Elderberry Jam

Black elderberry (Sumbucus nigra) has been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Many studies demonstrate that elderberry may have a measurable effect in treating the flu, alleviating allergies, and boosting overall respiratory health. Elderberry is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, dissolved in wine,for rheumatism and traumatic injury. The berries are a favorite food resource for many birds.

• 1 kg (2.2 lb)elderberries (without stems)
• 600 g (1.32 lb) sugar
• 1 green apple, not ripe
• Juice of 2 lemons

Elderberry tree.

Elderberry fruit.

Elderberry jam.

1. Using fork separate berries from stalks. Peel and core apple, dice into small cubes.

Removing berries is easy.

Elderberries.

2. Place elderberries in pot, and bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the berries release juice, add finely diced apple. Bring to a boil.

3. Decrease the heat, add sugar and lemon juice and cook over low heat for 45 minutes stirring often until the jam thickens.

Cooking elderberry jam.

Jam refrigerator test.

Perform refrigerator test.

4. Fill jam into jars and process in water bath canner for 10 minutes.

5. Remove jars and let stand for 12 hours.

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The Practical Guide to Making Salami is a companion book to The Art of Making Fermented Sausages, published in 2008. Since then, more information has become available; safety standards have been updated and tightened, new cultures have appeared, and getting supplies and newer equipment online has become more accessible. The most relevant theory has been transferred from The Art of Making Fermented Sausages. Still, The Practical Guide to Making Salami includes plenty of new materials such as fermented spreadable sausages, acidified sausages, or combining acidulants with natural fermentation. The recipes section has been expanded and includes 264 selected recipes from different countries so the reader can immediately produce sausages.