The magical limit is 76.3 degrees Celsius
In Elderberries Contains toxic sambunigrin, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and stomach pain in children and sensitive adults. The fruits must therefore not be picked fresh from the tree and consumed raw. As soon as they are heated above 76.3 degrees Celsius, the toxic component dissolves and the Elderberries are an excellent ingredient for delicious jams, fruity compotes or refreshing ones Syrup.
also read
- Homemade delicacy: Juice elderberry
- Picking elderberries - an overview of the most important rules
- Reduce the elderberry in an appetizing way - delicious with berries and flowers
However, this does not apply if you are immature fruit Cook. Only in fully ripe elderberries has the toxin content naturally broken down to such an extent that heating dissolves the remaining sambunigrin. Again, this only affects the berries of the black elderberry.
Elderberry juice - to drink straight or as a versatile base
Immediately after harvesting, comb the washed berries from the cones with a fork and start preparing them straight away, as they do not have a longer shelf life. Since elderberry juice is a particularly versatile variation, the following recipe is considered very efficient:
- Put one kilo of berries in a saucepan with 250 milliliters of water
- Bring to the boil while stirring
- Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes
- then strain through a very fine sieve
- Stir in 100 to 200 grams of sugar to taste
After the juice has been briefly boiled again, fill it into suitable bottles. Diluted with mineral water, elderberry juice makes a delicious drink. Alternatively, you can use the juice as a base for an elderberry jelly, for example. To do this, boil 1 liter of juice with 2 packs of preserving sugar and 2 sachets of citric acid for 5 minutes. Finally, the jelly is poured into screw-top jars, which cool on the head.
Tips & Tricks
The berries of the Red elderberry are also suitable for preparation as syrup, jelly or jam. However, there is a major difference to black elder. The kernels of the red fruits retain their toxicity even after cooking. They should be removed beforehand so as not to risk poisoning.
