A shrub is a flavorful fruit-infused “drinking vinegar” to use in cocktails, mocktails, vinaigrettes and sauces! A beautiful way to preserve summer’s bounty- plus they make a great hostess gift!
Hey friends! Want to try your hand at making a shrub? This one is infused with fresh juicy summer plums and shiso leaves- a marriage made in heaven!
Of course, you can always use other summer fruit or berries, different kinds of vinegars and herbs, and simply use this as a basic guide for your own creations. Here is another one, made with Rhubarb! We’re so excited to see what you create.
What is a shrub?
A shrub is a drinking vinegar, made with fruit or berries, vinegar and sugar. Shrubs can be added to cocktails, or mocktails (with mineral water) or dressings and vinaigrettes. It’s a great way to preserve summer flavors all the way into winter.
Ingredients in a Shrub
- FRUIT: fresh juicy fruit or berries ( plums, pears, apples, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc)
- SWEETENER: organic cane sugar for the “clearest” color (or sub other sugar alternatives, coconut sugar, honey, maple, etc. )
- VINEGAR: apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, white vinegar
- Optional: herbs for infusing the vinegar ( shiso leaves, basil, mint, bay leaves, cilantro, tarragon, etc.)
How to make a shrub (in a nutshell):
Making a shrub takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time and 24 hours of “mother nature” time, and in the end, you’ll have a beautiful infused drinking vinegar that will keep for many months, bringing a little sunshine into the colder months!
- Macerate fruit with sugar for 24 hours.
- Strain and combine with vinegar. (Feel free to infuse vinegar with herbs for 24 hours beforehand for added flavor)
- Place in a clear jar or bottle.
- Shelf-stable for 3 months or 6 months refrigerated.
FYI, These also make beautiful hostess gifts that will keep all the way until Christmas!
STEP ONE
Today we are using juicy summer plums, but almost any fruit or berries will work! Even Rhubarb!
You’ll need roughly 1-2 cups of juicy fruit.
Mash the whole plums, seeds and all with the sugar in a jar, and leave to rest 24 hours.
STEP TWO
If infusing the vinegar with herbs- combine the vinegar and the herbs in a separate jar- in this case, vinegar and shiso leaves.
Besides herbs, you can also add ginger, chilies, and whole spices like pink peppercorns, cardamom, star anise, etc.
Play around with different kinds of vinegar as well.
STEP THREE
Let the macerated fruit and infused vinegar sit for 24 hours on the counter.
STEP FOUR
Then simply strain and combine.
Mash the flavorful plum juices through the strainer.
Look at this glorious color!!!
Then combine to taste.
STEP FIVE
Place in a clean jar or bottle.
How to store a shrub?
A shrub will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months or is shelf-stable at room temperature up to 3 months.
Ways to use a shrub:
- Add to cocktails- like gin and tonics, margaritas, even Sangria!
- Add to champagne
- Add to sparkling soda or mineral water
- Add to lemonade
- Add to Dressings!
Delicious Shrub Combinations:
- Peach-Ginger Shrub
- Strawberry Rhubarb with Mint
- Pineapple Shrub with cilantro and jalapeno
- Mango Lemongrass
- Raspberry Mint Shrub
- Blueberry Basil Shrub
- Blackberry Peppercorn
Such a beautiful way to celebrate summer produce!
Give it a try and show us how you adapt this recipe!
It’s a good base recipe for your own creations.
And just imagine how thrilled you’ll be this winter when you pull this bottle of sunshine out!
xoxo
You may also like:
- Plum Salad with Cucumber, Jicama and Shrub dressing
- Rhubarb Shrub
- Elderberry Syrup
- 20+ DIY Gift Ideas
How to make a Shrub!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 24 hours
- Total Time: 24 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups
- Category: drink, preserved, preserving
- Method: preserving
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
How to Make a Shrub, a flavorful fruit-infused drinking vinegar used in cocktails, mocktails, vinaigrettes and sauces! Allow 24 hours to sit overnight.
Ingredients
- 1–2 cups fresh juicy fruit or berries.
- 1 cup cane sugar ( for the best clear color) or sub coconut sugar, honey, or agave.
- 1 cup vinegar: apple cider, champagne, white vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 2 jars (or similar-sized vessels, or 2 bowls)
- Optional: herbs for infusing the vinegar (1 cup chopped shiso leaves, or sub basil, mint, etc.) see notes
Instructions
- Place sliced fruit and sugar in a jar and mash until juicy and mixed. Put a lid on the jar and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
- If infusing the vinegar, roughly chop the shiso leaves (or herbs) and place in a jar along with the vinegar. Put a lid on the jar and leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
- Strain both into a bowl combining, pressing the fruit to extract more of their juices, then discard the fruit and herbs.
- Place in a clean jar or bottle.
- Refrigerate for up to 6 months
Notes
Because of the preservation quality of the vinegar, this is shelf-stable for 3 months.
FRUIT: Feel free to sub other fruits or berries. Juicy fruits work best. Peaches, pineapple, strawberries, mango, passion fruit, nectarines, blackberries, etc. Colorful fruits make the prettiest shrubs.
Herbs/Spices: feel free to use any fresh herbs to infuse the vinegar, or try fresh ginger, zest, or even whole spices to infuse the vinegar! Play around.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 14.6 g
- Sodium: 0.4 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Can frozen fruit that is frozen not in syrup be used to make a shrub? I just finished a fresh strawberry shrub and was thinking a black cherry shrub would be good, but they are not in season now.
Yes frozen fruit can be used! It may not be as flavorful but definitely worth doing!
Thank you for the delicious plum shrub recipe. Any suggestions for finding shiso? We used basil. Also do you have a cocktail recipe using plum shrub? Couldn’t find one.
I have found shiso at Asian markets also farmers markets in the warmer months. We should make a cocktail!
Will this work with less sugar? I’m diabetic but this looks so good I don’t want to miss out.
Yes, the vinegar is the real preserver here so you can experiment with different sweeteners and amounts!
hi
Can i use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar as i can only use them
Karen W
I think that would be fine!
This was delightful. I had received some shiso from my local CSA and put it to good use. This was good the next day also. Thanks for such a creative recipe
so glad you enjoyed!
This came out A-ma-zing! I used basil, lemon balm, and sage in white vinegar because that’s what I have in my little garden at the moment. TBH, I don’t think I’ve ever seen shiso at the stores near me but i’d be really interested in trying! Anyway, the flavor is just to die for, and I love the idea of giving it as gifts! Sylvia I’m really enjoying your recipes. I can’t wait to try more variations of this!
So glad this worked for you! Love your adaptions.
Turned out great!