Rhubarb Cordial

one stalk = 486g!

I can't remember where I got this recipe from (not very helpful, I know!) but thought I'd give it a try because we have got a lot of rhubarb picked already and loads more growing!  There's only so much crumble one can eat!

I made rhubarb jam out of the leftover pulp - waste not, want not!

plus sugar

2kg Rhubarb chopped (one stalk weighed 486g!)

2 large Oranges
6 Star Anise (optional)
1.5 litres cold water
Citric Acid (optional to keep it for a long time, I couldn't find any) 

600g sugar

Boil rhubarb in water with 8 large strips of orange peel and juice of both oranges, leave to go to a pinky green mush.  

My pot wasn't big enough, so I did half at a time, I think I should have done it in 1/3 or 1/4 though.

Also, I think it must be the variety of rhubarb, because mine doesn't usually go pinky-green, so I just boiled it till it was mushy. 

 

 

 

 

Leave to cool. 

Yup, managed this step just fine!  Mental note:  Even halved, it's a lot of rhubarb, so it takes it's own sweet time to cool! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strain juice into another pan. 

I didn't have another pan, so I used my jam strainer & bowl and timed it right so that I went to work while it was dripping & I didn't have a chance to poke around and try and rush it! (I know me!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Put back on heat and add sugar and citric acid.  

1/2 batch pulp and juice separated

The instructions weren't 100% clear here, but I'm assuming it's just the juice I use and I just realised when I got to this point, that I didn't put in the star anise yet.  After a conflab with myself, I decided that I would use 3 star anise when I boiled up the second half of the batch, and then I'd have two different flavours (also not sure if I like star anise after whiffing the jar).

 

Put into bottles.  

 No problem!