If you live in the eastern half of the United States, or a few northwestern states, it’s more than likely that you have autumn olive berries growing in your area. (Find a range map here). It’s just as likely you’ve never heard of them.
That’s really a shame, since they are tasty, so easy to harvest, and abundant. They also make great jam, fruit leather, and ketchup. Yes, autumn olive ketchup!
Identifying Autumn Olive
Native to Asia, Elaeagnus umbellata was brought to the U.S. and planted for erosion control and to provide wildlife habitat. Autumn olive spreads easily and is now considered an invasive species.
Also known as silverberry or autumnberry, the autumn olive berries ripen in September and October. Its leaves are leathery with a silvery underside, and alternate on the branch. The berry is red and resembles a cranberry. It contains one seed and is covered with silver speckles, a distinguishing feature.
The berries are tart, but if they are quite astringent, they are still underripe. When fully ripe, they detach quite easily from the bush, which can grow up to 20 feet tall and just as wide.
Here’s Mike showing how easy the berries are to harvest:
I’ve heard some say that they enjoy eating the autumn olive raw, seed and all. I prefer using a food mill to remove the seed, and adding the puree to smoothies, or using it for other recipes. Like autumn olive ketchup.
My Squeezo Strainer makes quick work of pureeing lots of raw berries. I run the seeds and skin through the mill a second time to get quite a bit more thick puree.
I have to cook the berries first before they will run through my Foley Food Mill, but it does a nice job of removing the seed as well.
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Autumn Olive Ketchup
Ingredients
- 4 cups autumn olive berry puree
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- To make autumn olive puree, choose one of the following methods. 1. Put raw berries through a Squeezo Strainer, or 2. Gently simmer berries with a small amount of water until soft. Put through a Foley Food Mill.
- For every 4 cups of puree, use the items and amounts in the ingredient list.
- Place autumn olive puree in a crockpot with no lid and gently simmer until reduced by half.
- Tie onion and spices in a spice bag. Add to the puree, along with the sea salt, vinegar, and maple syrup.
- Continue cooking until thick.
More Fall Foraging Posts You’ll Love
How to Harvest and Crack Black Walnuts
Hunter’s Pie with Jerusalem Artichoke
Make Your Own Lacto-Fermented Grape Juice from Wild Grapes
Make Your Own Apple Sugar from Wild Apples
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Kristel Wiesner says
What a great idea! I’ve made jam but have never thought of ketchup. All the jars of jam I made separated into whitish milky and red layers. It was strange looking but tasted good. Autumn olive is very high in lycopene, a carotenoid with many potential health benefits. The lycopene content in Autumn olive is even higher than that of tomatoes. A few years ago I contacted a researcher who was working with Autumn Olive for food uses to see if there were any concerns about eating the seeds. She wasn’t able to answer my question because they had not studied it. At that time I was blending the whole berry, seed and all, in my Vitamix. It’s a lot of work trying to remove the seeds with a regular food mill. I need to get a Squeezo!
Susan Vinskofski says
Kristel, I’ve heard that the jam separates. The ketchup that’s in my frig hasn’t yet, but may over time. I froze it, so that may prevent the separation. I didn’t really care whether I had a Squeezo or not, but my husband found one used for only $35. The little old lady said she only used it 3 or 4 times! And I’m loving it!!!
Sandra says
Just wondering what the ketchup taste like?
Susan Vinskofski says
Sandra, because of the vinegar and spices, it certainly has a familiar ketchup flavor. Not exactly the same, of course. Perhaps a bit more fruity than tomato ketchup.
Candace says
I’m happy to hear about everyone else’s jam separating – I made lots of it last year, and thought I did something wrong! I gave lots of it to the chickens, but still some left in the basement. Do I just stir when I open it?
I’m just about to go foraging for this year’s supply of autumn olives, was waiting until after a good frost, since I’ve heard this helps to sweeten the berries. My fruit leather was devoured (made it with local raw honey as the sweetener). Plan to make lots more of this, and will try this ketchup recipe as well – thanks for sharing!
Susan Vinskofski says
Candace, I’ve not made the jam myself, but yes, I think stirring it should work just fine.
Bradleigh Huizinga says
What a great idea! Autumn olive is everywhere…. put that invasive to good use. 🙂 I’m so going to try this next fall.
I love your website… it’s so informative! I have a black thumb that longs to be green, so hopefully I can learn a few things. And I’m already on the real foods bandwagon… I just started a blog with my own recipes and findings over at http://www.widemeadow.com. I might have to reference you sometime!
Susan Vinskofski says
Thank you for the nice compliment, Bradleigh! Welcome to the blogging world. I’ll be sure to stop by and visit!
Claude says
Absolutely smart and ingenious idea!!! thank you for sharing it with us!!!
Claude
Dustin says
Susan – any chance you took that photo in Marine Park, Brooklyn?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Dustin, no, all of the photos where taken near my home in NE PA. 🙂
Tick Craver says
Anyone try making wine ? I tried a few years ago. It turned into some great vinegar but I didn’t actually get any wine.
Susan Vinskofski says
I’m not much of a wine maker. The only kind that comes out well for me is elderberry, so no, I haven’t tried making autumn olive wine. 🙂
JoAnne says
When I read of the amazing nutrients in Autumn berries/olives (higher nutrient levels than Goji berries), I harvested 50 pounds this year. I dehydrated some and then made powder in my food processor. The seeds of the berries turn into a fluffy substance that is easily removed. I add the powdered berries to smoothies and sauces.
On low temperature, I heated the fluffy substance with water to extract all their nutrients and drink the liquid.
I also froze some of the berries in case I found other ways to use them. Your recipe gave me a thought of making Autumn berry sauce since I don’t use ketchup for anything.
I highly recommend people get out there and pick some Autumn Berries / Olives.
Susan Vinskofski says
50 pounds!!!! Wow, that’s amazing, and I love your ideas for using them!