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Preserving/Freezing Damsons
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:48 pm
by Primrose
I bought more damsons recently than I can quickly process so need to freeze them short term. Is it best to freeze them whole, or cook them down and freeze them as a pulp? We've already made some jam. Does anybody have other interesting ways of using them?
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:47 pm
by Chantal
Hi Primrose
You can pickle them although I've not tried as I've only recently got the recipe. I'll post it in recipes if you like, it's from a fabulous little volume called "The Perfect Pickle Book".
Our damson trees are so laden with fruit that the branches are breaking so I will be trying this out pretty soon.
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:04 pm
by Gilly C
Damson gin
or Damson dipping sauce ?
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:02 pm
by tricia
Delia's Spiced Damson Chutney is lovely.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:20 am
by Geoff
Nobody replied to freezing question I notice. Just freeze them as they come, I think they then almost last forever.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:05 am
by Granny
I freeze them whole. When you defrost them the stones come out easily if you want to make crumbles etc and they break down quickly if you make jam, chutney etc.
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Granny
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:26 am
by Primrose
Thanks for your responses. Granny, just as a matter of interest do the skins go brown once they've been frozen or do they keep their lovely purple blush?
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:30 pm
by Tigger
What about making damson cheese? It's got nothing to do with the dairy kind.
Much easier to make than damson jam and just as nice.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:47 pm
by Primrose
Yes I might make some more damson cheese. Made some years ago. It was delicious but I gave a few pots away as presents and I suspect that the recipients didn't really know how to eat it or what to do with it so this time the produce will stay on home soil !
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:47 pm
by Johnboy
Hi Primrose,
I have just made 10lb of Damson Jam and I have cooked three more 3lb amounts Damsons and bagged them up and put them in the freezer including the stones.
When I defrost I then pick the stones out pop them into a muslin bag and bring to temperature add the sugar and then remove the stones and squeeze the surplus off. Leave to stand a while then pot up. They do not deteriorate and the skins retain their colour when frozen. I will make more jam just after Christmas possibly.
I do this same thing with Seville Oranges in ready sized amounts and make Marmalade throughout the year.
JB.