Making Fruit Shrubs
A shrub is a concentrate made by macerating fruit with sugar and preserving it with vinegar. You mix the resulting syrup with sparkling water to create a sharp, bracing drink that balances sweetness with acidity.
The acid is your anchor
Use a quality apple cider or white wine vinegar. The fruit needs to be ripe but not overripe, as you are capturing the raw essence of the harvest.
- glass mason jar with tight lid
- fine mesh strainer
- cheesecloth
- swing-top glass bottle
What goes in.
- 2 cupsfresh seasonal fruit, chopped
- 2 cupsgranulated sugar
- 2 cupsapple cider vinegar
Extraction without heat
By letting the fruit sit in sugar for two days, you draw out the juices into a heavy syrup before adding vinegar. This preserves the brightness of the fruit that boiling would otherwise dull.
The method.
Combine the fruit and sugar
Place the chopped fruit in the jar and cover with the sugar. Seal and shake to coat, then let it sit on the counter for 24 to 48 hours, shaking occasionally until the sugar has dissolved into a syrup.
Add the vinegar
Pour the vinegar into the fruit-sugar mixture. Stir well, seal, and let it steep for another 24 hours to develop the flavor profile.
Strain the mixture
Place a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a clean bowl. Pour the mixture through, pressing lightly on the fruit to extract all the liquid. Do not mash the pulp through the cloth.
Bottle and store
Transfer the liquid to a clean glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator; the flavor will continue to deepen over the next week.
Other turns to take.
Herbal infusion
Add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or basil to the jar during the final 24 hours of steeping.
Spiced shrub
Add a cinnamon stick or a few bruised cardamom pods to the sugar maceration step.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Serve by mixing one part shrub to four parts chilled sparkling water over plenty of ice.
The fruit solids leftover after straining can be used as a topping for yogurt or stirred into oatmeal.
Adjust the sugar-to-vinegar ratio depending on the tartness of your fruit; use less vinegar for sweeter fruits like strawberries.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does a shrub last?
Kept in the refrigerator in a sealed glass bottle, a shrub will hold its quality for up to six months.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes, just let the fruit thaw completely before adding the sugar so the juices can release properly.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe