Freezing Rhubarb

Do you cook it first, blanch only or freeze it raw. ?

And how is it when it comes out of its frozen state?

Was given a big bunch today

I cook mine first, and then freeze in portions. Comes out lovely.

can freeze raw with sugar I use old ice cream containers

Others in general have said both ways as above, but no one mentioned freezing raw with sugar. How would you know how much sugar to use?

Popeye, I just chop, bag and freeze. It defrosts OK and if I'm making a pie, I add some sugar and also mix a little cornflour through it and put into pie case, the cornflour thickens the juices. I also like rhubarb cooked and then mixed with some frozen raspberries, I like to have this as a topping on my yoghurt or muesli.

I just chop, bag and freeze. It doesn't need anything else until you cook it.

popeye333, I freeze the rhubarb raw (prepped and ready for cooking) without sugar - it can then be used for baking e.g. cakes or muffins or in desserts such as the following crumble pudding - add it to the custard whilst still frozen. I also find it very useful to have some already cooked rhubarb in the freezer in which case I use the second of the following recipes.

RHUBARB CUSTARD CRUMBLE
450g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm (1”) pieces - fresh or still frozen

Custard:
3 rounded household tbsp custard powder
85g white sugar
450ml milk

Make a custard with all the ingredients and once it has boiled add the raw rhubarb – the custard will need to be very thick and stodgy. Place the rhubarb and custard mixture into a 1·5-2 litre ovenproof dish, then top the mixture with the

Crumble:
170g flour
85g each of brown sugar and butter or margarine

Rub the butter into the flour to form a crumby mixture, then mix the brown sugar lightly through.
Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes.

SPICED RHUBARB
500g rhubarb (trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths)
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp very finely chopped preserved / crystallised ginger
sugar to taste and 2 tbsp water – see note below.

Place all the ingredients in an oven proof dish and cover the dish.
Cook at 150°C for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is tender.
Serve hot, warm or cold.
Note: If the rhubarb is prepared as below, the 2 tbsp water shouldn’t be needed and neither should the sugar because of the sugar coating on the ginger.
HINT.
Trim and cut the rhubarb, then pour boiling water over it, just to cover, and leave it to stand for 5 minutes. Drain the boiling water off - this washes the excess acid away. The rhubarb can then be stewed, or used in the above recipe which is a yummy way to start the day with a bit of a zing, or to end the day with a yummy not too heavy and fairly healthy dessert.

Hope that helps. :-))