Once you’ve had a taste of homemade elderberry treats, there’s no going back! Whether you’re dreaming of a rich syrup or a healthy tonic, juicing these berries is the way to go. However, since elderberries are actually toxic when raw, there are a few safety tips you need to keep in mind. Let’s dive into how to juice elderberries effectively and safely!
Three Ways to Get the Job Done
- Using a steam juicer
- Using a centrifugal juicer
- Pressing through a kitchen towel
Prepping Your Elderberries
- Give the whole clusters a good rinse under running water and let them air-dry for a bit on a clean kitchen towel.
- Pick off any unripe (green) berries—you only want the dark ones.
- Snip off the thick main stems, but don’t sweat the tiny thin ones; they won’t hurt the process.
Using a Steam Juicer
If you have a steam juicer, this is probably the easiest method. Just toss your prepped berry clusters into the fruit basket. If you like your juice pre-sweetened, you can add sugar right now. Stack your pots: water on the bottom, the juice collector in the middle, and the fruit basket on top. Pop the lid on, turn it on, and let it work its magic for about an hour. By then, the berries should be completely juiced.
Using a Centrifugal Juicer
For the smoothie lovers out there, your standard countertop juicer works great too. These machines use a fast-spinning blade to separate the liquid from the pulp. You can drop the clusters (stems and all) right into the chute. The machine will spit out pure juice at the bottom, which is a perfect base for syrup.
Crucial Safety Tip: You must boil this raw juice for at least 30 minutes. This breaks down sambunigrin, the natural toxin found in elderberries that can cause a nasty stomach ache.
The Old-School Kitchen Towel Method
Don’t have a fancy machine? No problem! You can juice elderberries using basic kitchen tools. Just put the berries (with the small stems) into a large pot with a splash of water and simmer them for 30 minutes.
While they cook, set a large bowl under a wide-mesh strainer and line the strainer with a clean kitchen towel and a piece of paper towel. Pour the cooked berries into the strainer. Once the initial liquid drains through, gather the corners of the towel and twist. To get every last drop of goodness, grab a potato masher and give the berries a firm press through the cloth.