Preserving Fruits with Booze

Whether it’s fruit growing in the backyard or bulk buys from the farmers’ market, when there is an overabundance of fruit, it’s time to start thinking about preserving it. Lots of folks go the route of jams and jellies. Others might freeze it or can pie filling for later. Dehydrating is another option.

Then, there is a way of preserving fruit that produces two amazing outcomes. Preserving fruits in alcohol not only keeps the fruit edible for months to come but also creates fruit-infused liquor that is truly special to sip. In addition to fruit and booze, spices can be used to enhance the flavor of both products.

This method dates back for centuries. It’s a simple way—no canning, no water baths—of saving your favorite fruits for later when they aren’t in season. So, here’s what more you need to know about using alcohol to preserve fruit.

The Three Ingredients

When preserving fruit in alcohol, we need only three ingredients: fruit, sugar, and alcohol.

Most fruits will do just fine. Popular choices are softer fruits like peaches, plums, berries, and cherries. Citrus fruits are also wonderful. Overly watery fruits like watermelon don’t always produce the best results, and mushier fruits like bananas might not have the best texture if eating the fruit is the point of this.

As for the alcohol, it’s best to use booze that isn’t especially strong. Set the limit at about 40 proof, which leaves standard vodkas, gins, whiskeys, rums, and brandies available. Vodka is good for a neutral boozy flavor, but the other alcohols are nice because they bring their own spices and tastes to the mix.

Sugar helps with preservation as well, and it’s best in this case to stick with straight-up sugar rather than using substitutes. It doesn’t require huge amounts like jams and pie fillings might.

The Basic Formula

Another beauty of preserving fruit in alcohol is that it doesn’t require exacting recipes. As long as the fruit is covered in the alcohol all will be well. There is no worry about botulism or other issues that come along with canning.

Starting with fresh fruit, it’s important to wash it well and get rid of the stems and, for many fruits, the skins. Then, fill up a quart-sized canning jar with the fruit, layering in roughly a cup of sugar as the fruit is packed in. (Some people prefer to make a simple syrup with the sugar and some water.) The jar is topped up with the alcohol of choice, typically about two to three cups of it per jar. Again, all of the fruit needs to be below the surface of alcohol.

The next step is to give it time. Some say that a month is plenty. Others prefer to leave the mixture resting for a few months. Either option is fine. The point is that the fruit is now preserved for when you want it.

Using Your Boozy Fruit

Fruit preserved in alcohol is quite different from fresh fruit or syrup fruit. In this case, this stuff has some kick and is generally not eaten on its own. Instead, it makes a bowl of vegan ice cream or a piece of cake an entirely different experience. Spoon the boozy fruit on there and see how good life (and dessert can be).

This fruit can also be muddled into the bottom of a glass for specialty cocktails. It can be included in other desserts like trifle or baked into cakes. Or, for those who love it so much, it’s fine to eat as is, but remember that it does have an alcohol content and sugar. Too much can turn into a hangover.

Using Your Fruity Booze

Even with all the fruit gone, the booze will retain its flavor so that it can be kept for the next cocktail party or private happy hour. With brandies, rums, and whiskies, it can be quite nice to use a decent quality brand and sip the fruit results on the rocks. Combining gins and vodkas with a tonic or soda mixer makes a lovely drink that allows the fruit to shine.

Of course, there are any number of fun cocktails to kick up a notch or to invent yourself. It’s the perfect time to get creative with fresh herbs.

Have Fun with Your Fruit

Honestly, there are only so many jars of jam one household can handle, only pies one family should eat in a year, so have some fun with that fruit and make it adult-friendly.

Related Content:

• 8 Ways to Preserve Your Extra Tomatoes
• Sage: Ways to Use and Preserve a Bumper Crop
• 8 Tips for Preserving Your Harvest
• 7 Methods for Preserving Peppers
• How to Make Preserved Meyer Lemons [Vegan]

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