Elderberry and Honey Syrup

Elderberries! Boy oh boy, do I ever have Elderberries! They grow wild along the roadsides here as well as on hills and dales. We have two trees on our hillside but they are so enormous that we can’t reach them to pick the berries. Our loss is the birds gain and they do enjoy them. I picked a bunch myself at a secret location ( ssshhhhh!) and then I persuaded Sparky to come along with me to get more of these dark blue gems that hang in bundles off the tree limbs. He was very helpful by standing in the bed of his pick up truck to get those far higher than I could reach. We ended up with two baskets full of these tart, tannicky berries. I washed them good then stripped the berries off the stems as the stems and bark are poisonous. All in all, I ended up with nine pounds of berries. I had already made jelly from berries I had previously picked, so this mother lode is going to be made into Elderberry Syrup and Elderberry Wine. I have made syrup the past three years but we have never tried our hand at Elderberry Wine. Should be an interesting project.

Elderberries are well known, especially throughout Europe for their health benefits. They are a super immune system booster and contain large amounts of antioxidants and Vitamin C.

Per Healthline: “There are many reported benefits of elderberries. Not only are they nutritious, but they may also fight cold and flu symptoms, support heart health and fight inflammation and infections, among other benefits.”

This Elderberry and Honey Syrup is absolutely delicious, flavored with cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger! We are blessed with Sparky’s honey again this year, but store bought is of course, perfect. Just make sure it is real raw honey and not some “honey flavored” concoction. This recipe came from www.mountainroseherbs, and it was so easy to prepare. I got four pints of syrup, three of which I froze. The remaining pint will keep in my refrigerator for 2-3 months. It is recommended to take one tablespoon per day to help keep us healthy, so that’s what I do. It’s not a hardship to take a “Spoonful of Medicine” every day when it’s that yummy. This batch will see me through the winter illness season and I hope to report not a single cold this winter!

Bowls of blue, blue Elderberries!

Elderberry and Honey Syrup

Elderberries must be cooked before eating or you'll end up with one bad tummy ache! Edible Elderberries are either blue or black. Red ones are poisonous. Carefully pick the berries off the stems and discard the stems, leaves and bark. This is so delicious, that limiting myself to one tablespoon a day is a hardship!

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 50 mins

Servings 4 pints

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup fresh Elderberries
• 3 cups water
• 1 stick cinnamom
• 3 whole Cloves
• 1 slice FRESH Ginger about 1/4 inch thick

Instructions

 

• Place the Elderberries, water and all the spices in a medium saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
  
• Using a potato masher, mash the berries to release their juice. Pour the berries into a strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth. Drain for at least one hour. All the color will go out of the Elderberries leaving them a peculiar greenish brown which you can toss out.
  
• When the juice has cooled, stir in the one cup of raw honey. That's it! We now have a lovely syrup, albeit, not very thick. More of a drinkable consistency. A delectable drinking consistency.
  
• Once again, I thank you for stopping by and visiting. I truly do appreciate all your support and friendship!
  
• Until next time, I wish you all good health! Let's get through this winter doing the best we can to stay healthy. Rest. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Avoid crowds. Get your Flu vaccine! Journey on! Hugs and much love from me, Karen. TJG

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!