So it was much to my surprise to learn that elderberries grow wild all along the American River, less than half a mile from my home. We moved to Sacramento when I was nine; I have spent countless summers catching minnows and picking blackberries at the river. I can’t believe these elderberries have been there the whole time, right in front of me!
Foraging For Wild Elderberries
Picking them can be a challenge, given the star thistles that poke through your jeans, constant vigilance for ticks (I really don’t like those) and rattlesnakes (have had a couple close encounters with those at the river). The good news is that there are plenty of elderberry shrubs right alongside various paths and trails around the river, so you don’t have to do much bushwhacking to get to them. In most parts of the country they ripen in late summer; here in Sacramento they begin to ripen in early July and then new clusters ripen all summer. If you do go picking, wear long sleeve shirt, a hat, and jeans. Make sure you bring a plastic bag, otherwise juice from the fragile berries that will invariably get crushed will seep through and stain your clothes. Bring clippers.
Harvesting and Processing Elderberries
In Northern California, the variety of elderberry we get here often has a white blush covering the ripe blue/black berries. You’ll want to cut the cluster from its base. Do not process the leaves or stems, as they may contain problematic alkaloids. Note that raw elderberries should not be eaten, as they too have some of those problematic alkaloids, though not to the extent of the stems. The truly time consuming part of processing elderberries is the stripping of the berries from their stems, after they’ve been thoroughly rinsed. It took me about 10 minutes to pick 4 pounds of berries on my last foray, and about 1 1/2 hours to de-stem them.
An Exquisite Jelly From a Special Fruit
So, what do they taste like? A lot like blackberries, though they do have a distinctive flavor, and unless very ripe, they are a bit tart. They make a jelly much like concord grape jelly, though not as cloying, and absolutely delicious. I’ve been making peanut butter elderberry jelly sandwiches for lunch for all week long. What follows is a recipe for the jelly, but you can also make elderberry syrup by making juice, adding sugar, and boiling it down, or elderberry liqueur. Or you can make wine from the berries. If you’re using a different brand of pectin than one recommended in the recipe, follow the same ratios on the package instructions for making blackberry jelly. If you’ve picked your own elderberries, often there are little squash bugs or spiders that will come to the surface, so keep an eye out for them. Use mostly berries that are completely blue or black. A few underripe green berries are fine; they have more pectin and including them will help the jelly set. For each batch of jelly, collect 3 pounds of de-stemmed elderberries (about 8 to 10 cups). Once the berries and their juices reach a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the berries simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Slowly transfer the mashed berries and juice over the sieve to strain the juice out into the pot. Let strain for 1 hour. Put a steaming rack at the bottom of a large, tall pot. Add the jars and fill the pot with enough water to cover the jars with 1 to 2 inches of water. Once the water reaches a full rolling boil, boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize them. Wash the lids in hot, soapy water. Any amount more than that you can reserve for making syrup, or add to another batch for jelly. Process the jars in a water bath for 5 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let cool. As the jelly cools you should hear a popping sound as the lids seal. Once you open a jar, it can last for several months in the refrigerator
