The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Recipes => Topic started by: pitmanuk on May 10, 2013, 11:57:16 am
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just finished the first of this years batch.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/encryptionuk/DSCF3410.jpg)
for the amount in the picture (and more) the recipe is (x5)
just wondered if anyone else would like a crack
its a family fav and use a good use for nettles which are a super food.
200g nettles (top 4 inches only)
40g citric acid
1kg sugar
500ml boiling water
add water, sugar and citric acid together and stir until dissolved.
when water reaches 70*c take off heat and add washed nettle tops
stir until nettle are covered with syrup and ten cover with tea towel
leave for one week, stir daily.
strain out liquid through muslin and store in bottles.
once opened use within 4 weeks and keep refrigerated.
let me know how yours turns out.
jamie
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ooo that looks lovely will try some. Unexpected colour!
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Hi,
I'm thinking of giving this a go too,..............does the cordial need watering down when ready, I'm guessing it does, like orange squash. :thumbsup:
thinking about it, a cordial should be watered down :thinking:
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I Might give this a go. I'm not sure what colour I thought it would be but it wasn't that one!
What does it taste like? Never made things from nettles before
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yes it does need watering down and it gets heavily watered down as its really strong so it lasts a long time.
the taste is very sweet and refreshing. just make sure you use gloves to pick them.
i managed to pick a kilo last ;D week with no stings and was very chuffed
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I am definitely going to give this a go! :thumbsup: Do you know how long it would keep if the bottles were sterilised and sealed? I'm thinking a little bottle would make a great xmas pressie!
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I wore gloves, but my wrists have been stung to death and are swelling...eeek! this had better be worth it! ;D
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I wore gloves, but my wrists have been stung to death and are swelling...eeek! this had better be worth it! ;D
Oh yes it was worth it! Thanks for the recipe - did one bottle which definitely won't be enough and I have plenty of nettles!
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I'm planning on doing this next week, can't wait! :excited:
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me too - just got my citric acid. :excited:
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We are going to give this a try, just need the nettles to start growing ::)
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hi sorry haven't been online for a while. glad you enjoyed it.
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Bottled ours yesterday - yum!
Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
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Our WWOOFER, Cara, started ours yesterday, along with the dandelion beer. Both smell fab. Pity she'll be away by the time they are ready :(
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Rosemary, our dandelion beer is ready this weekend, the wine mid June ... already had a taste of the beer and it should be fab!
going to try nettle wine / beer, might do a cordial too... :)
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Dan's now flushed with success and is looking at Dandelion jelly and other "stuff".
I explained to Cara that dandelion is known as "pee the bed" in Scotland. Not sure she's so keen on the beer now :innocent:
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Dan's now flushed with success and is looking at Dandelion jelly and other "stuff".
I explained to Cara that dandelion is known as "pee the bed" in Scotland. Not sure she's so keen on the beer now :innocent:
;D Well it is a diuretic!
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I tried to get some citric acid at the shops today but couldnt find any, as soon as i can get some i'll be making this
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I tried to get some citric acid at the shops today but couldnt find any, as soon as i can get some i'll be making this
Your best bet is from a winemaking or brewing shop. It is used to cut heroin apparently, so most places don't sell it any more.
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I got mine from Wilkinson s, they have it behind the customer service desk if you ask
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I got mine from Wilkinson s, they have it behind the customer service desk if you ask
Brilliant, thanks for that! I tried my local tescos as they usually have a whole aisle for homebrewing but they have reduced it to just a little section and no citric acid. There must be a wilko nearby I can check out
edited to say I have ordered some from the home brew shop online so i'll be out picking nettles next time the rain stops for more than 5 minutes ::) :gloomy:
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I fancy making this (and have LOADS of nettles ;D) but is there a reliable, natural alternative to citric acid that I could use ? Would lemon juice work instead do you think ?
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we used lemon juice in the beer...
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I think the citric acid enables the cordial to be watered down, and Idon't think lemon juice will do a 'sufficient ' job if you get what I mean.
