So I had this whole thing written about how under-appreciated a fruit rhubarb is, and how lets be honest, very few of you are jumping for joy when rhubarb season rolls around. Just before publishing the post, I told a friend about this stewed rhubarb recipe. Her response, “that sounds great, rhubarb is a totally neglected veggie”….wait, a vegetable? It seems its under-appreciated to the point that no one evens knows if its a fruit or vegetable.


So being the massive nerd that I am, I turned to my trusty (although not always accurate but lets pretend that it is) friend wikipedia for a little clarification:

“Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable. In the United States, however, a New York court decided in 1947 that since it was used in the United States as a fruit, it counted as a fruit for the purposes of regulations and duties. A side effect was a reduction on imported rhubarb tariffs, as tariffs were higher for vegetables than fruits.”


So I guess we were both right? What an unsatisfying victory. Apologies if you’ve started to doze off, I think its about time we move back to this delicious stewed rhubarb recipe.


This stewed rhubarb is incredibly versatile and can be used in a long list of ways. I love it for breakfast in the morning served with SCD yogurt and a drizzle of honey over top. You can add a few spoonfuls to a smoothie or simply eat a bowl full on its own. It can be heated and served over ice cream, or used in a crisp or pie. It also can be added to Orange and Rhubarb Muffins to make them melt in your mouth moist. This rhubarb also freezes well, so I recommend doubling the batch so you can store some for later. I prefer it to be on the liquidy side but if you like it to be thick then just cook it down for a few more minutes until more of the moisture evaporates.


Whether you classify rhubarb as a fruit or vegetable, the one thing I know you will agree on is that this stewed rhubarb is seriously good.

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

Stewed Rhubarb

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dairy Free, Grain/Gluten Free, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal
Servings 5 -6 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 1/3 cup honey *or maple syrup add 1 tbsp more if you prefer it sweeter
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 1/4 cup orange juice

Instructions
 

  • Wash and chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • In a pot on medium-low heat combine all of the ingredients, cover and let simmer.
  • If you preferthe rhubarb to remain quite chunky, let simmer for 15-20 minutes. For a smoother consistency let the mixture simmer for closer to 25 minutes.
  • Store in the fridge for up to a week. Serve either hot or cold.

DSC_0469