Hi Kim, 

Thanks for reaching out about canning elderberry juice. There are several different varieties of elderberries, and research has shown that most of them are not acidic enough for safely canning in a boiling water canner using standard recipes for high acid fruits and fruit juices. No mater what variety you have, however, you can always extract the juice, heat it up to detoxify it, and then freeze the juice rather than canning it.

The only elderberry variety that can be safely processed in a boiling water canner using standard recipes is the light blue colored Sambucus nigra spp. cerulea, sometimes called simply the blue elderberry. It has a very distinctive appearance, and it is native to the western parts of North America. You can find pictures of this type in our article on preserving elderberries here. This publication has recipes for a berry syrup you could can, or you could also follow instructions for canning berry juices if you are certain you have this variety. Berry juices are typically processed for 15 minutes in pints or quarts, making adjustments for elevation if you are above 1,000 feet.

If you have darker, purplish elderberries you have a different species on your hands (Sambucus nigra spp. candensis or nigra). These berries are not reliably acidic enough for standard canning recipes. You can freeze the juice from these varieties, or you can follow a recipe that uses a very high quantity of sugar to make the juice safe for canning. That recipe is contained in our preserving elderberries article, but note that you must weigh out your ingredients rather than measuring with cups. Do not reduce the sugar in this recipe if you are canning the dark varieties of elderberries.

One last thing to note: raw elderberries and raw elderberry juice are toxic. You must heat the juice or the berries to release the compounds that break down into cyanide in our stomachs. Once cooked, the juice and berries are safe for eating. If you are canning the juice, the canning process has sufficient heat to make the juice safe. If you are freezing the juice, make sure to bring it to a boil first before you cool it and freeze it.

Hope this helps you to preserve your elderberries!

Jared