Using Hips

Every year our Rugosa Roses produce beautiful red hips. Finally this year I picked some to try some old-fashioned recipes.

You need to pluck off the stems and blossom ends to make them usable. I also smashed them up a bit.

The ones destined for jam I cooked  till soft. Then sent them through a food strainer to remove peels, seeds, and other hard and fibrous portions. Use equal parts, by weight, of rose hip puree and sugar. Cook to jam consistency. Process in sterile jars.

The rest of the smashed up hips I ran through the dehydrator.

They are ready to be used for tea. Very high in Vitamin C!