Elderberries - The never ending task.

[Insomniac]

So, a friend bought me over a whole freezer draws worth of elder berries. I was going to ask if I needed to de-stem them before use, but having gone too google it seems that not only do I need to destem, but also cook them too?

So, is there a quick way to do so? Or am I missing something? How well de-stemmed do they need to be, are little bits ok or do I have to get down to berry by berry removing every last bit? Or should I leave them on, let them thaw out and just crush them as best as I can with a pototo masher and boild the juice after seiving?

 

[Reaver]

There's a few ways you can do it. Myself... I usually find a sunny spot with my MP3 player and get them off fresh. I've not tried the other ways yet. You don't have to be super specific about it. You're not baking a pie.

You can also freeze them on cookie sheets, and then knock them on the side of a bucket. But you have to have the freezer capacity and time.

Once they are stemmed... you can freeze them for later if need be. I did 2 batches.
The first batch I did following Jack Kellers Elderberry recipe #2, with fresh berries and boiled them.
The next batch I froze the berries, and I didn't boil. It came out better! YRMV.

I think if you freeze them. The skins weaken and allow for better flavor/juice transfer without the boiling. You'll still want a strainer bag either way. You can crush the berries in the bag against the side of the bucket, or use a sanitized wine bottle against the bottom of the bucket before you add water.