Berry juice canning question

[PureCajunSunshine]

In the 2001 Ball Canning Book, under Acid Foods: "Berries for Baking" is the recipe for canning berries in the boiling water canner. It does not call for sugar, but only enough water to prevent sticking when simmering the berries for hot packing.

 

 

Question: Is it safe to can just the juice without sugar, made from a concentrated decoction of elderberries (to the tune of 2 cups dried berries boiled in 16 cups of water, until the volume is reduced by half). Is it safe to can the resulting 8 cups of strong elderberry tea without sugar?

 

For years, I have made a powerful anti-colds & flu elderberry syrup using at least 65% sugar concentration in the above decoction. This high sugar concentration preserves the liquid well enough that after opening, it needs no refrigeration. Great for travel or SHTF.

 

How safe is it to can a strong tea like this, without sugar? Does the water decoction dilute the acidity of the product too much, for safe canning without sugar?

 

 

 

 

 

[susie]

Dunno.

 

But I steam-juiced apples and elderberries with way too much sugar, and ended up with a very nice syrup...good diluted both hot and cold.

[PureCajunSunshine]

The elderberries make a delicious syrup. Kids love it, and I do too.

 

I used a few spoonfuls to sweeten a glass of too-dry red wine that I made...oh my! What a lovely combination of concord grape and elderberry!

[susie]

Ah! I never thought about it mixed with wine...although I do remember a Cahor red with backberry syrup...

 

(I usually drink hot blackcurrant for when I have a cold, or hot lemon syrup)