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Summer is coming to an end and our nights are cooling off just slightly. Harvest is upon us and it's a great time to be in the kitchen utilizing this year's bounty to take you into winter. Today we want to introduce you to three easy recipes using Freeze-Dried American Elderberries. We know a number of you have freeze-dryers that you use for elderberries, and more. If you don't though, you can always find them on our shop page, HERE.
First, let's discuss WHY freeze-dried elderberries? Why not fresh, frozen or dried?
Freeze-dried elderberries are able to be stored for up to or over 20 years! We package ours in special bags with moisture absorbers to ensure maximum shelf life. No worry of your power going out and losing your frozen berries, no threat of having to utilize your fresh berries in time, freeze-dried elderberries are ready to use and easy to store.
Second, as compared to dehydrated berries, freeze-dried elderberries are able to maintain more of their initial nutrients with the freeze-drying process. Thermally drying (or dehydrating) can degrade the nutrients and integrity of the berry with the high heat process.
Third, have you ever made a pie with fresh or dehydrated elderberries? You'll notice the seeds are still hard as a rock after it's done. You practically need a spittoon right by your plate! With freeze-dried elderberries, the seed is turned into the same crunchy texture as the berry, PERFECT for making a pie with!
Our Freeze-Dried American Elderberries can be a snack you eat by the handful, they can easily be stirred into drinks and add a burst of flavor when cooked with. The possibilities are endless with them, but today we are going to show you three easy recipes.
If you haven't already, it's a great time of year to read our Elderberry Mulled Apple Cider blog by Renee. If you're getting apples right now, you can easily substitute freeze-dried elderberries for the dried in the recipe.
Since it's the time for squash, give our American Elderberry Roasted Butternut Squash blog a read too.
ELDERBERRY HONEY
The recipes we cover today are all infusions. You will first need to infuse your product with the freeze-dried elderberries, then there are multiple ways to use it. Elderberry honey can be eaten straight or stirred into tea. It can also be a meat or veggie marinade for grilling, used on a sandwich or even added to a coleslaw for a sweetener. Any way you like your honey, we think you'll like it even more when it is infused with American elderberries!
What you'll need:
2-4 Cups of raw, local to you honey
1 Package or about 1oz of Freeze-Dried American Elderberries
1 Quart sized mason jar (plastic lid recommended), sanitized
Mesh strainer or cheesecloth
Pour your freeze-dried American elderberries into your mason jar. Cover with the 2 to 4 cups of honey. Put the lid on your jar. You will want to store your jar in a cool and dark location. Each day you can rotate your jar as much as you want, but at least once or twice a day. You should begin to see the honey start to turn to red. You can infuse your honey for 7 days, or longer if you would like.
Be aware that the honey will become thicker, some people prefer it not thick, that is why the recipe offers such a variation in amount of honey, it's purely your preference. After 7 days strain the berries from your honey and you are ready to use it! Bonus points if you use the discarded berries: they are great mixed in a smoothie, on a peanut butter and honey sandwich, or get creative and make a chutney with the discarded berries.
ELDERBERRY VINEGAR
Our second recipe can also be used in a number of ways. Infusing vinegar with Freeze-Dried American Elderberries can be used for salad dressing, to make a drink, hot sauce or the coveted fire cider. You'll notice the process is very similar to infusing honey.
What you'll need:
2-4 Cups of vinegar (your choice of Raw Apple Cider, Balsamic or Red Wine)
1 Package or about 1oz of Freeze-Dried American Elderberries
1 Quart sized mason jar (plastic lid recommended), sanitized
Mesh strainer or cheesecloth
The steps are the same as with the honey, but with the vinegar you get to shake the bottle, not just rotate it. Believe us, it's much more fun to get to shake! Add your vinegar and elderberries to your jar and put on the lid. Shake once or twice a day for 7 days. When not shaking, store your jar in a cool and dark location. After 7 days strain off the berries and you have yourself an infused vinegar.
Our favorite elderberry infused vinegar uses an apple cider vinegar and is made into an elderberry shrub drink. Shrubs were the first soda pops. Made with an infused apple cider vinegar, sweetener and then topped off with a sparkling water.
ELDERBERRY SHRUB
Now that you've made your infused American elderberry vinegar (apple cider vinegar), you are set up to make a shrub! Infused vinegar is going to be shelf stable for a while, whereas when you add a sweetener to it, it will only be good for about three weeks, and you'll need to store it in the refrigerator. You can make this recipe by the glass to make your mix go longer or mix it in large batches and consume within 3 weeks.
What you'll need per glass:
2-4 TBSP Infused American elderberry vinegar
1-2 TBSP Raw honey, agave, sugar or another sweetener
Add all to a glass with ice and top off with a seltzer water, tonic or club soda
People prefer their shrubs to taste very differently. Some may prefer a sweeter drink, where others may prefer the vinegar taste over sweet. That's why there is such a variation in the amount of sweeter vs vinegar in the recipe. Another thing to consider is the vast amount of flavored seltzer waters on the market at the moment. Instead of plain seltzer water, we have tried this with different flavors. We found that lime, hibiscus or strawberry seltzers compliment well with the elderberry and vinegar flavors.
Elderberry honey and vinegar can be the base for so many fun recipes out there, and they are packed with nutrients. Elderberry honey and vinegar can be taken for your daily dose of elderberry if you prefer it over our Premium Juice. And again, you can eat those freeze-dried American elderberries like a crunchy snack.
As a reminder, all of our elderberries are grown here in the USA and are American elderberries, or Sambucus nigra (subsp. canadensis). We grow a number of them ourselves and purchase from other farmers here in the Midwest. In addition, all River Hills Harvest products are made by small processors located throughout the region. We hope you too choose to support American farms and businesses by buying products made with American elderberries.
For more information about American elderberries and products, visit our website. You can receive your own American elderberry recipe each month by subscribing to our Monthly Elderberry Box. Be sure to follow our Facebook & Instagram for updates and new American elderberry information or subscribe to our newsletter.
We hope you enjoy these three recipes this fall, and it makes you 'fall' in love with our Freeze-Dried American Elderberries.
Until next time, cheers to your health!
Heather
I am Heather Wilson, of the River Hills Harvest crew. By being part of the company, I am blessed to have access to American elderberries in all forms. I enjoy experimenting with new ways to incorporate them into my diet, as well as other natural plants, berries and more. I have a background in greenhouse management as well as floral design and am involved in the art community as an artist, when time allows. I enjoy playing guitar and writing songs. I also enjoy wandering in nature with no real purpose, because a purpose always presents itself. It’s a busy life, but one that I love and feel lucky to be a part of.