Rhubarb applesauce is a culinary masterpiece, brilliantly merging the vibrant tartness of garden rhubarb with the comforting sweetness of ripe apples. This luscious, rosy pink sauce transcends ordinary applesauce, offering a flavor profile that is both invigoratingly tangy and subtly sweet. It’s an incredibly versatile condiment, perfect for elevating everything from a humble bowl of oatmeal to savory pork chops. The addition of rhubarb infuses the applesauce with a bright zest that awakens the palate, while imparting a stunning, soft blush pink hue that looks as delightful on your plate as it does gracing the shelves of your pantry.
At its core, this is still the beloved applesauce you know, but with an exciting twist. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and adaptability for preservation. You can confidently can this delightful blend using the classic hot-pack, boiling-water canner method, just as you would for standard applesauce canning. Rhubarb, known for its quick-cooking nature, breaks down harmoniously alongside the apples, resulting in a smooth, velvety sauce ready for canning. This project is a rewarding way to utilize the bounty of early spring rhubarb or to put your frozen rhubarb stash to excellent use, transforming them into a delectable, shelf-stable treat.
This recipe has undergone thorough review for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver, certified through the esteemed University of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Your canning confidence starts here!
One of the significant advantages of incorporating rhubarb is its naturally high acidity. This means there’s absolutely no need to add extra lemon juice for safe canning, simplifying the process while ensuring the sauce’s long-term stability. The inherent acidity of rhubarb, combined with the mild acidity of apples, creates a perfectly balanced sauce. It’s tangy enough to cut through the richness of fatty meats and hearty meals, yet wonderfully mild and sweet enough for even the pickiest eaters to savor on toast, swirl into yogurt, or enjoy straight from the spoon. This unique balance makes it a family favorite and a pantry staple.
Whether you have fresh rhubarb stalks or a freezer full of last season’s harvest, both forms work exceptionally well in this recipe. In fact, frozen rhubarb offers a slight advantage: its cell walls have already been ruptured by the freezing process, allowing it to break down even faster during cooking. This can shave precious minutes off your cooking time. If you’ve got frozen rhubarb tucked away from the spring harvest, this recipe provides an ideal opportunity to use it up, especially when apples are abundant and at their peak sweetness in the fall.
From My Kitchen to Yours: Why I Love Rhubarb Applesauce
I initially stumbled upon the idea of making rhubarb applesauce as a resourceful way to utilize the last of my frozen rhubarb before the new spring season brought fresh stalks. What began as an experiment quickly blossomed into one of those delightful kitchen accidents that earned a permanent spot in my annual canning rotation. The resulting pink color is simply enchanting, and the flavor profile is far more intriguing than plain applesauce, without venturing into anything overly exotic or unfamiliar. It shares a delightful kinship with my popular cranberry applesauce and strawberry applesauce recipes, yet it proudly boasts its own distinct and captivating character.
My children adore this version of applesauce. They find its slightly tangier notes, balanced by just enough sweetness, to be a true treat. Beyond breakfast and snacks, it has become my unwavering go-to accompaniment for savory dishes. I frequently serve it alongside succulent pork roasts or grilled sausages, where its bright tartness masterfully cuts through the richness of the meat in a way that regular applesauce simply can’t achieve. This versatility makes it an indispensable addition to my pantry, offering a burst of flavor and a touch of color to countless meals.
Quick Recipe Overview: Rhubarb Applesauce
- Recipe Name: Rhubarb Applesauce
- Recipe Type: Mixed Fruit Applesauce
- Canning Method: Water Bath Canning or Steam Canning
- Prep Time: Approximately 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: Approximately 15-25 minutes
- Canning Process Time: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts (plus altitude adjustments)
- Yield: Roughly 4 pints (based on standard batch size)
- Recommended Jar Sizes: Quarter pints, half pints, pints, or quarts
- Required Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Core Ingredients: Apples, rhubarb, water or juice, with optional sugar
- Trusted Safe Canning Source: University of Georgia Extension (following fruit puree guidelines)
- Difficulty Level: Easy – suitable for beginners and experienced canners alike
- Similar Flavor Profiles: While distinct, it shares similarities with other fruit-applesauce blends like pomegranate applesauce. Its flavor also echoes rhubarb-centric canning recipes such as rhubarb sauce and rhubarb jam, but with a significantly reduced sugar content, allowing the natural fruit flavors to shine.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Rhubarb Applesauce
Creating exquisite rhubarb applesauce requires only a handful of simple, wholesome ingredients. The star players are, of course, fresh or frozen rhubarb and your choice of apples, complemented by a modest amount of liquid to facilitate cooking without scorching. While sugar is optional, it plays a crucial role in harmonizing the inherent tartness of rhubarb, allowing its unique flavor to truly shine.
