Elderberry Syrup
How to make Elderberry Syrup:
Many recipes online for Elderberry Syrup require a lot of different spices (ie Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, etc.) While I love spice-filled syrup, I wanted to pair down my recipe. Here is a super simple and beginner friendly Elderberry Syrup recipe:
Ingredients:
Dried Elderberry
Honey
Water
Elderberry Shopping Links:
I got my Elderberry on Amazon as I purchased it last minute. You can get Elderberry in some stores or other places, that are not Amazon, online. The brand I got is Frontier Co-Op whose herbs I use often in my kitchen. You can buy direct from their website, but the 1ib bag I got is $10 less on Amazon with free shipping as well. If you can afford to not buy from Amazon I encourage it, but I know Amazon can save people a lot of time and money, especially when shopping for whole herbs is not always accessible.
AND here is an alternative brand I found that seems a little cheaper as well.
(A 1-pound bag of dried Elderberry is usually about $25. I got mine for $22 on Amazon. The Frontier Co-Op website direct vs Amazon is $31 w/free shipping on orders over $39. And Herb Co is $15 + Shipping. Herb Co has free shipping for orders $250+.)
Steps:
Simmer Elderberry in water for approximately 1 hour. Ratio: 2-3 cups water per 1 cup of dried Elderberry. The reduction yields about 3/4-1 cup of Elderberry juice. Note: If the water in the pot seems to be evaporating too quickly, partially cover the pot with a lid. DO NOT cover completely.
Strain Elderberry into a jar with a fine mesh strainer and use a spoon to press down on the Elderberry to squeeze out the extra juices.
Let Elderberry juice sit for at least 30 minutes. Don’t leave for too long, you want it to still be warm before mixing in honey. I go for a 50/50 ratio of Elderberry to Honey. Make sure to mix well. You want the honey to completely dissolve in the honey. Note: Buy the best Honey you can afford as we are making medicine.
Let cool completely before refrigerating. The mixture is good for about 6 months.
Safety: It is safe to take up to 3TBSP per day of Elderberry. You can accidentally poison yourself if you take too much Elderberry. Some people recommend while sick that adults take 1-2TBSP up to 3x a Day while treating a cold or flu. I only recommend 1TBSP up to 3x a Day. For children, only 1-2TSP is recommended per day.