dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)

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JohnB47

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OK, it's a glut as far as I'm concerned.  :tongue2:

I have one bush which has given me five large punnets of red currants and I'm struggling to get them all off the sprigs (I cut them, sprigs and all, from the plant as I heard somewhere that they store better that way.

I've just spent 30 mins pulling them off the stalks, for a relative small result and it's driving me mad. I'm shortly going to have the same problem with black currants.

How do people do this? I'm wondering about perhaps just simmering them all down, sprigs and all, to produce a pulp then sieving them to remove the stalks. I'll maybe freeze that it batches for future use.

Any ideas how to prepare small fruit like these? Thanks.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2013, 14:18 by JohnB47 »

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Beetroot queen

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2013, 14:43 »
We have ten bushes for blackcurrants and two redcurrants and we are drowing, red currants can be harvested very successfully with a fork however our blackcurrants refuse to be harvested this way and we have resorted to stripping a bush per night. Much to hubbies disgust as he hates the picking. Its not a man job apparently.

I jellied a fair few blackcurrants as then you sieve out the stems etc. The rest are sat in the freezer until i come up with a millionand one fab ideas of what to do with them.

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Trillium

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2013, 15:30 »
That's how I do it JohnB - I just rinse the lot in a colander first to remove dirt and dust, pick out leaves and twigs, then chuck the rest into the pot, stems and all. Once the fruit is boiled soft I strain them in a fine mesh colander for juice. You can make jelly right away, juice, or simply freeze the juice for use later in the year when you have time (and ideas).

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BobE

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2013, 15:50 »
John do as BQ suggests and freeze them.  You can then make summer puddings, jam and jelly all through the winter months.  I think Aunt Sally does a fine currant wine.


(Strip the berries off the stalks by running a fork through them).

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JohnB47

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2013, 19:01 »
Thanks folks.

Seems like a good plan. I suppose I should be grateful for a good crop but it's a bit overwhelming too - I hate to waste any :unsure:

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BobE

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2013, 19:04 »
Thanks folks.

Seems like a good plan. I suppose I should be grateful for a good crop but it's a bit overwhelming too - I hate to waste any :unsure:


After I took 6kg of my bush! I left the rest for the birds.

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Mrs Bee

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2013, 21:14 »
You left the rest for the birds.  :ohmy: :ohmy:

My OH arm/wing wrestles the birds for blackcurrants. We have only got a couple of young plants in pots at the moment until himself gets the ground at the lotty up to scratch. They were part of his retirement present.

Blackcurrants are OH's most favourite fruit in the whole wide world.

We have had a few blackcurrants.

Can we come and armwrestle your birds for some more. :lol: :D

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Beetroot queen

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2013, 21:15 »
You left the rest for the birds.  :ohmy: :ohmy:

My OH arm/wing wrestles the birds for blackcurrants. We have only got a couple of young plants in pots at the moment until himself gets the ground at the lotty up to scratch. They were part of his retirement present.

Blackcurrants are OH's most favourite fruit in the whole wide world.

We have had a few blackcurrants.

Can we come and armwrestle your birds for some more. :lol: :D


You can pop in and strip mine

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Mrs Bee

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2013, 21:17 »
Wish I was near enough to do that BQ.  :lol: :lol:

Spent several wonderful holidays in Somerset. :)

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Beetroot queen

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2013, 21:31 »
Wish I was near enough to do that BQ.  :lol: :lol:

Spent several wonderful holidays in Somerset. :)


I can post them if you like  :lol:

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Mrs Bee

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2013, 21:37 »
I think you have enough to contend with your family and the forth coming event. :D :lol:

Thanks for the offer tho' :lol: :D


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BobE

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2013, 22:34 »
Mrs Bee Ive nearly (not quite) 7Kg.  My freezer isn't big enough for more.

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Mrs Bee

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2013, 08:17 »
Mrs Bee Ive nearly (not quite) 7Kg.  My freezer isn't big enough for more.

I have 3 freezers with a 13 cubic foot capacity. :)

Although I do sometimes find I run out of space too. :wub:

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BobE

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2013, 10:55 »
Mrs Bee Ive nearly (not quite) 7Kg.  My freezer isn't big enough for more.

I have 3 freezers with a 13 cubic foot capacity. :)

Although I do sometimes find I run out of space too. :wub:


I'd need a bigger house 8)

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madcat

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Re: dealing with a glut of berries (eg red and black currants)
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2013, 17:06 »
I did 6.6kg over the weekend - mostly into the freezer and one batch of ice cream  :happy: OH informs me that is about a quarter  :ohmy: of the crop.  Of red currents. Then there are the black currents and gooseberries .... raspberries and not very many (because they didnt get weeded!) strawberries.  Errr .....   :wub: :unsure: :wacko:
All we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about (Charles Kingsley)



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