- Apples: You’ll need about 16 cups of sliced apples, which typically equates to approximately 4 pounds once prepared (peeled, cored, and sliced), or roughly 5 to 5½ pounds as purchased. For the best, smoothest sauce, opt for sweet, aromatic apple varieties that readily break down when cooked. Good choices include McIntosh, Cortland, Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Jonagold.
- Rhubarb: Prepare 8 cups of sliced rhubarb, translating to approximately 2 pounds. Both fresh and frozen rhubarb perform admirably in this recipe. Ensure your rhubarb is cut into uniform ½-inch pieces for consistent cooking. If using frozen rhubarb, there’s no need to thaw it beforehand.
- Water or Juice: Six cups of liquid are needed to kickstart the cooking process. While apple juice or apple cider will impart an extra layer of apple flavor, plain water works perfectly fine and keeps the focus purely on the fruit.
- Sugar: (Optional) Add ½ to 1 cup of granulated sugar, adjusting to your personal preference. Rhubarb is notably tart, so you might find yourself adding slightly more sugar than you would for a plain applesauce recipe. The key is to add it gradually and taste as you go, finding that perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Regarding apple preparation: you have the flexibility to use any apple variety, but those that become tender and disintegrate easily upon cooking are ideal for sauce-making. Peeling your apples is a matter of choice; if you decide to leave the peels on for added nutrients or speed, simply pass the cooked sauce through a food mill to achieve a silky-smooth texture, effectively removing any fibrous peel fragments.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Perfect Rhubarb Applesauce
This recipe is wonderfully straightforward, designed to guide you through the process of cooking, pureeing, and then safely canning your homemade rhubarb applesauce. Follow these steps for a delicious and successful batch.
Step 1: Gently Cook the Fruit
Begin by combining your prepared sliced apples, cut rhubarb, and the chosen liquid (water or juice) in a large, sturdy, heavy-bottomed pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Allow the fruit to cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the apples are thoroughly tender and the rhubarb has completely broken down, integrating into the sauce. This typically takes about 15 to 25 minutes on the stovetop. Keep an eye on the bottom of the pot; if it appears to be drying out, add a small splash more liquid and continue stirring to ensure nothing scorches.
Slow Cooker Alternative: For a hands-off approach, this recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker. Most slow cookers will render applesauce perfectly in approximately 3 to 4 hours on the high setting, or 6 to 8 hours on the low setting. Remember to stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Step 2: Puree the Sauce to Perfection
Once the fruit mixture is delightfully tender, it’s time to transform it into a smooth sauce. Puree the cooked fruit to your desired consistency. For the silkiest texture and effortless removal of any apple peels, a food mill is an excellent tool. Alternatively, an immersion blender provides a quick and convenient way to achieve a smooth puree directly in the pot. Regardless of your chosen method, it’s essential that the finished sauce is a true puree, free from any large, discernible chunks. A consistent and even texture is vital for ensuring uniform heat penetration during the canning process, which is crucial for safety.
Step 3: Season and Reheat
Now is the time to adjust the sweetness. If you’re using sugar, stir it into the warm applesauce, starting with ½ cup. Taste the sauce, and gradually add more sugar if needed, until you reach your preferred balance of sweet and tart. Remember, rhubarb is quite bold in flavor, so taste carefully. After seasoning, return the applesauce to a full, rolling boil. This step is critical for safe canning, as the sauce must be piping hot when transferred to jars.
Step 4: Fill the Prepared Jars
With the rhubarb applesauce at a full boil, carefully ladle it into clean, hot pint jars. Ensure you leave a ½-inch headspace at the top of each jar. This space is essential for proper sealing. Using a debubbler tool or a non-metallic spatula, remove any trapped air bubbles by gently running it around the inside of the jar. Recheck the headspace and adjust by adding more sauce if necessary. Finally, wipe the rims of the jars clean with a damp cloth, center the canning lids, and apply the bands, tightening them to fingertip-tight.
