Canned Stewed Rhubarb

This canned stewed rhubarb is sure to become a pantry staple.

Rhubarb has become one of my favorite flavours to experiment with. I look forward to the first harvest of the season with this Rhubarb Crisp as the premier dish to kick off the harvest!

Growing Rhubarb

My rhubarb supply has grown substantially over the past 3 years. It started with a single plant on the edge of the garden and has grown into 3 robust full plants. It is easy to separate into multiple plants to assure bumper crops for years to come.

Looking for more information about growing rhubarb? We have tons of information here to get you growing!

When it is fresh, I will make bars, crisps, pies, jellies and marmalades. I also make freezer packs so we can enjoy it during the winter months. It is frozen in packages of 4 – 8 cups which makes it handy for most recipes. Vacuum sealed packaging is my preferred method to avoid freezer burn for long term storage.

Looking for another way to preserve it I wanted to can some for long term storage.

Tools For Easy Work

To make the job of canning easier always use the right tools for the job. Canning tongs and a large mouth funnel make for quick work when using very hot jars and fruit. It makes the task of canning into an easy process that you will enjoy.

I heat my clean jars on a cookie sheet in a 250F oven and warm my jar rings in a pot of clean water on the stovetop.

Most canning product companies recommend you no longer need to heat the snap lids before canning.

I have all hot mats and towels in place so once the jars and filling is ready everything is simply moved to the canning area.

36 cups of sliced rhubarb
4 1/2 cups of sugar

Layer sliced rhubarb and sugar in a large pot, stirring each layer as it is added. We now let it sit and wait for it to release juice.

The longer you let it sit the more juice the stalks will produce. I let it sit for close to an hour. My goal was to have quite a bit of juice. Once the level was close to the top of the chopped fruit I turned the burner to medium low to begin simmering.

Stir often when cooking to prevent it from sticking to the pot and burning. I cooked my sugar rhubarb mixture until it was fork tender and slightly broken down.

It is then ladled into hot jars and processed in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

When the processing time is complete carefully remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

Wiped down the jars, label and store in a cool dark location.

Canned Stewed Rhubarb

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Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Preserved fruit

Serves: 24 jars

Ingredients

36 cups of rhubarb
4½ cups of sugar

Instructions

Wash and trim the rhubarb stalks into one inch pieces.
Work in layers adding rhubarb then some of the sugar, stirring well to coat.
Repeat until all of the rhubarb and sugar has been used.
Set aside and allow the stalks to release some juice.
Once there is juice close to the top of the rhubarb turn the burner to medium low and simmer to sugar fruit mixture stirring often to prevent it from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot.
Cook until the rhubarb is fork tender.
Ladle the stewed rhubarb into hot jars.
Wiped the rims of the jars with a clean cloth and top with snap lids.
Add the jar rings.
Using jar tongs add the filled jars to the canner of hot water.
Turn the burner to high and boil the jars for 20 minutes.
Carefully remove the jars from the canner and allow to cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Wipe own the jars and store in a cool dark location.

Served over top of cake or iced cream, stirred into your morning oatmeal or as a standalone dessert topped with cream is just a few of the many ways to enjoy Stewed Rhubarb.