Making your own grenadine

[eje]

I make my own grenadine for this reason, and have been very pleased with it. (It's also fun to explain to the guests that it's pomegranate syrup.)

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LindyCat,

I just noticed you said you made your own grenadine. I love grenadine and pomegranate; but, understand many grenadines don't even involve them. How do you make your own?

Thanks!

Erik

[LindyCat]

LindyCat,

I just noticed you said you made your own grenadine.  I love grenadine and pomegranate; but, understand many grenadines don't even involve them.  How do you make your own?

Thanks!

Erik

I tried a couple recipes to get mine the way I wanted. The idea is to take pomegranate juice and sugar and heat them together to get a syrup. (I use a 1:1 ratio by volume.) Most of the recipes I found called for heating all the juice at once or even using a heat method to extract the juice from the seeds. I found this gave the syrup a "cooked" flavor, like the bottled juice has. If you want to bottle this to be sterile and put it on the shelf, you aren't going to have much of a choice; you will have to heat it all. However, I keep mine in the refrigerator, and do it this way, instead:

Extract the juice from your fresh pomegranate seeds by crushing and straining through cheesecloth. I just whirled mine in the food processor and then filtered this juice. Pomegranates vary in size, of course, but probably yeild about a cup of liquid each if I remember right.

Dissolve the sugar in as little of the juice as you can over heat in a big, flat bottomed skillet.

Once the sugar has dissolved completely and you have a very thick syrup, pour in the rest of the juice and boil off the excess water as fast as you can manage. You should end up with something like slose to half of what you started with.

By using a big shallow pan, you can steam off the excess liquid very quickly. This prevents the syrup from tasting cooked (in fact, it's quite tasty!), and you get that pretty red color without all that red dye. This makes great looking drinks. :) Mine has stayed good in the fridge for months now, but you could also freeze it into icecubes and then thaw those individually to have just a little bit on hand.

[eje]

I tried a couple recipes to get mine the way I wanted.

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Thanks for allowing me the benefit of your experience. Now I can't wait for pomegranate season to roll around again! I also want to try to make a pomegranate liqueur (ratafia).

Erik

[LindyCat]

I tried a couple recipes to get mine the way I wanted.

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Thanks for allowing me the benefit of your experience. Now I can't wait for pomegranate season to roll around again! I also want to try to make a pomegranate liqueur (ratafia).

Erik

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Mmm...pomegranate liqueur! That sounds yummy. Do you have a recipe? There's one around here somewhere for a tangerine ratafia, which was the first I had heard of such things.

Edited March 10, 2005 by LindyCat (log)

[eje]

Mmm...pomegranate liqueur! That sounds yummy. Do you have a recipe?

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I'm a bit new to homemade liqueurs as well. I just put down my first try at a blood orange ratafia this week.

I don't have a recipe for a pomegranate one yet. My concern is that the flavor to water ratio in pomegranates is pretty low, as compared to most things used to flavor liqueurs. At this point I think I will try to steep pomegranate seeds, sugar and alcohol for some period of time, strain, mix with some percentage of your grenadine recipe and age for another period.

[LindyCat]

I found a recipe for a pomegranate liqueur, so I'm bumping this up for you. The gentleman who authored this seems to have done quite a bit of experimenting to get a worthy recipe. I haven't tried it yet (it's spring, after all), but it will give me something to look forward to in the fall. :)

http://www.guntheranderson.com/liqueurs/pomegran.htm

[lancastermike]

My wife wanted grenedine for her cocktails and I almost broke her arm when she reached for a bottle of that grocery store dreck. " I can make that", I said. And I can but if there is a pomegranate within 20 miles of me I can't find it. So I cooked down some of the POM stuff and added some sugar. This turned out to be pretty good stuff. Anyone else done this? I found a thread on the soft drink board were Sam Kinsey said he would try it but did not see a reply.

Currently it is in the fridge and I expect it to be good for a while. Not like made with pomegranates, but not bad at all and was a nice addition to the Floridito we mixed.

Edited August 10, 2005 by lancastermike (log)

[limewine]

So I cooked down some of the POM stuff and added some sugar.  This turned out to be pretty good stuff.  Anyone else done this? 

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I typically use POM when fresh pomegranates are scarce. Though I don't usually cook it--I've tried making grenadine using a 3:1 ratio of POM to sugar, but recently I've tried equal ratios, just shaken together fiercely in a big jar until the sugar has dissolved (it's easier if you use superfine sugar). This version is more like a syrup, and provides the sweetness required by a lot of drinks that call for grenadine, but you still have some of the fresh (as fresh as you can get from a bottle) pomegranate flavor.

