The slow, cool spring produced a bumper crop of rhubarb for many folks. Although usually eaten as a “fruit”, botanically speaking rhubarb is vegetable. An invaluable homestead plant in Maine, this tart tasting member of the buckwheat family can reach up to 2 feet tall.
I’m a collector of rhubarb recipes, and we’ve been enjoying stewed rhubarb sauce, ruby rhubarb muffins and cakes, tasty crumbles, even a rhubarb goat cheesecake. With such a bounty, it’s hard to keep up with the thick, celery-like stalks before the plant goes to seed.
The last harvest of over 10 pounds reminded me that it was time to make a batch of rhubarb or “ruby” juice.
The recipe for Ruby Juice is from my archives, and was inspired by the late Russell Libby, former director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Russell was always seeking new ways for folks to enjoy the bounty of Maine products, and rhubarb is a plentiful crop.
The process to make this tart and refreshing beverage is quite simple, but requires a large, non-reactive pot, like cast enamel or stainless steel. Chopped rhubarb is covered with water, simmered and cooked until soft, and then the pink juice is drained. Too tart to quaff without a sweetener, the juice is returned to the pot, and sweetened to taste. I like to use maple syrup, honey and sugar work too.
Ruby juice is delicious as a beverage for breakfast, or mixed with sparkling water for a festive aperitif. For a taste changer, combine ruby juice with apple juice or cranberry juice. An easy and delicious summer punch can be made from one quart ruby juice, one quart apple juice and one quart frozen strawberries.
For those that enjoy stocking the pantry, this juice may also be canned in quart jars in a boiling water bath. I must confess that my favorite way to enjoy Ruby Juice is in a cocktail. Combined with your favorite libation, ruby juice makes a mean margarita or cosmopolitan. Add as slice of fresh lime, and enjoy.
RUBY JUICE
Ingredients
- 5 pounds rhubarb washed and chopped
- Water to cover
- About 1 cups Maple syrup, honey or sugar to taste
Instructions
- In a large, non-reactive pot (stainless steel is best) cover the rhubarb with water. Fill the pot, no more than 3 inches from the top.
- Simmer over medium heat until the rhubarb has cooked completely and softened. The juice should be a nice pink color. Drain to yield the juice. The approximate volume will be about one gallon.
- Return the juice to the pot and the stove top. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup, honey or sugar, approximately 1 cup. If desired, simmer the juice with cinnamon sticks or whole cloves.
- Heat the juice to 190 degrees and cook for 5 minutes. Do not let boil.
- Ladle the juice into sterilized quart jars. To make a shelf-stable product, process the quarts for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
