigerate - Store your pickled rhubarb in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure brine always covers pickled rhubarb for best results.
What to Serve With Pickled Rhubarb
Pickled rhubarb is a versatile and delicious addition to your meals. Its tangy, sweet, and slightly sour taste complements so many things.
- Yogurt or Ice Cream - Use as a topping for ice cream or yogurt.
- Charcuterie Board or Cheese Platter - Perfect addition.
- Salads - The tartness goes well with arugula, spinach, or mixed greens.
- Burgers and Sandwiches - Add a dollop to your burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches for a zesty addition.
- Fish, Chicken or Beef - Serve as a garnish with your choice of protein for a wonderful flavor boost.
- Charcuterie and Cheese Boards - Its tangy flavor perfectly with creamy cheeses, crackers, and cured meats.
Tips
- Rinse the rhubarb stalks, and trim and discard any leaves, as they are inedible.
- Two cups of rhubarb is two to three stalks. Choose stalks that are ¾ to 1 inch thick and slice into pieces that are ¼" to ½" thick.
- Depending on the style of your jar, you may have extra brine just make sure your rhubarb is fully submerged.
- Bring brine mixture to a simmer and allow sugar and salt to dissolve and carefully pour it over the rhubarb in the jars, leaving ½ inch at top.
- Allow mixture to cool completely before placing in refrigerator for 24 hours for flavors to meld.
FAQ
Do you have questions about pickled rhubarb? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about it.
This recipe will make 1 pint or 2 cups of pickled rhubarb.
Yes, different rhubarb varieties can affect the taste of your pickled rhubarb. Rhubarb can range from tart to sweet, and the color of the stalks can vary from green to red. Generally, the redder the stalks, the sweeter the rhubarb. When making pickled rhubarb, you can adjust the sugar and spices in your recipe to suit the variety and your taste preferences.
Apart from pickling, you can preserve rhubarb by freezing, canning, or making it into jams.
Freezing is an easy method where you clean, chop, and freeze the rhubarb in a single layer on a tray before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag.
Video
More Rhubarb Recipes
Do you like rhubarb? Here some recipes you may also like to try.
Template Recipe Name (Main Keyword)
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Pickled Rhubarb
Equipment
- 1 pint pickling jars or equivalent
Ingredients
- 2 cups rhubarb 2-3 stalks, trimmed and sliced on bias ⅛ inch thick
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Add rhubarb and lemon zest to a 1 pint glass jar with lid.
- Combine sugar, water, vinegar, and salt in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat for a minute.
- Pour brine immediately into jar with rhubarb and lemon zest. Make sure all rhubarb is covered in brine and allow to totally cool without lid, around 2 hours.
- Once cool, add lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Enjoy every bite. This rhubarb is delicious.
Notes
- Rinse the rhubarb stalks, and trim and discard any leaves, as they are inedible.
- Two cups of rhubarb is two to three stalks. Choose stalks that are ¾ to 1 inch thick and slice into pieces that are ¼" to ½" thick.
- Depending on the style of your jar, you may have extra brine just make sure your rhubarb is fully submerged.
- Bring brine mixture to a simmer and allow sugar and salt to dissolve and carefully pour it over the rhubarb in the jars, leaving ½ inch at top.
- Allow mixture to cool completely before placing in refrigerator for 24 hours for flavors to meld.
- Serve the pickles on a charcuterie or cheese platter, in a salad or grain bowl, or as a chopped relish on a sandwich, or eat them straight out of the jar.
- Depending on the style of your jar, you may have extra brine. The important thing is to make sure that the rhubarb is fully submerged.
- Pickles can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- This recipe makes 2 cups or 1 pint of pickled rhubarb.
Nutrition
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