Elderberry Shrub Recipe
A delicious, thirst-quenching elderberry shrub that can be mixed with water, club soda, or cocktails.
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 81kcal
Equipment
- 1 ½ pint mason jar
- 1 small sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh elderberries (or 1 cup dried)
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup apple 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, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, orange slices, and crystalized ginger 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 that calls for a sweet dressing!
Nutrition
Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 3mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g
