How to make elderberry jam?

The black elder, Sambucus nigra in Latin, is a wild shrub very common in our regions that has many assets, both in the garden and in the kitchen with its flowers and berries.

Discover a delicious elderberry jam made from the fruits, clustered in drooping bunches. Warning: the dwarf elder, with its upright corymbs, is toxic.

When and how to pick elderberries?

In summer, elderflowers give way to fruits, small green then black berries gathered in corymbs. To pick them, you'll need, depending on the year, to start more or less early, from mid-August to September generally. Choose then the corymbs with as many ripe berries as possible (the blackest ones). If the berries on the elder you're targeting seem ready to be harvested, don't wait too long to pick them, as birds are very fond of them and won't delay in "plundering" the shrub.

The elder is a very common pioneer shrub, in the countryside as well as in urban areas, especially along roads and paths. Therefore, also be cautious and avoid areas with heavy car traffic and field edges that may have been treated to avoid pollution and have the best quality fruits possible.

When you pick the corymbs, don't worry too much if not all the berries are perfectly ripe. There will always be time to sort them out later in your kitchen.

Finally, a small practical detail, elderberries have strong staining power. This can be useful if you're into plant dyeing. However, this means taking a few "precautionary measures" when picking to avoid ending up with stained clothes. Prefer garments that don't mind stains.

sambucus nigra, black elder flower and fruit, jam

Sambucus nigra: corymb flowers and ripe black berries

Which varieties are suitable for jam?

In theory, all elders are edible after cooking. Except, of course, the dwarf elder, Sambucus ebulus, which is toxic.

Ornamental varieties of black elder, although they can be eaten cooked, generally produce less tasty and fewer fruits.

I can only strongly advise you to opt for a black elder, whether the common type species Sambucus nigra or selections of it made to increase productivity. In this category, we mainly find Austrian varieties, as the use of elder in cooking is indeed much more widespread in Central Europe.

- The common black elder, Sambucus nigra, is a vigorous pioneer shrub. It may even already be present in your garden. It has good productivity.

- The elder Sambucus nigra Korsor is perfectly suited for making jam. In addition to its vigour, it has the advantage of producing large, sweet-tasting fruits.

- The elder Sambucus nigra Hashberg is very productive, and its fruits have a very beautiful colour, hence its use as a food colouring. Its berries, however, would be a bit less tasty than those of Korsor.

Now it's up to you to choose the one you prefer to plant in your garden.

And know that the berries that remain on the tree won't be lost for everyone. You'll have the pleasure of seeing many bird species come to feed on them.

sambucus, dwarf elder, elder varieties for jam

Left: the toxic Sambucus ebulus with its upright fruits that must not be consumed; right: Sambucus nigra 'Hashberg' with its drooping fruits (photo Pixabay)

Recipe

Ingredients

1kg of sugar
1kg of elderberries

The amount of sugar is important, it ensures good preservation of the jam.

If you prefer a less sweet taste and plan to consume your jars quickly, you can slightly reduce the amount of sugar, but don't be too radical. Keep in mind that elderberry has a very tangy flavour. The fruit taste will then be more pronounced and the jam more fluid.

Although the recipe seems easy, preparing the berries needed for it is quite long and tedious.

Preparation

The day before:

First, quickly rinse the corymbs under water;
Then remove the berries from the clusters using a fork, and remove any fruits that aren't ripe enough; They can be spotted by their still slightly purple colour. To the touch, ripe fruits are also soft. But be careful, if overripe, they dry out;
Weigh the selected fruits and pass them through a food mill to remove the seeds and keep only the juice and pulp of the fruits;
In a copper jam pan, or failing that a large stainless steel saucepan, pour the crushed fruits then the sugar.

Now, all you have to do is cover your preparation and wait until the next day. This delay will allow the sugar to penetrate well into the fruit and facilitate the evaporation of water during cooking.

Although it's possible to skip this resting step and cook the sugar-fruit mixture directly, it is nevertheless recommended for the reasons mentioned above. Especially since elderberries contain quite little pectin, this will facilitate the setting of the jam.

On cooking day:

Bring the contents of the pan to a boil then slightly reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 45 minutes, stirring and skimming regularly.
Pot the jam while it's still hot, close and turn the jars upside down to vacuum seal them. Once the jars have cooled, you can turn them back upright and store them.

Finally, remember to sterilise your jam jars beforehand. To do this, boil them for about ten minutes in a large saucepan of water.