Have you ever had gooseberries (they are also known as ‘ribes’)?
Most of us in the United States have not. ‘During the late 18th and early 19th centuries there was, believe it or not, a “Gooseberry Craze” that began in England and spread to America. At its height, the time, money and passion spent on this humble berry would have made Beatlemania look like a passing fancy.’ (source)
Recently, out of fascination, I planted 2 chubby little Invicta gooseberry bushes. This year, I’m excited that after two years of drought nearly killing them, we had our first real harvest… and what a crop it was!
Now there is an old-fashioned gooseberry pie in the oven!
If I could, I would bottle up the aroma wafting around the kitchen and our house right now! We have never smelled anything quite like it~slightly floral and spicy (like cinnamon)!
Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!
What are Gooseberries?
According to Mother Earth News,
“When you first bite into a ripe gooseberry, the tartness of the skin is balanced by the burst of sweet nectar from the flesh of the fruit.”
I think gooseberries are a little like the Sweet Tarts candies of my teens, but clean and fresh and very healthy! They have significantly high amounts of phenolic phytochemicals especiallyflavonesandanthocyanins. These compoundshave been found to have numerous health-benefitingeffectsagainst cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.
Gooseberries (andcurrantswhich we also grow here) are used in tarts, jams, and other desserts. Many think they are even better for eating out-of-hand.
Pulling off those little flower tails from each nickel-sized gooseberry is not necessary at all.
Old-Fashioned Gooseberry Pie Recipe
For many of our country grandparents and great-grandparents, gooseberry pie represents a long-ago beloved time and place. For those whose childhood was spent on a farm or countryside where rambling through the woods with the dogs and picking berries in summer was part of life, it has special memories.
My husband’s Grandma made piecrusts from lard rendered from the hog butchering, and she picked her own gooseberries and canned them. This is very much like her recipe.
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 4-5 cups of any color gooseberries (plus we threw in a large handful or red currants and red jostaberries for more color)
- 1 1/4 cup sweetener (we used 3/4 cup of our own honey)
- 2 teaspoons orange rind (zest)
- 4-5 TBSP tapioca starch, cornstarch or arrowroot powder (see how to thicken a sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 TBSP butter or virgin coconut oil
Rustic Crust:
(we loved the Rustic Pear Tart crust so much we used it for this)
- 1 1/3 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour or favorite healthy GF recipe
- 3 TBSP sugar (we used coconut sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 7 TBSP cold butter, cubed (no substitutes) Grandma used lard rendered from their own hogs
- 2 to 3 TBSP cold water
Directions for Gooseberry Pie Filling:
- Combine all filling ingredients except butter and cornstarch in a large saucepan and place over medium heat
- Cover until gooseberries begin to soften and burst (about 5 minutes.)
- As the berries soften, gently add the cornstarch by first making a slurry
- Add slowly and keep on heat until the filling becomes translucent and has a glossy sheen (approx. 10 minutes)
- Remove from heat, add 2 TBSP butter, and allow to cool while rolling out pastry
Note: I forgot to make the cornstarch ‘slurry’, *Humph!* and had to mash out the resulting lumps, so the poor gooseberries sustained a beating! I think it would be prettier if you could retain more of the appearance of berries.
Directions for the Crust:
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl
- Cut in butter until crumbly
- Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork or hands and finish using hands to form a ball
- Roll out to a circle and transfer to the pie pan
- Crimp edges and add filling. (You may have some extra pie dough for adding stars, hearts, or even your initials)
- Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until your crust is golden brown and flaky
- Check crust to keep from burning
Another note: this isn’t the kind of pie that is perfectly sliceable. You might need to scoop out servings with a spoon. Even so, it’s such an enjoyable treat especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
To grow gooseberries:
Gooseberries do well in cooler climates. It’s best if they are planted in zones 3-5.
If you have room for a shrub that is about 3-4? tall and wide, you should be able to plant your own currants and gooseberries.
Gooseberries andcurrantsare not at all difficult to grow, and they tolerate a wider range of conditions than most fruit plants.Choose a location that receives some afternoon shade. Our plants were purchased at Edible Landscaping.
A friend who lives in Sweden sent me the link to the berry picker they use there!
Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!
