This is the best method I have for preserving rowanberries for people who might not find the flavor agreeable, but for me it all depends on when they've been harvested, and if they've seen a couple good, hard frosts, which drastically improves the flavor.
Preserving in Syrup
These berries are preserved in a light syrup in a jar. Over time, the syrup penetrates the berries and calms their astringency. It's similar to old recipes where fruits are simmered in sugar syrup. Unlike older recipes, I decrease the sugar a bit since it can make the berries shrivel too much and shrink.
How to use
I developed this as a way to use rowanberries at my first restaurant. There we would add the berries to salads and mixed with other, sweeter fruits in pan sauces for poultry and game.
More Rowanberries
Rowan Berries in Syrup
A simple method for making rowanberries in syrup. You can scale the recipe to your needs, If you haven't had them before I would try a small batch first.
Servings: 1 quart
Calories: 816kcal
Equipment
- 1 Pint mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Rowanberries removed from their stems
Instructions
- Heat a water bath canner, next, heat the sugar and water in a pot until simmering briskly.
- Turn off the heat on the sugar water, then add the rowan berries and stir. Using a slotted spoon, pack the rowan berries into pint mason jars and cover with the remaining syrup, leaving a ½ in room of headspace at the top.
- Process the berries for 10 minutes in a water bath canner, then cool. Leave the berries to age for a few at least a few weeks in a cool dark place.
Notes
A simple sugar solution will tame the most bitterness, especially after a couple weeks or more. After a while I found myself feeding these to people straight out of the jar, they're that good. You could add whatever flavorings to the syrup you want, but less is more.
Make sure you don't try to make things too sweet and up the amount of sugar, it has a tendency to make skins tough when there is too much.
If you don't want to can these, you can also just store them in the fridge. Over time they may start to ferment, which isn't necessarily bad.
Nutrition
Serving: 1oz | Calories: 816kcal | Carbohydrates: 211g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 204g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Lenda Freeborn
You don't need a waterbath canner to can, any large pot with high sides will do. Just put a cloth in the bottom and then your packed jars making sure the water is high enough to cover your lids and then process for the 10 minutes. But the turning them upside down after packing also works in a pinch with high sugar/high acid foods.
Alan Bergo
Yep, I support all of that.
Elmien
Hello! I'm really keen to try this, but I don't have a water canner. What other way can I use?
Alan Bergo
Pack the berries into a jar, bring the syrup to a boil, pour it into the jar up to the brim, screw on the lid, turn the jar upside down and allow to cool. The jar will seal. This is not recommended by the FDA but it works, typically I use it for delicate ingredients or high sugar and or high acid preserves.