Recipe Potted Rhubarb

If you love delicate sticks of baked or poached forced rhubarb—for topping rice pudding, yogurt, pound cake, or just eating with custard—this method is for you. Raw packing lengths of thin stalks results in shelf-stable jars of perfectly cooked rhubarb that keeps its shape admirably. It’s cooked just enough to be tender, packed shoulder to shoulder with its friends. The key is to pack the jar so tightly (without damaging the stalks) that you can turn it upside-down (lid off) with none falling out.

As the rhubarb cooks inside the jar, it releases some of its water, effectively shrinking, making it easy to remove when it’s time to dig in. Processing in boiling water (adjusting time for altitude, if necessary), kills any spoilage-causing bacteria, mold or yeast present in the jar, and also halts the deleterious action of the fruit’s natural enzymes.

Feel free to dial back the sugar if you like and flavour the syrup as you wish—all of the jam pairing suggestions above (save pistachio) stand here, especially Seville zest and juice. Having a jar (or many) in the cupboard means you can sleep easy at night, safe in the knowledge that you have enough tastes of delectable forced rhubarb to see you through until next year.

Makes as many 250 mL (half pint) or 500 mL (pint) jars as you like

INGRÉDIENTSRhubarb
200 g sugar for every 250 g water
Water

PRÉPARATION

1. Trim the rhubarb stalks to just under 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) from the rim of the jar. Place them upright in clean jars, packing them tightly.
2. Make a thick syrup using 200 g of sugar to 250 g of water. You will need about half the volume of syrup required to fill the jars.
3. Pour the hot syrup into the pre-filled jars.
4. If using two-part jars, fill them to within 0.5 cm of the rim.
5. If using Mason jars, fill them to within 1.25 cm of the rim.
6. Remove any air bubbles by tapping the jars on the work surface and giving them a slight twist with your wrist.
Add more syrup if needed to restore headspace. Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel if there is any syrup on them, then seal tightly with new lids. For two-part jars, seal as tightly as possible; for Mason jars, seal until you feel slight resistance. Place the jars in a water bath, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set a timer for 15 minutes.
Once the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes.
Remove the jars from the water and place them on a wire rack, keeping them as upright as possible (jar tongs are very useful for this!).
7. Let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours before checking for leaks.
8. Label them and store them in a cool, dry, dark place, where they will keep for at least 9 months.