Rhubarb Syrup

From yahoo group files - This would be great to add to some soda water for a nice refreshing drink. You can also dehydrate the rhubarb pulp for later use by powdering it and adding to different baking recipes or add it to another fruit pulp and make some leather.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 2 liters

Ingredients

• 3 -4  lbs rhubarb, stalks trimmed of leaves
• 1  vanilla pod, split lengthwise
• 8 -10  cups water

Directions

1. Wash the rhubarb in cold water, trim the ends, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (There's no need to peel them or worry about the fibers, as these simply meltdown.).
2. Place the fruit in a 6 to 8 quart pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover, stirring occasionally. When all the chunks have broken down into a uniform soup, about 20 minutes or so, remove it from the heat. Uncover
3. and allow to cool.
4. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, ladle into a fine mesh strainer over a spouted collecting bowl. (You may have to do this in batches.) The pulp will become a mass, so stirring it in the strainer with a wooden spoon will allow it to drain better.
5. Once it's drained, put the pulp and the syrup into separate containers and refrigerate immediately.
6. Makes 2 plus liters of syrup and 2 lb of pulp.
7. Will keep for a week refrigerated or you can process it for longer storage. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
8. Adjust time according to your altitude. You need 1/4" headspace.