Sean,
Correct. The soaking helps break down the rhubarb, and the sulphite
helps protect it while this is happening. Leaving something soak that long
is/was a bit of a concern for me, so that's why I went to freezing the
rhubarb for a month or two. You get the same effect - the rhubarb goes from
very hard and stiff to soft and stringy. I found a lot of success with
cutting the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces and then freezing for a couple of
months. After you take the rhubarb out to thaw, there's actually rhubarb
juice in the bag when its all done thawing. The whole point is getting the
juice from the fruit, so that's why I've gone this route, but the
soaking/sulphite works just as well.
Darlene

"snpm" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On May 10, 2:18 pm, "Dar V" > wrote:
>> I've made Jack's Rhubarb recipe a number of times. Rhubarb is a very hard
>> fruit to get juice from, hard to break down...so you'll get more of the
>> rhubarb taste if you let it sit and sulphite for 3 days. Now, I have been
>> known to freeze my rhubarb for a couple of months before making my
>> rhubarb
>> wine. Freezing does break down the rhubarb as well, so it is up to you.
>> Jack's recipes are always my starting point...I may change things a bit
>> every now and then, but his recipes are always the place to begin.
>> Darlene
>>
>> "snpm" > wrote in message
>>
>> oups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Kellers rhubarb recipe says the soak the rhubarb for three days in
>> > sulphite, stirring daily. Why? I've never seen that before....is there
>> > something special about rhubarb that sulphiting for three whole days
>> > will help with?
>>
>> > May your grapes be burgeoning
>>
>> > Sean- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Thank you Darlene...so am I correct in thinking it is the soaking that
> is the point here. The sulpihte is so's that the product does not go
> bad whilst soaking? Or does the sulphite actually help to extract
> flavor? I am a learner.
>
> Sean
>