Posted on: December 6, 2023
Ingredients:
12 oz. strawberries, sliced or quartered if large
1½ cups (or more) granulated sugar
1 cup (or more) vinegar (such as red wine, white wine, apple cider, white balsamic, or unseasoned rice)
Instructions:
- Gently mash berries in a medium bowl with a fork. Transfer to jar, add sugar and stir to combine. Seal jar and let fruit mixture sit at room temperature, shaking a couple of times, until berries are very soft and falling apart and sugar is at least mostly dissolved, about one day (mixture should look very juicy).
- Strain fruit mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (line sieve with a layer of cheesecloth if you want to catch every bit of seed and fruit pulp) into a medium bowl, discard fruit. Scrape any undissolved sugar left in jar into bowl.
- Add vinegar to syrup and stir to combine. Taste shrub and add more sugar or vinegar to your liking — it should taste both sweet and sharp, but not overpowering in either direction (keep in mind the flavors will meld as the shrub ages). Pour shrub into a clean jar, cover with lid and chill until flavors come together and mellow, at least one week.
Do ahead: Shrub can be made six months ahead. Keep chilled.
For a refreshing nonalcoholic drink, pour 2 tablespoons shrub into a glass filled with ice and top off with club soda or sparkling water, stir gently to combine. Garnish with berries and/or herbs if desired.
See this recipe and others from our 2023 Holiday Recipes list.
