Every spring, my rhubarb patch comes back faster than I can keep up with it. A pie and a jar or two of jam only use up so much, and there’s always a pile of stalks left on the counter looking for a job. This concentrate is what I make with the rest of it, a tart-sweet syrup that turns into instant lemonade, a quick seltzer spritzer, or a mixer for an evening cocktail, whenever I want it.
There’s no canner involved here, no processing times to track. You simmer the rhubarb, strain it, mix it with lemon juice and sugar, and either keep it in the fridge for the next couple of weeks or freeze it, in jars, or in ice cube trays, which is my favorite way to keep a portioned stash on hand all summer.
Looking for more on how to grow and use rhubarb:
- How to Freeze Rhubarb
- A Complete Guide to Harvesting and Storing Rhubarb
- How to Grow Rhubarb
- Rhubarb Compote Recipe
This article is part of my homestead cooking series where I share how to make from-scratch food instead of buying it at the grocery story. From homemade bread and jelly to homemade condiments. I'm Gretchen and I've been homesteading for over 15 years. Here at the Backyard Farming Connection, I connect the lines between growing your own food, raising your own animals, and putting it all together in the kitchen.
Contents
What You’ll Need
Yield: about 10 cups of concentrate | Time: roughly 45 minutes active, plus cooling
If you don’t have the right amount of rhubarb you can easily adjust the amount.
Ingredients
- Rhubarb – about 2½ to 3 pounds (roughly 9 cups chopped) simmered down to give you 6 cups of juice. Garden-grown, store-bought, or frozen stalks all work. If you’re harvesting your own, stick to the stalks — the leaves contain oxalic acid and shouldn’t go in the pot.
- Water – 3 cups, for simmering the rhubarb into juice.
- Lemon juice – 2 cups, fresh-squeezed or bottled. Fresh gives a brighter flavor; bottled is just simpler when you’re working through a big batch of rhubarb.
- Sugar – 6 cups balances out the tartness, but it’s a flexible amount. I usually scale back to around 4 cups, since the full amount makes it almost too sweet to drink without a lot of dilution. Start lower and add more if you want it sweeter.
Equipment
A large pot, a fine-mesh strainer or jelly bag (cheesecloth works too), and whatever you’re storing it in — jars, a pitcher, freezer-safe containers, or ice cube trays.
Making the Concentrate
Cook the rhubarb. Combine the chopped rhubarb with the water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the stalks fall apart and the liquid turns a deep pink, about 15 minutes. Using rhubarb you froze from your own garden? Go straight from frozen — it just needs a few extra minutes to break down.
Strain it. Pour the cooked rhubarb through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, or a jelly bag if you have one. Let it drip on its own for a clearer juice, or press the pulp through for a little more volume (and a slightly cloudier result). Measure out 6 cups of juice, topping off with a splash of water if you come up short.
Juice the lemons. Squeeze and strain out the seeds and pulp, since leftover pulp can leave a faint bitterness in the finished drink.
Combine and sweeten. Pour the rhubarb juice, lemon juice, and sugar into a clean pot. Stir over medium heat just until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is hot through. No need to boil it or hit a specific temperature — that’s only necessary if you’re canning, and this version isn’t.
Cool completely before bottling, freezing, or pouring yourself a glass.
How to Store It
Fridge: Pour the cooled concentrate into a clean jar or pitcher and use it within about 2 weeks. The easiest option if you’ll work through it quickly.
Freezer, in jars or containers: Leave about an inch of headspace so it has room to expand, then freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Freezer, in ice cube trays: My favorite method. Pour the cooled concentrate into standard ice cube trays, freeze solid, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or container. Drop a few straight into a glass of seltzer or a cocktail — they melt and flavor the drink instead of watering it down the way regular ice does.
How to Use Your Rhubarb Lemonade Concentrate
For classic lemonade, start with 1 part concentrate to 3 parts cold water, then adjust to taste and pour over ice.
A few other ways it gets used around here:
- Rhubarb spritzer – a couple ounces of concentrate topped with cold seltzer or club soda, plus a lemon wedge.
- Cocktail mixer – shake an ounce of concentrate with gin or vodka and ice, then top with a splash of soda water for an easy rhubarb cocktail with no syrup-making required.
- Half-and-half with iced tea, for a rhubarb take on an Arnold Palmer.
- Drizzled over shaved ice for a quick rhubarb sno-cone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does rhubarb lemonade concentrate keep in the fridge? About 2 weeks. Freeze it if you want it to last longer.
Can I freeze rhubarb lemonade concentrate? Yes — in jars or containers with about an inch of headspace, or frozen into cubes in an ice cube tray for portioned use. Either way, it keeps for up to 6 months.
Do I need to strain the rhubarb? Yes, straining is what turns the cooked stalks into a smooth juice. How clear you make it is up to you: a jelly bag gives a clearer result, while pressing the pulp through a fine-mesh strainer gets you a bit more juice but a cloudier drink.
Can I use frozen rhubarb? Yes, no need to thaw first. Just let it simmer a few minutes longer than you would with fresh stalks.
Can I cut back on the sugar? Easily. Since this version lives in the fridge or freezer rather than a canner, the sugar is purely about taste, not safety. I usually use about 4 cups instead of 6, and it’s still plenty sweet once diluted.
Can I can this instead of freezing it? This recipe is built for fridge or freezer storage. If you want a shelf-stable jar, look for a recipe that’s specifically tested for canning safety, since the right acidity and processing time matter for that method.
Rhubarb Lemonade Juice Concentrate Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the rhubarb. Combine the chopped rhubarb with the water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the stalks fall apart and the liquid turns a deep pink, about 15 minutes. Using rhubarb you froze from your own garden? Go straight from frozen — it just needs a few extra minutes to break down.
- Strain it. Pour the cooked rhubarb through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, or a jelly bag if you have one. Let it drip on its own for a clearer juice, or press the pulp through for a little more volume (and a slightly cloudier result). Measure out 6 cups of juice, topping off with a splash of water if you come up short.
- Juice the lemons. Squeeze and strain out the seeds and pulp, since leftover pulp can leave a faint bitterness in the finished drink.
- Combine and sweeten. Pour the rhubarb juice, lemon juice, and sugar into a clean pot. Stir over medium heat just until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is hot through. No need to boil it or hit a specific temperature — that’s only necessary if you’re canning, and this version isn’t.
- Cool completely before bottling, freezing, or pouring yourself a glass.
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