Elderberry - Recipes and Tonics

[Farmfresh]

A few of us now have elderberries or more properly called Sambucus, so we needed a place for some elderberry and elderflower recipes.

Elderberries have been consumed both as food and medicine for a long long time. It is however a plant that has some toxic parts and you must follow the rules when you eat it.

Blue, purple, and black specimens of Sambucus nigra sp canadensis are common wild all over the U.S., and all are renowned for being finer sources of vitamin C than even oranges or tomatoes! There are also a few red berried elders, that can make you sick, but the good ones all ripen purple or black.

The ripe, cooked berries (pulp and skin) of most species of Sambucus are edible. Sambucus nigra is the only variety actually considered to be non-toxic. You are not supposed to eat unripe berries, however and even the ripe berries should be cooked slightly for culinary purposes. Uncooked berries and other parts of plants (other than the flower petals) from this genus are poisonous. The leaves, twigs, branches, seeds, and roots of Sambucus plants can contain glycoside which turns into cyanide as it is metabolised. Not a good thing. This means that you should always remove the berries and flower petals from the stems if possible and take out any bits of stem when you are cooking with elderberries.

Special Notes:
1. NEVER give Elderberry or Elderberry Tonic to infants 12 months/under.
2. Consuming raw elderberries causes extreme GI distress in many people. Try a few berries raw before overindulging.

Most people remove the berries from the stem bracts by combing them off with a fork. Freeze freshly picked elderberries in clusters after harvesting to simplify the de-stemming process. Once you get your berries they are wonderful in so many different ways. Elderberries can be used as any other berry for pies, jams, breads, stuffing, etc. Here are a few of the other recipes that I have found.

Elderflower Cordial

8 cups (1 ½ liters) of cold water
5 pounds (2 kilo) sugar
Big bag elderflowers
Zest and juice of 3 large lemons
4 T (50 grams) citric acid crystals
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Heat water and sugar to boiling. Into a heat proof pan put cleaned elderflowers and lemon zest and juice. Top with boiling syrup and stir well to coat. Add citric acid and cover and cool. Allow the elder syrup to rest for several days, then strain using a jelly bag and bottle. Heat process bottles to extend storage time or keep refrigerated.

To serve pour the cordial over some ice and then add water, sparkling water or ginger ale to taste.

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Elderberry Tonic

• 2/3 cup Elderberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3-1/2 cups of water
• 2 tbsp fresh or dried ginger root (or powder)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp cloves or clove powder
• 1 cup raw honey

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1. Pour water into a medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the liquid reduces to almost half (about 45 minutes to 1 hour).
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
4. Discard the elderberries (feed to chickens or compost) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm.
5. Add 1 cup of honey and stir well. (Note: honey is added after the mixture has cooled to keep raw enzymes intact).
6. Pour mixture into glass jars to be stored in the fridge for up to three months.
Recommended Doses
Prevention (can be taken daily)
1. Kids (13 months-12 years old): 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
2. Adults: 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon
Recovery
Take the normal dose every 2-3 hours until symptoms disappear.
Don’t get caught off guard by cold and flu season this year. Prepare this easy elderberry elixir for a natural alternative for flu prevention and recovery.

Special Notes:
1. NEVER give Elderberry Tonic to infants 12 months/under.
2. Consuming raw elderberries causes extreme GI distress in many people. Try a few berries raw before overindulging.

[dizzy]

I'll be picking elderberries soon. I may have to make the tonic, and freeze some berries so I can make it thru out the winter.

[Dragonlaurel]

Elderberry wine is good too. I'd love to find enough of them to make some. I would probably use it like the tonic, but the one I bought before was definitely a dessert wine.

[dizzy]

Question-how do I freeze the berries?

[calendula]

I've always just removed the berries from the stems, put them in a container, and stuck them in the freezer.

[Farmfresh]

Yup. Or you can freeze them, de-stem them and then back to the freezer.