June 08, 2022
Plum-Thyme Shrub
This shrub is tart and sweet with a touch of earthy thyme, making it the perfect summer sipper. Makes 3 cups.
Please prepare...
- 4 cups sliced red plums
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups pure cane sugar
- 1 cup champagne vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar, preferably Bragg
To make...
1. Combine the plums, thyme, and sugar in a 1-quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. use the back of a wooden spoon or a muddler to smash the fruit a bit.
2. Close the lid and let the jar sit on the counter for 24 hours.
3. Add the vinegars, stir well, and then close the lid.
4. After 1 week, strain out the fruit with a fine-mesh sieve set over a measuring cup and taste the mixture. If it’s to your liking—that is, fruity with a mellow vinegar flavor—pour the syrup into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. If it’s too tart, add a touch more sugar, making sure to stir well before pouring the syrup into the jar.
5. Your shrub will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3 weeks.
TIP: A muddler is a bartender’s tool, used like a pestle to mash—or muddle—fruits, herbs, and spices in the bottom of a glass to release their flavors.