Shrubs

Hi there, and welcome to all things shrub, and I don’t mean a plant or bush. A shrub in this case is a drinkable vinegar-based concoction made of fruit, sugar, and of course, vinegar. They are used most commonly today in craft cocktails and mocktails. However, shrubs are old fashioned. They were originally conceived as a method to preserve nature’s bounty, keeping the essence of fresh produce in a simple manner that required no special skill or equipment. Today they are super-trendy and you can buy bottled shrubs or drinking vinegar. But you can easily make your own at home, and use whatever you have on hand, or use your creativity to make a shrub with flavors you love. The possibilities are endless.

Here are a few ideas: ginger and rhubarb, strawberries and basil, blackberries and mint, peaches and thyme, tomatoes and cilantro (yes, shrubs can be savory too), apricots and berries, blood oranges, kumquats, apples, you get the idea.

Change up the vinegar: I like to use apple cider vinegar for most shrubs, but you can affect the color of your shrub by using red wine vinegar, or add sweetness with a little balsamic vinegar, or keep it clear with white vinegar.

Shrubs are a great way to use up less-than-perfect fruit. Berries work really well, but most types of stone fruit and citrus are candidates for shrub-dom. As soon as my rhubarb comes back, I will be making rhubarb shrub for sure!

Most shrub recipes use about 1 cup of fruit to 1 cup of sugar for the maceration. Then about 2⁄3 cup of vinegar. You can also change this ratio a bit if you prefer more sweetness or acidity for your shrub.

To stay on my keto track, I have also used a sugar substitute (Allulose) to macerate the fruit and it works perfectly. Allulose is a bit less sweet than sugar, so add a bit more if you’re looking for sweetness

If you have time, the easiest way to macerate the fruit is to mash fruit with sugar and refrigerate it for 1-3 days, or even longer. I have read of people letting the mixture macerate for up to a week with no adverse effects. This cold maceration will maintain the fresh flavor of the fruit most effectively.

If you are in a hurry, you can heat equal parts fruit and sugar to make a syrup. The only downside is that heat will change the flavor of the fruit slightly.

For either method, strain the mixture, discarding solids, into a mason jar and add the vinegar. Use right away, or let it steep and hour or so to develop more complex flavors. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Enjoy!