Rhubarb is one of those vegetables that we can enjoy very early. Not everyone knows that the quality of the delicacy depends on the time we collect it. Nit is best to collect rhubarb when it is still relatively cold, i.e. from the end of April to May. The juices in the stems then flow with great strength, and the tissues are still delicate. This causes rhubarb to be extremely fragile, juicy and simply tasty.
Over time, the plant gets more and more bite, and bitterness appears in the taste of rhubarb. The translation of collections at the end of June or July, contrary to appearances, will not make them have more values, as is the case with other vegetables. Older plants also contain more oxalateswhich not everyone should consume in excess. Local, overgrown rhubarb stalks are best to be thermal treatment, which limits the content of oxalates.
Never go with a knife for collecting rhubarb. Cut stalks can become a source of fungal diseases for the plant left in the ground and thus influence its further development. It is best after choosing the right specimen, gently break its stem at the root itself. You can unscrew it slightly. In this way, you will not damage a plant that can continue to yield freely. Thanks to this, you will have new stalks every week.
After cutting the rhubarb, it is best to cut off his leaves immediately And throw it on the compost. They contain the most oxalates and are poisonous. By the way, you will help stalks to keep firmness for longer, because they will not supply water with wilting leaves and keep it in themselves.
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You can store rhubarb stalks cut and free of leaves in the fridge for several days. It is best to wrap them with moist paper before, which will prolong their firmness. Never store rhubarb along with leaves: it is not healthy and will lead to faster stalks.
You can also freeze the rhubarb. After washing and peeling the stems, cut them into pieces. Then spread them on trays lined with baking paper, trying so that the pieces do not touch each other. After a few hours, frozen rhubarb be used to sealed containers or string bags and put in the freezer again. Thanks to this, the pieces do not stick together to form a large frozen block.
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