Rhubarb Cordial

Posted by Megan on December 31, 2013 at 12:03am

Not so much a recipe, more a method:)

Chop as many stalks of rhubarb as available and barely cover with water. Add a generous knob of sliced fresh ginger and finely grated orange or lemon zest, simmer until the rhubarb is totally soft, the longer the better.

Strain the pulp through a large sieve lined with muslin (or a jelly bag). Allow to drip several hours.

Measure the liquid, return to a clean pot and add between 300-500 gr sugar per litre of liquid. Bring to the boil and when the sugar has dissolved, make up a small glass, adding more sugar if necessary.

I usually start with 300 gr per litre and add extra sugar 100 g at a time, I prefer less sugar and the ginger flavour comes through nicely.

Cool and pour into clean bottles. Use screw top lids (not plastic) and only fill to within 1" of top to allow for expansion. Line a deep pot or your preserving pan with a dishcloth, place bottles into the pan and fill with water.

Bring to the boil and simmer at least 1/2hour. Bottle lids will be slightly raised when hot enough. Allow to cool slowly and vacuum should have formed, drawing lids back down. Bottles that haven't formed a vacuum should be used first.

My cordial is cloudy because I didn't bother to strain my rhubarb, I like the flecks of pulp:)

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Tags: Rhubarb, cordial, recipe
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Replies

  • Rachael Watson August 31, 2014 at 7:42am

    This looks great we have a tonne of rhubarb.   I was just wondering how an alternative to the sugar would go - I was thinking honey or something like that?

    • Megan > Rachael Watson August 31, 2014 at 12:13pm
      Hello Rachael, I'm sure that honey would taste great. You might need to make a small bottle say 500ml to work out how much honey you need per bottle. Alternatively, make it without any added sweetener and add runny honey to taste when you make up the cordial. Just make sure you pasteurise the bottles thoroughly as the sugar is a preservative. I still have one unopened bottle from the last batch and it looks fine. I keep it in the fridge once opened. Let us know how it turns out:)
  • Kali December 31, 2013 at 4:31am

    mmmmmmm I have lots of rhubarb, will  have to try

  • Anna Holmes December 31, 2013 at 12:37am

    Hi Megan,

    Thanks so much for this! Could I put the stalks in a slow cooker overnight, do you think? Or would that be too longer period of simmering?

    • Megan > Anna Holmes December 31, 2013 at 1:01am

      Hello Anna, I don't own a slow cooker but expect it should work fine - there's no added sugar so shouldn't catch. Let me know how it turns out:)

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