I keep a week or two's supply in the fridge (I also use it in Italian sodas for my kids), and freeze the rest--though I've noticed that, perhaps due to the amount of sugar, the stuff in the freezer doesn't freeze solid, it's more of a thick goo. Lately I've just been giving the plastic freezer container a good shake, then measuring out a dollop of chilled grenadine into my mixing tin. No complaints so far.

Paul

[Dave the Cook]

I use POM and sugar 1:1, too, to make 8 ounces of grenadine. Then (I'm not sure where I read it -- either in Killer Cocktails or on the drinkboy site), I add another tablespoon or so of sugar, and a half-ounce of high-proof vodka or rum as a preservative. I've kept a batch as long as two weeks (in the refrigerator) without a problem. It might last longer, but I run out by then.

[mumkin]

And a further "me too" ... 1 c. POM + 1 c. cane sugar + 1/2 oz Everclear, shaken vigorously at room temperature. I haven't bothered to refrigerate mine, but then, I go through it at a fair clip. I suppose I could make more and keep it in the freezer, but my tendency is always to drink the rest of the POM while I'm shaking up the grenadine.

[Dave the Cook]

I try to save the POM for kids' cocktails. Otherwise, they go through the grenadine.

Welcome, mumkin!

[mbanu]

I use POM and sugar 1:1, too, to make 8 ounces of grenadine. Then (I'm not sure where I read it -- either in Killer Cocktails or on the drinkboy site), I add another tablespoon or so of sugar, and a half-ounce of high-proof vodka or rum as a preservative. I've kept a batch as long as two weeks (in the refrigerator) without a problem. It might last longer, but I run out by then.

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I had trouble with my syrups getting moldy if I left them out of the fridge as well. Fortunately, with the help of a friend who makes a lot of candy, I got the lowdown on how to make it work without monkeying with everclear:

First of all, most syrups should be made with a 2:1 sugar/liquid ratio. There's no difference in mixability between 2:1 and 1:1, and it increases the shelf life quite a bit. If 2:1 makes the grenadine too dense to do those nifty sunrise effects, you could probably get away with using 1.5:1, since the pomegranite juice has sugar in it already. My 1:1 grenadine sunrised flawlessly, but it also spontaneously fermented.

Secondly, and this is important, heating your syrup to the right temperature. You don't want to turn it into caramel, but if you don't heat it enough during the syrup making process it molds later. You want to get it up to at least "pearl stage" (around 220-230F, if I remember correctly).

[trillium]

My 2:1 syrup that was heated properly got moldy last week. I'm going back to using alcohol in them.

regards,

trillium

[Dave the Cook]

Another problem I've encountered with 2:1 syrups (if they hang around long enough) is that contaminants, even if they don't cause spoilage, can cause crystalization. I've been pretty good about using perfectly clean glass to store syrups, but the one time I poured a cup of syrup into a plastic container, I came back a couple of days later to some really pretty rock candy. It had gotten a start along an edge roughened by microwaving and dishwashing.

I might not have been clear on my technique. Like mumkin, I just shake like crazy. No stovetop.

[thirtyoneknots]

In response to a query on the Stomping through the Savoy topic, here is my recipe (adapted from others):

Grenadine

makes 3 quarts

2 quart jug of pomegranate juice - I use the grocery store brand

8 cups sugar

1/2 cup vodka OR 1.5-2 oz grain alcohol (Everclear)

1.5 oz Orange Flower Water

.5 oz Vanilla Extract

Heat pomegranate juice over low heat and add sugar. Stir to dissolve and remove from heat. As it cools, add the vodka or everclear, orange flower water, and vanilla. Bottle and store. Should be shelf stable indefinitely. Contains approximately the same amount of sugar as a 2:1 simple syrup, though this would presumably depend on the brand of juice you were using.

The vanilla and ofw make a world of difference in the complexity of this grenadine. The ofw should give it a wonderful floral quality while the vanilla lingers in the background, it should be barely noticeable. This recipe makes quite a bit, but you can certainly scale it down if you wish.

-Andy

[eje]

Here's my current small-ish no-cook version. Quite intense pomegranate flavor.

1 Cup Pomegranate Juice

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Pomegranate Concentrate (Carlo)

1/4 Cup Vodka

Combine sugar with juice and shake until dissolved. Add Pomegranate Concentrate and Vodka.

[slkinsey]

What's the word on non-Pomegranate flavorings in grenadine as it is was used as a cocktail ingredient? (Reduced pomegranate juice, I think, pre-dates its use in cocktails by quite a bit and is part of several culinary traditions.) Are any classics?