“…each tree is known by its own fruit.” ~Luke 6: 44
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FAQs
Combine sugar, flour and salt in a smaller mixing bowl. Add sugar mixture to berries, then toss gently to coat the fruit. Fill a pastry-lined nine-inch pie plate with the gooseberry mixture; dot with butter. Adjust top crust.
What is a gooseberry taste like? ›
What Does a Gooseberry Taste Like? The flavor of gooseberries depends on how ripe they are, with green gooseberries being more sour and red/purple gooseberries being more sweet. Most describe them as similar in taste and texture to grapes, but more acidic.
What do gooseberries look like? ›
The oval berries are white, red, yellow, or green, usually with a prickly or hairy surface. Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, gooseberries are extremely hardy and are grown almost as far north as the Arctic Circle.
Why are they called gooseberries? ›
Etymology. The goose in gooseberry has been mistakenly seen as a corruption of either the Dutch word kruisbes or the allied German Krausbeere, or of the earlier forms of the French groseille. Alternatively, the word has been connected to the Middle High German krus ('curl, crisped'), in Latin as grossularia.
Are gooseberries good or bad for you? ›
Though research on gooseberries specifically is limited, many of the nutrients in these berries have been linked to significant health benefits. These include lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels, as well as a reduced risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and age-related illnesses of the brain.
What are gooseberries and how do you eat them? ›
One of the less-cherished summer fruits, gooseberries are a tart green berry that make a delicious addition to both sweet and savoury dishes when cooked and sweetened a little. They come in many varieties, ranging in size, colour and acidity.
Can I eat raw gooseberries? ›
Early in the season they are bright green, with a veined effect on the skin, and quite hard and tart – they are best for cooking with, in particular to make the classic English pudding, gooseberry fool. Later on, softer, sweeter varieties become available, often yellow or red coloured – they are good eaten raw.
Why do people eat gooseberries? ›
One hundred grams of gooseberries will provide 4.3 grams of dietary fiber and is a solid source of Vitamin C, covering 33 percent of your daily allotment. Gooseberries are also low in calories.
What part of gooseberry is edible? ›
Both the stems and the flower remnants must be plucked off of each berry before it can be used. The fact that people gladly do this labor attests to how much they enjoy the flavor of gooseberries.
Do squirrels eat gooseberries? ›
Gooseberry Pests and diseases
Gooseberry bushes can be attacked by squirrels, moth caterpillars, and birds (especially bullfinches), which eat the buds before they have broken into leaf and also eat the ripe fruit. They are also prone to leaf spot and fungal leaf spots, as well as these more specific problems.
Gooseberries are sometimes informally called goosegogs in the British Isles, although this term is not as common in the present day. Often, gooseberries are made into jams and preserves, but can be consumed in a variety of ways such as in baked goods or eaten straight off the bush.
Can you eat gooseberries off the bush? ›
Gooseberries have a reputation for being tart little green fruits best suited to cooking and jam-making – but they're so much more versatile than that. As well as culinary varieties normally found in the supermarket, gooseberries can also be sweet and juicy enough to eat straight off the bush.
What are gooseberries called in America? ›
description. …or European, gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa); American gooseberry (R. hirtellum); black currant (R. nigrum); buffalo currant (R.
Why do shops not sell gooseberry? ›
Regarding why we don't see them in stores, in part I think that's related to them being perishable but also because gooseberries and currants were both banned in the USA until 1966 because it carried a disease that hurt the white pine tree.
How long do gooseberries last in the fridge? ›
Storing & Cooking Information
Wash gooseberries and remove stems (you can pinch off the stems or just use a pair of kitchen scissors). STORING: Fresh gooseberries will keep up to 2 weeks in fridge.
Why are gooseberries so good for you? ›
Gooseberry is a tart fruit high in nutrients, such as vitamin C. It has several potential health benefits, including anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic properties. People eat gooseberry in fresh or in canned form. Some people also use it as a supplement or beauty product.
Are gooseberries healthier than blueberries? ›
Also known as Indian gooseberries, this walnut-sized fruit has 40 times more antioxidants than blackberries or blueberries. The tart berries also have up to 20 times more vitamin C than oranges.
Are gooseberries a fruit or vegetable? ›
Gooseberries are one of those unusual fruits not grown by many home gardeners. But they certainly are worth consideration for home fruit production, especially if you're creating an edible landscape and need plants with good ornamental appearance as well as food production.
