Jamaican Sorrel Drink
This Jamaican sorrel drink is a must at Christmas-time with fragrant hibiscus flower petals steeped alongside spices and infused with Jamaica’s robust Wray & Nephew white rum and Red Label Wine.
Sorrel is very easy to make – only requiring staple holiday spices and some time. To your benefit, I’ve only ever made this recipe every year, throughout the year for my entire life so rest assured that you’ll have a delicious Jamaican sorrel drink that will be so popular it probably won’t last the night!
tips for the best Jamaican sorrel drink
- Don’t boil your sorrel hibiscus petals. Flowers as well as many herbs and spices contain a component called “terpenes” that are partly responsible for flavors and aromas but if these terpenes are exposed to harsh heat for an extended period the flavor can become quite bitter and acrid. Instead, bring water to a boil then turn off the heat before adding the hibiscus sorrel petals – this allows the heat to gently draw out flavor without making it bitter
- Add booze a little at a time. The traditional additions to Jamaican sorrel drink are typically Wray & Nephew white overproof rum and Red Label Wine. Though the red wine is a little more forgiving, adding too much white rum could cause your sorrel to taste more “medicine-like”. If you like a more boozy flavor I recommend adding more red wine or opting for a quality dark rum, like Appleton Estate rums that often have a smoother and sweeter flavor
- Use fresh spices if you can. Freshly cracked all spice and cinnamon sticks will deliver way more flavor than their pre-ground alternatives. Not only that but you can control how fine you grate or grind your spices, allowing them to be easily strained so there’s no sediment at the bottom of your bottle.
- Sub in port wine for traditional Red Label Wine. Red label wine can be hard to find, especially outside for the Caribbean so you’re ok to sub in your favorite port wine.
- Double strain your sorrel. We use a lot of spices and, as mentioned before, grind or crack them for maximum flavor. Straining at least twice through a cheesecloth helps to ensure we don’t end up with sediment in your glass!
Servings: 1 half gallon
Equipment
- 1 large pot with lid
- cheesecloth
- 1 pitcher with at least half gallon capacity
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dried sorrel hibiscus leaves
- 7½ cups water
- 2 ounces ginger grated or chopped
- 1 large orange
- 2 medium/large limes
- 1 TBSP allspice ground
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cups port wine optional (see post for recommendation)
- 1 TBSP white rum optional (see post for recommendation)
- granulated sugar to taste
Instructions
- Add water to a pot and bring to boil. While water boils peel the orange, saving the rind and set aside.
- Turn off heat just before adding dried sorrel leaves, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and the orange rind to the pot.
- Allow to steep, covered for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Strain twice through cheesecloth into pitcher.
- If using, add rum and wine.
- Add juice from limes, previously peeled orange and sugar to taste. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy within 7 days.
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This drink is amazing and refreshing!!
I would pay an ungodly amount of money to have this pumped directly into my veins!! So Good!! Must have with any occasion!!