Meet the Shrub: The Virgin Cocktail You Need to Know

Yahoo Food
Updated

By Matt Duckor

All you need is sugar + vinegar + just about any fruit, vegetable, or herb.

image

Listen, we’re fans of potent, boozy cocktails as much as any digital food brand. We love the combination of rye and vermouth in a Manhattan. Heck, we even created The Smoky Robinson, which blends whiskey and mezcal.

But sometimes—and just sometimes—we’re looking for a cocktail that can pack a flavorful punch without any alcohol. That’s where the shrub comes in. And no, we’re not talking about the hedges that decorate suburban backyards. This genius, sweet-sour concoction of vinegar and sugar, combined with fruit or vegetables (and sometimes herbs) creates a puckery, refreshing drink concentrate. Just dilute half a glass with water or sparkling water, and you’ve got a beverage that manages to be way more refreshing than mere lemonade.

Want to preserve summer? Combine strawberries with lemon and thyme. Get your hands on ripe peaches and balance out their rich sweetness with the kick of fresh ginger. Looking to take things in a more savory direction? Cook peeled and sliced beets with sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of balsamic.

While shrubs are incredible with plain or fizzy water, they make a great base for cocktails, too. When it came time to develop Epi’s April House Cocktail The Shrubarb, a shrub made from rhubarb and fresh ginger took center stage.

The best news? Actually making this magic couldn’t be easier. First, pick your fruit or vegetables. Most fruits will automatically taste amazing in a shrub. A good rule of thumb for vegetables? If you’d find it at a juice bar, it’s shrub-worthy. Then chop your ingredients into ¼" pieces. Combine with equal parts vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Related: These Addictive, Amazing 22-Minute Meals Will Change Weeknight Dinner

Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until your chosen ingredients are completely broken down, which shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes. As the mixture starts simmering, it’s your cue to start tasting. If your shrub is too sweet, just add a splash more vinegar. And if it’s too puckery, add a bit more sugar. Then, using a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth, strain mixture into a glass container. Let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator. Your shrub will keep for about a week, but it’ll disappear long before that.

RECIPE: THE SHRUBARB COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

For the ginger-rhubarb shrub:

  • 2 pounds rhubarb, cut into ¼" pieces (about 6 cups)

  • 1 (7-inch) piece ginger, unpeeled, cut into ¼" coins (about ¼ cup)

  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1 ¼ cups sugar

For each cocktail:

  • 2 ounces gin

  • ½ ounce fresh lime juice

  • Club soda (for serving)

PREPARATION

For the ginger-rhubarb shrub:

Combine rhubarb, ginger, vinegar, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is completely broken down and strands are visible, 10–15 minutes.

Using a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth, strain mixture into a glass container. Let cool to room temperature, then chill.

For each cocktail:

Combine gin, lime juice, and 1 ½ ounces reserved ginger-rhubarb shrub in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled Collins-style glass, filling three-quarters full. Top off with club soda, to taste.

More from Epicurious:

20 Must-Try Ways to Pair Items You Already Have In Your Pantry

The 57 Best Cooking Tips of All Time

12 Lightning-Fast Chicken Dinners to Make Now

This Recipe Has 908 Comments, and They’re All Hilarious

image

PHOTO BY CHELSEA KYLE, FOOD STYLING BY MATT DUCKOR