The fourth day of July in the year of our Lord 2020 brought forth a country in the grip of pestilence and the Presidency occupied by the Antichrist. It also brought forth an abundance of rhubarb due to some pretty decent growing conditions this spring. Life goes on.
I harvested a huge amount from seven plants this morning. It will allow all the little hidden shoots at the base room to grow and there should be plenty more to enjoy this season.
With such a large quantity to deal with at one time, I thought canning shrub would be a good way to preserve a reminder of summer for the winter months. A few tablespoons of shrub in an 8-ounce tumbler of sparkling water puts a zing into any day.
Shrub is essentially a simple syrup made with fruit, vinegar and sugar. People have been making shrub as a way to preserve food since before people wrote such things down. I’m certainly not inventing anything new. This is a standard recipe. My 10½ lbs. of rhubarb yielded 5 quarts of shrub which I preserved using the water bath canning method.
Yield: 1 Quart
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. Rhubarb, cut into half-inch chunks
- 1 cup Vinegar, white or cider
- 1 cup Sugar
Directions:
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Strain through a chinois or cheesecloth.
If canning, use the water bath method for 10 minutes. As always, consult the USDA Guide for Home Canning.
Schmecken! 
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