Elderberries can be found growing along hedgerows, in gardens and on allotments. They typically ripen during August and September, and are full of antioxidants and vitamin C. Easy to harvest, cooked elderberries are the perfect natural way of building up immunity over winter to protect against colds and flu. They may also alleviate high blood pressure and anaemia, whilst improving exercise performance and brain health. If you don’t have time to cook them immediately, they can be frozen raw and cooked later. What are you waiting for..? Read on to find out how to spot elderberries and transform this free, nutrient-rich fruit into elderberry syrup.
Elderberries can grow into fairly large bushes that develop clusters of tiny, white flowers at the end of long-stemmed branches during spring. By July, you should be able to see that unripe, green elderberries have replaced the flowers.
The clusters of elderberries will grow denser and redder during August.
As soon as whole clusters of elderberries have turned black, simply snip off the branch. Avoid over-ripe (shrivelled) berries.
With the elderberries still attached to the stems, gently rinse them in water to remove any dirt, insects or leaves.
Gently remove the elderberries from their stems using a fork. Some very small stalks may remain attached but these can easily be removed from the bowl by hand.
Remember, raw elderberries are poisonous so only consume cooked elderberries.
Now, you can either lay the elderberries out on a tray in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, they can be placed into freezer bags for easier storage.
Or, you can make elderberry syrup straight away by following the recipe below.
What you need:
- Elderberries (frozen or fresh)
- Water
- Sugar
- Lemon juice, a good squirt
- Muslin/nylon cloth or bag
- Clean, sterilised bottles
Method
Step 1
Place the washed elderberries in a large saucepan and pour over enough water to cover them. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Strain through a tightly-woven muslin/nylon cloth or bag (nylon won’t stain as much). Either squeeze out the liquid by hand (wear gloves as elderberries stain) or hang up the bag or cloth to drain for a few hours.
Step 3
Discard the elderberry pulp and measure the strained liquid. Add 500g of sugar per 1 litre of strained liquid, plus a good squirt of lemon juice. Return to the saucepan and boil for 10 minutes, with the lid now removed.
Step 4
Allow to cool a little and then pour into clean, sterilised bottles (Grolsch-style flip-top bottles work well). Allow to cool completely and then keep stored in the fridge. Alternatively, freeze the syrup but make sure you leave some space clear in the bottle as the liquid will expand as it freezes.
TIP: To sterilise the bottles, simply wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse well and place them in a low-temperature oven until all the water has evaporated from inside.
