Rhubarb Homebrew Wine and Chutney

This year I changed Cornwall for Suffolk and had to leave my pride and joy allotment behind L and was lucky enough to get a new one with a few months. What a disaster, overgrown to the hilt and poor soil quality and an abundance of spear grass.

Due to the everlasting winter, crops have been slow, but what has grown in abundance is Rhubarb!! I love rhubarb, first thing I have made is Rhubarb Chutney;

Ingredients

250g Rhubarb

2 Red Onions

100g Sultana

200g Sugar

200ml White Wine Vinegar

1tbsp Crushed Cloves

1tbsp  Allspice

I love my food processor I have the Kenwood FP920,  my lovely other half brought it me for Christmas and I couldn't be without it!!

Anyway wash  Rhubarb and onion (if your good like me and grow it yourself, otherwise shop brought it isn't such a problem) Chop off the usual bits (Top and Tail etc) and chuck it down the processor on the slicer disc.  Then shove it all in the slow cooker and give it a mix, if you’re worried that there isn't enough liquid you can just chuck some more vinegar in then whack it up high. This is best done at night as you can leave the slow cooker on while you sleep. When you get up in the morning take the lid off and carry on cooking so some of the moisture can evaporate. I left mine for about an hour or two and then dished into my sterilised jar, trying not to add too much liquid, put some greaseproof paper on top and seal and leave to mature in a cool dark place, hopefully for at least a month!!

So my next Rhubarb recipe is for homebrew and for this you will need;

Ingredients

1.5kg rhubarb
1.3kg sugar
250ml white grape juice concentrate
1 sachet general purpose white wine yeast
1 tsp yeast nutrient

As before make sure you wash the rhubarb clear of and insects, slugs, caterpillars and shove it through the food processor (love love love)

Now you need to put it into a container, you can buy fancy ones but I like to use STERLISED ice cream tubs. Add the sugar and mix and then you’re going to want to leave that for at least a day, maybe two or three.

 

After you’ve waited for a bit crush the pulp, I like to do it with a clean hand, but I suppose you could use a masher, not too much mind. Stir in three litres of boiled but cooled water and make sure its well mixed.

Strain through sterilised muslin into a sterilised demijohn (if you have more than one spare, if not you can use any sterilised liquid container big enough) add the grape juice concentrate and make up to the top of the demijohn and add the yeast and the yeast nutrient.

I would siphon into a clean demijohn after about a week, and then do it again after 4 so you’re disposing of the stuff at the bottom. When its definitely stopped fermenting you can add pectolase to clear, rack it and to enjoy it at its best I’d wait a year, although you could drink now! Enjoy =D