A simple search for the key words 'rose hips', brings up the following treads.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose hip threads

I made apple rosehip jelly last year, and it was a royal pain dealing with all the little seeds inside the hips. So NOT worth it for the flavor imparted by my wild rose hips.

Rose hip jelly probably can be made with any rose hips but it is most is most suited to the fruits of Rosa rugosa (salt spray rose), the fruits of which are 3/4' or so in diameter.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful:

Oops! I didn't mean to say that Rugosa rose hips are large as basketballs! They are about 3/4" in diameter.

BTW, this rose grows both wild and in cultivation.

Jim

Thanks for the suggestions. Jim, I grew up with the metric system so I get ' and " mixed up all the time. I did figure 3/4 of an inch. Some of them are this size but most are a lot smaller. I think some might be rugosas but they were probably just chosen for their amazing beauty and scent. The roses were there when I moved in, I do not have so much interest in crops that are not edible. I did 'declare' the roses were edible since the hips are and sometimes the petals. Then they flowered and took my breath away.

I was in a rush when I posted the question, I meant to ask is there anything one can do other than jelly and tea? I like jelly but I have too much jam/marmalade/preserves from different fruit already. I will make tea and see how I like it.

I have been drying the hips in a basket, since they do not all ripen at the same time, so I harvest a little at a time and let them dry whole. If I wait for a freeze I'll be waiting for a loooooong time......

I've heard of rose hip curd made the same way as lemon curd - sort of like an extra thick version of apple butter, cooked down until it's so thick it sets up from the natural pectin. It's just rose hip flesh cooked down with sugar until extremely thick, then spread out into a pan, allowed to congeel, cut into small squares, and then dusted with powdered sugar and served as a confection.

I imagine the rose hips would have to be extremely fleshy ones, like Rosa rugosa hips, in order to gather enough rose hip flesh to make this worthwhile. You could probably do it with part rose hips and part apples to extend the rose hips and make it a bit less tedious.

You can make a syrup that can be taken as a vit. C tonic and added to other things for tartness.

Curd and syrup! nice. My small size ones will probably be too hard for the curd but it is a good thing to know for next time. Maybe i can save the large ones and freeze them? might make them easier to open and clean?

lpinkmountain, do you just boil the hips in simple syrup and strain? This actually sounds easy and I have some nice syrup left over from my citrus slices. Vitamin C tonic sounds like a nice thing to have around for the winter.

I can't remember, it was a recipe I found online. Somehow I don't think that's quite how you did it. You've got to make a slurry of the hips first I think. Below is one recipe I found online (I like that is has pics) but I would use a sugar syrup, not honey since honey molds on me. Depends on how fast you use the syrup I guess.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose hip syrup

Below is another recipe with sugar that sounded interesting, especially the "cocktail" part!

I tore out my one rose bush, it was not a rugosa, it was Rosa virginiana, and definately not the right plant for the place I had it in. The hips were dry and tasteless and a total PITA to process and I didn't get enough flesh to do diddly with. So my experience with rose hips is limited. Someday maybe I'll find the right rugosa for my yard and get back to it.

BTW, my last name is Rosenberg "Pinkmountain" in German, (hence my online name) which is why I am so "into" roses, lol!

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose hip syrup - another recipe

I like the recipe on the link, thanks! I already made a syrup but my roses bloom 3 times a year or so, I got blooms now, hips later....so I'll have a chance with curd, other syrups and jelly.

I boiled the hips in syrup. I let them soak overnight, and then boiled them again for half an hour. Some fresh, some semi dried, I just halved them and trimmed the bottoms. The really big ones I quartered. The syrup I already had from making lemon slices, it also had cinammon, cardamon, and lemon rind. This part would be optional if I make it again, I'll just use either simple syrup, or inverted syrup. The hips turned the syrup dark red. I strained the hips, soaked them in water, took the water to the boiling point and turned it off. Makes a sweetened strong hip tea. I love the results in both. I did not seed them. The seed does give it a bit of a tannin taste, i can live with it. (I love the cocktail idea too)