Ripe chokecherries make excellent jelly and very good wine. The toxic pits should not dissuade you from making and enjoying this wonderful wine. Simply destoning the berries will eliminate any potential hazard. Don’t let the tartness of the fruit trick you into over-sweetening the must.
How do you get juice from chokecherries?
Steps for extracting juice Use ripe chokecherries, wash in cool running water. Place in a stainless steel or enamel kettle. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until soft. Cool and strain through cheesecloth or a damp jelly bag.
Are chokecherries good for anything?
The entire berry is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, flavonoids, anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, each said to possess a high-capacity value at fighting against allergies, viruses and cancer-causing elements. Chokecherries also contain a high dose of quinic acid which is known to prevent urinary tract infection.
Can you juice chokecherries?
Strain juice by squeezing through cheesecloth, cotton shirt, jelly bag or strainer. Be aggressive, you want to get all the juice possible. Typically, one can extract 4 cups juice for every 10 cups berries.
What does chokecherry wine taste like?
Some varieties of chokecherries are more palatable than others, and the cultivated chokecherry is described as having a mildly sweet, cherry taste. With the addition of sugar, chokecherries are often used to make jam, syrup, and fruit pies. Chokecherry wine is somewhat comparable to wine made from grapes.
How long does chokecherry juice last in fridge?
one week
Remove the chokecherries from the stems and rinse with cold water. Chokecherries should be stored covered in the refrigerator and will keep up to one week.
How do you dry chokecherry?
Lay the patties on a dehydrator tray that has been washed with hot, soapy water and dried. Leave about 1/2 inch space between each patty, shrinkage will occur throughout the drying process. Chokecherry patties will take 12-16 hours to dry.
What can you do with chokeberry?
Aronia berries can be eaten fresh on their own or used as an ingredient in foods, such as pies, juices, and tea. The berries are said to have many health benefits, including anti-cancer properties.
Foods and drinks in which aronia can be used include: muffins.
What did Native Americans use chokecherry for?
Chokecherry tea was used to treat everything from anxiety to colds, diarrhea and tuberculosis. Berries were eaten to relieve stomach pain and aid digestion.
Can humans eat chokecherries?
Chokecherry fruit is definitely edible and not toxic. The seeds are a bit tricky though. Chokecherry seeds contain a cyanide compound, like apple seeds, and they can be toxic if eaten raw in large quantities.
How did indigenous people use chokecherries?
Aboriginal people in the southern and northern Interior ate the choke cherry fruit. They collected the cherries in the fall and dried them, often with the stones left in. They used the choke cherry wood for handles, and shredded the bark and used it for decorating basket rims.
How do you remove a chokecherry pit?
Wash and de-stem the chokecherries. Add chokecherries to water and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Stir occasionally. Boil until seeds fall out.
Do chokecherries have pits?
Sometimes Chokecherries grow as shrubs. In the spring, the tree has clusters of 5-petaled, white flowers, and the fruit grows in the summer. The cherry is smaller than most cherries, with a shiny-red skin. When cut open, you should find a pit, not the many seeds of an apple.
Can you freeze chokecherry syrup?
CHOKECHERRY JUICE
Use, freeze or can. Yields two cups of juice.
