In most places, elderberries don’t come ripe until September, but in the South and Southern California they can ripen as early as late May, and here in NorCal we start getting ripe elderberries in late June. So depending on where you go, you can get ripe elderberries from May until November.
The secret to elderberries, it seems, is that they are a rolling bush: Parts of some bushes are still in flower (meaning you can still make elderflower syrup and liqueur if you hurry!) while the berries below have already ripened. Even when I picked my stash of elderflowers in May there were green berries on some.
But beware, slackers! Ripe elderberries are sweet — sweet enough that the deer like them very much. We saw a lot of nibbled-off spots on the bushes we picked from. By September I suspect the only remaining elderberries will be too high for the deer to get; and then you need to worry about birds.
Once you get your elderberries you need to take the berries off the stem, which can take some time. This is the least fun part of dealing with elderberries, but it needs to be done: The stems and leaves of the plant are toxic, and definitely bitter. You need to be patient and have a light hand, however, as the berries are fragile. Work with small portions of each cluster at a time, and gently rake your half-open hand over the berries, letting them fall into a bowl set beneath you.
Again, let me stress the word “gentle.” Unripe berries hold onto the stem, ripe ones fall off easily. And you don’t want to eat unripe berries.
The best berries are on stalks that have begun to turn reddish; there will be a few elderberry raisins on them. But the larger black berries on stalks with light green stems are also OK. Just be sure to avoid clusters that have red berries. You want the elderberries that are black or deep purple.
What to do with all these berries? Admire them, to start. Poured into a large, flat Tupperware, they looked like $10,000 worth of caviar: Shiny, tiny black orbs. So pretty! Dip your face close, and you will get the unmistakable aroma of winegrapes.
It was at this moment I realized just how good these could be in the hands of a competent winemaker — only you’ll never find one working with elderberries in California, as this place heaps so much scorn on “fruit” wines that I can barely mention them in public. Tyranny of the Grape, I call it.
I make elderberry wine every couple years. To do it right you need real berries, and a lot of them. I reckon at least 3 pounds per gallon, and 5 pounds per gallon is better.
I also make elderberry liqueur with whole berries in vodka with lemon zest. It’s damn good with just a little bit of added sugar.
Elderberry syrup is a great base for the classic Cumberland sauce I make to go with wild game such as duck and venison. You can also use the syrup to make an Elderberry Ice Cream.
Cumberland sauce is traditionally made with red currant jelly, but elderberry seems more natural here in California.
The British also make a curious condiment with elderberries called Pontack. It’s a little like a vinegary mashup between elderberry syrup and Worcestershire. It’s really good with venison and duck.
The best way to de-stem the elderberries is to do so within a few hours of harvest. If the clusters of elderberries are allowed to sit until the following day before they’re de-stemmed the small stems will cling to the berries. I only harvest when I know I have time to de-stem the berries shortly afterward, and then the berries always easily pop off the stem clusters.
Where are the best places to find wild elderberries in California? I am originally from the Alps and use to pick elderberry in my home country, typically in September, doing jellies and syrups. I have been leaving in NorCal (SF Bay Area) for 20 years and I never found wild elderberry bushes.
Thanks for any tips.
Nicolas: They are all over the place. You might need to drive inland. I live near Sacramento and there are tons and tons of them here. On the coast you’ll only find red elderberry, which is not the same. They have just started to flower here (April 14).
Thank you for your info on elderberries. I’ve tinkered with them over the years, but this year, I’m taking it more seriously as I collected a huge batch of beautiful berries. Yesterday, I made chutney. I’m wondering if you have a recipe for elderberry liquer? You mentioned it above, but the link appears to be broken? Thank you!
The teeny eighth-quarter inch red stems simply persist. Is it safe to cook down with them and some stray green berries and strain it all out?
Arlene: yes, it is. But minimize the green berries and stems as best you can.
Hank, last year when I made my syrup, I got a sticky residue on the side of the kettle and on the Sauce Master food strainer. This had never happened before. Any thoughts on what may have caused it and how to prevent it? It is elderberry time in WI and I want to try and prevent that from happening again. It didn’t affect the syrup at all, just the equipment.
Thanks,
Steve Engelhardt
Steve: That happens a lot. It’s normal with Eastern elderberries, less so with Western ones. I can’t remember the compound in elderberries that does it, though.
Hi! I am trying my hand at elderberry syrup, mostly for the health benefits, for the first time. My Mom used to occasionally make elderberry jelly, when I was a kid, but I just recently found out about the anti-viral/immune boosting properties. Anyway, I haven’t made the syrup, yet, but we have harvested about 60 cups worth, with just one batch left to de-stem. My hubby discovered that gently rolling the bunches between the palms of the hands makes pretty quick work of them, with very little stem getting into the berries. We have an abundance of berries in our area in Washington State, and I will be taking advantage of them, from now on!
I made a batch of syrup and it had a few green berries in it. Should I throw it out.
Debbie: Nope. A few won’t hurt you. A lot of them might give you a stomach ache.
I made elderberry juice, but my elderberries had a mix of ripe and unripe berries in it. I cooked it for 30 min. It is dark purple almost black in color. I plan to add 2 tsp. to my tea with honey. It tastes fine. Should I be concerned about it having unripe berries in it?
I got a BUNCH of elderberries from someone (FREE) and they had been frozen, never cleaned nor were they de-stemmed. Any ideas on how to get them off without destrying them and ending up with stems in the fruit. (not only stems, but grass, stinkbugs and all.) Any assistance would be appreciated.