Canning Rhubarb Applesauce for Shelf-Stable Goodness
For those who plan to enjoy their rhubarb applesauce relatively quickly, it will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a year. However, for true shelf-stable storage that allows you to enjoy the flavors of spring and fall year-round, processing the filled jars in a boiling water bath is the recommended method.
While your fruit is cooking down, ensure your water bath canner is prepared and heating. Once your jars are filled, sealed, and ready, carefully lower them into the canner. Make certain that the jars are completely submerged, covered by at least 1 inch of boiling water. Process pint jars for 15 minutes, or quart jars for 20 minutes. Remember to adjust these processing times according to your altitude, as outlined in the chart below.
Upon completion of the processing time, turn off the heat under the canner. Allow the jars to rest undisturbed in the hot water bath for an additional 5 minutes. This helps to equalize the pressure and reduces the chance of siphoning. After 5 minutes, carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel-lined surface to cool completely, without disturbance, for 12 to 24 hours. After this cooling period, check the seals. Lids should be concave and not flex when pressed. Any unsealed jars should be reprocessed or stored in the refrigerator for immediate consumption.
Crucial Altitude Adjustments for Water Bath Canning
When performing water bath canning, it’s imperative to increase processing times at higher elevations to ensure safe food preservation. Water boils at a lower temperature as altitude increases, which means a longer processing time is needed to achieve the required sterilization. Consult the following table to adjust your canning duration:
- 0 to 1,000 feet above sea level: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet above sea level: 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level: 20 minutes for pints, 30 minutes for quarts
- Above 6,000 feet above sea level: 25 minutes for pints, 35 minutes for quarts
Yield Notes and Recipe Scaling
This comprehensive recipe is designed to produce a generous 4-pint batch of delicious rhubarb applesauce. However, if your needs or available ingredients differ, it’s incredibly easy to scale the recipe up or down. Below, you’ll find the precise quantities required for a single pint, allowing you to tailor the recipe to your exact requirements:
- Apples (per pint): You will need approximately 4 cups of sliced apples. This is roughly equivalent to 1 pound of prepared apples (meaning peeled, cored, and sliced), or about 4 medium-sized apples as purchased.
- Rhubarb (per pint): For each pint, use 2 cups of sliced rhubarb, which weighs approximately 8 ounces or ½ pound.
- Liquid (per pint): Include 1½ cups of water or your preferred apple juice for adequate moisture during cooking.
- Sugar (optional, per pint): If you choose to add sugar, start with about 2 to 4 tablespoons per pint, and always adjust to your personal taste preference.
For the full 4-pint batch as originally written, plan to purchase about 5 to 5½ pounds of apples (which will yield the necessary 4 pounds prepared fruit) and 2 pounds of rhubarb. An important tip: if you’re using frozen rhubarb, there’s no need to thaw it before adding it to the pot. It will cook down beautifully from frozen, often even faster than fresh rhubarb.
Creative Serving Ideas for Your Rhubarb Applesauce
Rhubarb applesauce is a wonderfully versatile creation that can be enjoyed in all the same ways as traditional applesauce, yet it truly shines where a touch of extra tang and a unique flavor profile are welcomed. Its vibrant character makes it an exciting addition to both sweet and savory dishes.
- Savory Pairings: The tartness of rhubarb applesauce is a dream pairing for rich, fatty meats. Serve it generously alongside succulent roasted pork, flavorful grilled sausages, a glazed baked ham, or even roasted chicken. The bright acidity perfectly cuts through the richness, balancing the flavors of the meal and preventing it from being too heavy. It can also be a delightful accompaniment to a cheese board, especially with aged cheeses.
- Breakfast and Brunch Delights: Start your day with a burst of flavor by spooning this luscious sauce over your morning oatmeal, stirring it into creamy yogurt, or dolloping it onto fluffy pancakes and waffles. It’s also exquisite when swirled into cottage cheese for a protein-rich snack or layered into a beautiful parfait with granola, creating a breakfast that’s as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate.
