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Red Currants Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to red currant products
About red currants
Red currants are the most common variety of currant, and many consider them the best type for making jams or preserves. They have a tart and mildly acidic taste, but they're still sweet enough to enjoy after picking. Red currants are tarter than white currants, and their flavor isn't quite as strong as black currants. You can usually find them in late spring and early summer in clusters on shrubs.
While red currants make an excellent treat alone, they also pair well with rich, savory foods, such as duck, baked ham, or lamb dishes. They're a delicious topping for salads or drinks, and they make excellent syrup. You can also use them to make red currant jam or preserves because of their naturally high levels of pectin. Recipes that call for berries, such as blueberries or raspberries, can use red currants instead for a similar flavor profile. You can also use them as a substitute for dates or raisins.
Red currants are popular in desserts, including fruit salads, puddings, and sorbets. Try them in a fruit compote or pie for a sweet and tangy flavor. If you have frozen red currants, try adding them to a cake or a batch of lemonade.
Red currants are tiny, about the size of a pearl, and grow in bunches similar to grapes. They're red, as the name might suggest, and contain edible seeds. Red currants contain many tannins, which contribute to the slightly bitter taste of raw red currants. They're sometimes called a superfruit and have anti-inflammatory properties. Red currants contain natural fiber, and they're a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and antioxidants.
How to pick out red currants
Ripe red currants will have a natural shine and look pump. Avoid any that appear limp or shriveled. They'll also have a bright red color and a rounded shape. If you're lucky enough to be picking red currants directly off the shrub, the taste is one of the best indicators for whether a red currant is ripe. Don't be afraid to try one to determine whether the currants are ready to be harvested.
Other currant varieties
Red currants may be the most common type, but they aren't the only variety of currant you can find. Other types of currants include the following:
- White currants: This variety is the sweetest currant you can find, and it has the lightest color, as you might conclude from its name. White currants are low in acid and have a mild flavor.
- Pink currants: You'll find that these currants are the rarest type, but they offer a sweeter taste than red currants and a more pronounced flavor than white currants.
- Black currants: These currants are the darkest and the most flavorful of all the varieties. They ripen in late summer and rarely appear in the market in fresh form. You may find them dried instead. They also make excellent jams, syrups, preserves, and sauces.
Red Currants Near Me
Buy your favorite Red Currants online with Instacart. Order Red Currants from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about red currants
While red currants aren't common in the United States, you can typically find them at farmers' markets or specialty stores. You may be able to locate them at a farm that allows you to pick red currants. You can sometimes purchase them in the frozen section of major grocery stores.
If you want to keep your red currants fresh as long as possible, store them in the refrigerator with a loose covering. They should last about 3 days stored this way. Wash your red currants when you're ready to eat them. If you wash them sooner, the moisture can make them spoil faster.
If you aren't able to finish all of your red currants within 3 days, you can also freeze them. Place your red currants on a baking sheet in a single layer and place them in the freezer. Once they're frozen, transfer them to freezer bags or freezer-safe airtight containers. They'll stay ready to use for up to 6 months in the freezer.
While both can be eaten straight off the bush and make excellent jams or jellies, gooseberries tend to be larger and sweeten the longer they ripen. Red currants can be white, pink, red, or black, but gooseberries are usually red, green, or black. If you're looking for the shrubs that produce them, gooseberry bushes have thorns while red currant bushes don't.
Now that you know a bit more about red currants, how about trying them for yourself? Browse your local stores through the Instacart app, and you'll find all types of delicious food options, including some that pair exceptionally well with red currants. Once you place your order, an Instacart shopper will deliver your selections to you in as little as 2 hours!