Germans from Russia - Various Chokecherry Recipes

Germans fromn Russia - Various Chokecherry Recipes

Most of these recipes are pretty straightforward and/or common; having said that, I came across this particular group of recipes on the Germans From Russia Foodways and Traditions Facebook Page. These recipes appear to come from the Yellowstone County Extension office in Billings, Montana; I do not know where the photo is from, so credit from that should go first to "Rosalie" and then to the GfRF&T Facebook Page

Anyway, here they are -

Chokecherry Recipes Posted August 14, 2013 Note: To extract juice, cook berries adding water to just cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, crush and put in wet jelly bag or cloth. Squeeze bag, then re-drain through the rinsed jelly bag without squeezing. For jelly, use some green or light colored chokecherries mixed in with the ripe ones. Do not expect a crystal clear jelly. Chokecherry Jelly 3 1/2 cups juice 1 pkg. pectin 4 1/2 cups sugar Follow procedure on pectin pkg. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. Chokecherry Butter 8 cups pulp 8 cups sugar (may use 4 or 6) Simmer slowly 1 1/2 hours Add juice of 1/2 lemon Boil 1 minute. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. Makes 8 1/2 cups. Chokecherry-Apple Jelly 1/2 cup chokecherry juice 1/2 cup apple juice Boil well Add 3/4 cup sugar Boil to jelly test Place in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. "These are the portions to use in making a larger batch of jelly. You can double or triple the amounts.) Chokecherry-Apple Butter 2 cups chokecherry pulp 4 cups apple pulp Heat to a boil Add 5 cups sugar Stir constantly and cook until thick. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. Chokecherry-Rhubarb Jelly Use a few green chokecherries with the ripe ones and a few stalks of rhubarb to make juice. Use equal amounts of juice and sugar to make the jelly. Chokecherry Syrup 1 cup juice 1 cup sugar Bring to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. Follow these proportions when making a larger batch. Chokecherry Syrup with Corn Syrup 3 cups chokecherry syrup 1 pkg. commercial pectin 1 cup white syrup 3 cups sugar Dissolve the pectin in the chokecherry juice. Add corn syrup and bring to a boil. Add sugar and boil 2 minutes. Put into sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in water bath for 8-10 minutes. Chokecherry Vinegar Mash the cherries thoroughly, then cover with weak vinegar (half white wine vinegar and half water). Let stand 2 days, stirring each day. On the third day, drain and add 1 cup granulated sugar for each cup of juice. Let it come to a boil, settle well and bottle or put in jars. Two tablespoons of this to a glass of water makes a splendid summer drink. Chokecherry Syrup (uncooked) 12 pounds chokecherries (ground with pits) 2 quarts water 1/3 cup Tartaric Acid Put ground chokecherries in large container. Put Tartaric Acid over top of cherries; pour water over all ingredients. Stir well. Let set for 36 hours at room temperature. Squeeze out juice well, using jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth. Add 1 1/2 pints sugar to 1 pint of juice. Stir to dissolve sugar. Let set on cupboard for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Put in freezer containers and freeze. Check the internet for sources on where to purchase Tartaric Acid. Chokecherry Liqueur 1 quart chokecherries 1 quart sugar 1 fifth gin or vodka Place all ingredients in a glass jar. Shake every day for 30 days. Drain and bottle. This will be sweet at first, but will be best after 6 months. Yellowstone County Extension Office Courthouse - Room 106 PO Box 35021 Billings, MT 59107

It is just about time to be picking chokecherries up here where I live, so I hope to get a chance to try some of these. I'd likely use crab-apples rather than apples for the relevant recipes, if I am able to try them.

Enjoy!

Ron