Elderberry Juice!
Fall is a busy time of year. I don't have time to make elderberry jelly or cough syrup but the berries are ready to harvest. So this morning we went out and picked the ripe berries, brought them home, washed them and removed the berries from the stems. Then we put them into a large stainless steel stew pot and added about 3 times the amount of water and then brought to a boil. It was reduced to about 1/3 (the more it is reduced, the stronger it is) and then removed from the heat. The juice was strained and then lemon juice was added to balance the ph and to hold the fresh color. The juice was put into clean canning jars. The tops were cleaned and then clean flats and rings were put onto the jars. The jars were put into a waterbath and then boiled for 30 minutes. The jars were then put onto a towel and allowed to cool and seal. By this time they were preserved to be kept on the shelf.
This juice will be used, later on, to make elderberry cough syrup or else jelly sweetened with honey. Elderberry has been historically used to nutritionally support the immune and respiratory systems. Many use it as a staple during the cold and flu season.