Stewed Rhubarb & Apple Recipe (Sweetened with Honey)

by Kylie Foster August 09, 2019

If you don't have rhubarb in the garden then grab a chunk of a plant from a friend and get one growing as they are a plant that just keeps on giving. Seriously, rhubarb is the new black! Rhubarb is naturally not particularly sweet so it needs to be paired with a sweet fruit or have a lot of sweetener added. In this stewed rhubarb and apple recipe, I've used honey to add some extra sweetness beyond what is provided by the apple. You could sub this with sugar if you prefer and, in either case, sweeten to your tastebuds.

This is a great alternative to compotes available commercially which tend to be packaged in plastic pouches that cannot be recycled easily (or at all). You could also add a crumble topping for a rhubarb and apple crumble!

Rhubarb can be stringy. The trick is to cut it into short lengths if you are wanting to avoid that texture.

Makes: 4x 580 mL Weck Mold jars or 4x 500 mL Le Parfait Familia Wiss Terrine jars or 4x 500 mL Le Parfait Super jars.

Ingredients

2 kg apples
1 kg rhubarb stems (leaves removed)
3/4 cup water
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
60 g honey (you may need more depending on apple variety and your preferred sweetness)

Method

1. Wash your preserving jars in hot soapy water, rinse and place in a warm oven (use a low heat setting) until ready for use. Prepare the lids or seals as per manufacturers recommendations.
2. If you plan to can the stewed rhubarb and apple, get a large pot /water bath prepared with a rack on the bottom and about half filled with water. Put this on high heat and bring to the boil while you prepare the apple and rhubarb. If you are going to freeze the stewed fruit or use straight away then you don't need to do this step.
3. Pour the water and lemon juice into a second large stock pot. Wash, peel, core and chop the apples and place in the stock pot. You may want to do this in batches and stir through the water and lemon to reduce the amount of browning to the apple while you are preparing all of the fruit.
4. Wash the rhubarb stems and chop into 1 cm lengths. Add to the apple.
5. Cook over a medium - low heat for approx. 30 minutes until the apples have cooked down. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick. Towards the end of cooking add the cinnamon and honey and cook further until you are satisfied with the flavour and texture.
6. Take the jars out of the oven and place on a wooden chopping board. Using a jar funnel, ladle the stewed rhubarb and apple into the jars leaving a 1/2" (15 mm) gap from the rim. Remove any obvious air pockets and adjust the fill level if required. Place the lid on top and fasten (method dependent on the preserving jar system you are using). 
7. Once all jars are filled, place into the water bath using a jar lifter. Adjust the level of water in the bath/pot so that you have at least 2 cm of water above the jars. Bring back up to the boil and, once at a boil, heat process for 20 mins. After 20 mins, turn off the heat and remove from the water bath/pot using a jar lifter and place on a folded towel in a place where the jars can be left undisturbed for 12-24 hours. 
8. After 12-24 hours (once cooled), remove the clamps or rings from your jars and ensure that a seal has formed. Label and store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. 
9. Alternatively, you could freeze in glass jars leaving a 1/2" (15 mm) gap to allow for expansion.

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