A shrub is a sweet-tart vinegar infusion that you can use in sparkling drinks (alcoholic and non) as well as salsas, marinades, and salad dressings. This recipe uses Bragg apple cider vinegar with the live mother which delivers a dose of probiotics that are good for your gut. Cheers!
Pack everything into a sterilized quart-sized canning jar, set it on the kitchen counter, and shake every day for a week (removing mint half-way through). After that, strain out the solids (use the pineapple in a salsa, see the DIY Shrubs article linked below), add lime juice, sugar, and mint spring then allow the flavors to meld in the refrigerator.
from the RiPE archives, March 2014; photo and recipe updated March 2025; recipe adapted from “DIY Shrubs” by Mary Karlin and Elaine Johnson (Sunset magazine, February 2014)
Pineapple Shrub
Makes 1 quart; adaped from "DIY Shrubs" by Mary Karlin & Elaine Johnson (Sunset Magazine, Feb 2014)
Ingredients
Shrub Starter
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled with a spoon and thinly sliced optional
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves and one whole sprig, reserved
- 1¾ cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar Bragg
Equipment
- 1 quart-sized wide-mouthed canning jar
- 1 piece cheesecloth
Shrub Finishing
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice about 8 limes
- 1 cup raw, unrefined cane sugar
- 1 mint sprig
Instructions
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Start with a very clean jar. Given the vinegar and the refrigerated storage of this shrub, I do a "good-enough sterilization": fill clean jar with boiling water and let it sit while you prep the pineapple. This method is not going to kill absolutely everything (which boiling in water-to-cover for 15 minutes as for jam jars will do) but we're making a shrub here, not canning for shelf-stable storage.
Original recipe authors recommend the following (but I have never done it): rinse jar and other equipment in a solution of 1 Tbsp. bleach + 2 quarts of water, then a rinse of plain water. Air dry.
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Put ginger (optional) and mint in the clean jar and bruise with a wood spoon until fragrant—don't pulverize the mint or it will be a challenge to remove on Day 4. Add pineapple and enough vinegar to cover the fruit. Close the jar tightly and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
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Push down the fruit if it has floated up to the top—you want everything completely covered with vinegar so you don't grow any mold or other undesirable bacteria.
Replace the lid with a piece of cheesecloth, and secure it to the top of the jar using a rubber band. Leave out at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.
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Discard cheesecloth, replace the lid, secure tightly, and shake daily for 3 days, keeping at room temperature.
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On Day 4, discard the mint. Do this by pouring everything into a strainer set over a bowl. Return everything except the mint to the jar and shake well each day for 3 more days at room temperature.
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On Day 8, strain out the solids and return liquid to the jar. Add lime juice and sugar, cover, and shake for a couple minutes to dissolve the sugar. Add the mint sprig and set in refrigerator for 7 days, shaking the jar every day to make sure sugar is dissolved. Discard the mint after 7 days and chill for up to 4 months.
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To use: add a couple tablespoons to a glass of sparkling water or cocktail. See original "DIY Shrubs" article for salsa, cocktail, and marinade ideas.
