[Maryann]

Help please.
We have been offered all the redcurrants we can pick from a friends allotment as they are away in France.
We started picking them last week but unfortunately my husband picked a lot of under ripe currants which are white and pink, by mistake.

Are these under ripe currants poisonous does anyone know please?

I am using the currants to make jelly with and I use a steamer to extract the juice. It will be hard to extract all the white/pink currants from the red ones but I don't want to go ahead with the steaming until I am sure it is OK.

Does anyone know the answer please?

I have tried Google but not turned anything up yet.

Thanks for any help.

[sunshineband]

They are not poisonous and will juts taste more tart than the ripe berries, so enjoy your bonus windfall there 

[Maryann]

Ooh thanks - so grateful for a quick reply. Just sitting here biting my nails wondering if I will have to go through Kilo's of currants 

[sunshineband]

You are very welcome -- it takes long enough to take them all of their stalks as it is 

[Maryann]

Tell me about it 
I have spent hours cutting them off the branches - then laying them out on trays and freezing them and now I'm using a fork to shred them off the stalks and getting numb fingers. Some of the currants are bright red and ripe but on same stalk there are white/pink ones. I do have lots more ripe than under ripe thank goodness and very grateful for the free produce.
Just got to make the jelly now 

[Nobbie]

I found it easier this year to just strip of the plant with a fork, rather than take off the stalks and then strip them at home. Much less effort.

[tosca100]

If you're using them for juice you don't have to strip them off their stalks. You can also use them to make cordial and the underripe ones will give a nice sharpness to offset the sweetness. I was given as many as I could pick of red, white and blackcurrants and have masses in the freezer, bottled and cordialled. And gooseberries too. The underripe ones would be nice with overripe gooseberries. (We are a month earlier than you)

[madcat]

If they are easy to select out, you can also put them in a thin layer in a box or bowl in a sunny window and they will ripen up in a day or two ....

Enjoy!

[superpete]

very grateful for the free produce.
 

current supermarket price is £450 for 10lbs --- so we've saved ourselves about £1500 lol - jelly, red gin, jelly, red rum, cordial, and freezer

[Maryann]

Thanks for replies and tips everyone, I will be trying the ripening method for the underipe ones 
Yes I use a fork to strip the currants from stalks sometimes but also leave them on when making jelly as I have a very large commercial style steamer which does a wonderful job of producing highly concentrated juice from fruit and veg.
I have just drawn off 1300ml of thick juice and made first batch of pure Blackcurrant jelly and the taste is fantastic - very strong and you could even dilute it to make it go further if you wanted to - but thought would leave it alone for this batch.
I mixed a small amount of juice with my red gooseberries (from garden) to make jam last week and that combination was really scrummy. I love gooseberry jam but with the kick of blackcurrant running through it it is really lovely.
Was quite surprised to read through Delia Smiths recipe for Redcurrant Jelly - she leaves all the stalks on and cooks redcurrants - then adds sugar and boils it all up together and then strains it before bottling.

I think that's a bit odd myself as the sugar will make it very sticky and at that stage almost setting so you must lose a lot of the jelly. I prefer to strain it through a jelly bag (if I'm not steaming it) and then back in pan , add sugar and then boil till it sets.

Hey ho...putting my feet up now for a little break as the old back is complaining about the days efforts but very satisfying seeing all those jars of lovely jelly.

[BumbleJo]

I read somewhere that the underripe red currants have more pectin so good for the jelly.  We've had a bumper crop also, in the freezer currently but will get creative at some point...last weekend made a summer pudding, delicious. 

[snowdrops]

My red currents are in the freezer & I need to pick white & blackcurrants this week. This will be the first year I've had enough to make my own produce, can you share recipes please!

[LotuSeed]

Maryann what model steam juicer do you have? I've been thinking about getting one myself this season.

[Maryann]

Hi
Re: the Steamer I use is made in Germany and I bought it from this Company who I can thoroughly recommend for their excellent customer service.

http://www.westfalia.net/shops/household/cooking_utensils/pots/boiling_down_pots/320475-stainless_steel_juicer_9_litre.htm

The steamer is very versatile but a word of caution - it becomes very hot and quite heavy. You can easily drain off the juice using the tube supplied (I ordered 2 more tubes as spares) but you need to be fairly strong if you want to lift off the top 2 tiers to check on the water levels whilst steaming is in progress. I keep an old round metal tray handy to lift the tiers on to whilst checking or refilling water. You can also check on how much juice you have collected by lifting off top tier. Remember it's stainless steel and gets hot whilst in use.

You may find some helpful videos on You Tube showing you similar products before you buy one. I wouldn't be without mine - no more messy jelly bag overnight in the kitchen, but then I do love a gadget 
It sterilises the juice as well as it reaches such a high temperature and I have bottled juice straight from juicer and it keeps for months this way.

Hope this helps.

[LotuSeed]

Hey thanks. I had been looking at the MehuLisa one but didn't want to spend quite that much on one. I think I'm leaning towards Stainless steel one by Norpro. I've read that some people suggest putting a marble in the bottom pot to alert them when the water level is low. Have you done that? I know steam juicers are great for the jelly making process but, as you mentioned, I want one to make juice. I'd love to be able to make my own apple juice later in the season. I assume that, like with grapes, you don't have to remove the currants from the stems before putting them in the juicer?