Here's an interesting article on grenadine

[thirtyoneknots]

What's the word on non-Pomegranate flavorings in grenadine as it is was used as a cocktail ingredient? (Reduced pomegranate juice, I think, pre-dates its use in cocktails by quite a bit and is part of several culinary traditions.)  Are any classics?

Here's an interesting article on grenadine

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Pomegranate and OFW are both part of Middle Eastern cuisine, so I don't think it's too much of a stretch to combine them. The vanilla just adds a bit of je nais se quois.

[Vesper Lynd]

In response to a query on the Stomping through the Savoy topic, here is my recipe (adapted from others):

Grenadine

makes 3 quarts

2 quart jug of pomegranate juice - I use the grocery store brand

8 cups sugar

1/2 cup vodka OR 1.5-2 oz grain alcohol (Everclear)

1.5 oz Orange Flower Water

.5 oz Vanilla Extract

Heat pomegranate juice over low heat and add sugar. Stir to dissolve and remove from heat. As it cools, add the vodka or everclear, orange flower water, and vanilla. Bottle and store. Should be shelf stable indefinitely. Contains approximately the same amount of sugar as a 2:1 simple syrup, though this would presumably depend on the brand of juice you were using.

The vanilla and ofw make a world of difference in the complexity of this grenadine. The ofw should give it a wonderful floral quality while the vanilla lingers in the background, it should be barely noticeable. This recipe makes quite a bit, but you can certainly scale it down if you wish.

-Andy

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Thanks for that, I guess I'll have to go and have a look in the Middle Eastern grocers for the pomegranate juice.

I presume the alcohol is meerly there as a preservative? However it does remind me I should have to have another look at the bottle of Van Dieman Grenadine Liqueur thats been collecting dust on the bottle shelf From memory I think it was rather sweet and reminded me of one of the medicines I used to get given as a child Then again maybe not

[Vesper Lynd]

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1/4 Cup Pomegranate Concentrate (Carlo)

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Is the Pomegranate Concentrate anything like Pomegranate molasses?

[eje]

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1/4 Cup Pomegranate Concentrate (Carlo)

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Is the Pomegranate Concentrate anything like Pomegranate molasses?

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I'm not sure where the line is between the Molasses and the Concentrate. This manufacturer makes a Pomegranate Concentrate and Molasses. I see them both in stores. The Pomegranate Molasses appears darker and has a couple extra ingredients.

I think the concentrate is just intended to be thinned out and used as pomegranate juice for cooking and drinking.

The reason I decided to use it, was, most pomegranate juice, unless you squeeze your own, comes from concentrate. Why boil away the water the manufacturer adds, when you can buy it without?

[thirtyoneknots]

Thanks for that, I guess I'll have to go and have a look in the Middle Eastern grocers for the pomegranate juice.

I presume the alcohol is meerly there as a preservative?

...

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Correct, the alcohol is added to preserve the syrup at room temperature. Here in the states Pomegranate juice is sold in regular grocers, marketed more or less as a health food.

-Andy

[Vesper Lynd]

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I think the concentrate is just intended to be thinned out and used as pomegranate juice for cooking and drinking.

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Must be a little different then as the molasses is quite tart and is a brownish colour. I've used it in salad dressings, and also have a chicken recipe that uses it.

[David Santucci]

In response to a query on the Stomping through the Savoy topic, here is my recipe (adapted from others):

Grenadine

makes 3 quarts

2 quart jug of pomegranate juice - I use the grocery store brand

8 cups sugar

1/2 cup vodka OR 1.5-2 oz grain alcohol (Everclear)

1.5 oz Orange Flower Water

.5 oz Vanilla Extract

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Warning: All Orange Flower Water is not created equal!

I followed this recipe, and, having read plenty of thirtyoneknots's posts, I have no doubts whatsoever about the recipe. However, when I made it the orange flower water dominated. The grenadine was quite lovely on its own with ice and water, but once let loose in a cocktail, especially when combined with lemon juice, it absolutely took over--in a bad way. So, if you're trying it for the first time, I would recommend addding a few drops to start.

The bottle I have is from a Middle Eastern market, the brand is Cortas, made in Lebanon.

I only had a little bit of pomegranite juice left, which I made into a syrup with nothing but sugar. And, yes, it is a BIG improvement over Rose's, which tastes fake, like Kool-Ade or something of the like. I plan to buy another bottle of pomegranite juice tomorrow and experiment with adding the vanilla, perhaps a drop or two of orange flower water, and am also thinking playing with orange zest and/or juice.

[thirtyoneknots]

When I have made this I used the Monteux brand of OFW, though when that is gone (soon) I'll probably move to The Bitter Truth. You definitely want the European style vs the Middle Eastern style. Sorry for not specifying.

-Andy