Elderberry Shrub is a thirst-quenching, gut-healthy drink that only requires 3 ingredients: elderberries, honey, and vinegar. Similar to elderberry syrup and other berry shrub recipes, elderberry shrub has many health benefits, plus it tastes great!
Elderberry shrub (the drink, not the plant) and other fruit shrubs are sometimes referred to as drinking vinegars. Personally, I refer to them as kombucha's tastier cousin. 😂
Shrubs can be consumed for their many health benefits. A spoonful a day is said to aid in digestion, lower cholesterol, and boost the immune system. You can also stir a few tablespoons of the mixture into cocktails, club soda, or carbonated water.
In colonial days, shrubs were enjoyed as a cordial, at a time when refrigeration was not an option. The vinegar helped to preserve the fruit, giving it longer shelf life.
This elderberry shrub recipe is a cross between an Oxymel and a Switchel. So many new words, am I right? An oxymel is prepared with raw vinegar, raw honey, and herbs (as in this self-heal oxymel). Oxymels can be used as a salad dressing or consumed as a remedy to boost the immune system.
A switchel (also referred to as haymaker's punch) is prepared with raw vinegar, a sweetener such as pure maple syrup, honey, or molasses, and has a hint of spice, usually from ginger root. Switchel is usually cut with water or seltzer. So technically, this could also be an elderberry switchel recipe...
The flavor of my elderberry shrub actually reminds me of my tamarind syrup recipe. I imagine it would be good in a tamarind margarita, but I'll have to get back to you on that!
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- Berry shrubs taste great and have a long shelf life!
- Elderberry shrub is loaded with health benefits. According to healthline.com (the Pros and Cons of Elderberry), elderberry products are commonly taken to reduce the length and severity of cold and flu symptoms and are high in vitamin C, flavonols, and antioxidants.
- Fruit shrubs consist of 1 part fruit, 1 part vinegar, and 1 part sugar (honey or other sweeteners). The same proportions can be used to make other fruit shrubs, especially if you can't find elderberries.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions
- Elderberries: I used one cup of fresh elderberries. If you substitute dried or dehydrated elderberries, use half the amount. Another option is to make a berry shrub with strawberries, blueberries, huckleberries, or other berries.
- Sweetener: Sugar is often found in shrub recipes. I decided to use honey, not only for its health benefits but also for its preservative qualities.
- Vinegar: Any vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity can be used. I used raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Other vinegars can be used including balsamic vinegar, which would add to the fruity flavor.
- Spices: Spices can be added to enhance the shrub's flavor including cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, and cardamom.
- Herbs: Fresh mint, basil, rosemary, lavender, and citrus peels are all wonderful additions!
*Exact ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card.
🍇 How To Make Elderberry Shrub
Step 1: Rinse elderberries then pluck them from the stems. Add elderberries to a ½ pint jar and cover with honey. Shake to incorporate. Label and date the jar. Allow the fruit to macerate for a week.
Pro Tip: Shake the jar daily, or when you remember, during the week.
Step 2: After a week has passed, add apple cider vinegar to the jar and shake to combine. Pour the jar's contents into a small saucepan and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Elderberries can be slightly toxic when eaten raw. For this reason, I like to simmer the mixture for 15 minutes over low heat before drinking any of it.
Step 3: Strain the shrub through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth back into the clean jar. Store in a cool, dark location or refrigerate for up to 6 months.
🥃 How To Serve Shrub
- Add a few tablespoons of elderberry shrub to sparkling water or club soda and drink up to enjoy its health benefits!
- Give your favorite cocktail a makeover with a fruity, mouth-puckering twist!
- Mix a few tablespoons of the elderberry shrub with a few tablespoons of olive oil to make a tasty salad dressing.
- Pour the shrub into ice cubes and freeze. Not only is this a great way to preserve the shrub, but the ice cubes can be conveniently diluted into your drink of choice!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Fruit shrubs taste sweet, tangy, and fruity. Their flavor differs based on the fruit used in the recipe.
Drinking vinegar is referred to as shrub because the word shrub is borrowed from the Arabic word "sharbat" which means "juice."
Shrubs are enjoyed diluted into plain water, carbonated water, club soda, or cocktails. Simply add two to three tablespoons of a fruity shrub to an 8-ounce glass of your beverage of choice.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- When picking elderberries, make sure to only use ripe elderberries. Green, unripe elderberries and their stems are toxic and should be avoided.
- To can elderberry shrub, pour the hot shrub into sterilized jars, leaving a ½" headspace. Next, wipe the rims with a damp paper towel, screw on the lids, and process in a water bath or canner for 15 minutes.
- Experiment with other fruit, sugar, vinegar, spices, and herb combinations to create different flavored fruit and berry shrubs.
- Fruit shrubs can also be mixed into salad dressings, think spinach salad or any salad recipe calls for a sweet dressing!
🍓 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Elderberry Shrub Recipe
Equipment
- 1 ½ pint mason jar
- 1 small sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh elderberries (or 1 cup dried)
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup cider vinegar
Optional Ingredients
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 5 whole cloves
- 5 cardamom pods
- 2 orange slices
- 2 slices crystallized ginger
Instructions
- Rinse elderberries then pluck them from the stems. Add elderberries to a ½ pint jar and cover with honey. Shake to incorporate. Label and date the jar. Allow the fruit to macerate for a week.
- After a week has passed, add apple cider vinegar to the jar and shake to combine. Pour the jar's contents into a small saucepan and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
- Strain the shrub through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar. Store in a cool, dark location or refrigerate for up to 6 months.
How to Serve Shrub
- Add a few tablespoons of elderberry shrub to sparkling water or club soda and drink up to enjoy its health benefits!
Notes
- When picking elderberries, make sure to only use ripe elderberries. Green, unripe elderberries and their stems are toxic and should be avoided.
- Elderberries can be slightly toxic when eaten raw. For this reason, I like to simmer the mixture for 15 minutes over low heat before drinking any of it.
- Shake the jar daily, or when you remember, during the week.
- To can elderberry shrub, pour the hot shrub into sterilized jars, leaving a ½" headspace. Next, wipe the rims with a damp paper towel, screw on the lids, and process in a water bath or canner for 15 minutes.
- Experiment with other fruit, sugar, vinegar, spices, and herb combinations to create different flavored shrubs.
- Fruit shrubs can also be mixed into salad dressings, think spinach salad or any salad recipe calls for a sweet dressing!
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