Discussion
Just picked two pounds this morning, too early ideally, but the freezer will have to be used. As the one bush in my local park (having previously never been touched) was rapidly losing some seriously good yields of fruit from the lower levels. As I say it's never been touched, then whilst I'm picking this morning a fellow dog walker I know appeared shouting 'get off my sloes' - it appears he's the culprit! I've always got on with him, and there should be enough there for the both of us, so hopefully he doesn't head back whilst I'm working to clean up.
I have a back up - my parents fields are surrounded by good sloe bushes, although it's an hour and half each way to go and pick them there..
I have a back up - my parents fields are surrounded by good sloe bushes, although it's an hour and half each way to go and pick them there..
gazapc said:
Went picking last night on a spot I had scoped out 2 weeks ago, bushes laiden and heavy with the things like every sloe gin makers dream...only 90% had swelled up and split open (Cornwall so definitely no frost!) I think because of the dry summer then sudden rainfall in the last week. I didn't pick them but are they good to use or not (as long as they don't look like they have been open for ages)?
They'll be fine. Saves the effort of pricking them with a pin.Just get them in the freezer asap.
I got a kilo of sloes yesterday off my new shooting permission, and their currently in the freezer. Today I found they came with an added bonus 
I also got a kilo of what the landowner described as wild plums, their Damsons, and their ripe and squishy.
Off to raid Asda in a bit to go and get a few bottles of cheap gin and a few killner style jars as they are knocking the jars out for £1.45
I also got a kilo of what the landowner described as wild plums, their Damsons, and their ripe and squishy.Off to raid Asda in a bit to go and get a few bottles of cheap gin and a few killner style jars as they are knocking the jars out for £1.45
I grabbed a kilo today, loads of them around so will probably go back for some more next week. I'm looking forward to a trip to France at the end of the month too, we have a few sloe bushes in the garden there so they should be perfect for picking by the time we get there. Just need to be on the lookout for some cheap-ish gin now.
Last year's batch must be ready for bottling now too, about 4 or 5 litres of it I think, so need to get drinking too!
Last year's batch must be ready for bottling now too, about 4 or 5 litres of it I think, so need to get drinking too!
Well after a busy night, all bar a pound of Damsons are processed ad being drowned is copious amounts of gin Wandering whilst I was waiting for my takeaway to be done on Saturday I noticed a little old time hardware store and they have some flip top bottles in stock. So I'll pop in on Weds to secure my bottle supply, then have a crack at making my own labels.
Wandering whilst I was waiting for my takeaway to be done on Saturday I noticed a little old time hardware store and they have some flip top bottles in stock. So I'll pop in on Weds to secure my bottle supply, then have a crack at making my own labels.Oh dear. Just visited my usual collection areas and they've been raided by early pickers!
Was going to wait for the first frost but now I might just have to get what I can. As always, the more difficult to get sloes are there so I'll come back with some, but it looks like my 'secret spot' is no longer that!
Was going to wait for the first frost but now I might just have to get what I can. As always, the more difficult to get sloes are there so I'll come back with some, but it looks like my 'secret spot' is no longer that!
Here's a tip for those making sloe gin.
Pricking each sloe individually with a pin takes ages and you only end up with one hole per sloe which won't allow the flavour to permeate the gin so much. What I've found useful is to use the spiky section of a 4-sided cheese grater (somewhat like the side shown on the LHS of this one link
What you need to do is roll the sloes under this section. Each sloe gets loads of holes in very quickly which alllows easier steeping, and you can do several at once if you have a decent sized grater, which speeds things up no end.
You may get a bit more sediment when it comes to bottling, but filtering through coton wool gives a lovely clear ruby colour.
Pricking each sloe individually with a pin takes ages and you only end up with one hole per sloe which won't allow the flavour to permeate the gin so much. What I've found useful is to use the spiky section of a 4-sided cheese grater (somewhat like the side shown on the LHS of this one link
What you need to do is roll the sloes under this section. Each sloe gets loads of holes in very quickly which alllows easier steeping, and you can do several at once if you have a decent sized grater, which speeds things up no end.
You may get a bit more sediment when it comes to bottling, but filtering through coton wool gives a lovely clear ruby colour.
8Ace said:
Here's a tip for those making sloe gin.
Pricking each sloe individually with a pin takes ages and you only end up with one hole per sloe which won't allow the flavour to permeate the gin so much. What I've found useful is to use the spiky section of a 4-sided cheese grater
Doesn't freezing them do the same thing? The water in them expands, splitting the skin.Pricking each sloe individually with a pin takes ages and you only end up with one hole per sloe which won't allow the flavour to permeate the gin so much. What I've found useful is to use the spiky section of a 4-sided cheese grater
Anyway, picked another 1.4 kg yesterday so we're set for winter
Was posted in it's own thread but it was pointed out there was already a thread running so it's C&P in here
Fast In - Sloe Out
So it's the time of the year when I go hunting in the local forests for a free fruit..... Yes - Sloes
Was a good forage yesterday.
Washed and de-stalked
Most recipies suggest pricking with a sterile needle but as we haven't had a frost yet this year I created my own frost effect - bag up and stick in the freezer
Overnight and we were ready
Area prepared
1 x 1L empty Gin bottle & 1 x 70cl of cheap Gin)
1 x 1L empty Vodka bottle & 1 x 70cl of cheap Vodka
Spread out
Good signs cracked skins so no need to laboroiusly prick each one
Get the required qty of sugar ready for each bottle
And in
Add the Gin and Vodka to the right bottles and then start adding the sloes till the bottles are almost full
They go in a cool dry place and all you need to do is give them some aggitation every day for the first week and then every week untill they are ready at xmas
So while I write this I've time to try a we drop of last years before I get stuck into the goat curry we are planning on having for tea
The recipe for anyone interested is
1L Bottle
70cl of Vodka or Gin
200g Caster or granulated Sugar
Sloes to fill the required volume (approx a good mug sized ammount)
If you have to many sloes then leave what you don't need frozen in case next year they are hard to find or make more sloe gin or vodka.
Fast In - Sloe Out
So it's the time of the year when I go hunting in the local forests for a free fruit..... Yes - Sloes
Was a good forage yesterday.
Washed and de-stalked
Most recipies suggest pricking with a sterile needle but as we haven't had a frost yet this year I created my own frost effect - bag up and stick in the freezer
Overnight and we were ready
Area prepared
1 x 1L empty Gin bottle & 1 x 70cl of cheap Gin)
1 x 1L empty Vodka bottle & 1 x 70cl of cheap Vodka
Spread out
Good signs cracked skins so no need to laboroiusly prick each one
Get the required qty of sugar ready for each bottle
And in
Add the Gin and Vodka to the right bottles and then start adding the sloes till the bottles are almost full
They go in a cool dry place and all you need to do is give them some aggitation every day for the first week and then every week untill they are ready at xmas
So while I write this I've time to try a we drop of last years before I get stuck into the goat curry we are planning on having for tea
The recipe for anyone interested is
1L Bottle
70cl of Vodka or Gin
200g Caster or granulated Sugar
Sloes to fill the required volume (approx a good mug sized ammount)
If you have to many sloes then leave what you don't need frozen in case next year they are hard to find or make more sloe gin or vodka.
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