Step 1
Take your berries and wash them well, de-stem and place them in a large saucepan. If you’re working with very juicy berries, don’t bother adding any water, but if you have a drier berry, like Oregon grape berries, then add a cup or two of water to the pot as well. If you’re adding herbs then place them in the pot as well.
Step 2
Bring to a simmer and cook covered over medium heat until the berries release most of their juice, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 3
At this point, I use a food mill to separate the juice and pulp from the seeds. If you don’t have a food mill you can strain the syrup in batches using a jelly bag or square piece of muslin. But a food mill is much easier. Then I strain it again through a jelly bag to remove most of the pulp and any seeds or bits of herb that might have escaped the food mill.
Step 4
Measure your juice. For every cup of juice measure out 1/2 cup of honey. Wash your pot and pour the strained juice back into it. Bring it to a simmer and add the honey, stirring until dissolved. Bring it all to a boil then remove from heat.
Step 5
Pour the syrup into sterilized jars. Cap with sterilized lids and process in a hot water bath for long-term storage. Or alternately, store in the fridge for 3-6 months. If you want to store this syrup longer without canning, then use a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of honey to juice.