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Homemade Elderberry Syrup

This potent elderberry syrup tastes like Christmas and is a wonderful health-boosting tonic and an anti-inflammatory! Double or triple the recipe as needed.
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Equipment

  • large pot
  • strainer
  • large, heat-safe pyrex for measuring
  • potato masher
  • bottle(s) for storing syrup
  • 1/4 measuring cup
  • wooden spoon for stirring
  • measuring cup
  • spatula

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts fresh ripe elderberries (not dried) *See notes below
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2- 3/4 oz. fresh, peeled ginger root chunks
  • 3 broken cinnamon sticks
  • 1 heaping tsp. cloves
  • 1 nutmeg (whole)
  • raw honey (amount will vary, but likely you will need at least 1 cup)

Instructions

  • Add 2 quarts of fresh elderberries to a pot with 1/4 cup of water.
  • Let the berries simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes until they are soft and release their juices.
  • Use a potato masher to mash the berries.
  • Remove the berries from the heat and strain them through a sieve, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
  • Measure the juice and return it to the pot.
  • Add ginger root, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg.
  • Simmer the juice over medium-low heat, checking periodically until it has reduced by half.
  • Remove the juice from the heat and strain again. Measure the juice.
  • Measure out the same amount of honey as juice. Using a spatula, scoop the honey into the hot juice and stir until combined.
  • Bottle and store in the fridge, using as needed, by the teaspoonful.
  • Ideally, use this within 3 months; however, because of the amount of honey in it, mine has kept for quite a few months. Use your best judgment.

Notes

Notes:
*Ripe elderberries are deep purple, black, or blue depending on the type. Don't pick underripe or green berries. These are toxic.
*The easiest way to remove elderberries from the stem is to freeze them and either finger them off or put them in a large Ziploc bag and shake well. This will make the berries fall off.
*Do not eat elderberries raw. They are toxic when uncooked.
*Make sure to pick the stems and leaves out. These can cause stomach upset- even when cooked. 
 
The original recipe was originally found here on Rosemary Gladstar's site. She, in turn, received it from Nancy and Michael Phillips, the authors of The Herbalist's Way. She also provides a variation of the recipe with dried elderberries.