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I bottled mine on friday and am pleasantly surprised with the result! The cordial tastes lovely and you can really get the nettle taste come through but not in an intrusive way. Very pleased! :thumbsup:
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Got my citric acid in today :excited: :excited: :excited:
Unfortunately I have to go to Costco this afternoon :innocent: and we're hog roasting on Sunday, so it'll be Sunday night or Monday before I get round to making it ::)
Will report back :thumbsup:
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Just wanted to report back - the cordial is finished and LOVELY :yum: Even the kids like it :thumbsup:
I'm now planning lots of foraged for drinks (we have wild raspberries growing up the back ;) :yum:)
Karen x
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Dan's now flushed with success and is looking at Dandelion jelly and other "stuff".
I explained to Cara that dandelion is known as "pee the bed" in Scotland. Not sure she's so keen on the beer now :innocent:
I thought 'pee the bed' was that tall white flowered stuff?
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I would love to have a go, got all the stuff......One day :innocent: that looks so lovely too and sounds wondeful.
I have always known dandelions as pee the bed, think thats a common name where ever you are......
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That looks great, would love to try that, but not with Edinburgh nettles, yuck!
For those in, near or visiting Edinburgh you can get citric acid from Real Foods in Broughton Street.
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I did have a freezer full of nettles last year but threw them out.....I always want to make some wine or Beer, maybe when we move :thumbsup:
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Intrigued - I've been pulling nettles up for weeks and giving them to the ponies but never thought of making anything for me from them..
What was the best online source of citric acid? If Tescos etc don't do it I'm sure the local Co-op won't and I don't know any homebrewing shops in Cupar or Perth?
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Chemist! although its also used by heroin users so a note is taken when you buy it, you may have to ask...never bought any but its classed as drug paraphanalia
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I bought food grade stuff from ebay Ellie ;)
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got my citric acid from Boots, they didn't have any in store so ordered it in for me. Just need to check though when you say the top 4 inches, is that with the flowers or before it flowers????
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Just flagging up this recipe since it's most definitely nettle season again ;)
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Looks super. Have to try this. can you describe the taste?
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thanks for bringing this topic back up, this weather is certainly bringing the nettles up as I found out when i sat on some baby ones the other day >:(
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Yes, well done. I made nettle cordial last year and it went down a storm, I'll definitely be making it again.
It's got a lovely sweet/floral taste, hard to describe.
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Happy hippy, thanks for flagging this up again. I am going to give it a go. Just got to get my citric acid now.
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Excellent, I was just looking at all the nettles coming up and thinking I must remember to dig out the recipe and give it a go..
When it says once open keep in fridge and use in 4 weeks is that assuming you've re heated the mix at bottling and pasteurised/sealed the bottles? Or that they are just heated at the start and left a week, strained and bottled with no further preservation as the recipe implies? I'd hate to make a load and waste all but the first bottle I keep to try..
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I might put my excess in the freezer. I do that with elderflower cordial and it works well.
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just to clarify, do you need the flowers at the top or just the leaves?......
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just to clarify, do you need the flowers at the top or just the leaves?......
Leaves only (well - that's what I used)
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Well my first ever batch is in a jam pan on the kitchen table covered in a teatowel and if it works then it's a miracle cos I wouldn't believe how much I could botch a very simple set of instructions :o
First, picked nettles, only the top tips, not 4", took more than I thought to make 200g so thought just make one rather than multiples for this time. But then added a litre of boiling water to the sugar instead of half, so had to double up the sugar and nettles too.
No bother except I only have a 50g packet of citric acid so popped that in and decided to buy more tomorrow and add it late - fingers crossed.
Except I had misread the instructions again and added the nettles to the syrup without reheating the sugar/citric/water mix to 70 degrees, just assumed it would be about that and of course it couldn't be in a huge metal jampan.
So, reheated the mix, haven't a thermometer of kitchen type, it got diverted to hot stone massage a few months ago ;) but then wondered if I was cooking nettles instead of what I was meant to do so switched off at warm and stirred and left well alone.
