Ingredients
- 2 cups dried elderberries *See notes for using fresh elderberries
- 4 cups water
- ¾ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick optional
- 1 ¼ - 2 cups raw honey
Instructions
- Add 4 cups of filtered or drinkable quality water to the insert of your Instant Pot, along with 2 cups of dried elderberries that have been picked over to remove any stems or leaves.
- Add in the grated fresh ginger, ground cloves, and cinnamon stick (if using). Stir well to combine.
- Set the pot to the “saute” function. It will take approximately 5-10 minutes for the pot to heat up and for the elderberries to begin to simmer.
- Once the berries come to a simmer, reduce the saute function to the “less” option so they are maintained at a gentle simmer.
- Allow your elderberries, water, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not put the lid on the Instant Pot, instead cover just half of the pot by resting the lid on one side. This will allow the steam to escape, which is essential to creating a safe syrup.
- Once your berries have simmered for 20-30 minutes and are soft, turn off the Instant Pot.
- Prepare a glass measuring cup or bowl by placing a fine mesh or stainless strainer over it.
- Transfer the elderberries and juices to the strainer, working in batches.
- Allow the mixture to strain, working it with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. The juices will collect in the bowl or measuring cup below, with the solids remaining in the strainer. Discard or compost the solids, leaving only the liquid behind.
- Once you have strained all of the contents of the Instant Pot, measure the resulting liquid. You want to see somewhere between 1 ¼ - 2 cups of liquid. If there is very little liquid, you may have cooked your berries for too long or on too high of a heat.
- If you have more than 2 cups of liquid, clean the inside of your Instant Pot and return the juices (not the solids) to the Instant Pot. Set to simmer (with the lid off) and allow to simmer until the liquid level is below 2 cups.
- Allow your elderberry juice to cool until it is not too hot to touch, or below 104ºF (40ºC).
- Once the juice has cooled, add an equal measure of honey to the juice and stir to combine. So if you had 2 cups of liquid, add 2 cups of honey. If you had 1 ½ cups, add 1 ½ cups of honey.
- Once the honey has fully been incorporated, cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the fridge.
- Once the elderberry syrup is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the fridge and transfer it to a clean container with a lid.
- Store your elderberry syrup in the fridge for 4-12 weeks, discarding if there are any signs of spoilage.
Notes
Adapted from Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar
IMPORTANT: Please note that honey is not safe for babies under 1 year of age.
Cloves, ginger, and cinnamon substitutions: If you want to use whole cloves, use 1 clove in place of the ground cloves called for in this recipe. To replace the fresh ginger, substitute 1 teaspoon of ground ginger. For the cinnamon, you can use ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon in place of the cinnamon stick.
Using elderberry syrup: Take 1-2 teaspoons per day during the cold and flu season as a preventative, or 1-2 tablespoons several times a day during an active cold or flu.
Using fresh elderberries:
To use fresh elderberries you will need to increase the total amount to 4 cups of elderberries, and scale the water down to ¼ cup. The fresh berries will release juices during cooking, creating the required amount of liquid. Simmer them in the Instant Pot with ¾ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, and a cinnamon stick (optional) for 20 minutes, then strain and follow the rest of the recipe as directed. With elderflower: From Rosemary Gladstar, “Adding elderflowers to the syrup introduces a diaphoretic property, helping you to “sweat out” a fever. After cooking down the juice with the ginger and cloves, you can turn off the heat, add ½ cup dried elderflowers to the hot juice, put the lid on, and let infuse for 20 minutes. Then strain the flowers from the syrup and proceed with the honey.” Elderberry variety: There are many varieties of elderberries, with black elderberries being the ones that are used for herbal remedies. The cultivar with the best medicinal properties is Sambucus nigra.
To use fresh elderberries you will need to increase the total amount to 4 cups of elderberries, and scale the water down to ¼ cup. The fresh berries will release juices during cooking, creating the required amount of liquid. Simmer them in the Instant Pot with ¾ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, and a cinnamon stick (optional) for 20 minutes, then strain and follow the rest of the recipe as directed. With elderflower: From Rosemary Gladstar, “Adding elderflowers to the syrup introduces a diaphoretic property, helping you to “sweat out” a fever. After cooking down the juice with the ginger and cloves, you can turn off the heat, add ½ cup dried elderflowers to the hot juice, put the lid on, and let infuse for 20 minutes. Then strain the flowers from the syrup and proceed with the honey.” Elderberry variety: There are many varieties of elderberries, with black elderberries being the ones that are used for herbal remedies. The cultivar with the best medicinal properties is Sambucus nigra.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 12g