Rhubarb Butter Spread Food

RHUBARB BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut the rhubarb into 1" chunks.
• Using a blender or a food processor add the water and rhubarb. Blend. This should make about 3 cups of pulp.
• Place in a heavy pan. Bring to a boil.
• Add sugar and cinnamon.
• Cook, stirring all the time until it looks like fruit butter.
• If you want add up to 4 drops of food coloring. It will be a beautiful color. Grandma did this, Mom and I never have.
• Ladle into hot prepared jars.
• Process at once in a hot water bath (212 degrees) for 5 minute.
• Remove and place on clean towel.
• Cool and wait for that beautiful popping sound.

RHUBARB BUTTER SPREAD

Steps:

• 1. For the pulp: Start with 3 pounds of rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces. Put in a large pot and add 1 cup of water. Heat with lid on pot tilted, or partially covered and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer until the rhubarb falls apart. (about 25-30 minutes)
• 2. Strain the rhubarb/water mixture through a jelly bag over a large bowl. Let it drip out almost all of the juices. I found that when you can hold the bag and squeeze, it is about done. You dont want the pulp to be too dry, but you also want to keep the juices for another recipe I am posting so dont pitch it! :)
• 3. Get your jars ready! Boil 4 half pint jars to sterilize in your water bath canner. Heat the lids in a separate smaller pan. (no need to boil them, just get them simmering)
• 4. Now you have the pulp in the jelly bag, and it is cool enough to handle. (Remember, keep the bowl of juices and refrigerate it for a wonderful simple syrup recipe.)
• 5. Take the pulp and put it in a pot (non-reactive pot please...a.k.a. stainless steel). It should be around 2 cups or so of pulp. Add to the pot, one cup of sugar. ( I used plain white sugar) Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the water. (you will add that as needed, depending on how dry your pulp is... you might need more to prevent burning)
• 6. Bring to a boil and simmer. This is thick, so add the water as needed so it doesnt burn. I simmered until it was about 200 degrees on a candy thermometer. (about 15-20 minutes) It will be the consistency of a frosting, or butter.
• 7. Time to fill your hot sterilized jars! Put the hot pulp in the jars, being careful to wipe the rims for sealing. Add the lids, and screw caps.
• 8. Put the jars back into the water bath, and process for 10 minutes. Take jars out, and cool on a rack. Sit and enjoy the sound of the "popping" as the jars seal.
• 9. For those who dont want to can, you can make this recipe and it will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks. Canned, it will last up to a year.

RHUBARB BUTTER CRUNCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease 9x13 baking dish.
• Combine rhubarb with sugar and place in greased baking dish.
• Combine brown sugar, oatmeal, butter, shortening and flour and mix to pebble-like consistency; mixture will be crumbly.
• Sprinkle crumbly mixture over rhubarb.
• Bake uncovered for 40 minutes.
• Note: Best served with cool whip or ice cream.

CINNAMON RHUBARB BREAD

Steps:

• For the cinnamon rhubarb bread:Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray the insides of two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened, taking care to not over-mix. Reserve a few pieces of the rhubarb. Fold the rest of the rhubarb into the batter and then divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Poke the reserved rhubarb pieces into the top of the bread, for a pretty effect. Bake about 60-65 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of each loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.Loosen edges and remove loaves from pans. Cool loaves completely on wire racks.For the brown-butter glaze:Once the loaves have cooled, prepare the brown-butter glaze. First, pour half-and-half into a small bowl and set aside. This is just to take the chill off, while you prepare the rest of the glaze.Add sifted powdered sugar to a medium-sized bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm butter until golden brown and foaming, stirring occasionally. This should take about 6-8 minutes. The butter should smell delicious and toasty. If it smells burnt, you went too far. Carefully pour browned butter into the powdered sugar, leaving all but the darkest butter sediment behind. Add 1 tablespoon of the half-and-half, and then add the vanilla. Stir vigorously until smooth. You want the glaze to be somewhat thick, but easily pourable. If it seems too thick, add a bit more of the half-and-half until you like the consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the loaves while the glaze is still warm.

RHUBARB BUTTER WITHOUT CANNING

Steps:

• In a medium, non-reactive saucepan, on medium-low heat, bring the rhubarb, apples, and lemon juice to a slow boil. Add a pinch of salt (optional).
• Simmer on medium low heat, stirring frequently until the fruit becomes the consistency of apple sauce (about 15 minutes). Hurry the fruit along by mashing if you wish.
• Taste the unsweetened sauce and add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired sweetness. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
• Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently or until a "thick applesauce" consistency is reached.
• Allow the resulting fruit butter to cool in the sauce pan and then transfer to clean containers for storage in the refrigerator or freezer. If your containers are clean and well-sealed, the rhubarb butter should last 2 or 3 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
• Use as you would any jam or preserves. The batch pictured above resulted in about 2 cups of rhubarb butter, one headed to the fridge, the other to the freezer.