Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Mosslane on September 02, 2010, 11:05

Title: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: Mosslane on September 02, 2010, 11:05
I have made loads of jam before but this is the first time I have used all the wild berries. The only non foraged items were the lemon, sugar and water.

I started with 12oz of Sloes, 4 oz of Rowan berries, 8oz of Rosehips and 8oz of Hawes (see picture below)

These were all put in a pan and covered with water. To this I added - 4 crab apples and a whole lemon quartered.

I covered this with a lid and simmered it for an hour and a half. (I used the lowest setting on my hob). I mashed the berries with a potato masher to release all the juices.

This mix was then strained through a sieve so I was left with a thick juice (the birds got the seeds etc.). I weighed this juice and had 2lb.

I then added a pound of Blackberries and boiled it for 10 minutes before adding 3lb of sugar. Boiled until the setting point was reached and bottled. It made 5 jars.

It is not a sweet jam, it has a real tarty bite to it, but it is lovely.

Total cost 25p for the lemon, and thanks to a special offer £1 for the sugar. All the berries came from our lane.



Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: Janeymiddlewife on September 02, 2010, 14:13
Sounds lovely - one of my twins accidentally opened some redcurrant jelly thinking it was jam and put it on a muffin. You should have seen his face!!
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: tosca100 on September 02, 2010, 17:20
Sounds really interesting. I used to love making jam, but there's not anyone to eat it now, they've all stopped eating it. :(

Still make a bit for greedyguts here though! :)
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: flowerpower on September 02, 2010, 17:25
Well Done! I did hedgerow jelly last year and it took me a surprisingly long time to collect the stuff together to do it. Its lovely jam, isn't it?

I must go and do a bit more foraging when ds goes back to school...
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: Madame Cholet on September 02, 2010, 20:53
it's my favourite along with damson. The receipe i've got uses plums or damsons too and elderberries. I've also seen some with hazelnuts too.

I like the sound of rowan jelly all  the ones i've seen are in gardens though!
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: 1st time veg grower on September 05, 2010, 22:28
Just wanted to say thanks - this inspired me today. Took the dog for a walk this aft and collected up some blackberries, hawes, sloes, rosehips, elderberries and damsons and together with some crab apples from the garden have just made my first hedgerow jam! Have only just finished but it tastes delicious! :)
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: Mosslane on September 06, 2010, 11:13
Glad it has inspired you, I hate to see all the good stuff in the hedges going to waste. Need to do some serious blackberry picking down our lane before the weather ruins them.
Title: Re: Hedgerow Jam
Post by: Madame Cholet on September 06, 2010, 22:38
Spent Sunday picking made hedgrow jam and headgerow fruit leathers too delicious.
Think ist Damson cheese next