Any ideas other than syrup or jelly. Mine are just about ready to pick & as the garden is being cleared i don't want them to go to waste but at the same time don't need hundres of bottles of syrup

How about some wine?? Winemaking Recipe for Rose Hip Wine, How To Make Rose Hip Wine: Wine Making Guides

after doing some research i'm going to give this recipe from 'River Cottage' a try

Rosehip Vodka

500g rosehips
750ml boiling water
50g sugar
500ml vodka

1. crush or finely chop rosehips, place in saucepan with boiling water. Bring back to the boil & boil vigourously for 5 min. Remove from heat & allow to stand for 1 hour

2. crush mixture with potato masher & then strain through a double layer of muslin. Hang and allow to drip into a bowl for 1 hour

3. put liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce to one third volume

4. take off heat stir in sugar until dissloved, allow to cool mix with vodka & decant into sterilies bottles

i can't wait to try, will let everyone know the results

notgreenfingers,
not only do I love your name, but High Five, I'm of the same Ilke as you......
If it's already in the freezer, already in the preserving jar bottled in syrup, already made into a jam/jelly/chutney.... and you're up to your armpits in all of that, then there are only a few options left my friend, but I'd like to make a constructively helpful suggestion.

Harvest the Rosehips, stick them in the freezer overnight, and THEN process them ordinarily the following day (or whenever you're ready), and it'll kind of act like they've had 'the first frost on them', and they'll be better for it.

I read it somewhere, so don't shoot me if I'm wrong! - and I'm still sporting some in my chest freezer from last September (if I could only locate the ruddy things?!)
... Good Luck! X

Wellie- i've been freezing them as i go working on the thoery that it does'nt matter if they go squishy. The other half has his heart set on Rosehip wine so i think thats the plan. I do love getting something yummy for free & absolutely no work other than the harvesting. I'll be sad to see it all go, although i'm demanding to keep one small wild rose.

*STUPID QUESTION ALERT!* I've got several different varieties of rose in my garden (none of which i know what they are). Does it matter what variety of rose you get your rosehips from? I've got one which has rosehips like i'd imagine rosehips to look like but others with great big, fat, round rosehips on them. I could post a picture if that helps. Thanks, Chloë

From what i've read on the internet all rosehips can be used, but some have a better favour than others. The 'typical' rosehip is meant to give the best flavour but i've got about 5 different types of rose growing so i was going to mix them all together. I'm no expert but i think this should be ok, nowhere have i found anything saying not to use a particular type of rosehip.

have a read of this
Cooking with Rose Hips - Rose Hips Recipes

The 'big fat round' hips sound like the ones you get on Rosa Rugosa (seriously prickly stems, not-glossy leaves, 'single' or occasionally 'semi-double' flowers, usually white or cerise). I can't think of any reason not to use them.

everywhere i read about hips says to collect them after the first frost - is this true? ive seen people collecting them for about a month!

Originally Posted by buzzingtalk

everywhere i read about hips says to collect them after the first frost - is this true? ive seen people collecting them for about a month!

Do what I do with Sloes; pick 'em when they're ready, then freeze 'em till you need 'em!

Originally Posted by Glutton4...

Do what I do with Sloes; pick 'em when they're ready, then freeze 'em till you need 'em!

How do you know when they are ready? What should they look/feel like?

Sorry for all the Q's I'm a city girl now living in the country and loving the abundance of free food in the hedgerows

Pick them when they have a good colour, no green on them. Some stay orange, some go red, but if you're too slow the birds will get them before you do. You can simulate the frost by picking them and putting them in the freezer, this breaks down the cell structure a bit. I picked mine last week and now have two gallons of rosehip wine on the go.

Exellent - there are some hips in OH's garden, as well as miles and miles of them in the Norfolk hedgerows

There are loads of rosehips round here. Wasn't going to pick em but they keep winking at me. I think they want to be introduced to some vodders