Fruit Vinegars and Shrubs

If you want a different addition to your salads and dressings, you might want to make fruit infused vinegars. They are super easy to make and can be used in all sorts of dishes. If you find yourself with more fruit or berries than you can use, it’s also a handy way to preserve their flavor. I use them as the base for dressings and marinades. I’ll often add a splash to soups or other hot dishes for a little bit of zing.

You can also make shrubs, which are used in cocktails and mocktails and are essentially fruit vinegars with added sugar.  So let me give you the directions for making both. They are so much fun to cook with and so easy to make. Well worth the time.

Fruit Infused Vinegar

The formula is easy. Just put fruit in a jar and cover with vinegar. Well, that may be an oversimplification, but it’s not much more than that.

For every cup of berries, or other fruit, you add 1-2 cups of vinegar. Large pieces of fruit need to be cut up.  I like to use white vinegar with 5% acidity. You could use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. While I love cider vinegar, it seems a little strong for most berries or cherries, but peaches, plums and pineapple would stand up to it. Once your fruit and vinegar are combined, you can add other spices or herbs, if you like. Or not. Then just close the jar and set it aside in a cool, dark place for a week or two. Longer if you forget about it. The longer time won’t hurt it. Then you just strain out the fruit and discard it. I’m sure someone has figured out a way to use the fruit. I haven’t come up with anything yet. You can just use a fine strainer. If you want the vinegar to be crystal clear, then strain it a second time through layers of cheesecloth or coffee filters. Store at room temperature, in the dark, or you can store in the fridge. They keep for a year or more, but might lose some color over time. They hold their color better when stored in the fridge. 

Shrubs

Shrubs are fruit, vinegar and sugar syrups used to flavor drinks. They are traditionally made with berries and herbs, but other fruits work, too. Have some fun with it. They can be a nice addition to drinks of all sorts. I like a splash of shrub in iced tea or lemonade.  They can really brighten up cocktails, too. The main difference in shrubs over the infused fruit vinegars is the addition of sugar or another sweetener. The ratio is 1:1:1. Equal parts fruit, vinegar and sugar, but you have some wiggle room there. The procedure is a bit different from fruit vinegars. In a glass jar, you start by crushing berries- or other fruit. If you want to add some herbs, this is the time. Sage, basil and rosemary are often used. Perhaps a cinnamon stick or a piece of vanilla bean. Go with something you like, or nothing at all. Totally up to you. Then add an equal amount of sugar. Stir to combine and let sit on the counter for a day or in the fridge for 1-2 days. At this point most recipes suggest you strain out the fruit, extracting as much juice as you can. I prefer to add an equal amount of vinegar and place the mixture in the fridge for a day or two. I find when you add the vinegar first, it is easier to strain later and you get more fruit flavor. Strain as you did for the fruit vinegar, using cheesecloth or coffee filters for a clear shrub. Taste it and see if you want to add more sugar, more vinegar or leave it as is. Store in the fridge. Shrubs keep for weeks and weeks.