Perfect Rhubarb Pie!

I remember eating the sour stems of rhubarb from my grandma's back yard. I think it was fun gnawing on the stuff with a big giant leaf hanging off the end (thank goodness no one ever ate that-it's poisonous!). I don't think too many of us kids ever really finished off the whole stick, but it was fun to do. I also have fond memories of family gatherings with rhubarb pie. I think that's one of those pies that you either love or hate, but I certainly love it!

Rhubarb, when baked in a pie, takes on a creamy and faintly tart taste and the texture in the pie is reminiscent of apple, but altogether unique. Rhubarb is an early summer plant and is usually quite plentiful and cheap at your local farmer's market. I think I only paid a dollar or two for a large bundle. I have even had luck washing, chopping and vacuum sealing it for the freezer for an off season rhubarb treat. You can make cobblers and muffins too, but in my opinion, pie is the best!

A while back, I had to contact a cousin for some information on a relative's rhubarb pie recipe. I have an uncle who just loves it and his mom made the best. I searched the web for recipes and was surprised how many different recipes were out there. My cousin gave me a few tips on the crust: brush with milk and dust with sugar. It always turns out perfect when I brush my crust with milk! I never knew!

Here's my go-to recipe for the two crust pie shell (from my grandma's recipe book, and also the Big Red Betty Crocker Cookbook-yup, same!)

2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
3/4 cup shortening (I use butter flavored crisco sticks now)
4-5 tablespoons of ice cold water

When I roll out my pie crusts, I roll it out between two floured sheets of wax paper. Then, I can easily flip the crust into the pan and gently peel away the wax paper. I ruined and pieced together many crusts that I wasn't able to transfer to the pan! Remember to always keep your crust cold so it's easier to work with.

I really did search long and hard for the perfect rhubarb filling. Today, I added some strawberries since I was a little short on the 4 cups of rhubarb needed. I've also experimented with flour and corn starch. Recipes usually call for flour, but cornstarch can be used to increase thickness. Some sources say that cornstarch absorbs the rhubarb's juices faster, saving the bottom crust from becoming mush. Here's the filling recipe I used:

4 cups of chopped rhubarb (strawberries may be added, just don't go over 4 cups for a 9 inch pie)
1 1/3 cups of sugar
6 tablespoons of flour (or 1/3 cup of cornstarch)

The longer you let the filling sit, the more watery it will get, so make sure you get it in the pie crust right away! Brush the top crust with milk and dust with granulated sugar. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes and then at 350 for an additional 40-45 minutes. I do use a pie crust shield and that seems to help the crust from getting overly done. The key to getting a firm filling is to let it sit and cool for several hours. I've always made the mistake of cutting into a warm pie and it just runs out everywhere. 

This is definitely a spring time favorite. When I can, I freeze extra rhubarb or wrap individual slices of pie and freeze it for later. Nothing beats a fresh slice of pie. It's great with cool whip or ice cream too! 

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