How to Preserve Rose Hips

Rose hips are the sweet red fruits of roses. Thousands of varieties of rose hips worldwide are commonly used in foods as natural sweeteners. They do not have much flesh and are filled with silky-hair covered seeds. Rose hips are filled with nutrients including more vitamin C than citrus fruit, beta carotene, pectin, calcium, iron, citrates, citric acid, bioflavonoid, selenium, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B-complex, E and K. Many people preserve their own rose hips to use in tea, jelly and honey.

Things You'll Need

• Rose hips
• Saucepan
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Sugar
• Canning jar
• Coarse sieve
• Fine sieve

Instructions

Dry Rose Hips

1. Rinse ripe rose hips in cold water. Pat them dry.

2. Spread the seeds on a wax paper-covered baking sheet.

3. Allow the hips to dry for two weeks.

Rose Hip Tea

1. Make tea with fresh hips by adding 1 tbsp or 2 hips to 1 cup boiling water in a saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes.

2. Make tea with dried hips by adding 2 tsp of dried hips to 1 cup boiling water in a teacup. Allow the water and hips to steep for 15 minutes.

3. Add honey to taste and drink.

Rose Hip Jelly

1. Wash and remove the stems of 4 cups of fresh rose hips. Add them to 4 cups boiling water and 3 tbsp of lemon juice in a saucepan. Boil for 30 minutes or until the skin is very soft. Remove rose hips from water and leave water boiling on stove top.

2. Press the rose hips with a coarse sieve to remove all seeds. Press rose hips with a fine sieve and separate the fibers to expose pure flesh.

3. Place the rose hip flesh back into the boiling water and add 2 cups of sugar. Bring all to a full boil and then reduce heat to simmer until liquid is at 220 degrees F. Ladle the mixture into canning jars and seal. Refrigerate after opening.

Rose Hip Honey

1. Split and de-seed 1 cup of fresh rose hips with a spoon.

2. Place the hips into a canning jar and cover them with 1 cup of honey. Seal the jar.

3. Refrigerate after opening.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wait until after the first frost to pick your rose hips to preserve.

• Avoid using pesticide or herbicide on your roses if you want to preserve the rose hips.

References

• Gather Ye Rose Hips While Ye May
• Rose Hip Honey