Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Extracting Raw Juice

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HZDXN 15 August 2011 Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Extracting Raw Juice.

Five pounds of elderberries were picked today, and made into about two liters of raw juice.This will be stored in the refrigerator and used over the next few days. The juice is rich and has a drinkable texture.

[scrap]

May I ask how you work with that sieve?
Do you forcefully rub the clusters of berries over it or do you shake it back and forth?

Looks incredibly handy, I just spend hours ripping them from the stems with a fork...

[Durgan]

May I ask how you work with that sieve?
Do you forcefully rub the clusters of berries over it or do you shake it back and forth?

Looks incredibly handy, I just spend hours ripping them from the stems with a fork...

The sieve is just a piece of one/half inch mesh stretched over a frame. Purchased at most hardware stores. The bundle of berries is thrown on the screen and gently worked back and forth. The berries drop off almost as soon as they are touched. It takes about three minutes to remove the berries from the bundle shown, which is about four pounds each batch, which is my picking bag full.

I might add the silly fork or plucking way of removing the berries form their support mesh is why many people avoid processing elderberries. It has to be a very slow day or one will go nuts.