Shrubs: Sip your way to better health
No, I’m not talking about a bush in your yard—this shrub is a tasty, tangy drink! A shrub is a liquid mixture of sweet and tart flavors, often referred to as a “drinking vinegar.” The word “shrub” comes from the Arabic word shurb, meaning drink, and the Hindi sharbat, an aromatic syrup made from fruit or herb extracts.
Not only are shrubs delicious, but they’re packed with beneficial properties from the herbs and fruits you use, along with the gut-boosting power of vinegar.
What Makes a Shrub a Shrub?
The sweetener! Adding honey or sugar to your vinegar and herbal/fruit infusion is what transforms it into a shrub—whether you’re using honey or sugar, each has its own perks.
The Benefits of Sweeteners
If you go the honey route, you get more than just sweetness. Honey has soothing properties for a sore throat, antibacterial qualities, and even the potential to help with seasonal allergies (especially if you use local, raw honey). Just be sure not to heat the honey, or you’ll lose those benefits. Remember too, honey isn’t safe for children 1 year or younger.
Prefer sugar? It’s not just a sweet treat—sugar also has antibacterial properties! Though it doesn’t bring the same health benefits as honey, it’s still a solid option for creating your shrub.
A Few Tips Before You Start
Before you dive into making your own shrub, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:
- Always use clean, sterile jars, especially if you’re working with fresh fruit.
- Fresh fruit should be fully submerged in the vinegar to prevent spoilage. If you’re using fresh fruit and dried herbs, put the fruit on the bottom and the herbs on top to help keep everything submerged.
- You can use most vinegars, but I’d skip distilled white vinegar—it’s great for cleaning, not so much for drinking! Make sure your vinegar has at least 5% acidity if you’re storing the shrub outside the fridge. Otherwise, keep it refrigerated, and it should last at least a year.
Choosing Your Vinegar
Let’s talk vinegars. The vinegar you choose is a big deal when crafting a shrub. I’ve seen recipes using each of the choices below. Since this will be my first attempt with shrubs, I’m trying two different types just for comparison. I can’t wait to share the recipes I’m trying with you below.
Vinegar Varieties
Apple cider vinegar is the go-to for many households, and it’s great for herbal-infused vinegars as well as fruit shrubs. But there are other options:
- White Wine Vinegar & Champagne Vinegar: Crisp and less pungent than ACV, these vinegars give a lighter taste.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This will give your shrub a rich, deep color and slightly more body.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Bold and robust, balsamic is perfect for a more savory or herbal shrub, which you can even use as a marinade later.
You can also mix vinegars to balance flavors. For example, tone down the richness of balsamic or red wine vinegar with a little champagne vinegar.
How to Make Shrubs
Making a shrub is easy, and there are endless variations. Here’s a basic process to get you started, but feel free to adjust to suit your tastes.
I tend to make small batches, usually about two cups or less at a time. This fits perfectly in a pint canning jar. If you’re using fresh fruit, give it a gentle crush at the bottom of your jar before adding in your herbs or dried fruits.
For a pint jar:
- Use about ¾ to 1 cup of fruit and/or herbs.
- Cover with vinegar up to about 1 ¾ cups.
- Add your sweetener (honey or sugar).
Make sure to leave a little space at the top of the jar for shaking. If it’s looking too full, switch to a quart jar, especially if you’re going for a sweeter shrub with extra honey or sugar.
Like other infusions, you’ll want to let your shrub sit for about two weeks. Keep it in a dark place, and give it a shake every few days. After two weeks, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or coffee filter into a clean, sterilized jar.
As with all your herbal creations, label it with the ingredients used and what it’s for and date it. I usually just use the date it will be finished. But it’s probably a better idea to label it with the date you made it and the date it’s ready.
Pro Tip: Always cover your jar with wax paper before putting the lid on. Vinegar can corrode metal canning lids over time. Or, use leak-proof lids made for Ball jars.
How to Use Your Shrubs
Now that you’ve made your shrub, how do you use it? There are so many ways to enjoy this flavorful concoction:
- Cocktails & Mocktails: Add about ¾ of an ounce of shrub to a few ounces of your favorite spirit or just some fizzy water for a refreshing summer drink.
- Marinades: Shrubs work wonders as a marinade for meats or veggies.
- Salad Dressing: Whip up a quick dressing by mixing shrub with olive oil, Dijon mustard, and herbs.
Recipes
Here are a couple of recipes I’ve put together to help you get started:
Elderberry Shrub (Immune Support)
This recipe uses apple cider vinegar and elderberries, perfect for supporting your immune system during winter. I boil the elderberries for about 10 minutes to neutralize a compound found in the seeds that can upset the stomach. Just remember that boiling will also kill the beneficial enzymes in the vinegar, so typically, shrubs aren’t heated. You’ll add honey after the mixture cools to preserve its medicinal properties.
Blueberry-Linden Shrub
The second recipe features white wine vinegar, and though the original calls for strawberries and elderflowers, I’m using fresh blueberries and linden flowers. You can always swap out ingredients based on what you have on hand.
And don’t forget Fire Cider. The perfect winter shrub to help fight off colds & flus!
These are just starting points! Feel free to experiment with your own combinations, but be sure to write down what you do so you can recreate it later. Trust me, after two weeks, you won’t remember all the details of your perfect shrub if you don’t jot it down!
Once you’ve made your fabulous creation, share it!!! Either drop your recipe in the comments below or email it to me. I’ll make a recipe card for it and add it to the collection.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
This sounds so good! I’d love to see a recipe for salad dressing using a shrub! This is a very unique infusion!
Once my shrubs are done, I’ll work on getting a salad dressing put together to share. They should be done soon. I’m excited to try them.