Wednesday 7 December 2011

Redcurrants

2.9 kg from 4/5 of one bush ... And still another one to pick. Still have some in freezer from last year and about 10 jars of assorted redcurrant jellies. Have offered some to neighbours, but if they aren't interested then I guess I'll make a big batch of pectin stock. Waste not want not and all that :-)

6 comments:

Zara said...

You sure have very productive redcurrent bushes.
I'm going to a blueberry farm in the next few days and am hoping to pick a few litres worth. What would you recommend as a way of preserving them?

Thankyou,
Zara

(zara-117@hotmail.com)

Margo said...

Hi Zara - yum, blueberries!! I normally either make jam with blueberries, or (more often) freeze them to use throughout the year in muffins and cakes. You can also make jam from berries that have been frozen. I normally spread mine on a tray and freeze that way, then bag them once they are frozen. That way they don't stick together

Belinda said...

Hi Margo,

I have to say I have found that red currents make pretty awesome sweet chilli sauce. I haven't found a "known safe" preserving recipe. As such I make sure I either freeze or fridge the result but over drained yoghurt it made a wonderful, and pretty healthy approximation, of the standard cream cheese and sweet chilli party fav at bring a plate events.

I seem to remember I did either .5:1 or a 1:1 sugar to fruit ratio (wanted plenty of that tart characteristic still there) and just added the chilli slowly until I got the kick I was looking for.

Kind Regards
Belinda

Margo said...

Belinda that sounds AWESOME!!!!!!!!! I'm going to definitely going to try that.

Did the sauce stay runny? I made reducurrant vinegar last year with less than a .5-1 ration and it set solid like a jelly even though I didn't boil it :(

Belinda said...

It did stay runny. That said considering what I know about the amount of pectin in red currents I probably only just warmed it enough to melt the sugar and soften the berries to get that lovely red colour.

Wish I could give more explicit instructions but our bushes are only just coming online so I haven't had enough excess to play with recently.

Kind Regards
Belinda

Fiona from Arbordale Farm said...

Wow how wonderful. Perhaps you could make cordial.

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