If you've only ever used rhubarb in pies, crisps, or jam, you're missing out. Fermented rhubarb is one of the most unexpectedly delicious ferments I've ever made. It's tangy goodness is perfect spooned over yogurt, porridge, pancakes, ice cream, or eaten straight from the jar.
Did you know a spoonful of lacto-fermented rhubarb could help curb your sweet tooth? Maybe you're rolling your eyes with skepticism. But hear me out. I was an eye-rolling skeptic not so long ago...
2 years ago - It was lunchtime at the Mother Earth News Fair, and I was sitting across from Kirsten Shockey, co-author of several best-selling fermenting books. She caught my attention when she said fermented foods helped cure her husband's sugar cravings. I didn't know whether to believe her because the moment I eat something sugary, I can't help but reach for a second serving. I couldn't imagine a few bites of fermented foods would help me resist my favorite pumpkin spice cake or chocolate chip cookie.
Six months into this fermentation challenge, and I'm a believer. The more fermented foods I eat, the easier it is to keep my inner sugar monster at bay. Why is this? When we eat sugary foods, we feed the bad bacteria in our gut that thrive on sugar. Fermented foods and drinks contain beneficial bacteria that may help restore your gut health and curb your sugar cravings.
Ready to give it a try?
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What is Lacto-Fermented Rhubarb?
Lacto-fermented rhubarb is rhubarb that has been preserved through natural fermentation using salt rather than vinegar pickling or heat canning.
When the rhubarb is mixed with salt, it releases a liquid (called a brine). As the rhubarb sits in that brine, beneficial lactic acid bacteria naturally present on the rhubarb begin to feed on its sugars, producing lactic acid. That acid preserves the rhubarb, gives it its tangy flavor, and creates an environment where beneficial bacteria can thrive. The process doesn't require heat, so you retain more of the raw rhubarb's natural enzymes and nutrients than you would with heat processing.
Surprisingly, fermented rhubarb is pleasantly tart and less sour than cooked rhubarb.
Ingredients
- 1lb rhubarb stalks, sliced into 1 cm pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 orange slice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Supplies
- 0.5 quart jar (500 ml) - A wide-mouth mason jar works best for packing and cleaning.
- Fermentation weight or a small sealed plastic bag - Used to keep the rhubarb fully submerged in brine. Although a sealed plastic bag works perfectly well when you're just getting started, I eventually switched to these glass fermentation weights (amazon.com or amazon.ca), and I love them. You can also use a fermentation lid or airlock lid, which lets gases escape automatically and avoids the rust that regular metal lids usually develop over time.
- Stainless steel knife - For chopping the rhubarb
Instructions
- Step 1: Cut the rhubarb lengthwise and then slice it into small pieces (about 1 cm pieces).
- Step 2: Place the chopped rhubarb in a bowl and sprinkle the salt on top. Massage the salt into the rhubarb, then let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Massage it once more. It should now be quite wet, and a pool of liquid (your brine) should have formed at the bottom of the bowl.
- Step 3: Add the nutmeg and cardamom and mix in.
- Step 4: Add the cinnamon stick and orange slice to your glass jar, and then add the rhubarb mixture. Press the rhubarb down to remove any air pockets. The brine should rise to the top and cover the mixture.
Note: Leave about 1 inch of headspace from the top of the jar so your jar doesn't explode when the brine begins to bubble up.
- Step 5: Top with a quart-sized ziplock bag by pressing the plastic down onto the top of the ferment, then fill the bag with water and seal. The bag will act as both a follower and a weight. Then screw on the lid (but not too tightly).
Set aside out of direct sunlight at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) for 5 to 7 days (I let mine sit for a full week).
- Step 6: Check daily to ensure the rhubarb remains submerged and burp every couple of days to release excess pressure. You'll notice that the rhubarb will lose its color over time.
Once the rhubarb is finished fermenting, remove the plastic bag, tamp down the rhubarb so it remains submerged under the brine, tighten the lid, and store it in the fridge. It will keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.
How to Use Fermented Rhubarb
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to use. The warm spices and orange make it especially suited to breakfast or dessert.
Try it:
- spooned over yogurt
- stirred into porridge or oatmeal
- on pancakes or waffles
- over granola
- on vanilla ice cream
- on cheesecake
- straight from the jar
New to fermenting?
Here are the biggest fermentation mistakes I've made and how to avoid them.
Did you know?
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable. The leaves are poisonous, but the rhubarb plant stalk is edible and can be eaten raw.
Potential Health Benefits
Lacto-fermented vegetables are full of good bacteria and enzymes that are produced during the fermenting process. So, in other words, fermentation turns your food into natural probiotics. Instead of popping a probiotic pill, you could eat a tablespoon of fermented rhubarb instead, which may contain more probiotics than a pricey supplement.
One quick search on the Internet will result in tonnes of information on the health benefits of probiotics, from boosting your immune system to improving digestion. I don't know if it's all true, but I feel better when fermented foods are a regular part of my diet.
Why Salt Matters (& What Kind to Use)
Salt is the MOST crucial ingredient in this recipe. It is a preservative that can keep vegetables edible for months… maybe even years! Can I get a "hooray" for salt! In fermentation, the salt draws juices from the vegetable's cells and creates that lovely, cloudy brine rich with gut-healthy, lactic acid bacteria.
The salinity of the brine encourages good bacteria to flourish and inhibits the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeast that could make us sick. Salt also helps keep your vegetables crispy by hardening the pectin in the cells of the vegetables.
