Rosehip Syrup
After a pretty dull and rainy summer, the woodlands and hedgerows are glowing with colour as berries ripen and mushrooms spring up overnight. Autumn is my favourite time of year in the woods and already I’m looking to experiment with a little more than the usual blackberries, which, as always, are juicy and plentiful.
Try adding a handful of ripe elderberries to a crumble or pie ( always make sure they are ripe and always cook them before eating to remove any traces of cyanide which may be present in raw or under ripe berries) .
Although many people find hawthorn berries a little bland or bitter by themselves, they are always so abundant I want to include them in something. They are very good for the heart and a few years ago I made a warming brandy by adding some to a half-full bottle with a few elderberries and blackberries and a good dollop of honey. Rosehips from the dog rose are very rich in vitamin C and iron and make a delicious syrup. Below is a recipe which will brighten the greyest winter day.
Rosehip Syrup
1 kg rosehips
1 kg caster sugar
Bring two litres of water to the boil in a large pan . Wash and chop the rosehips and add to the pan. Bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to sit for about half an hour.
Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or in double layer of muslin placed suspended over a large bowl so the liquid can drip through.
Put the strained juice to one side and put the rose hip pulp back into the saucepan, adding another litre of boiling water. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat, leave to sit for another half an hour and strain as before. Compost the pulp and combine both lots of strained juice in a clean pan. Bring to the boil and keep on boiling until the volume has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to the stove one more time, bring to the boil and boil hard for 5 minutes. Pour into warmed sterilised jars or bottles and seal.
Dilute with water to taste or pour straight onto ice cream
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17 comments so far
catherine
19 September, 2008
When I was little my mother used to give me rosehip syrup for the vitamin C.
Jeremy Taylor
24 October, 2008
I have some photos of how I make rosehip syrup at http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/rosehip_syrup.htm I love the colour of the syrup when it is first made – though it does fade with time.
Marie Baddley
10 November, 2008
I suffer from arthritis and I have made some rose hip syrup which I believe is very good for this complaint. I would like to know what amount I should take and how often.
sim
20 August, 2009
boiling rosehips destroys any vit c and kills the active enzymes present in the fruit .Instead prepare it raw.
Alan T
30 August, 2009
Do you have to take the hairy seeds out before you make the syrup.I know it will be really fidgety so I would like to find out and save myself a lot of bother.
Jeremy Taylor
2 September, 2009
I am not sure how you would prepare rosehip syrup without boiling the hips. I have heard that boiling actually destroys the enzyme which breaks down the vitamin C. I would like to test my own batches of rosehip syrup – I still have some from last year and will make some more in November this year. I would like to know how much vitamin C disappears over time. I have contacted a few labs in the area where I live and they charge around £40 for each test. That is quite a lot to satisfy my curiosity. Does anyone know where I could get it done more cheaply? Any biochemists out there?
Jeremy
Jeremy Taylor
3 September, 2009
Hi Alan,
No you don’t need to remove the hairs as you filter the syrup through a fine sieve, muslin, or a pair of (clean) tights, whichever you have available.
Theresa Gregory
20 September, 2009
Hello,
I would really like to know how long home made rose hip syrup lasts in the bottle before it is opened? i.e what is it’s shelf life prior to opening? Theresa
Jeremy Taylor
24 September, 2009
I made some last November and kept it in a cool cupboard and drank some last week. It was as delicious as the day I made it! I think as long as it is unopened, it will last for years – although the vitamin C content is likely to be much lower.
I have left a little bit in the bottom of an (opened) bottle and will be away for two weeks. I’m curious to know whether the syrup will survive in my fridge.
Claire McNicholl
29 September, 2009
Hello from Umbria
Last weekend my children and I gathered plenty of rosehips as we walked and foraged in a wood that skirts our local Mountain.
They looked so delicious and were red jewel like……. We all got stuck in. I remember as a child the delicious colour and distinctive flavour of homemade rosehip syrup – prescribed for babies and sore throats….. I just turned 40 so no surprise to discover that this nostalgic “healthy” syrup is actually full of sugar…… However the Vitamin C content and Iron ( vitamin C does help the body absorb iron, especially one form of iron called “non-heme” iron) so think net-net good result.
A level biology and F&N O level…. I imagine that a similar rule applies to rosehips as other high vitamin fruits & veg….. raw best but if you do cook – the quicker you boil after cutting the less chance the (enzymes released from abrasion) have to damage the Vitamin C/ nutrient level…. we were instructed to pour boiling water immediately over cut vegs to prevent this…..)
Anyone have any idea if chopping and submerging immediately in boiling water does the job?
ON shelf-life – I made Jelly/ Jam this morning – instead of syrup for this reason – to last longer – so any syrup shel-life would be appreciated.
Incidentally, last night whilst re-watching the movie “Women” I made my jelly/jam by the traditional method – scraping out seeds and fibres…. a lot of work – but the Russians swear by this method – then I had run out of muslin/ jelly bags…. wish I’d read your note on tights! Sporting a blister today….
Any ideas on waiting for first frost? Ciao, Claire
Liz Marshall
17 October, 2009
I was interested in reading the comments on this blog article as I was wondering about the Vitamin C content considering I boiled the heck out of mine!!
Regarding shelf life. Mum made some last year. Some survived til this year unopened and it was just fine. But also, the jar she opened last year and has been dipping in and out of since is also lovely. It was stored in the fridge.
I have a bottle in use in the fridge which has been there, ooh, must be 3 weeks now, which we have on icecream every now and then and my 9 month old has just had in his rice pudding. Very delicious it is too. No sign of going off at all.
To Marie Baddley – it’s so delish I wouldn’t think you’d have too much of a problem having some every day and as it’s so easy to make and seems to keep well you shouldn’t have a problem making enough to keep you going either!!
Pat Carmichael
4 November, 2009
I’ve made some rose hip syrup for the first time the bottles have got a thick layer of sediment at the bottom. Should I shake the bottles before pouring or should I avoid disturbing it?
sarah
10 December, 2009
For those wishing to try a natural, herbal remedy for arthritis and joint pain, i can recommend Boswellia, and also Turmeric. You can get them in herbal supplements (capsules). I had a look around and you can find them at http://www.Ayurveda-Yoga.co.uk
Good luck!
sarah
10 December, 2009
Rosehip syrup works too!
Rachel Price
30 June, 2010
herbal supplements are more preffered because it is organic.*;-
linda
10 August, 2010
along the path by me. Are they ready yet to use for rose hip syrup or do i need to leave it a while? thankyou. x
Jeremy Taylor
10 August, 2010
Hi Linda,
I would wait until the first frost. There are plenty of other wild foods to be working with at the moment. I picked about a kilo of wild mushrooms this morning. They are delicious!