Strawberry Shrub is the perfect sweet-tart combination you have been looking for on a hot summer’s day. Refreshing doesn’t begin to describe it! There is so much you can do with this basic Strawberry Shrub recipe. Shrubs are referred to as drinking vinegar. They are easy to make, Strawberries, Apple Cider Vinegar and sugar.
What is a Shrub? A Shrub is a tall bush that requires pruning…. Sorry wrong definition! A Shrub is a simply a concentrated fruit infused vinegar, that has been briefly aged before being sweetened with sugar. The sharp tartness of the vinegar is softened by sugar or honey that is added to it.
Shrubs were made to preserve fruits, especially berries, for off season use. The drinking vinegars originated in England around the 1680’s. Years later future colonists crossed the Atlantic, taking with them this knowledge of preserving out of season fruit.
Ingredients
- Strawberries: preferably freshly picked, farm fresh, organic.
- Vinegar: apple cider.
- Sugar: white, granulated.
Instructions
This is a recipe for cold pressed Strawberry Shrub, which means no heating is required and all nutrients are preserved.
Wash and cut the strawberries into smaller pieces.
Put the cut strawberries into a large mason jar or container that has a tight fitting lid.
Then pour in the vinegar.
Close the lid tightly and place in a location in your home where it is cool.
After 1 week, it’s time to strain the shrub.
Pour the contents of the jar through a fine mesh sieve and collect the shrub juice in a large container.
Use a spoon to smash the strawberry pulp to collect the juice.
The strawberry drinking vinegar is now ready to be sweetened.
Add the sugar and stir well. This will enable the sugar to dissolve into the shrub.
Pour the Strawberry Shrub syrup back into the container, close the lid tightly. The Strawberry Shrub is shelf stable and ready for use.
Uses for Strawberry Shrub
What to do with it? That’s the question and here’s some answers:
Use it as a base for the following drinks, as a healthier alternative to pre made mixers:
- Strawberry Shrub Cocktail: see the recipe for a Gin Collins and Bourbon Bramble below.
- Strawberry Shrub Spritzer: add sparkling wine or Prosecco.
- Honey Hibiscus Strawberry Shrub.
- Strawberry Basil Shrub.
- Strawberry Balsamic Shrub.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub.
- Strawberry Mint Shrub.
- Strawberry Rosemary Shrub.
- Strawberry Jalapeño Shrub.
- Strawberry Vanilla Shrub.
- Strawberry Thyme Shrub.
The list apparently is seemingly endless. I can’t decide which one I will make next!
Furthermore, Strawberry Shrub can be used as an ingredient for salad dressings.
Drinks made with Strawberry Shrub
Strawberry Shrub Gin Collins
This recipe was adjusted to include Strawberry Shrub:
Ingredients:
- 2 oz carbonated water, I used Topo Chico for its extra effervescence.
- 1½ oz gin, I like London Dry Big Gin for its handcrafted, small batch highly botanical flavor.
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- ½ oz Strawberry Shrub, instead of simple syrup.
Instructions:
- Pour ice into a tall straight glass which is typically how a Gin Collins drink would be served in.
- Pour the measured liquids in and stir with a bar or long spoon.
- Garnish with a slice of fresh lemon in addition to strawberry halves.
Strawberry Bourbon Bramble
Ingredients:
- 3/4 oz Strawberry Shrub
- 2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
- 1½ tsp Chartreuse
- Dash of Bitters
- Ice
Instructions:
- Put the ice into a cocktail shaker and then pour in all the measured ingredients.
- Put the lid on and shake for at least 20 seconds.
- Remove the lid and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Enjoy!
Sparkling Strawberry Shrub with Mint Mocktail
This is a sparkling non alcoholic beverage.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Strawberry Shrub
- 6 oz sparkling water, seltzer or sparkling mineral water, non flavored.
- Few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish and muddling.
Instructions:
- *Muddle* half a dozen mint leaves in glass.
- Add ice to fill the glass.
- Add Strawberry Shrub and sparkling water to finish the drink.
- Garnish with the remaining mint sprig.
*Muddle means to crush any herb, particularly mint, with a cocktail muddler (looks like a mini baseball bat) or the end of a wooden spoon. This breaks the leaves and releases the juices of the mint.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
Yes, if you don’t add any type of sweetener, you will end up with a true drinking vinegar. If you prefer to use another sweetener besides sugar, use honey, date syrup or monk fruit sweetener. The traditional ratio of vinegar to sugar is equal, but when using an alternative sweetener, start with adding less. Add more according to taste.
All berries are excellent candidates. Likewise, other fruits like melons, pineapple, and citrus fruits are also wonderful ingredients when making shrubs.
They do not need to be refrigerated, if they are unopened.
These shelf stable drinking vinegars can be stored unopened in a cool dry place for up to 2 years without the flavor changing in any way.
Store shrubs in the refrigerator once they are opened. They will last for up to 1 year.
More Strawberry Recipes
There’s nothing like a berry Sponge Cake in the summer, especially a Strawberry Sponge Cake. This soft tender Sponge Cake contains no flavoring such as vanilla, therefore allowing the true flavor of the ingredients to come through. With fresh cream and strawberries to finish it, this Strawberry Sponge Cake is particularly delightful in the summer months but can be enjoyed year round!
It’s all in the title! Strawberry Top Vinegar, Vinegar infused with the tops of Strawberries! This is one of my favorite type of recipes – making something from nothing!
Two simple ingredients is all that it takes to make Strawberry Top Vinegar. It will provide you with an inexpensive flavored vinegar that has so many uses!
The Best Strawberry Shrub Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pints apple cider vinegar
- 32 oz granulated sugar
- 48 oz fresh strawberries 4 pints, or about 48 large strawberries, 96 medium sized strawberries or 144 small strawberries.
Instructions
- Wash and cut the strawberries into smaller pieces. No need to remove stems.
- Put the cut strawberries into a large mason jar or container that has a tight fitting lid. Then pour in the vinegar.
- Close the lid tightly and place in a location in your home where it is cool.
- After 1 week, the shrub is ready to be strained.
- Pour the contents of the jar through and a fine mesh sieve and collect the shrub juice in a large container.
- Use a spoon to smash the strawberry pulp. This will ensure all the juice has been collected.
- Add the sugar and stir well. This will enable the sugar to dissolve into the shrub.
- Pour the Strawberry Shrub syrup back into the container, close the lid tightly. The Strawberry Shrub is shelf stable and can now be used for whatever you wish.
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