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Rhubarb season does not wait for you. It comes, it peaks, and if you are not paying attention, you have missed it for another year.
I had a full pantry, a move coming up this summer, and every practical reason in the world to skip canning this week. Instead, I went out and picked rhubarb, came back to the kitchen, and made a batch of the sauce that has consistently been one of our favourites over the last few years. You can follow along with me in the video below.
Why Rhubarb Makes Such a Good Barbecue Sauce
Rhubarb is naturally tart and reasonably high in pectin, which means it cooks down to a thick, glossy sauce without much effort. The combination of rhubarb and warm spices – cinnamon, ginger, allspice – alongside brown sugar and two types of vinegar creates something complex and unexpected. Excellent on chicken and pork.
Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce
The combination of rhubarb and warm spices - cinnamon, ginger, allspice - alongside brown sugar and two types of vinegar creates something complex and unexpected. Excellent on chicken and pork.
Equipment
- Steam Canner
- Canning Jars
- Canning Lids
Ingredients
- 8 cups rhubarb chopped
- 1/2 cup onion roughly chopped
- 3 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp allspice
- 3 cinnamon sticks or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Simmer 30-40 minutes until very soft and thick. Stir occasionally.
- Remove cinnamon sticks.
- Blend with immersion blender until smooth, or mash for a chunkier texture.
- Ladle into hot sterilised half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, apply lids fingertight.
- Process in steam canner or water bath canner for 15 minutes.
- Cool 12-24 hours undisturbed. Check seals before storing.
Notes
Tip: Since everything gets blended at the end, rough chop the onions. It saves time and doesn't affect the finished sauce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A Word on Safe Canning Ratios
You can play with flavourings freely, i.e. more or less cinnamon, different spice ratios, leaving things out. What you do not want to change is the ratio of acid (vinegar) to vegetables. The vinegar acidifies the finished product and makes it safe for water bath canning. If you add more onion, subtract the same amount of rhubarb. Keep the total vegetable volume consistent and the vinegar quantities exactly the same. Tip: Before adapting a canning recipe, write down the acid-to-vegetable ratio first. That way you have a clear reference point when standing at the stove with ingredients in hand.Printable Checklist: Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce Canning Day
- Pick rhubarb and remove leaves in the garden
- Wash and chop rhubarb to yield 8 cups
- Roughly chop 1/2 cup onion
- Measure and combine all ingredients in a heavy pot
- Simmer until soft and thick, 30-40 minutes
- Remove cinnamon sticks, blend or mash
- Sterilize half-pint jars and prepare lids
- Ladle into jars with 1/4 inch headspace, wipe rims, apply lids fingertight
- Process 15 minutes in steam canner or water bath canner
- Cool 12-24 hours, check seals, label and store
If you are interested in learning more about canning, I would love to have you inside the Little Mountain Ranch Community. We talk about this alot and have multiple canning resources in our library. Join us here.