What do Mayhaw berries taste like?
In the wild, mayhaw berries look very much like cranberries or small crabapples. They vary in taste, but the berries are usually fruity and tart. Most would say they're far too tart to eat straight from the tree—and that's where the jelly comes in.
What is Mayhaw fruit used for?
Found in the swamps and rivers of the Southern United States ( Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and East Texas), this small red fruit can be used to make juices, jams, jellies and syrups. The mayhaw fruit, which grows on hawthorne trees covered in thorns, resembles something of small crabapples or a cranberry.
When are mayhaws ripe?
The bright red fruit is about 1/2 inch in diameter and is ripe to pick in the late spring from mid-April to May. Now it makes sense why its name is mayhaw!
Does Mayhaw need to be refrigerated?
Among many old Southern family mayhaw recipes, may even be one for mayhaw wine! Mayhaw fruit can be stored in the refrigerator and used within a week of its harvest. Did you find this helpful?
Is a mayhaw in the Apple family?
Mayhaw fruit, botanically known as part of Crataegus aestivalis, C. opaca or C. rufula, are a member of the Rosaceae family and a traditionally foraged fruit of the United States.
How do you eat mayhaw fruit?
The mayhaw fruit is most often used for making jelly; the juice will also make delicious syrup and wine. The pulp is sometimes made into jams, butters and pies. Mayhaw juice or syrup is also used for punches, ice cream topping and to add flavor to sauces for meat, poultry and barbecue.
Is mayhaws good eating?
The mayhaw fruit typically appears on the trees in May. Fruits are the size of cherries and the shape of crabapples, usually colored pink or red. The fruit is edible but not very good eaten right from the tree. However, it makes delicious jellies, jams, desserts and even wine.
Is mayhaw fruit sweet?
When eaten raw, mayhaws are typically described as bitter and sour, sometimes slightly sweet, and with a high acid content; however, they are not commonly eaten raw. Jellies and jams are made only with the strained juice of the fruit.
Are mayhaw and crabapple the same?
In the wild, mayhaw berries look very much like cranberries or small crabapples. They vary in taste, but the berries are usually fruity and tart. Most would say they're far too tart to eat straight from the tree—and that's where the jelly comes in.
Can you eat mayhaw raw?
The fully ripe fruit is edible raw but not desirable for eating out-of- hand. The mayhaw is most often used in jelly, which we eat for pleasure rather than for its nutritional value.
Do deer eat mayhaw berries?
The red mulberrys, black cherry trees and the mayhaw trees provide fruit during the spring season, and deer readily eat this soft mast.
Where do mayhaw grow?
Found only growing in the swamps and on the river banks of the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and East Texas, the mayhaw has been one of the best kept secrets of the south. The jelly made from this wild fruit is hard to describe-like sweet cherries mixed with pineapple and mango.
Where can I find mayhaws?
Where do you find them or buy them? The Mayhaw is a wild native fruit tree found along river bottoms and swamps from east Texas, east to Georgia and Florida, and especially throughout Louisiana. It does well in swamps or drier, better-drained land and best in full sunlight.
How do you cook down mayhaws?
Measure or weigh fruit and put in large saucepan. For each gallon (4 quarts or about 4 ½ pounds) of mayhaws, cover with 3 quarts (12 cups) of water. For 2 quarts of fruit (a little over 2 pounds), cover with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook gently for about 30 minutes.
What does mayhaw tree look like?
Mayhaw (Crataegus spp.) Mayhaw generally grows as a deciduous shrub, or small tree, with thorns and moderately small leaves of varying shapes depending on the species. The flowers of five white petals, sometimes six, bloom before the leaves appear.
How much jelly will a gallon of mayhaws make?
Amount to Gather: One gallon (4 quarts) or about 4 ½ pounds of mayhaws will yield about 12 cups of strained, flavorful juice, enough for three batches of jelly. Two quarts of mayhaws cooked will yield 6 cups of fruit and about 2 cups of pulp when the drained fruit is put through a food mill.
What is a Mayhaw tree?
Mayhaws are small, round fruit that, depending upon the variety, may be red, yellow or orange in color. The shiny skin surrounds a white pulp that contains a few tiny seeds. The tree is a member of the family Roasaceae and is indigenous to low, wet areas from North Carolina to Florida and west to Arkansas and into Texas.
Why are mayhaws so popular?
During Antebellum times (1600-1775), mayhaws were a popular foraging fruit despite their less than hospitable locations in swamps and other boggy areas. Since then, the fruit has waned in popularity in part due to the location of trees and land clearing for timber or agriculture. Some effort has been made to cultivate the trees ...
What is mayhaw jelly used for?
Traditionally, mayhaw jelly was used as a condiment for game meats, but it can also be used in fruit pies and pastries. Mayhaw syrup is delicious over pancakes, of course, but it also lends itself well over biscuits, muffins, and porridge. Among many old Southern family mayhaw recipes, may even be one for mayhaw wine!
When do Mayhaw trees bloom?
How to Use Mayhaw Fruit. The mayhaw is a type of hawthorn that blossoms with clusters of showy white blooms in the spring on the upright 25- to 30-foot (8-9 m.) high tree. The blossoms yield fruit in May, hence the name.
Is Mayhaw fruit acidic?
Mayhaw fruit is extremely acidic, almost bitter in taste, and, as such, mayhaw uses are primarily for cook ed products , not raw. The sourest part of the fruit is the skin so, when cooking with mayhaw, the berries are often juiced with the skin discarded and then used to make jellies, jams, syrups or just mayhaw juice.
Is Mayhaw a culinary tree?
Image by MaxCab. If you are from or have family that hails from the Southern United States, it’s very likely you are familiar with cooking with mayhaw from mayhaw recipes that have been handed down for generations. Aside from the tree’s attractiveness to wildlife, mayhaw uses are primarily culinary, although the tree is quite ornamental ...
Can you store Mayhaw fruit in the refrigerator?
Among many old Southern family mayhaw recipes, may even be one for mayhaw wine! Mayhaw fruit can be stored in the refrigerator and used within a week of its harvest. Printer Friendly Version. This article was last updated on 02/23/21. Read more about Hawthorn.
