After many Strawberry Rhubarb Crumbles I was in desperate need of another use for rhubarb. Our rhubarb plant had produced well beyond the needs of my small family, so what to do with all this fruit? That's when I stumbled upon a yummy looking recipe for rhubarb chutney. So, with canning jars and all the ingredients gathered, today was chutney making day! What a delight to fill the house with the delicious spicy fragrance! Now I just need to roast a pork tenderloin for a yummy dinner.
Rhubarb Chutney:
*Boiling water bath canner; eight 1/2 pint jars
2 large oranges
2 1/2 pounds rhubarb, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
5 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
4 cups cider vinegar
2 cups golden raisins
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
12 whole allspice berries
12 whole black peppercorns
1. Grate the zest from both oranges and set aside.
2. Halve and the section both oranges as you would a grapefruit, removing the white membranes. Place in a 2-qt. bowl.
3. Chop the orange sections coarsely. Squeeze any remaining juicesout of the orange halves into the chopped sections.
4. Combine the rhubarb, oranges and orange zest, sugar, vinegar, raisins and onions in a 4-qt. saucepan.
5. Tie the spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to the pan. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
6. Simmer uncovered until thick, about 1-1 1/2 hours, being careful not to burn and stirring often. Remove the spice bag.
7. Ladle into hot, clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Cap and Seal.
8. Process for 10 minutes ina boiling-water-bath canner. Adjust for altitute if necessary.
9. Enjoy!!