What kind of salt should you use?
Use a non-iodized salt, such as fine sea salt or kosher salt. Iodized table salt can interfere with the fermentation process and may cause off flavors or cloudy brine.
Tips for Success
- Keep the rhubarb submerged - The brine should cover the rhubarb at all times. Anything sticking up above the brine is more likely to develop mold or yeast.
- Leave headspace - Do not fill the jar all the way to the top. Ferments can bubble and expand, so leaving about 1 inch of headspace helps prevent overflow.
- Burp the jar if needed - If you are using a regular mason jar lid, open it slightly every couple of days to release pressure. This helps prevent excess gas buildup.
- Taste as it ferments - There's no exact day when fermented rhubarb is "done." Start tasting around day 5. The warmer your kitchen, the faster it will ferment.
- Expect some color loss - Rhubarb loses some of its bright color as it ferments. That's totally normal.
Storage
Store your fermented rhubarb in jars with the lids tightened in the fridge. It will keep for about 2 months.
Looking for more gut-healthy ways to use rhubarb?
Rhubarb Water Kefir
This healthy and delicious rhubarb soda is infused with strawberries and fresh ginger.
FAQ
The rhubarb should stay submerged under the brine during fermentation. If it is not fully covered, press it down firmly and make sure your weight is holding it below the surface.
The salty brine creates an environment that's inhospitable to bad bacteria, so as long as your rhubarb remains under the anaerobic safety of the brine, it is safe to eat. But any exposed portion may not be.
Most recommendations are to ferment between 55°F and 75°F (13°C to 24°C), which is especially conducive to L. plantarum and L. brevis lactobacillus bacteria.
Cooler temperatures slow fermentation, while warmer temperatures speed it up.
If you are using a regular sealing lid, burp the jar every couple of days to release excess gas. If you are using a fermentation lid, this usually isn't necessary.
You will see bubbles of carbon dioxide gas in the salty water (brine), which means you've been successful and the brine has started to acidify. Over time, the mixture will become cloudy, and the rhubarb will lose its color and soften a bit (but will still keep some crunch). Now, you can start to taste test your rhubarb. Start checking around day 5.
Stored in the fridge and kept under the brine, fermented rhubarb will last about 2 months.
If you see fuzzy mold, smell something rotten or unpleasant, or notice that the rhubarb has been sitting above the brine for too long and looks spoiled, it is safest to discard it.
Optional Tools for Easier Fermenting
You definitely do not need any special equipment to make fermented rhubarb. But if you plan to ferment regularly, a few tools can make the job easier and a little less messy.
- Fermentation lids or airlock lids - These lids allow fermentation gases to escape automatically so you don't have to "burp" the jar every day.
- Glass fermentation weights - Weights keep the rhubarb fully submerged in the brine, which helps prevent mold and makes fermenting more reliable. I bought these glass fermentation weights and I love them.
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Fermented Rhubarb Spiced With Cinnamon and Orange
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut the rhubarb lengthwise and then slice it into 1 cm pieces.
- Place the chopped rhubarb in a bowl and sprinkle the salt on top. Massage the salt into the rhubarb, then let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Massage it once more. It should now be quite wet and a pool of liquid (your brine) should have formed at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the nutmeg and cardamom and mix in.
- Add the cinnamon stick and orange slice to your glass jar and then add the rhubarb mixture. Press the rhubarb down to remove any air pockets. The brine should rise to the top and cover the mixture.Note: Leave about 1 inch of headspace from the top of the jar so your jar doesn't explode when the brine begins to bubble up.
- Top with a quart-sized ziplock bag. I gleaned this trick from the book, Fermented Vegetables. Simply press the plastic down onto the top of the ferment and then fill the bag with water and seal. The bag will act as both a follower and weight. No need to buy any fancy equipment. Then screw on the lid (but not too tightly).
- Set aside out of direct sunlight at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) for 5 to 7 days (I let mine sit for a full week). Check daily to ensure the rhubarb remains submerged and burp every couple of days to release excess pressure. You'll notice that the rhubarb will lose its color.
- Once the rhubarb is finished fermenting, remove the plastic bag, tamp down the rhubarb so it remains submerged under the brine, tighten the lid, and store it in the fridge. It will keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Enjoyed this post? Check out my other recipes in the 12-month Fermentation Challenge series:
Month #12 - FERMENTED GINGERBREAD COOKIES DIPPED IN DARK CHOCOLATE
Month #11 - HONEY FERMENTED CRANBERRIES - 3 WAYS!
Month #10 - FERMENTED TOMATOES - THE FASTEST WAY TO CAN TOMATOES
Month #9 - HONEY & PUMPKIN PIE SPICED FERMENTED APPLESAUCE
Month #8 - EASY FERMENTED BELL PEPPERS & TOMATO LEAF "SALSA"
Month #7 - SPICY FERMENTED GREEN BEANS WITH CURRY & GINGER
Month #6 - SPICED LACTO-FERMENTED RHUBARB WITH ORANGES & CINNAMON
Month #5 - EASIEST FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT RECIPE
Month #4 - LACTO-FERMENTED RADISHES WITH DILL
Month #3 - FERMENTED GINGER CARROTS
Month #2 - FERMENTED ZUCCHINI WITH DILL AND GARLIC
Month #1 - LEMON GINGER WATER KEFIR
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