Homemade Remedies - Part 4

Elderberry Syrup

I found some elderberries growing near me and it’s a perfect time of the year (fall) to make elderberry syrup! You can use this recipe with fresh berries or dried ones (which you can find in most health food stores).

Please note: unripe elderberries can be toxic, so make sure they’re fully ripe if you’re picking them in the wild. Also, cooking them (which we’ll be doing in this recipe) removes any potential toxins…so just don’t eat them raw to be safe :)

Elderberry Syrup is great for the fall/winter because elderberries are rich in antioxidants and immune-boosting compounds that help your body fight off colds and flu. I make many batches of elderberry syrup every winter, it’s easy and it works really well :).

It’s safe to take daily or anytime you’re fighting a cold or flu.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh or dried elderberries (rinsed and de-stemmed)
3 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fresh ginger root (grated or sliced)
3-4 whole cloves (optional…I don’t like cloves so I didn’t add it)
1/2 cup raw honey (adjust to taste, I used closer to 1/4 cup…but more honey makes it more of a syrup and honey on its own is good for colds and flus too)

This recipe is easy to adjust if you don’t have 1 cup of elderberries. It’s 1:3 berry to water.

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the Elderberries

After carefully rinsing the elderberries, remove them from their stems (if using fresh). I picked about 4 bunches and that gave me just about 1 cup of elderberries.

Step 2: Combine Ingredients and Simmer

In a saucepan, combine the elderberries, water, cinnamon stick, ginger, and cloves (if using). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Step 3: Strain the Mixture

After the syrup has reduced by half, remove it from the heat. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing the berries to extract all the juice. I used a spoon and really mashed them to get all of the juice :).

Step 4: Let Cool and Add Honey

Allow the syrup to cool to lukewarm. Stir in the raw honey to sweeten and preserve the syrup. Be sure not to add the honey when the mixture is too hot, as this can destroy its beneficial properties.

Step 5: Bottle and Store

Pour the elderberry syrup into a clean glass jar or bottle, seal it tightly, and store it in the fridge. It’ll keep the longest if the jar is sterilized, but I tend to skip this step. The syrup will keep for 2-3 months. One of my bottles is going in the freezer for later in the winter :)