What Is Rhubarb, and How Do I Cook With It?

By Zoe Denenberg

For a few weeks each spring, farmers market baskets fill up with long candy pink stalks of rhubarb. Many consider it one of the season's greatest gifts, right up there with snappy asparagus and bright radishes. After its highly anticipated yearly debut, the gem-toned beauties disappear from the market almost as quickly as they arrived. Like a young Hollywood starlet, the ephemeral stalks come with a certain level of mystique: What does rhubarb taste like? When is it in season? And is there any truth behind those poison rumors? All that and more, coming right up:

A member of the buckwheat family, rhubarb is known for its vibrant pink hue and tart taste. While science considers it a vegetable, the USDA officially recognized rhubarb as a fruit after a 1947 court case due to its popular use in pies and sauces. Rhubarb plants can grow to be two or three feet tall, though most stalks you’ll find at the store range from 10 to 12 inches in length and can vary in color from light green to vibrant pink to deep, rich red. Red stalks don't necessarily indicate ripeness but are a feature of certain varieties. Because of its inherent tang, rhubarb shines when cooked with sugar. You’ll find the fruit stewed into rhubarb compote, diced and tossed into a pie, or sliced into thin strips and layered on tarts or upside-down cake (swap it for lemons in this recipe).

This perennial plant originated in China and grows best in a cooler climate—most of the rhubarb in the US grows in Washington, Michigan, Maine, and Oregon. It's particularly popular in the UK, where some farmers have devised techniques to make rhubarb available earlier in the season. Forced rhubarb, grown in pitch-dark hothouses and harvested by candlelight, is available six to eight weeks before rhubarb season begins; without exposure to light (which spurs photosynthesis), the rhubarb stalks grow faster than usual, yielding an early harvest. Forced rhubarb is also prized for its sweeter flavor, as the glucose that would’ve been expended in growing the plant's leaves remains concentrated in the stalks.

Our favorite strawberry-rhubarb pie gets a cinnamon crumb topping.

Depending on your location, rhubarb is typically available from early spring (the end of March or early April) to late spring or early summer (around May or June). Since fresh rhubarb is almost always available in April, it's a common choice for Passover and Easter desserts, as well as other spring celebrations. Rhubarb is only harvested once a year, so if you see some at the store, grab it.

In spring, you can buy rhubarb at the grocery store or your local farmers market. Look for straight, firm stalks with no visible signs of decay (such as scars, blemishes, or damage from insects). Store rhubarb at room temperature for up to 48 hours or in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for two to three weeks.

You may have heard a few rumors about this hardy plant's poisonous properties. Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid, which can be lethal if consumed. The stalks are completely safe to eat (whether cooked or raw) and most of the time the leaves will have been removed before they reach your hands. If they haven't, simply cut the leaves away (they’re safe to handle, just don't eat them) and discard before prepping your stalks.

You’ll usually find rhubarb baked into sweets, like rhubarb crisp (topped with a brown sugar crumble), rhubarb pie, or rhubarb custard cake. It's great solo, but also plays well with sweeter fruits. In one classic pairing, strawberry-rhubarb pie, the sweet flavor of the fruit complements tart rhubarb. You can also combine it with raspberries in a compote to spoon over French toast.

Bought too many stalks of rhubarb and not sure how to use them? Stew them into a rhubarb jam, chutney, or compote to slather on ricotta toast or scones. Poach raw rhubarb stalks in simple syrup to soften them while preserving their color and serve alongside tahini chiffon cake, angel food cake, or a pint of vanilla ice cream. Use the residual syrup in cocktails like a strawberry-rhubarb spritz. Or add a dash of apple cider vinegar to turn it into a shrub.

Rhubarb's applications aren't limited to dessert. You’ll find it in savory dishes too. Toss crisp, thinly sliced raw stalks with strawberries, watercress, and a pinch of salt for a fresh salad. Rub rhubarb butter on roast chicken. Or purée it into vibrant beet-rhubarb soup.