How to Store Rhubarb
If early summer had a flavor, it would be rhubarb. Its crisp, juicy, and tart flavor is like a slap of sun to wake even the deepest winter slumber.
Do we really know the flavor of fresh rhubarb? Toni, Abeego founder, doesn’t think so.
Rhubarb was the first food Toni tested when she invented Abeego over a decade ago. The difference in taste between rhubarb saved in Abeego compared to rhubarb in plastic was mind blowing.
“That’s when I realized I didn’t fully know what food tasted like. We’re used to food tasting a certain way because of the food storage techniques we’ve been taught. This was the beginning of my journey into understanding flavor in relation to the method we use to keep food." - Toni Desrosiers
Perhaps you’ve learned rhubarb storage tricks that involve blanching, a jar of cold water (that’s just asking to be knocked over in the fridge), or a swaddle of wet paper towels.
For stalk’s sake! We ask you to forget these inconsistent and tedious methods for good. With Abeego at your side, the effortless power to preserve rhubarb’s glorious, tongue-tingling zest and tangy crunch is in your hands. We can prove it!
In this blog post, learn:
- What happened when we put Abeego to the test in our lab
- How to preserve that straight-out-of-the-garden rhubarb taste and nutrients
- How to get the best rhubarb
- Simple rhubarb recipes to use up the harvest
Dig in!
HOW TO STORE FRESH RHUBARB
Forget everything you know about how to keep rhubarb fresh and Keep Rhubarb Alive!
The best (and easiest) way to store rhubarb is (you guessed it) Abeego! Here’s why: Abeego gently and naturally hugs around rhubarb’s delicate skin and creates an environment that protects rhubarb from drying out as it breathes.
Through the process of respiration (breathing), rhubarb releases carbohydrates, proteins, and nutrients in the form of moisture. An Internet search will tell you the best way to store rhubarb is wrapped in a plastic bag, airtight container, or aluminum foil to keep it from drying out.
However, when moisture can’t escape, rhubarb suffocates and rots. The solution isn’t naked rhubarb, either! Thin skin and cut ends make rhubarb rapidly wither and lose nutrients when left in its birthday suit.
Abeego keeps rhubarb alive as it protects and breathes to retain the highest amount of nutrients and, as a result, crisp and juicy rhubarb with a powerful tart punch for days on end. Take care of your food and it will it take care of you!
WE PUT ABEEGO TO THE TEST | HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
When we say Abeego keeps rhubarb alive, it’s not a theory! We put Abeego to the test and **spoiler alert** the results were amazing. The best part? Keeping rhubarb alive is no magic trick. It’s simple and the power is yours!
OUR METHOD
After weighing two separate bunches of freshly harvested garden rhubarb, we wrapped one in Abeego and left the other bare. We stored both bunches in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for 4 days before weighing them again. We then put them back for another 19 days and weighed them again.
OUR RESULTS
After 4 days, Abeego-wrapped rhubarb had less than 1% moisture loss versus naked rhubarb with 3% moisture loss.
After 19 days, Abeego-wrapped rhubarb had 2% moisture loss versus naked rhubarb with 14% moisture loss.
Rhubarb wrapped in Abeego retained nearly 7X more of its natural moisture than rhubarb left bare! **mic drop**
Now that you know how to store rhubarb with Abeego, you can extend its shelf life for what feels like forever.
OUR WHY
Abeego protects rhubarb from drying out yet allows excess moisture to escape. Rhubarb’s natural decomposition process slows down in Abeego and keeps it alive. The result is a kitchen tool for your home that actually works to keep your rhubarb crisp, juicy, and flavorful for longer than ever imagined!
(If you must know, the naked rhubarb became rubbery, sinewy, completely hollow in parts and, quite frankly, gross.)
WIN AT HOME
Whole stalks? Abeego is your kitchen tool that actually works to keep rhubarb alive. Take your delicious and nutritious rhubarb and roll up the large stalks in a Large Rectangle Abeego.
Cut rhubarb? Make a bag out of the Medium Rectangle Abeego and pop in the fridge.
FROZEN RHUBARB
Abeego tip: Freezing rhubarb? Ditch those freezer bags and line your baking sheet with a Large Rectangle Abeego. Spread a single layer of 1-inch pieces of chopped rhubarb on top. Once frozen, rhubarb pieces can be easily plucked off and transferred to a jar.
TIPS TO GET THE MOST ALIVE RHUBARB
Were you the type of kid to pull a bite of rhubarb plant directly from the garden for that instant mouth-puckering hit? The original ‘sour candy!’ Relive the magic with Abeego.
We promise that not only will you save rhubarb for longer, you’ll preserve all the vibrancy of its flavor and nutrients so it’s worth it to source the best rhubarb. If you (or a neighbour/relative/best friend) don’t grow your own rhubarb, try market stalls, farmers’ markets, and garden markets that sell produce directly from the farm and in many cases, rhubarb picked that same day!
Look for these signs and you’re sure to select the best rhubarb:
- Pick rhubarb stalks that are 7-10 inches long
- Get red, green or speckled rhubarb—color doesn’t indicate ripeness
- Choose firm rhubarb stalks, not bendy
- Check and select rhubarb with juicy ends that aren’t frayed, stringy, or dried-out
Keep it snappy! Rhubarb loses moisture as soon as it’s cut so get it into Abeego ASAP.
Abeego tip: pack Abeego with you to the market and wrap up rhubarb on the go. You’ll save time when you get it home and reduce packaging waste.
HOW TO EAT RHUBARB
Now that you can Keep Rhubarb Alive for longer and easier than imagined, eat it up with these simple rhubarb recipes! Level up any rhubarb dish with a simple twist such as adding mint, lavender, or lemon thyme for layers of flavor. (High in oxalic acid, remember to never eat rhubarb leaves.)
- Hungry Hutch’s Rhubarb Jam with Black Pepper & Cardamom
- The New York Times’ Straight Up Rhubarb Pie
- Cream Chees Rhubard Brownies from Canadian Living
- Forget family and friends, impress yourself with this Rhubarb Galette recipe from Flourist. Like you in the morning, this natural-looking pie is a perfect, unadulterated beauty.
- We tried this Rhubarb and Thyme Simple Syrup from Darling and can attest that it’s as simple as it’s delicious. Up your gin cocktail game or douse your ice cream for a taste of summer.
BUILDING THE ABEEGO HABIT
KEEP RHUBARB ALIVE:
- From the garden: Grow rhubarb and pick it at the peak of ripeness! Wrapped in Abeego, you can rest assured the fruits of your labor are alive and well until ready to use.
- From the market: After the time and money spent gathering at the market, nothing is worse than rotten rhubarb. Don’t let your kitchen tools fail you! Take back your kitchen and save your food with Abeego as your sidekick.
SHARE RHUBARB
Rhubarb makes a great gift on its own or transformed into a treat. We love sharing beautiful, long stalks of rhubarb enrobed in a Giant Abeego or gifting a handcrafted bottle of simple syrup with the Variety. It feels great to give with purpose and share your values at the same time.
SHOP ABEEGO & KEEP RHUBARB ALIVE
It is with deep respect and gratitude that we create, build and operate our business in the communities of Southern Vancouver Island, which as a business we acknowledge is located within the ancestral and unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) (Esquimalt and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia'new, T’Sou-ke and W̱SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples.
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