Rhubarb So Tart - What Happened?
 

I decided to try the rhubarb crisp recipe today, but it was almost unbearably tart, even with 3 Splenda pkgs! I mean really tart - like SweetTarts! Here's what I did:

-2 cups rhubarb cut up
- 1/8 cup water
- 3 pks. Splenda
combined in bowl, microwaved 2 mins. Stirred, microwaved 2 more mins. til soft.

-2 oz water
- Maple oatmeal packet
mixed, dolloped on top of rhubarb

Baked oatmeal-topped rhubarb at 350 for 17 mins (golden brown)

Not sure whether my tastebuds have gotten so far off (8 wks on IP) or if it was the recipe, but WOW! If I hadn't been starving by that point, I wouldn't have eaten it.

Well i made it last night..and.. ive noticed a few differences from your recipe to mine...

1) I used 1 cup of rubarb not 2
2) I didnt use as much water as you
3) I use vanilla extract in my rubarb prior to putting the oatmeal on...

The recipe i used was:

1 cup rubarb microvwaved with a little water at the bottom
Add a tsp of vanilla extract and add a couple tsp of xylitiol( i cant use splenda)
Add cinnamon to rubarb... and mash up a little
Add a little water just enough to make oatmeal packet gritty and then spread over top of rubarb..
Bake for 20 minutes at 350

I heard some also use 1 oz of skim milk on top while eating it ..i dont though...

I think the vanilla helps a lot and same with the cinnamon..i think it mutes the tartness a bit more..

Or it wasnt ripe??? Its still relatively early in the season for garden rhubarb, but if it was from a grocery store, and wasnt green, should be ok.

Maybe it's early in Alberta, but in MD it's actually late for rhubarb or the tale end of the season:
http://www.pickyourown.org/MDharvestcalendar.htm

Well, heck, we are way off from that schedule LOL...Plus 9 days of rain in the past 14 and not much ground temp...

I make this all the time, most of the time without the oatmeal crumble so I can have it on a on restricted day. I always put a ton of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. I also add vanilla or almond extract and a tad bit of olive oil. I bake it for 30-45 min at 400 degrees. I add water if I'm doing the crumble but not much, the juice from the rhubarb soaks it up. If its too tart I add some WF blue berry spread and mix it in.

Just play with the recipe and see what works. You probably got a batch that wasn't ripe enough. I always pick through them looking for the darkest red ones.

Lots of good suggestions - thanks all! I'll try the cinnamon and vanilla, and less water.

This was fresh rhubarb from a local market, - red color about 1/3 of the bottom of the stalk, turning to green the top 2/3. Would that be ripe enough?

Try adding the sweetener after you cook the rhubarb. That's what works for me!

I use the allspice but I also add some of the WF Marshmellow and strawberry syrups.
I did try using some strawberry Koolaid in it the other day and it was a little too tart...
I think the WF Marshmellow helps to tone it down some. :) I have also found that if I make sure to let it cool until there is a slight crust on top it tastes less tart. The warmer it is the more tart it is.
That is assuming of course I can wait that long to eat it! LOL :D

I use truvia sweetner, WF chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to help with the tartness.

I am more north in Alberta than LongHorn. My neighbour gave me some lovely rhubard from her garden. it was bright red of the entire stock. So maybe what you got was not ripe.

I usually buy it frozen from Safeway chopped up in bags. So I'm not sure what that looked like originally for "redness".

Pat

I use the frozen rhubarb and I find it way tart also. I mix in WF strawberry & WF carmel sauce to it after it is cooked and it makes it better, still tart but better.

Sounds gross but was looking for a sweetener for my rhubarb one day and tried a splash of WF pancake syrup. It was yummy. That is embarrassing to admit because I lived in new England until 8 yrs ago and consider myself a Real Maple Syrup snob. Lol.

@Pat - You are a step ahead of me - I was going to ask if anyone knows where to find frozen rhubarb? I'll look @ the Safeway here.

Luanne

I guess I should add that I make more of a stewed rhubarb. I add all of my spices and WF in and stir on a med-low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the rhubabr loses shape. I then let it cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes. It is still warm in the center and cool on the outside, it ends up being sweeter and not as tart when it is cool. :) I also take a sip of water in between bites and it seems sweeter then too! lol I know... I'm a dork!