Homemade Elderberry Syrup

During “cold and flu season” the team at SCI has a magic fairy that makes us batches of elderberry syrup to make sure we stay healthy. So, what is elderberry syrup you ask? It is a powerful tonic consisting of dried elderberries, Chinese star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fresh ginger, and local raw honey. Raw local honey contains a ton of disease-fighting antioxidants and vitamins, along with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, all of which help to boost your immune system and keep you healthy year-round. Ginger packs a strong medicinal punch and Chinese star anise is a key component in Tamiflu. For those of you that don’t have a magic fairy here is how to make your own homemade elderberry syrup. Ingredients: 2 cups dried elderberries (Mountain Rose Herbs sells organic dried elderberries for about $20/lb. 1 large piece fresh ginger (use a bigger piece of you like spicy, and a smaller piece if you don’t) 6 whole Chinese star anise 4 whole cinnamon sticks 18 whole cloves 13 cups water 4 cups raw local  honey (raw honey is honey that has never been filtered or heated) Yields: About 12 cups / 3 quarts  (so make sure to have enough glass jars for storage) Instructions:

1. Give your ginger a brisk scrub under cold water to knock any dirt off of it. Slice it thin. You don’t have to bother peeling it.

2. In a large pot, put: the sliced ginger, elderberries, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and water.

3. Set the pot on the stove over high heat and bring it to a rolling boil.

4. When it comes to a boil, knock the heat down so that it just holds a simmer, cover the pot, and crack the lid.

5. Simmer for about an hour with the lid cracked. After an hour, uncover and let it cool on the stove in the pot until it stops steaming.

6. Pull out all the large solids (ginger, cinnamon, star anise) and discard. Strain the liquid into a large bowl.

7. Smoosh the berries around in the strainer to get as much juice out of them as you can. If you want, you could squeeze them out through cheesecloth. Discard the berry pulp.

8. Cool the liquid to at least 110 degrees F. (Check the temp with a candy thermometer…remember, you don’t want to cook the goodness out of your raw honey.)

9. Once the liquid is 110 degrees F or less, add the raw honey.

10. Whisk to incorporate, making sure to break up any little blobs of honey.

11. When the syrup is cool, pour into a large, sterile glass bottle or pitcher. Cork or cover, and pop it in the fridge.

12. Store your finished elderberry syrup in the fridge for up to 2 months.

How much should you take?

For preventative measures take a shot glass full in the morning and another at night, every day.If you feel like you’re getting sick, take it more frequently (1 teaspoon every two hours or so).  Many traditional herbalists treat acute problems with more frequent, smaller doses of herbs. Keep in mind everyone is different and if you take too much it could upset your stomach. Credit: The Hungry Mouse