You are here: Home / Herbalism / How to Juice Elderberries – Stovetop Method
by Ashley Adamant 23 Comments
Elderberries are an important part of how I keep my family healthy all winter long. Elderberry oxymel, syrup, jelly, vinegar, mead…the list goes on. They’re easy to pick off the bushes in large clusters, and yields can be heavy in an established home patch or in your favorite backwoods foraging spot.
The trick is, once you’ve picked them, how do you process them into tasty food and medicine?
The first time I found wild elderberries, I searched high and low for a way to process and use them raw. I wanted to get the tasty juice, but I also wanted to keep the seeds for planting.
It turns out, you really can’t have it both ways with elderberries. I wasn’t even deterred when I learned that elderberry juice is toxic when consumed raw.
I was determined to juice them raw to keep the seeds intact, and then cook the juice to destroy the toxin. I tried and failed with a chinois sieve, food mill and fruit press.
Those tiny little berries just don’t want to let go of their juice. In truth, they’re mostly seed by volume, and those seeds clogged up everything. I nearly broke my food mill after just a few minutes.
I’ve relented. Each year now, I save aside a bit of the berries for planting. Either left out for the birds to eat and spread or scarified in a blender and then scattered directly.
Elderberry seeds need to be “scarified” before planting, meaning they have to be beaten up a bit. This keeps them from dropping directly under the mother plant and competing. Passing through a bird’s digestive system enables them to germinate, and a food processor helps to simulate that effect by nicking the seeds to stimulate germination.
The rest of the berries go right into the pot for cooking. I’ve never had a problem quickly stripping them off the stems with my hands, but I’ve heard that it’s much easier to remove them if you freeze the berry clusters first. Either way, strip them off into a pot, add about half an inch of water and bring it to a quick boil.
Stir the berries vigorously, lid them up and allow them to simmer in there for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Quick and easy elderberry juice for all your homemade medicine!
Related
Previous Post: « Keep Apples Fresh for Over a Year (without a root cellar)
Next Post: Grow Your Own Ginger in Any Climate (Indoors or Outdoors) »
Reader Interactions
Recent Posts
40+ Goose Egg Recipes
Leave a Comment
100+ Heirloom Apples to Try Before You Die
Leave a Comment
50+ Dandelion Greens Recipes
Leave a Comment
12+ Dandelion Seed Recipes
Leave a Comment
Comments
Wendy
How would I use the juice to make syrup, gummies & jelly?
Reply
Ashley Adamant
Good question. Here’s information on making both elderberry syrup and gummies. And here’s my elderberry jelly recipe.
Reply
Wendy Tamjidi
Thank you so much!
Reply
Carol Wild
Can I store the elderberry juice in the fridge and then reheat to make elderberry mead a few days later? The elderberries are ready to pick now but I’m waiting on the champagne yeast to arrive. Love your blog btw
Reply
Admin
Yes, that should totally still work!
Reply
Chris
Can I juice poke berry fruit the same way ?
PS … my elderberry plant flowered but didn’t fruit . Am I doing something wrong ?Thank you
ChrisReply
Ashley Adamant
Poke fruit is toxic so far as I know? I wouldn’t recommend eating it.
If they didn’t actually set fruit, it could be a pollination issue, soil fertility issue or just a dry year. (We had pretty severe drought here, and they need a good bit of water.)
Reply
Jennifer
I have read that pokeweed leaves are edible only before any berries begin to form. Otherwise, from what I have read, the plant, berries and all, are toxic to eat. Safe to touch.
Reply
Cindy Hogan
What is the best water-elderberry ratio for juice?
Reply
Administrator
You really just want enough water in the bottom of the pot to keep them from scorching while they cook. Just place about an inch of water in the bottom and you will be fine.
Reply
Amanda
Do you think I could pass elderberries through my cold press juicer and then cook the juice to make syrup? I am trying to find an answer but all I am finding is steam juicing.
Reply
Administrator
It is really difficult for elderberries to “give up the juice” without the added heat which is why most people use steam juicing. The only way to know if it will work is to just give it a try. Let us know how it turns out.
Reply
Johanna Peaco*ck
Thank you for posting your wisdom
Reply
Administrator
You’re welcome.
Reply
Darci
Are dried elderberries good to use as well? I’ve dried mine
Reply
Administrator
This post just shows you how to juice fresh elderberries which you will then use in your elderberry recipes. You can use dried elderberries for most recipes as well, they just need to be rehydrated. What is it that you’re wanting to make with your elderberries?
Reply
Carol Nason
While I haven’t yet found elderberries, I DO have beautyberries and their processing for juice seems similar (boil and squish). Can I ask: you say a half inch of water to begin the boil…but that is a ratio against what amount (volume or weight) of elder/beautyberries? Thank you for your wine instructions – I have made your mango wine and it was amazing! Now I’m doing peach….but beautyberry is next, so….
Reply
Administrator
It’s not really a ratio so much as it is just enough water to keep the berries from scorching in the bottom of the pan.
Reply
Alasia
Thank you for your post on juicing elderberries. How long will the juice keep in the refrigerator before it is processed?
Reply
Ashley Adamant
It should keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Reply
Sarah
How much juice would I use to make elderberry syrup?
Reply
Administrator
You can use any amount of elderberry juice that you like. Here is a link to a post on elderberry syrup which gives you the ratio of juice and honey to use. https://practicalselfreliance.com/elderberry-syrup/
Reply
Jennifer
From the same plant, my friend and I cut pieces of the elderberry stean/trunk that were 12 to 18 inches long. We both stuck them straight into the ground about halfway. Mine failed, bit hers grew roots and is a nice bush now. Another way to proliferate the elderberry.
Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