Gah, how hard can it be! Will add more citric tomorrow when chemist is open, buthonestly, should I be allowed even a wooden spoon to wield? ::)
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Ellied, you would be dangerous with a wooden spoon I think :roflanim:
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:roflanim: Ellied that is so funny. Hope mine goes a bit more to plan.
Took some young uns with me to do the dirty work of picking nettles only to spend most of the time hunting down docks to neutralise the nettle rashes on them :tired:
Off to the kitchen now to start the recipe :fc: :excited:
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I messed about with this a LOT last year, changing it slightly & experimenting with the quantities.
What works for me (and was eventually agreed by EHO so I could sell it ;)) is;
Pick the nettles (top 4-6 inches) and rinse them in cold water.
Mix boiling water with sugar and citric acid and stir til it dissolves, then add the washed tops.
Weigh down the nettles in the syrup (I use a big, heavy plate) and stir every day for 5 days.
After 5 days, strain the mixture and bottle.
I use sterilised bottles, filled when hot. Then I place the lids on loosely and put in a water bath, bring the temp to 75C and hold there for 10 minutes before sealing the bottles. I find it keeps for 6 months easily, but don't have any older than that to test (it always sold out ;))
I think it has a lovely berry flavour, with a bit of 'greeness' to it - it is really nice (even the kids drink it) and it's lovely if you add a dash to a white wine spritzer :innocent:
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Thanks for that info Karen.
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We started ours last night. Is it supposed to look like a thick gloop mix of browning nettle? :tired:
It does smell ok and small child tester said it tasted nice when he stirred it tonight.
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you shouldn't use a small child to stir it, use a spoon like everyone else!!! :excited: :excited: :excited: :stir: :stir: :stir:
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:roflanim:
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It's easier to use a small child and they can taste it while they work :roflanim:
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Really want to try this as our place is full of nettles! (Also have 2 smallish children) sounds like they will come in handy.
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Well I taste tested my first ever batch yesterday and I'm still standing so can't have been too much of a disaster tho I think it is a bit too sweet, maybe inadequate citric at the outset was to blame or maybe I just poured too much, but I've 3 plastic ex fruit juice bottles in the fridge and can imagine them all being safely disposed within the 4 weeks so haven't risked freezing or glass bottling and pasteurising this time. Think I'm liability enough so I'll just drink it and then move on to elderflowers and more nettles when I'm convinced it was all worthwhile ;)
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I am happy to be a guinea pig Ellied...
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500gr nettles just put in the syrup.
I will give an update in 5 days time :)
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sounds unusual, but I will try it. One question is it the tops of the nettles only or is it the leaves as well?
Thanks
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The juice was worth the nettle rash :innocent: its going down well here, but I agree it is a bit sweet so will try another batch with less sugar. None frozen here either as it's being used too quickly :D
WBF I used the young top growth of stem with leaves, not the older flowering stems. Chopped them at Appx 4" from the top.
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If you use lemons instead of citric acid, what would be the quantity for this recipe, and would it make a difference to the flavour?
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Well I have just decanted my batch and I must say I am very pleased with it.
Lovely colour, not too sweet and quite a pleasant taste :thumbsup:
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just cooked up my first batch :fc:
all this has reminded me I have bottles of cider fermenting in the loft :excited:
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my first batch ready tomorrow but waiting on the bottles to arrive first.
did some research and apparently if you use nettles with flowers they can develop cystoliths which can irritate the throat, think I'll try it out on the children first :thinking:
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Cooked up my first batch yesterday - I've guessed at the amount of lemons as I didn't have citric acid -
Can anyone tell me this - is the citric acid there to make it taste lemony or just to add acid, or both??????
