Do YOU Eat Raw Rhubarb?

Do you Need to Cook Rhubarb?

Do YOU Eat Raw Rhubarb?

Although I have been enjoying the delicious flavor of rhubarb for many years, I have not, until recently, eaten it raw!

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In fact, I only ever knew of one person who ate rhubarb raw after dipping it in sugar.

But, now I have been made aware of the fact that many people savor eating “the pie plant” raw!

Recently I posted the following question on Rhubarb-Central.com’s facebook timeline:

" Have any of you eaten RAW RHUBARB? Many website visitors to Rhubarb-Central.com ask if you can eat rhubarb raw. It's much too tart tasting for my taste buds, but I do recall a neighbor claiming that she ate rhubarb raw, by dipping the stalk in sugar. Please comment......thanks!! "

I was simply amazed at the feed-back which the post generated!

Many people posted that, YES! ... They enjoy eating raw rhubarb.

Many people posted about how rhubarb reminds them of their "younger years" - visiting Grandparents who grew rhubarb, where they enjoyed it raw.

Most comments suggested to eat the rhubarb dipped in sugar, salt, maple syrup, honey, flavoured gelatin ("Jello"), or sliced over ice cream!

It was also suggested to use tender stalks, and if desired to slice the rhubarb stalks into thin strips.

Here is a copy of a few of the comments posted on

Rhubarb Central.com's Facebook page:

... dad was a gardener by profession and we were lucky to have land behind our tiny garden which he cultivated for fruit and veg. The rhubarb grew behind the gate, between the gooseberries and dad's compost heap. I used to take a handful of sugar to my den, behind the blackcurrant bushes at the other end of the plot. I'd pick rhubarb first, then peas, strawberries and finish my feast with raspberries from the copious hedge between us and neighbours. And some say the fifties weren't as golden as they are made out to be, but my childhood was, definitely.

... Used to eat it raw with sugar when I was a kid, loved it, now every time I see rhubarb, I am a kid again.

... yup use to eat raw rhubarb too dipped in sugar and many times without the sugar too.

... I have a friend that says her mom used to give them a package of jello to dip their rhubarb raw in on a warm summer day!

... Used to eat it raw with salt as a kid.

... Oh yes...a treat at my Gran's house. The stalks were always bright red...nice and ripe though, along with a bowl of sugar.

... to eat it raw, cut it very early while still tender ... then dip the ends in brown sugar or maple syrup .... and it is delicious ! It tastes like a granny smith apple.

... yes, I eat it raw. It gives your teeth a super squeaky clean feel.

... my mother says she used to teethe me on it when I was little. I can still eat raw rhubarb!

... had it on Sunday dipped in brown sugar while making your rhubarb loaf recipe!

I enjoyed reading all the replies, and decided that, together with my daughter, we would definitely try, for the FIRST time, eating fresh rhubarb raw!

As suggested I used fresh, tender rhubarb stalks, washed them, and sliced them into thin strips.

Here is a picture of how our taste buds reacted to the taste of the raw rhubarb:

We really found it quite tart...so we tested the fresh rhubarb dipped in brown sugar, white sugar, salt, honey and maple syrup (we forgot to test the rhubarb dipped in flavoured gelatin ("Jello").

Here is a picture of how our taste buds reacted to the taste of the fresh rhubarb dipped in the various suggested dips - we liked them all ... except the salt!

So, there you have it - as with many other vegetables, (remember that rhubarb is a vegetable), eating fresh raw rhubarb, especially dipped in a sweet dip is definitely a way to eat this veggie!

Try it! You just may like it - like we did!

Of course, we still prefer rhubarb baked into pies, tarts, breads, cookies, muffins, and so on, but we just may enjoy it fresh from time to time.

As the saying goes ... you learn something new every day! :)

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