Grenadine. The ubiquitous red syrup in bars everywhere. Originally made from pomegranate juice, most grenadines in the store today are made up of high fructose corn syrup and red food coloring. When I started making cocktails at home I figured, why not make my own?
You simply take equal parts 100% pomegranate juice and sugar and bring to a boil to make a simple syrup. I did 1 cup of each. Once the syrup has thickened a bit, I added a tsp of pomegranate molasses and a few dashes of angostura bitters. Put it in an airtight container, pop it in your fridge and voila, grenadine. I hear it'll last up to a month in the fridge, but I didn't make a huge quantity so I haven't tested that theory.
This recipe makes a very tasty grenadine, but unfortunately, you lose that brilliant red color of the commercial stuff. I'll take the sacrifice on color for flavor, but it does bum me out a bit. I've seen this recipe by Jeffrey Morganthaler which seems to make a more vibrant grenadine. The next time I see some nice pomegranates in the grocery store, I'll definitely give it a try.
Have you made grenadine? What's your favorite cocktail that uses it?Labels: Cocktails
