Frozen ELDERBERRIES

[ioujc]

Well, I picked my own elderberries last month, and bagged them up and popped them in the freezer. I did NOT blanch them, just rinsed well with running water. My question is this:
To make the ELDERBERRY TINICTURE, the frozen berries should work fine....RIGHT??
They would be used in the amount as if they were fresh berries???? Yes??
Also, do you use the WHOLE berry, SEED and all??
And when you use the tinicture, do you strain it, should it be strained at a certain time in the "process" of soaking it in the vodka??
When you use it, should you also "drink" the berry skins and seeds???
And finally, HOW LONG will the tinicture LAST, once you make it?? I know several have said it's good for a "LONG" time......will that be long enough for there to be new elderberries available...ie. about 11 months??

I got about a gallon of berries.....that should make a good bit of the tinicture.....I WAS late gathering them, because it was SOOOO hot, and also the road crews here cut down all the good weeds growing along the country roads BEFORE the elderberries were ripe, so I REALLY had to SEARCH for them!!

 

[summerthyme]

Frozen should work as well as fresh. Yes, the whole berry, seed and all. Because the "raw" berries can have small amounts of cyanide in their seeds, it's probably best to not eat them after straining the tincture. After 4-6 weeks of steeping in the tincture, all the "good stuff" should be in the menstruum (the soaking liquid)

After that, strain the tincture, and toss the berries in the compost heap.

A "long time" is YEARS. Tinctures stored correctly (either in dark glass bottles or in glass jars or bottles in a dark place) will be potent for several years. Some as long as 10 years according to some studies I've read.

Have fun!

Summerthyme

 

[ioujc]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH SUMMERTHYME!!
I KNEW someone here would have the answers I needed!

Tinctures stored correctly (either in dark glass bottles or in glass jars or bottles in a dark place) will be potent for several years. Some as long as 10 years according to some studies I've read.

WOW!! OK! Thanks again SO MUCH!

 

[Amethyst]

ioujc, I also had my eye on several elderberrys along my mail route and was very disappointed when the road crews cut them down and widened the road! There was also a very nice bunch just down the road from my house and they weren't there! I think someone beat me to those!

I also have my elderberries frozen to make my tincture. I think I'd better get started if it takes 4 to 6 weeks! I also made a non alcoholic tincture last year for a co-worker and my grandchildren.

 

[Herbmountain]

Note to gatherers of herbs and berries. We never gather plants right off the road. Seems they absorb carbon diozide and chemicals from cars. Also guys stop and pee on them. Just a heads-up for next year.

We make a point of gathering about 500 years back from any transportation road.

 

[Deemy]

500 years???? LOL, You need to do an edit!

 

[Beetree]

Good point!

Note to gatherers of herbs and berries. We never gather plants right off the road. Seems they absorb carbon diozide and chemicals from cars. Also guys stop and pee on them. Just a heads-up for next year.

We make a point of gathering about 500 years back from any transportation road.

Great Points Herb Mountain! You read my mind because I know that they also spray really toxic weed killers along the road ways. That go into the ground I might add.