I felt like Macbeth's witches when I was stirring it all up this morning - it just tastes like sugary water though, take it that changes over the week? Or do I need to add a toad and a tooth fairy :D
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Citric acid gives it that sourness, and also you need to use less of it to dilute to taste. Best place for citric acid is a brew shop. I buy it in quantity, as it keeps
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your local pharmacy can order it in for you too if they don't have it in the dispensary
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Citric acid is a stabilizer and preservative. You don' tneed to use it if you are not planning to keep the cordial for any length of time (it freezes well, if you don't drink it straight away too), but I find the results are much more successful with. You can get it easily these days from ebay and places like Wilkinsons as well as the places already listed.
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I made some elderflower cordial the other day and froze the rest of it, it was very nice. :yum:
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My first ever nettle cordial is half way gone from the fridge already, it had less than the required amount of citric acid as I only had 50g and needed 80 for the double weight, but other than being a little sweet it was just fine and no sore throats whatsoever so I assume I missed any flowers coming.
Just a shame I have been pulling the rest of the nettles ever since to get at the garden, but I'm thinking there may be a few more new grown tops before long with all the rain so I might manage another batch for freezing :)
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bottles arrived and 1st batch bottled up, looks and tastes great!!! Now just to go and find some fresh tops for batch number 2..........my neighbours who only visit for a couple of weeks per year have a good looking crop on their side of the fence :thinking:
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I need to bottle up now but don't have time this weekend so it's going to be sitting for a couple of days longer so we'll see what happens....
Is it too late to make more - they're all in flower now?
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mine were left for an extra couple of days as I waited for the bottles to turn up, seems fine. A lot of mine have flowered now but I'm finding young ones buried in between the big ones so I'm going to cut them on Sunday :fc:
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OK, so we're not giving the evil eye to nettles any more :D
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would love to cut back the old ones and dry them out for goat feed but nowhere suitable to dry them
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well lesson learned!!1
I bottled mine in some lovely kilner clip top bottles and they seemed a bit foamy but thought nothing of it until one of my friends opened a bottle yesterday and the damn thing near hit the moon!
I am guessing that because when I left it for the week I put a big lid on it rather than a tea towel and getting aggitated in the car maybe added to it? :-\
tasted amazing though :thumbsup:
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I made double the recipe and put in three quarters of the amount of sugar but I still find it too sweet - I did it with lemons/juice though not citric acid so next time I'll try the citric acid instead. I can sense there is a better version (for my taste) if I adapt the recipe a bit, trial and error.
Does anyone know if you can just make the syrup (the sugar, water and citric acid) with any other thing such as elderflowers or some other flowers / leaves? Basic recipe + whatever, if you know what I mean?
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I make lemonade to a very similar formula, and there is an elderflower cordial recipe on here somewhere, which is similar. I think if you add more citric acid and less sugar, it may need less to make a drink up, but may not keep as well. I tend to freeze the syrup until I need it now.
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I made double the recipe and put in three quarters of the amount of sugar but I still find it too sweet - I did it with lemons/juice though not citric acid so next time I'll try the citric acid instead. I can sense there is a better version (for my taste) if I adapt the recipe a bit, trial and error.
Does anyone know if you can just make the syrup (the sugar, water and citric acid) with any other thing such as elderflowers or some other flowers / leaves? Basic recipe + whatever, if you know what I mean?
blackcurrant leaves apparently?.....
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I'll give that a try - my OH uses the fruit for wine making, I'll try the soft option for me and the kiddies!
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I made double the recipe and put in three quarters of the amount of sugar but I still find it too sweet - I did it with lemons/juice though not citric acid so next time I'll try the citric acid instead. I can sense there is a better version (for my taste) if I adapt the recipe a bit, trial and error.
Does anyone know if you can just make the syrup (the sugar, water and citric acid) with any other thing such as elderflowers or some other flowers / leaves? Basic recipe + whatever, if you know what I mean?
Yes ;)
I made gooseberry and ginger using the same base recipe.
I found it too sweet with the full sugar content (even using citric acid) but knocked it back a bit without issue.
Do you find it too sweet even diluted? I only use a little when mixing it because it goes a LONG way :innocent:
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Yes, but I don't have a sweet tooth generally. It does make me want to try other recipe variations though, esp over the hols with the kiddies who still enjoy a good mixing and messing session.