Katey’s Rosehip Syrup recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Cordials and Syrups | 224 comments
August rose hips in our garden
As a child this delight and a daily spoonful of rosehip syrup heralded the start of winter. At home we queued up, in order of age, as my mother doled out the syrup from a small bottle. She called it medicine. I’m sure that this is why it took me ages, as an adult, to consider trying rosehip syrup again. I discovered that homemade rosehip syrup is delicious and worth making. It is a good natural source of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidants.
We have two large rose bushes growing on the east wall at the back of the cottage, that produce hundreds of hips each year. We use these to make apple and rosehip jelly in October. When the hips are softened by November frosts, we make syrup. Lots of it. We give a few bottles away to friends who are laid up with bad colds but most of our giant batch is guzzled by us throughout the winter. It tastes too good to be earmarked solely for the sick bed. Danny loves it stirred into creamy yoghurt or swirled over some home made vanilla ice cream. Somewhere in the barn, a demijohn of rosehip wine is still fermenting from last autumn.
If you don’t have roses in your garden there are lots of briar roses in the hedgerows. They are difficult to spot from a car so if you are somewhere rural and have half an hour to spare, it’s well worth walking or cycling along a footpath or a quiet country lane to see what you can find. Try and avoid busy roads as the fruit will have been exposed to exhaust fumes and nasties. Keep a couple of carrier bags in your coat pocket, just in case.
This recipe was given to me by my friend Katey. It is similar to the recipe given out by The Ministry of Food during WW2, although their’s has more sugar. She remembers being frogmarched to pick hips for rosehip syrup as a child. This didn’t put her off, she still makes it today.
Katey’s Rosehip Syrup recipe
Ingredients:
- 4.5 pts of water
- 2 lbs of rosehips
- 1lb of white granulated sugar
Method:
- There is no need to top and tail the rosehips if the liquid is going to be strained through a muslin bag. If you are using a steam juicer, pass the liquid through muslin – it will only take a few minutes.
- Bring 3 pts of water to the boil.
- Mince the rosehips through a course profile mincer (or food processor).
- Transfer the fruit into fast boiling water and bring to the boil again. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
- Pour through a sterilised jelly bag/or muslin square (how do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square? See Tips and tricks below) and allow the majority of the liquid to drip through.
- Return the pulp to the pan and add 1.5 pts of fresh boiling water and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
- Strain through the jelly bag again.
- Pour extracted liquid into a clean saucepan and boil to reduce the liquid to 1.5 pts.
- Add the sugar and boil rapidly fro another 5 minutes. Pour into hot sterile bottles and seal immediately. (How do I sterilise bottles? See Tips and tricks below).
Tips and tricks:
- Use small bottles (we use recycled vinegar bottles) as it only keeps for a week or so once opened. If you don’t want to use bottles the syrup can be frozen in cubes.
- How do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square?
Both can be scalded with boiling water. If you are using a clean muslin bag or square you can iron them with a hot iron. This also works with tea cloths.
- How do I sterilise bottles?
The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the syrup, I quickly wash and rinse the bottles and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160? (140? fan-assisted). When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The bottles will stay warm for quite a while. sterilise the lids by boiling these for a few minutes in water.
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Hi Jeremy
What a disaster 🙁 I wonder how many washes it will take to remove the itchy fibres.
I was my muslin in cold water in the washing up bowl, then boil it up in a saucepan with washing powder and rinse. Ironing the straining material also sterilises it.
Do hope that the syrup proves a decent swap for all the extra effort!
I have just made three batches of rosehip syrup – it seems that it was a bumpy season for rosehips! One big difference this year was that I used a pair of gloves. They are rubbery so that I could still pick the hips but thick enough to keep my hands warm and also to protect me from those annoying thorns. If you’re interested, have a look at http://tidd.ly/e0dc655a. As usual I used tea towels to seive the syrup. This time I washed the dirty towels with some regular clothes never again! All those little hairs get stuck in the clothes and itch like hell!
Hi my son (9) and I have just made this syrup and my daughter (3) is asking for more!! I didn™t have any glass bottles but my local chemist sold me some small child proof ones for only 58p each! which I can now re use, although¦ they are so small half the recipe quantity filled 9 of them (but I figure if it only lasts a week once opened then it will store and used as a treat on ice cream and pancakes) thank you for this recipe¦ we have always foraged for apples pears, black berries and such but would love to learn more. Thanks again!
Hi Fiona. I made a litre of rosehip syrup yesterday using your recipe. It’s sweet and aromatic, just like I remember from childhood, even if my own version is a little cloudy.
I had a mug of it today diluted with hot water and it was lovely. Thank-you for yet more inspiration to get off the sofa and try something different.
Hi found your site last year and made amazing sloe gin and sloe vodka. Thanks very much for all the great ideas. One chum said it was so good he would even pay to drink it. Food for thought!
Just been to the forest and found mushrooms: Ceps and Girolles, some of which I am going to dry and store for later use, but some will be cooked with butter and cream and made into a tart using Pate Brise. Too Yummy. Can’t wait.
On the way back I found loads of Rose Hips and so now I’m on the case making syrup too.
Since I found your website I am always looking down at the ground and climbing around in hedges and bushes. I look like something the cat brought in.
My son is an extreme skier and lives in Val d’Isere, so I can not wait for Spring to come so I can go into the pine woods nearby the chalet and collect Morille mushrooms.
My hunter gatherer instincts have kicked in big time. Things will never be the same.
Thanks again
Hi Ian
Your comment is the sort that I welcome with open arms. How did we loose our foraging instincts as a nation? In so many other countries it is a key part of their culture. Often when I’m out foraging people stop and ask me what I am doing, what will I do with the fruit/ nuts/mushrooms etc? I didn’t grow up in a foraging family and came to this very late. But foraging is one way of truly switching off – just focussing on the possible bounty makes me very centred.
Very envious of your overseas opportunities and delighted that you have caught the foraging bug. As you know there is no cure!
Hi! I have a question! Firstly, I only have 600g or so of rosehips (which are currently in the freezer). Would it be worth making the syrup anyway, or would it only make a tiny amount. Secondly, how long will it keep once sealed(before I open it)? Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Cassandra amy rose
Wait until you have enough rosehips – there are still lots in the hedgerows and parks. It should keep for at least six months, maybe more.
Made up a batch last night, wonderful! Fortunately, we picked enough to make another batch and still have our own garden to harvest as well!!
I have to admit I was really sceptical about this one – when I was picking the rosehip and even when it was boilig in water…as soon as I added the sugar the smell suddenly had another dimension and I knew I was in for a treat. I only made half the amount as I was expecting this not to be up my street – I commend you – it’s fab and I am going picking again as soon as possible!!
Hi all, whilst looking for some hints & tips re hairs in rosehips, I came across this: http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/how-to-dry-store-rose-hips-rosa-canina It shows to sieve the minced hips – so simple.
Hope this helps (& sorry Fiona, I hope it’s ok to share another site)
Hazel xx
What a site!!!! just found you while browsing. Today started my picking and got 3kg blackberrys, 4kgs elderberrys, 3kgs crab apples, all now sorted, but also found lots of rose hips and want to try them. Been making wild fruit wine for over 40 years and still learnt from you. I have experimated with modern high yeald yeasts and finings and can produce good quality country wines without waiting months.