Chokecherry Jelly
Simple, wildcrafted and packed with health benefits.
Location
Chokecherries line the roads of the backcountry mountain where we live. They can also be found in open woodlands located on rocky terrain or other disturbed sites. They prefer part to full sun and can grow in a variety of soils throughout Canada and the U.S. We have an excellent botanist who lives next door and has more information and images for identification here.
Health Benefits
Chokeberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They improve digestion, protect the body against free radicals, help in weight loss, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, prevent diabetes, improve eye health, slow the effects of aging, reduce the risk of cancer (especially colon), lower blood pressure, and stimulate repair to the body.
Harvest
Harvest the berries whey they are ripe and a deep purple, black color. The berries will be tart and astringent when underripe. Be mindful that the leaves, stems and pits are poisonous.
Ingredients:
3 c. Chokecherries
1 c. Sugar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
(Chokecherries are naturally high in pectin, so the juice will thicken up on its own without needing to add any.)
Chokecherry Jelly Recipe
I started with about 3 cups of ripe berries for this recipe, Wash the berries and remove any leaves or sticks.
Warm the berries in a pot on low heat and use a utensil to squish the juice out. Let simmer for about 15 mins and then cover and let sit about 30 mins for the juice to release and the flavors to deepen.
Place a colander with a nut milk back over a jar. Pour the berries and juice into the bag and squeeze as much juice out as you can. I got about 1 1/2 c. of juice from the 3 cups of berries.
Pour the strained juice into a clean pot and add 1 c. of sugar. Add the juice from 1/2 lemon and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly for 20 mins. The juice with thicken and bubble into a beautiful jelly.
Boil the jelly to about 220 degrees and then pour into a class jar with a lid to enjoy!
