I have more questions than answers. I am hoping to find some berries to make an elderly friend a batch of jam for his birthday. It is his favorite thing in life!
Having just made a batch of strawberry rhubarb jam, I realized the cost due to the packages of Certo or Sure Jell that is necessary.
I notice that one of the recipes uses no additional pectin. Has anyone made it both ways and is the method without the additional pectin acceptable?
I just made the recipe with no pectin and when it failed to gel in a timely fashion I added tapioca pearls. I don’t know if the berries have natural pectin in them like some fruits do ie: Apricots but after the work of cleaning and de-stemming all of those tiny berries I didn’t want to chance wrecking a whole batch of my precious berries. I went back up to Figueroa Mountain tonight and picked some more berries and I may try again tomorrow but to be safe I do think I will be adding pectin esp. since many of the other recipes on the net call for added pectin.
Good luck, happy jamming!
we have an elderberry bush and we made wine one year but weren’t too impressed about it. i decided to try some jelly this year. didn’t figure it could be too good but after reading all the comments, i may be wrong. would like to know if you can use the less sugar surejel?.
I make elderberry jelly every year with our elderberry bush. I use citric acid vs lemon juice. I also use less sugar and it gels nicely with the pectin.
This yr we tried the no sugar added type of pectin and it seemed “ok” but not as tasty.
I live in north central Idaho where elderberry trees abound on riverbanks and beside the roads. We love elderberry jelly. We often add apple juice to stretch the elderberry juice or even to temper the flavor. My “Joy of Cooking” cookbook has a recipe for elderberry jam, apparently using whole berries. No pectin is added. The berries are cooked until a small amount dropped on a plate will stay in place. I don’t know if it would work with just the berry juice.
I live in Somerset where lots of elder trees grow. Eevery year I make elderberry cordial from the flowers. I ofter wonder what to do with the berries so reading your tips was very helpful. Do I collect the ripened berries? thanks
I’ve never used a commercial pectin when making elderberry jam. instead, added a green apple. green apples have lots of pectin. boil elderberries, sugar, & apple 15-30 minutes–30 minutes made a thick jam; 15 made a much thinner jam.
thanks for providing so much elderberry info ! –kate
My grandmother didn’t use pectin when she made elderberry jelly, she just added some crabapples to the berries before cooking. There is natural pectin in the apple skins, she said. I don’t know how much she added though.
Elderberries make delicious jams and jellies You can add crab apples, or any other kind of apples. When making the jelly boil the fruits up until well mushed up, strain through a jelly bag. For every pint of juice add 1 lb of sugar and boil until you get setting point. Two points: 1) Don’t be tempted to squeeze the jelly bag to get more juice - the jelly will be an unappetising cloudy colour. 2) Don’t jar too soon, it takes about 15 - 20 minutes at a rolling boil to reach setting point. If you jar too soon, not only do you have to start from scratch, you will have to sterilise everything again.
Enjoy
Leave a Comment
recent comments
Sherrie Gregory: I am going to plant some aronia and also elderberries....
Joe Wilson: I started growing elderberries last year with 3/4 acre and added...
Pam: forgot my email healingherb2001@aol.com thanks Pam
Pam: I have elderberry plants for sale, I am in Tulsa, OK, but I will ship,...
Harold Evans: You can search google for them and they always come up first...
10 responses so far ↓
1 Linda M // Jun 26, 2008 at 6:06 am
I have more questions than answers. I am hoping to find some berries to make an elderly friend a batch of jam for his birthday. It is his favorite thing in life!
Having just made a batch of strawberry rhubarb jam, I realized the cost due to the packages of Certo or Sure Jell that is necessary.
I notice that one of the recipes uses no additional pectin. Has anyone made it both ways and is the method without the additional pectin acceptable?
2 Deborah Daily // Jul 4, 2008 at 5:22 am
I just made the recipe with no pectin and when it failed to gel in a timely fashion I added tapioca pearls. I don’t know if the berries have natural pectin in them like some fruits do ie: Apricots but after the work of cleaning and de-stemming all of those tiny berries I didn’t want to chance wrecking a whole batch of my precious berries. I went back up to Figueroa Mountain tonight and picked some more berries and I may try again tomorrow but to be safe I do think I will be adding pectin esp. since many of the other recipes on the net call for added pectin.
Good luck, happy jamming!
3 zona // Aug 18, 2008 at 10:39 am
we have an elderberry bush and we made wine one year but weren’t too impressed about it. i decided to try some jelly this year. didn’t figure it could be too good but after reading all the comments, i may be wrong. would like to know if you can use the less sugar surejel?.
4 Moe // Aug 27, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I make elderberry jelly every year with our elderberry bush. I use citric acid vs lemon juice. I also use less sugar and it gels nicely with the pectin.
This yr we tried the no sugar added type of pectin and it seemed “ok” but not as tasty.
5 Kathy // Aug 30, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I live in north central Idaho where elderberry trees abound on riverbanks and beside the roads. We love elderberry jelly. We often add apple juice to stretch the elderberry juice or even to temper the flavor. My “Joy of Cooking” cookbook has a recipe for elderberry jam, apparently using whole berries. No pectin is added. The berries are cooked until a small amount dropped on a plate will stay in place. I don’t know if it would work with just the berry juice.
6 Rosita Belle // Sep 2, 2008 at 4:56 am
I live in Somerset where lots of elder trees grow. Eevery year I make elderberry cordial from the flowers. I ofter wonder what to do with the berries so reading your tips was very helpful. Do I collect the ripened berries? thanks
7 Shan // Sep 3, 2008 at 10:51 am
I made Elderberry Jam using the berry, vinegar, sugar recipe. My jam is very runny. Does anyone know a way to fix it?
8 kate // Sep 6, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I’ve never used a commercial pectin when making elderberry jam. instead, added a green apple. green apples have lots of pectin. boil elderberries, sugar, & apple 15-30 minutes–30 minutes made a thick jam; 15 made a much thinner jam.
thanks for providing so much elderberry info ! –kate
9 jenny // Sep 26, 2008 at 8:18 am
My grandmother didn’t use pectin when she made elderberry jelly, she just added some crabapples to the berries before cooking. There is natural pectin in the apple skins, she said. I don’t know how much she added though.
10 Sylvia // Oct 3, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Elderberries make delicious jams and jellies You can add crab apples, or any other kind of apples. When making the jelly boil the fruits up until well mushed up, strain through a jelly bag. For every pint of juice add 1 lb of sugar and boil until you get setting point. Two points: 1) Don’t be tempted to squeeze the jelly bag to get more juice - the jelly will be an unappetising cloudy colour. 2) Don’t jar too soon, it takes about 15 - 20 minutes at a rolling boil to reach setting point. If you jar too soon, not only do you have to start from scratch, you will have to sterilise everything again.
Enjoy
Leave a Comment