Elderberry Syrup Benefits
Pardon us for the copy and paste, but in case you didn’t catch our little intro of Elderberry Syrup in our last post, here it is! The use of the Elder plant goes back many thousands of years. In fact, fossilized seeds of the North American Elder (Sambucus canadensis) were found dating back over 16,000 years. This is truly an Elder plant, that has long been a friend to human beings.
Folklore of the Elder plant, and so the more well-known flowers and berries of this native shrub, speaks to its healing abilities and protective spirit. And how interesting that modern science now speaks to this very same healing and protective nature. In fact, modern scientific studies show that Elderberries have compounds that can reduce the length and severity of common infections like the cold. Elderberries have long been used as a tonic for the immune system, meaning, that they are used to strengthen the natural healthy functioning of our body’s primary defense system.
Elderberry BBQ Sauce
Because Elderberry syrup is essentially a functional food, there are countless ways to use them culinarily. For centuries they’ve been used not only in immune-boosting syrups (which is our favorite, of course, for ease of use). They’re used in pies, jams, shrubs… you name it!
What we love about our Elderberry Syrup is how darn delicious it is. We think that’s important, don’t you? We believe you should enjoy your daily dose of herbs, whether you’re sipping it straight from the bottle (guilty!) or mixing it into a recipe. This versatile Elderberry BBQ sauce will have you psyched about kitchen witchin’ with your herbal tonic.
Elderberry BBQ Sauce Recipe:
1/4 cup Elderberry Syrup, 1/2 cup Ketchup, 1/2 cup Balsamic, 2 tsp Dijon Mustard, 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 4 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Ginger powder, Cayenne (to taste)
Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Enjoy however you like to use barbeque sauce. Let me tell you, it was DELISH on our grass-fed burgers for lunch yesterday. Our family ate the whole jar! Next up we’re planning to try it on grilled free-range chicken, and my mom is dreaming about Elderberry BBQ ribs. Summer time here we come!