I had never tried rhubarb liqueur, but since I love fruity liqueurs, and despite the fact that I tend to steer away from anything super sweet, the thought of a liqueur that is a little more tangy and tart, appealed to me…
Supplies:
- 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, coarsely chopped
- 3 cups vodka (I will use Everclear)
- The peel from one lemon
- Optional: Use a flavored vodka, or add a flavored liqueur
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
Preparation:
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring just until sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Cool. Place coarsely chopped rhubarb in a wide-mouth jar. Add vodka, Grand Marnier, and cooled sugar syrup; stir. Screw lid on tightly; let stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks or until all the color leaches out of rhubarb. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.
Step by step (with pictures):
Everclear Grain Alcohol 151 Proof 750ML. Yep, not messing around here.
3 lbs of rhubarb, straight from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. Won’t need all of it for the liqueur, so looks like I will be baking a pie this weekend…
I decided to just toss in the zest of one lemon to give it an edge. Try to only use the yellow part and not the “pith” or the white part.
Rhubarb out of the fridge. Wash it and cut off the grungy ends, and chop into smaller pieces.
Added the chopped rhubarb to the lemon zest.
Pour in the everclear… I topped it off with some vodka I had lying around. My sense is that one needs not be too specific about measurements.
Ready to hide in a cool, dark place for a month or so…TBC…
About 2 months in the fridge—the color has all been pulled from the rhubarb into the alcohol. The vodka is pink & and the rhubarb less so.
Strained rhubarb infused vodka/everclear. Lovely color.
Next step—the simple syrup. 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water.
You will want the sugar granules to completely disappear.
Simmer until the mixture is clear and has just barely started to boil. Move off burner, and let cool to room temperature.
Might be a good time to tackle the dishes.
Toast 