Wash the stalks thoroughly with cold water, making sure to remove any dirt, and dry well with a towel. Remove any leaves and trim the ends of the stalks.
Chop them into ½ to 1-inch pieces. If the stalks have tough strings, remove any before chopping the stalks.
Blanch - Optional
I recommend blanching if you're working with tougher stalks. If you are using stalks that are crisp and firm (especially when working with fresh rhubarb from your garden), then it's not necessary to blanch them. Just move on to the next step (freezing).
To blanch, place the pieces into a pot with boiling water for 1 minute. Then, immediately place them into an ice bath (a bowl with iced water).
Drain and pat dry with paper towels or a towel.
Freeze
Spread your pieces in a single layer on a tray or baking sheet (I like to cover it with parchment paper). Then flash freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Move the pieces to a container or freezer bag, seal them tight removing as much air as possible, and label them with a date. Frozen rhubarb will keep for up to a year.
Notes
Check the blog post for more tips, recommended uses, and answers to top FAQs!