As the trees are changing colors and the nights are getting colder, plants begin releasing the seeds they worked so hard to produce all summer. Fall is the perfect time to mindfully gather a few of those seeds, and some of my favorite are encased in the delightfully tart flesh of the rose hip.
Rose hips are packed with vitamin C, which aids in the development and repair of all body tissues. It encourages our bodies to form of collagen, helps us absorb iron, boosts the immune system, aids in wound healing, and is good for our bones and teeth. However, it degrades with excessive heat, so preserving this essential vitamin requires slow and low heat.
The best time to harvest rose hips is just after the first frost. That’s when they become soft and ripe, and even a touch sweet. Once you’ve gathered what you plan to use, making sure to leave plenty behind for the wildlife that relies on this important winter food source, they’re fairly easy to work with. Simply wash and preserve. Below are a few of my favorite ways to preserve and use rose hips.
Freezing rose hips gives you a few weeks to a few months to decide how to use them. Before freezing, make sure to remove the stems and flower remnants, including the black base of the dried flower, which is filled with tiny hairs that can sometimes be irritating in the mouth. They keep nicely in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Drying rose hips can be tricky if you don’t have a dehydrator. They are quite fleshy and need to be dried fully or else they’ll mold. You can dehydrate them on a low setting, whole or cut in half, again, removing the flower remnants and black base, or dry them by placing them in a warm, sunny spot. Make sure there is relatively good ventilation. You can also place them on the dashboard of your car, cracking the windows slightly to allow moisture to escape. This is a great way to dry herbs that aren’t light sensitive. In all cases, make sure the fruits are fully dried, and even then I like to place a silica packet in the jar that I store them in… just in case.
Acid + Honey is a great way to preserve your harvest. An oxymel uses a combination of vinegar and honey, and simply requires you to pour a warm mixture of whatever ratio you prefer right over your clean fruits, into a sterile jar, of course. A shrub is essentially the same, but the sugar can be honey, molasses, coconut sugar, or whatever other sugary sweetener you prefer. Both concoctions can be mixed with bubbly water or even Prosecco to make a tasty mocktail or cocktail, or add olive oil for a vinaigrette or marinade.
Alcoholic infusions are a favorite way to preserve the fruits, and are super simple. Wash, fill a jar one-quarter to one-half full of fruits, and pour your favorite booze over it. Cointreau gives a subtle orange flavor and potent sweetness to the tart rose hips. French brandy, works in much the same way. Vodka allows the flavor of the rose hips to shine and isn’t overpowering, though a touch of agave or honey is a helpful addition to enhance the full flavor of these delicate fruits.
Rose hip syrup is extremely versatile, and handy to have around. It can be diluted for herbal tea, sweetened to make a sauce for desserts, folded into a custard, turned into jam, used as a coloring agent, substituted in place of pancake syrup, made into wine… the possibilities are endless. To make the syrup without losing the vitamin C, be sure not to bring your rose hips to a boil. Simmer very lightly on low heat. It takes longer to soften the fruits, but your immune system will be grateful.
To make rose hip syrup you’ll need 1 cup of rose hips, 1 cup of water, and sugar (optional). Remove the plant material from the fruit, including the black base of the flower remnants. Place the clean rose hips in a saucepan with 3/4 cup of water, simmer lightly for 20 minutes or until the flesh falls apart with a fork. Mash the fruits with fork, and strain the “puree” through a fine mesh sieve. I use a sieve as fine as a tea ball, but not as fine as a paper coffee filter, and press on the cooked fruits to extract the juices. Return the plant matter (not the juicy syrup) to the pot and add the remaining 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes. This helps ensure you’ve extracted all of the juicy goodness from your fruits. Strain again.
Voila. You made rose hip syrup.
Some people recommend adding sugar to the syrup, and you can certainly do this to taste. However, I like to add sweetener as needed, depending on what I’m using it for. Therefore, I freeze my syrup in small (4 oz or 8 oz jars, remember to leave space for the liquid to expand during freezing) and pull it out when I’m ready to use it, at which time I decide whether or not to sweeten it. If you’re storing your syrup in the refrigerator, it should keep for 4-6 days.