Rhubarb Chutney

Rhubarb chutney is a sweet-and-sour chutney made with rhubarb, apple, red onion and raisins, flavoured with warming spices. It goes well with mature cheese, roasted or grilled meat and spicy dishes.

Yield: approximately 2 jars of 300 ml
Preparation: approximately 15 minutes
Resting time: at least 1 week in the refrigerator
Cooking time: approximately 45–60 minutes
Total time: approximately 60–75 minutes

Ingredients

• 500 g rhubarb
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 medium tart apple of approximately 150 g
• 100 g raisins
• 200 ml apple cider vinegar
• 150 g cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• chilli flakes, to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Cut the rhubarb
   Wash the rhubarb stalks, trim the ends and cut the stalks into pieces of approximately 1 cm.
2. Chop the onion
   Peel the red onion and chop it finely.
3. Cut the apple
   Peel the apple, remove the core and cut the flesh into small cubes.
4. Prepare the jars
   Thoroughly clean and sterilise two heatproof jars of approximately 300 ml and their lids. Keep the jars warm until filling.

Method

1. Combine the ingredients
   Put the rhubarb, red onion, apple, raisins, apple cider vinegar, cane sugar, mustard seeds, ginger, cinnamon, chilli flakes and salt in a large, heavy-based saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil
   Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture comes to the boil.
3. Cook down the chutney
   Reduce the heat and simmer the chutney gently, uncovered, for approximately 45–60 minutes. Stir regularly and increasingly often towards the end so that the chutney does not catch. It is ready when the rhubarb has mostly broken down and the mixture is thick and spoonable.
4. Adjust the seasoning
   Taste the chutney and adjust if necessary with a small amount of salt or sugar.
5. Fill the jars
   Carefully spoon the hot chutney into the warm, clean jars and seal them immediately.

Storage

Allow the jars to cool and then place them in the refrigerator. Preferably leave the chutney to rest for at least a week so that the flavours can develop further.

This recipe has not been developed as a validated preserving recipe for long-term storage outside the refrigerator. For unrefrigerated storage, a separately tested preserving and heat-processing method is required.