Does rhubarb need to be peeled? 5 tips for peeling & cleaning

rhubarb convinces with its own refreshing aroma. The green or reddish stalks of the rhubarb with their spreading leaves have long led a niche existence in the domestic kitchen garden. But lately the plant has regained a firm footing when it comes to cakes, compotes and lemonade. Here we explain whether the stems have to be peeled before processing and how peeling is particularly easy.

Clean the rhubarb properly

Before the actual question about peeling, we should briefly deal with the subject of cleaning. Because regardless of whether the tasty sticks are peeled or not, they should be cleaned before processing. Otherwise, even during the peeling process, dirt and possible pathogens could get from the peel to be removed via the tool used on the pulp.
Cleaning is very easy due to the firm and quite smooth surface. After removing the leaves, the rods are simply rubbed by hand under running water or with a

Vegetable brush brushed off. Even the grooves and ribs that are partially present in the cross-section of the stem can be easily reached with the bristles and freed from adhesions.

Note: Did you already know that rhubarb plants are rarely eaten by snails and other animals due to their high oxalic acid content? In most cases, therefore, there is no need to cut out places where it has been eaten.

To peel or not to peel?

Once the rhubarb stalks are clean, the question that has arisen over and over again is whether they have to be peeled. This question can be answered very easily: no, Rhubarb does not necessarily have to be peeled. The skin is basically edible and therefore does not have to be removed. but: In many cases it still makes sense to remove the skin before consumption or processing, because

• the skin is considered to be the most fibrous part of the stems
• with age, the skin becomes thicker and firmer
• with decreasing freshness after harvest, the skin solidifies due to the loss of the moisture it contains

As a result, the skin is in the consumption harmless, but their fibers are not really great in compote, cakes or other types of preparation. It therefore makes sense to remove their shells from older poles or poles that were harvested a few days ago.

tip: If you cut the lower end of the rod after cleaning, you can quickly see how hard or tender the shell is. In this way, it can be decided very quickly on a case-by-case basis whether peeling is actually necessary. On the other hand, the condition of the skin cannot be determined solely through thickness, length or appearance!

Tips and tricks for peeling rhubarb

So you've decided to peel your rhubarb. So that the work is not unnecessarily time-consuming, there are various ways to make it easier and faster:

1. Peel off fibers

Removing the skin from the hand is easy and particularly quick if you simply peel off the fibers from the head of the rod. It works particularly well if you follow along with the cutting of the sheet on the upper cut surface Slightly scratch with a kitchen knife and thus loosen the fiber from the pulp and along its entire length withdraws. This procedure works in most cases and is considered the classic among the peeling processes for rhubarb.

Advantages:

• fast way of working
• low loss of usable pulp

Disadvantage:

• Very fine or particularly thick fibers can tear off, making complete removal impossible

2. Scald

By briefly scalding with hot water, the fibers can be easily detached from the pulp of the still raw stalks and peeling off the skin is easier and more complete.

Suitable for:

• Pulling off the fibers

Without advantage in:

• Using the peeler
• Boiling and passing to remove the skin

3. Freeze

If the rhubarb is not to be processed immediately, but rather frozen, it should only be freed from its skin after it has been thawed. Because by freezing the cells, the hold from skin to pulp is reduced and the fibers can be more easily peeled off along their entire length.

Suitable for:

• Types of preparation in which the rhubarb does not have to be freshly harvested
• Processing not immediately after harvest

Unsuitable for:

• Immediate processing after harvest

4. Peeler

If the fibers cannot be peeled off, the skin can also be removed with the help of a classic vegetable peeler. It is important to work lengthways, starting at the upper end of the handle.

Advantages:

• good for thick, leathery skin
• safe removal of all skin

Disadvantage:

• relatively high effort
• high loss of actually usable pulp due to thin skin

5. Remove the peel after cooking

As an alternative to removing the shell in the raw state, the sticks, for example when used as a compote, can first be boiled and then relieved of their shells. To do this, the rods should remain as long as possible. After soft boiling, they can then be passed through or turned by the so-called “Flotte Lotte”. The shells, or rather their fibrous, hard components, on the other hand, remain in the sieve.

Advantages:

• minimal loss of usable substance
• high work pace possible

Disadvantage:

• only possible with further processing in cooked and crushed form