rhubarb

Anyone have any idea what causes rhubarb to be excessively sour?

Thanks!

Reply to
Dvd
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I have a green variety and Canadian Red and every piece of rhubarb I have ever eaten is sour. I have a lot of good, sweet recipes for rhubarb. Sue in Mi. (zone 5) with a foot of new snow and temps in the teens.

Reply to
SAS567

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Reply to
dr-solo

I suspect your 'calcium' comment relates to the fact that Rhubarb contains some oxalic acid (the leaves especially, which is why they are toxic.) Calcium ions react with oxalic acid to form very insoluble calcium oxalate, which I vaguely recall is involved in the toxicity mechanism, the oxalate damages the kidneys. (Reputedly deaths occurred in the UK in world war 2 due to people eating the leaves. Possibly apocryphal.)

Plant metabolism does howver require some calcium, so just how calcium ions & oxalic acid co exist is an interesting question. But it clearly could be related to how sour the plant is. Is the oxalic acid content a significant contributer to the sourness - I have no idea!

How popular is rhubarb in the USA? Widely eaten & grown in the UK, but far less on the continent, although you do see it in France some times.

Harvey

Reply to
Harvey

Thank you for your responses, The question came to me from a lady who grew the same rhubarb (two varieties) year after year, but last year it was more than normally sour.

dvd

Reply to
Dvd

Oxalates

Reply to
Cereoid-UR12-

Oxalic acid is sour; *oxalates* would not be surely?

Harvey

Reply to
Harvey

Say what, Pooka? Upon which form do you partake today?

......and how are you today Mr. Wilson?

Reply to
Cereoid-UR12-

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Reply to
dr-solo

Was that the pooka Fergus McFellimy? zemedelec

Reply to
Zemedelec

Quite. Just about every old house has a patch growing around it. The common name is "pie plant" due to the fact it makes exceptional pies. It is more common in the northern part of the US where there is frost.

Reply to
C

Oxalic acid would make it sour. The plant needs frost. Weather and moisture have a great effect on the plants tenderness, "sweetness", edibility, etc. Hot, dry temps and you can just about forget it. However, when the temps are agreeable and the rain plentiful, it is possible to harvest rhubarb long into summer months. I recall once harvesting it in southern Wisconsin well into July and early August.

Rhubarb pie is a sure sign that spring has arrived.

Reply to
C

No matter which variety you have, sugar is an unfortunate necessity when preparing it as sauce or pie. Some varieties are more sour than others. It seems as though the redder the stem, the less sugar required.

Reply to
C

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Reply to
dr-solo

Your turn to bake? I'll be right there.

Reply to
C

I spent most of my life in the South and never tasted a rhubarb pie, but I never met a pie I didn't like. :)

Regards,

Hal

Reply to
Hal

You can buy frozen rhubarb with which you can make rhubarb pie.

Reply to
C

I like strawberry-rhubarb cobbler. I don't add as much sugar to the recipe when I add the strawberries. Sue in Mi. ( 17" of snow and 9 degrees.)

Reply to
SAS567

Southern WI here: Cold, no snow. Send snow. We'll send rhubarb. Better yet, send snow and cobbler. We'll send "thank you".

Reply to
C

gotta wait til spring.

Aunt Nada's rhubarb custard pie For a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Preheat oven to 450oF. Make sure pie crust is room temp before starting or the bottom crust can end up soggy. Line the pie tin with one crust and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Cut the other round into strips about an inch wide. This will be woven to form the top lattice. I generally add all the ingredients in a ziploc, mix and then add the rhubarb and mix it in there. Less cleanup. With a fork, lightly beat 3 whole eggs. Reserve a tablespoon for brushing the top.

1 + 3/4 cups sugar more or less ½ teaspoon salt 1/4 cup flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mix well Add 4 ½ cups of unpeeled rhubarb, cut to ½ inch long put stuff into crust dot with 2 tablespoons butter put in top lattice Brush lattice with egg wash to make sure it browns Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, then reduce to 350 for another 30 minutes.

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Reply to
dr-solo

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