Rhubarb Gin Recipe
This rhubarb gin is so easy to make (and not too sweet!). Perfect for making rhubarb gin & tonics or cocktails. You can even use rhubarb offcuts or frozen rhubarb here to help reduce your food waste.
Servings 700 ml
Ingredients
- 500 g rhubarb stalks rinsed & dried
- 50 g granulated or caster sugar
- 700 ml (70cl) gin ideally one with a mild flavour
Flavour variations (pick one!):
- 30 g fresh ginger rinsed & dried
- 10 pods green cardamom bashed
- 3 strips orange zest or lemon zest
- 300 g strawberries hulled, rinsed, dried & sliced
Instructions
Sterilise one large or two medium jars:
- Wash the jars and their lids thoroughly with hot, soapy water and rinse off the suds. Remove any rubber seals from the jars. Place the jars upside down onto a baking tray and dry in a hot oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-10 minutes, until no longer wet.
Combine the ingredients:
- Trim off and discard any bruised ends of the rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb stalks into 3 to 5 cm lengths and add to your sterilised jar(s).500 g rhubarb stalks
- Add the sugar and gin (divide these equally between the jars if using two). Seal with the lid (remember to put the rubber seal back on the lid, if your jar has one). Shake gently to combine.50 g granulated or caster sugar, 700 ml (70cl) gin
- Leave for 2-3 weeks to infuse, gently shaking the jars every few days to help with the infusion process. After this is done, strain out the solids, catching the gin in a bowl or jug. Transfer the infused gin to a clean, dry glass bottle (with a label) for prolonged storage.
Flavour Variations: Ginger or Cardamom or Orange or Lemon
- Add the fresh ginger OR cardamom OR zest to the jar along with the rhubarb and allow to infuse for 3-5 days (taste the gin to see how strong the flavour of is to decide when to remove the extra ingredients). Remove the ginger/cardamom/zest but leave the rhubarb in there. Continue to infuse for the remaining 2-3 weeks before straining the rhubarb out as usual.30 g fresh ginger, 10 pods green cardamom, 3 strips orange zest or lemon zest
Flavour Variation: Strawberry
- Add the sliced strawberries to the jar along with the rhubarb and leave to infuse for the full 2-3 weeks before straining out the solids as usual.300 g strawberries
Video
Notes
Note on jars: You'll need to use kilner/mason/preserving jars for this which can handle going into a hot oven! If you don't have this kind of jar you can buy sterilisation tablets online (or from Wilkos, if in the UK) which can be used to sterilise other jars without heat.
Note on adding to the jar: if you find yourself with extra bits of rhubarb from offcuts when cooking and baking, you can chuck these into the jar too. Just make sure they're clean & dry before adding. You can also top up the gin to compensate for the extra rhubarb, as needed.