a British kitchen journal
Rhubarb from the allotment, the forcing shed and the greengrocer.
Plain, reliable recipes for the pink stalks of January and the rowdy maincrop of May. Growing notes for one good crown. No shop, no sponsorship, no affiliate links.
pink noses, late March
The index
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01Preserves
Rhubarb chutney for the Christmas cheeseboard: make it now, open it in December
A dark, spiced chutney from frozen or late stalks that needs a few weeks in the jar to mellow. Start it in mid-November and it is ready for the cheese.
14 Nov · 2026 -
02Drinks
Homemade rhubarb gin for Christmas: steeping, sweetening and the legal line
Rhubarb, sugar and a bottle of shop-bought gin, left to steep for a few weeks. Here is the method, the timing for Christmas, and where home making stops being legal.
14 Nov · 2026 -
03Preserves
Selling homemade rhubarb jam at a Christmas fair: what the food rules ask of you
A stall at the school fair or a village Christmas market is a fine home for spare jars. Here is what the Food Standards Agency guidance says about registration, allergens and reused jars.
13 Nov · 2026 -
04Growing notes
Planting rhubarb crowns this winter: which variety to buy and where to put it
Bare-root rhubarb crowns are on sale from November to March. A short guide to the varieties worth buying, the spot that suits them and how deep to set the bud.
13 Nov · 2026 -
05Growing notes
How to divide an old rhubarb clump in late autumn and winter
A tired clump that gives thin stalks is usually asking to be split. Lift it while it sleeps, keep the outer pieces, and you get several new plants for nothing.
12 Nov · 2026 -
06Growing notes
Forcing rhubarb at home this winter: two methods and what each costs the plant
Cover a crown in the garden, or lift it and bring it indoors in the dark. Both give pale pink stalks weeks early, but one uses the plant up.
11 Nov · 2026 -
07Growing notes
Looking after rhubarb over winter: mulch, wet soil, rot and late frost
Rhubarb asks very little between November and March, but the few jobs that matter decide how good the spring crop is. Mulch in the right place, drainage, and a fleece for the first shoots.
10 Nov · 2026 -
08Kitchen notes
Freezing rhubarb properly, and cooking with it straight from the freezer
Raw, poached or as compote: how to freeze rhubarb so it does not set into one lump, how long it is at its best, and which recipes can take it straight from frozen.
10 Nov · 2026 -
09Savoury
A sharp rhubarb sauce for roast pork, duck or the Christmas goose
Rhubarb does for fatty meat what apple sauce and cranberry do, only sharper. A ten-minute sauce from frozen stalks that can be made ahead of the big day.
9 Nov · 2026 -
10Growing notes
Can you grow rhubarb in a pot? A patio guide for small gardens
Yes, if the pot is big enough and you keep up with watering. What size container, which compost, which varieties, and how the crop compares with a plant in the ground.
8 Nov · 2026 -
11Kitchen notes
The UK rhubarb year: when to pick, when to stop, and what to leave
A short seasonal guide for anyone with a crown in the garden or an eye on the greengrocer’s shelf. Plus the thing to remember about the leaves.
2 Nov · 2026 -
12Cakes & bakes
Rhubarb and ginger cake: an upside-down loaf that keeps for a week
A moist loaf with roasted rhubarb on top, caramelised to a sticky edge. Not a sponge; closer to a parkin. It improves on the second day.
20 Oct · 2026 -
13Puddings
A proper rhubarb crumble: the one recipe worth keeping
A plain, reliable crumble with buttery topping, sharp-sweet fruit and a bit of chew from the oats. No cornflour, no cardamom, no fuss.
28 Sept · 2026 -
14Preserves
Rhubarb and ginger jam: a short-set preserve that keeps its colour
A loose-set jam with sharp fruit and a good thwack of fresh ginger. No pectin, no lemon pips, no overnight soak.
5 Sept · 2026 -
15Rhubarb in Britain
The Rhubarb Triangle: why Yorkshire forced rhubarb is its own thing
Nine square miles between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell still grow rhubarb in the dark, by candlelight, from January to March. Here is why that matters in the kitchen.
15 Aug · 2026 -
16Growing notes
Growing rhubarb from a crown: a plant that lasts a decade
A single rhubarb crown, planted well in a winter month, will feed a household for ten to fifteen years. Here is what to do in the first season, and the few things that go wrong.
10 Jul · 2026
About this journal
Rhubarb Recipes is a small, independent kitchen journal written by home cooks and kitchen-gardeners in the UK. We publish one piece at a time, when it is good, with attention to what actually works in a domestic oven and a wet allotment. There are no sponsored posts, no affiliate links and no named chef on the masthead.
If you have a recipe or a growing note to pitch, see our write-for-us page. If you want to say hello, our address is here.