~~ Red Clover Blessings ~~
I thought I would share the process of making " Red Clover Syrup " . I hope to have my blogs put into print and gift the books to my daughters in the future. So I'll be sharing details and very simple instructions. The first step is to collect a quart of red clover blossoms , be sure to give " Thanks " for those beautiful blossoms and the medicine they provide before or after gathering. I put them in a large bowl with cold water and let them soak for about 30 minutes , then I pull the leaves and stems off , just like capping strawberries. You'll probably see a few bugs , but don't worry about the bugs , you should get rid of most by soaking. But you'll be straining the infusion after cooking and your pillowcase should catch any remaining critters after they've cooked (LOL).
I fill my quart jar with blossoms as I cap them , you'll put the quart of blossoms into a stainless steel pot and add a quart of water. Heat on hi until they start to boil and reduce heat to med-lo , let them simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Use a wooden spoon at this point to stir and punch at the blossoms to loosen the clover. Turn heat off , put lid on pot and let sit overnight.
This is what it'll look like come morning , then it's time to strain.
The easiest way I've found to strain large batches of herbs is to put a pillowcase in your pot or bowl and pour it in.
Squeeze out the infusion into the pot , I was using a black enamel pot for this and it doesn't show up well in pictures.
You should have about a quart of infusion , you may add a little water to it to make a quart if you come up with less.
Pour infusion into a stainless steel pot and add 4 cups of sugar , stir until dissolved , bring to a boil , turn heat down and allow it to cook down to a honey like consistency. This is the part I'm having trouble with , I've made 3 batches this year and so far I've not reached the consistency I would like. So , you're own your own from here , unless I find a method that works (LOL).
Pour into sterilized canning jars , put lids on and process in a 10 minute boiling bath or refrigerate once cooled. Red clover syrup can be used on pancakes , toast or anyway you enjoy your honey or syrup.
