Drying Rose Hips
Instructions
Just after a frost is the best time to gather rose hips.
Snap off the tails as you pick,or later when you reach home. Spread the hips out
on a clean surface and allow to dry partially. When the skins begin to feel
dried and shriveled, split the hips and take out the large seeds -- all of them.
If you let the hips dry too much, it will be difficult to remove the seeds. If
not dry enough, the inside pulp will be sticky and cling to the seeds. After the
seeds are removed, allow the hips to dry completely before storing or they will
not keep well. Store in small, sealed plastic bags. These will keep indefinitely
in the freezer or for several months in the refrigerator. They are packed with
vitamin C and are good to munch on anytime you need extra energy...or a
moderately sweet nutlike "candy."
Making Puree:
Use soft ripe rose hips (the riper they are, the sweeter
they are). It takes about 4 cups (1 Litre) of rose hips to make 2 cups (480 ml)
of puree. Remove stalks and blossom ends. Rinse berries in cold water. Put them
into a pan and add enough water to almost cover. Bring to a boil and simmer 10
to 15 minutes. Press through a sieve or strainer. All that does not go through
the sieve is placed in the pan again. Add a little water, enough to almost
cover, if you want a thicker puree, add slightly less. This time heat but do not
boil so vigorously. This will dissolve a little more of the fruit so that it
will go through the sieve. Press again and then repeat the process one more
time. By now, most of the fruit should have gone through the sieve leaving only
seeds and skin to discard.
Drying Puree:
Line a cookie sheet, 12 by 17 inches (30 by 42 cm), with
plastic wrap. This size cookie sheet holds approximately 2 cups (480ml) of
puree. Spread puree or fruit leather evenly over the plastic but do not push it
completely to the sides. Leave a bit of plastic showing for easy removal. Place
on a card table or picnic table in the hot sun to dry. If the plastic is bigger
than the cookie sheet and extends up the sides, anchor it with clothes pins so
it will not flop down and cover the edges of the leather. Puree should dry in
the sun six to eight hours.
