Pumpkin Shrub Recipe

By
Michael Dietsch
Headshot of Michael Dietsch, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Michael Dietsch
Michael Dietsch is a barfly, boozehound, book hoarder, jazz fiend, and technographer. He has two cookbooks and writes about cocktails for Serious Eats.
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Updated August 29, 2018
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Michael Dietsch

Shrub is a syrup made from fruits or vegetables, sugar, and vinegar. The vinegar might put you off at first, but don't be alarmed. A shrub is really no more tart than some lemonades are. The vinegar, fruit, and sugar are harmonious in a well-made shrub, and if any one flavor takes charge, it's the fruit.

In this case, I've paired pumpkin with a natural fall partner: apple cider vinegar. The flavors are pumpkiny with a hint of cinnamon and ginger to very gently remind you of pie season, without hitting you over the head with the Pumpkin Pie Spice flavors that are so common at this time of year.

This autumnal shrub is great served cold, either with booze (such rum or bourbon) or on its own with soda water or, better still, ginger beer. Or you also top it with hot water and your favorite brown spirit and serve it as a Pumpkin Shrub Toddy.

Why this recipe works:

  • Apple cider vinegar adds a delicate tartness to classic fall flavors of pumpkin and spice.
  • Shrubs can be served with spirits, or you can use them as a nonalcoholic option by mixing with soda water or ginger beer.

Recipe Details

Pumpkin Shrub Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 16 servings
Makes 1 pint

Ingredients

  • 1 small pie pumpkin such as sugar pumpkin or kabocha squash, about 3 pounds

  • 1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Cut stem from pumpkin and slice pumpkin in half. Scoop and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

  2. Roast pumpkin until easily pierced with a fork near the stem end, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven, set aside until cool enough to handle, then scoop out flesh with a spoon, discarding skin.

  3. Add pumpkin flesh to a glass or plastic container. Add sugar, vinegar, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Place in refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours.

  4. Pass pumpkin mixture through a food mill or sieve, pressing the liquid into a bowl. Mostly, you're trying to capture the liquid, a combination of pumpkin juice and vinegar, but don't worry if a little of the pumpkin puree passes through the sieve. Discard the remaining solids. Return liquid to a jar and refrigerate. Shrub will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

Special Equipment

Baking sheet, resealable jar

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
83 Calories
0g Fat
20g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 83
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 37mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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