They apply seasonal fruits with a subtle character. Slightly toxic when raw, elderberries turn into delicious foods and drinks when cooked. The following lines explain exactly how to do this.

The magic limit is 76.3 degrees Celsius

Elderberries contain toxic sambunigrin, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and stomach pain in children and sensitive adults. The fruits must therefore not be picked fresh from the tree and eaten raw. As soon as they are heated above 76.3 degrees Celsius, the toxic component dissolves and the elderberries serve as an excellent ingredient for delicious jam, fruity compote or refreshing syrup.

However, this does not apply if you cook unripe fruit. Only in fully ripe elderberries has the toxin content naturally degraded to such an extent that heating dissolves the remaining sambunigrin. This circumstance affects only the berries of the black elder.

Elderberry juice - to drink neat or as a versatile base

Immediately after harvesting, comb the washed berries off the umbels with a fork and start preparing them straight away, as they don't keep for long. Since elderberry juice is a particularly versatile variation, the following recipe is considered very efficient:

  • Put a kilo of berries in a saucepan with 250 milliliters of water
  • bring to a boil while stirring
  • Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes
  • then strain through a very fine sieve
  • Stir in 100 to 200 grams of sugar to taste

After the juice has been briefly boiled again, fill it in suitable bottles. Diluted with sparkling water, elderberry juice makes a delicious drink. Alternatively, you can use the juice as the basis for an elderberry jelly, for example. To do this, boil 1 liter of juice with 2 packs of preserving sugar and 2 sachets of citric acid for 5 minutes. Finally, the jelly is poured into screw-top jars that cool upside down.

tips and tricks

The berries of the red elder are also suitable for preparing syrup, jelly or jam. However, there is a serious difference to black elderberry. The pits of the red fruits retain their toxic content even after cooking. They should be removed beforehand in order not to risk poisoning.

Category:

Vegetable garden