Unique Black Currant Recipes: Black Currant Chutney (2024)

There are many delicious black currant recipes available, mostly jams, jellies, and some teas. However, this black currant chutney recipe is a unique, slightly spicy, and absolutely delicious take on this tart and tangy fruit.

Black currants are a tart, dark purple berry that is full of antioxidants, and packed with vitamin nutrition. They are high in Vitamin C, and a great option for teas, jellies, jams, chutney, and more. The tartness is perfect in BBQ sauce, and a beautiful foil to spicy ginger and cardamon in this chutney recipe.

There are many black currant recipes to use, many are more traditional than this chutney recipe. While you can sometimes purchase blackcurrants at stores or farmer’s markets, you can grow your own black currant bushes to have a steady supply of these vitamin and antioxidant packed berries. Of course, you can also grow blueberries, raspberries, and more to blend with your black currants in your blackcurrant recipes. Pairing sweeter fruit with tart fruit is a great way to make pectin-free jelly and jam too.

Black Currant Recipes: Black Currant Chutney

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(Yield: 6 half-pint jars)

• 8 cups black currants washed, destemmed
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar (I used organic)
• 4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 medium onion, peeled, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (no pods just the fine seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed, whole
• 4 small chilis, seeded and finely diced (wear gloves) (or to taste)

Mix all the ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally. When
the mixture reaches the gel stage (about 40 minutes), place in hot canning jars.

Wipe the rims. Add two piece lids, make sure the seal part of the lid is new. You can sterilize the lids first, to make sure they are clean and seal well.

Waterbath can for 15 minutes. Remove from the canner. Cool. Label. Let the chutney age for 4 weeks
before sampling to let the flavors meld.

You may notice that this recipe contains no pectin, lemon juice, or lemons. The black currants have their own pectin in them, and do not need additional lemon or pectin to get to the gel stage.

More Black Currant Recipes and Ideas:

Black currant jam is a long time favorite on the list of black currant recipes. Tweak the chutney recipe by omitting most of the spices, and adding other fruit or berries to tweak the flavor. If the jam sets a bit runny, use over ice cream or as a black currant syrup. You can blend black currants with other fruits like blackberries in homemade jams, as the black currants will replace the need for pectin or lemon juice to get the jam to gel stage.

You can also make blackcurrant curd by following a recipe for lemon curd and substituting in black currant juice, and some whole black currants if desired. The tartness in black currants makes them a great option for this, gooseberries and red currants may also be a good option.

Dried black currants are traditionally used in welsh cakes, and tea biscuits. Dried black currants also make a great addition to tea, that is very fruity and sweetens up wonderfully with a hit of local honey.

Another great use for local honey and black currants is blackcurrant mead. You can take one of these mead recipes, and simply replace the fruit with black currants. Another option could be a nice blackcurrant liqueur, simply follow the limoncello recipe and switch out the lemon and lemon juice for black currant juice and black currants.

More Delicious Drinks:

For more thirst quenching, healthy drinks that are low on sugar and high on flavor, check out my new class. And figure out more creative ways to use your abundant harvest of black currants. Try making a shrub, or lemonade variation using black currant juice, or ferment it into some kombucha. There are lots of great ways to use black currants, not only in cooking, but also in amazing anti-oxidant rich and thirst quenching drinks.

Learn more about making healthy and nutritious shrubs, vinegar drinks, ice pops, sherbet, botanical drinks, herbal tea, fruity lemonades, liqueurs, and bistro drinks healthier at home using wholesome ingredients, less sugar, and more fun. My new class Inspiring Botanical Drinks will help you turn your garden produce and easy to find ingredients into beautiful beverages and frozen desserts easily.

Break the pop and sweet tea habit with these healthier options. You’ll save money, reduce food waste, and enjoy delicious and nutritious hot and cold drinks year-round when you use herbs, garden fruit and berries, and even weeds to make healthy tea, drinks, and beverage syrups.

Make the most of your garden harvest AND kick the unhealthy drinks out of your diet with the tips and tricks you’ll learn in my new class.