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Barberries, To Dry, in Bunches

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United Kingdom

Known as a British recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

  • Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.
  • Curing. Old curing amounts and salts may be unsafe. Use current tested guidance.
  • Additives or old utensils. The text names something no longer considered safe in food or for cooking in, such as lead, alum, borax, bitter almonds or copper pans. Don't use it.

Ingredients 6 ingredients

  1. a pound of salt
  2. a pint of water
  3. Pickle
  4. Must
  5. two pounds of sugar
  6. Berries

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Take fine bunches and hang them for a quarter of an hour in a vessel of boiling water;
  2. romove them carefully without bruising, and simmer ten minutes in a boiling syrup made with two pounds of sugar and a pint of water ;
  3. then draw the syrup from the fire, and let the bunches stay in it for several hours.
  4. Then hang them up to drain and dry.
  5. Remove when sufficiently dry and put away with care.
  6. Barberries may bo had without stones, but should there be any they must be romovod before commencing to dry them.
  7. Cost of berries, 4d.
  8. to fid.
  9. per pint.
  10. Barberries, To Pickle, for Garnishing.
  11. Gather the clusters before they are fully ripe ;
  12. carefully pick off any unsound or very ripe berries, and lay the remaindei' in bottles.
  13. Cover them with a strong brine, made by boiling a quaider of a pound of salt with each pint of water, and add a small nut of alum to the whole.
  14. The brine must not be put over the fruit until it is quite cold.
  15. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place, and examine them occasionally.
  16. If at any time a scum should be observed on the surface, pour off the liquid, and put freshly-boiled brine in its place, made not quite so salt.
  17. Keep the jars closely covered.
  18. Time to boil the brine, ten minutes.
  19. Probable cost of barberries, 4d.
  20. to fid.
  21. per pint.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Colander