- Baking Applications: Elevate your baked goods by substituting rhubarb applesauce for regular applesauce in your favorite recipes. It lends incredible moisture and a subtle, intriguing tang that pairs particularly well with spice cakes, ginger muffins, oat bread, and classic oatmeal cookies. Consider using it in a crumble or pie filling for an unexpected twist.
- Dessert & Snack Enhancements: Beyond baking, use it as a topping for vanilla ice cream, a filling for crepes, or as a vibrant layer in trifles. For a simple, elegant dessert, serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon. It’s also fantastic simply chilled as a refreshing snack on its own.
Rhubarb Applesauce FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Absolutely, frozen rhubarb is not only suitable but often preferred! It works perfectly and does not require thawing before use. The freezing process actually breaks down the cell walls of the rhubarb, causing it to cook down even faster and more efficiently than fresh rhubarb. Simply add it to the pot directly from the freezer along with the apples and liquid, and proceed with the recipe.
No, there is no need to add lemon juice for safe canning in this rhubarb applesauce recipe. Rhubarb is naturally very high in acid, often more acidic than many other fruits. When combined with apples, which are also acidic, the resulting sauce has a sufficiently low pH to be safely processed using the boiling water bath canning method without any additional acidification.
Yes, sugar is completely optional and is not a requirement for safe canning in this recipe. Its primary purpose is to balance the tartness of the rhubarb and enhance the overall flavor. However, rhubarb is quite tart on its own, so most individuals find that adding at least a small amount of sugar greatly improves the taste. We recommend tasting the sauce as you go and adding only as much sugar as necessary to suit your palate.
For the best applesauce, whether plain or with rhubarb, sweet and aromatic apple varieties that cook down quickly and easily are ideal. Excellent choices include McIntosh, Cortland, Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold. These varieties tend to yield a smoother, more flavorful sauce. You should generally avoid very firm or crisp apples like Granny Smith, as they take considerably longer to soften and often result in a grainier or chunkier texture in your finished applesauce.
If your rhubarb applesauce is too thick after cooking and pureeing, you can easily thin it by stirring in small amounts of hot water or apple juice until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, you can return it to the pot and simmer it gently, uncovered, for a longer period. This will allow some of the excess liquid to evaporate, thickening the sauce. Remember to bring it back to a full boil before canning if adjusting consistency.
More Delightful Rhubarb Canning Recipes
Rhubarb Applesauce
Blueberry Rhubarb Jam (Bluebarb Jam)
Rhubarb Sauce (or Compote)
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Rhubarb Applesauce
Rate
Equipment
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Water Bath Canner
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Pint or Quart Mason Jars
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Canning lids and bands
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Large heavy-bottomed pot
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Food Mill or Immersion Blender
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Jar lifter
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Canning Funnel
Ingredients
- 16 cups sliced apples, about 4 lbs prepared, 5-5½ lbs as purchased
- 8 cups sliced rhubarb, about 2 lbs, fresh or frozen
- 6 cups water or apple juice
- ½-1 cup sugar, optional, adjust to taste
Instructions
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Combine sliced apples, rhubarb, and water or juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until apples are completely tender and rhubarb has broken down, 15-25 minutes.
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Puree to your preferred texture using a food mill (for smoothest sauce) or immersion blender. Make sure finished sauce is a true puree with no large chunks.
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Stir in sugar if using, starting with 1/2 cup and adding more to taste. Bring applesauce back to a full boil.
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Ladle boiling hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
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Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude. Let stand in canner 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
Fresh or frozen rhubarb both work well. Frozen rhubarb doesn’t need to be thawed; it actually breaks down faster since freezing ruptures the cell walls.
No Lemon Juice Needed
Rhubarb is naturally very acidic, so no lemon juice is required for safe canning.
Recipe Yield and Scaling
This recipe makes about 4 pints. For a single pint, use: 4 cups sliced apples (1 lb prepared), 2 cups sliced rhubarb (8 oz), 1½ cups water or juice, and 2-4 Tbsp sugar to taste.
For the full batch, you’ll need about 5-5½ lbs apples as purchased and 2 lbs rhubarb.
Altitude Adjustments
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes pints, 20 minutes quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 20 minutes pints, 25 minutes quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes pints, 30 minutes quarts
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes pints, 35 minutes quarts
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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