Did you know that Grenadine was originally made from real pomegranate juice? That’s right! A long, long time ago though. Just like everything else you buy nowadays they figured out how to make more money, by cheapening the product with artificial ingredients. I say BOO to that!
If you prefer natural flavors and colors over high fructose corn syrup and food coloring like me, you will love making your own grenadine! The store-bought stuff contains Red 40 and Blue 1. Those ingredients do not give you anything but artificial color, so skip them and make your own!
This grenadine will help you create the best Shirley temple or cocktail with grenadine you’ve ever had!
What is Grenadine?
I never really knew or thought about what grenadine was until I decided to make it myself. Grenadine is a nonalcoholic viscous syrup used in cocktails and mocktails for added color and flavor. I bartended in my 20’s, used the bright red syrup that often sat out on our bar without refrigeration and didn’t think twice about how it came to be. One assumes that it was supposed to be a cherry-flavored syrup made from the same stuff maraschino cherries were soaked in. Boy, was I wrong! The younger me was a fan of the bright colored syrup and those bright red cherries, but the older me hates the artificially flavored and colored duo.
Brief Grenadine History
The name grenadine comes from the French word, “grenade” meaning pomegranate aka “syrup de grenade” (syrup of pomegranate). The first mention of this syrup was around the late 1700’s. Then, in the early 1800’s grenadine was introduced to the United States as a flavoring for beverages, made with pressed pomegranates. In the late 1800’s the syrup was already being produced with artificial flavors since pomegranates were hard to come by and exotic.
Jump to the early 1900’s and suddenly there are lawsuits about the syrup no longer containing any pomegranate. From then on, the natural richness and fresh taste of the original syrup was gone.
If you’d like to learn more about the history of grenadine, this is a great post by Libation Legacy, “Grenadine Syrup: More Than Just Red Simple” if you’d like to learn more about the fascinating history of grenadine syrup.
Store-bought vs Homemade Comparison
Once I decided I wanted to make my own grenadine syrup, I bought a bottle of Rose’s (standard grenadine syrup you see in bars and liquor stores) and compared it with my homemade version. The first thing you notice is the bright color of Rose’s. Looking at the ingredients the first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup. Look a little further and there’s Red 40 and Blue 1. There literally is no natural ingredient in it.
Homemade Grenadine Ingredients
This homemade grenadine can be made with just 2 main ingredients, pomegranate juice and sugar.
When you make your own grenadine, you’ll see many recipes out there adding orange blossom water, aka orange flower water, but historically I haven’t seen that as an original ingredient. I add a little bit of lemon juice just to give it a little depth of flavor. A touch of citric acid is always a nice way to balance out something sweet. Another option is adding a little vanilla extract.
- Pomegranate juice– You can make your own fresh pomegranate juice by blending or squeezing pomegranate seeds/arils, but if that is not an option using a store-bought unsweetened pomegranate juice is great as well!
- Sugar– standard white cane sugar is perfect. If you use any other kind of sweetener, I can not guarantee how the syrup will turn out.
- Lemon juice– I just use a small amount of bottled lemon juice. Some recipes call for orange blossom water, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I think it’s an unnecessary additional cost and this pomegranate syrup tastes great as is without it.
Uses for Homemade Grenadine
- Cocktails: Make some fun and classic cocktails like, Tequila Sunrise, Jack Rose, Singapore Sling, Pink Lady, Scofflaw cocktail and many more.
- Mocktails: Make the best Shirley temple ever! Add a drizzle to sparkling seltzer water for flavor and color. Add it to a non-alcoholic punch for added natural color and flavor. Use it for any mocktail recipe that calls for grenadine or pomegranate syrup or juice.
- Other Uses: You can add just a drizzle for desserts or ice cream. Try a little bit for glazing meat, like a ham for Christmas, YUM!!
CHEERS!!
Simple Homemade Grenadine (Pomegranate Simple Syrup)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
- Add pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice to a medium saucepan on medium heat to start.
- Once the sugar dissolves and the liquid gets to a simmer turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes (if you want a more viscous thinner syrup), stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn't boil real hard or burn. If you would like the syrup a little thicker, simmer for 5 more minutes (15 total).
- After the 10-15 minute simmer go ahead and turn the burner off and remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once it's cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a glass bottle or mason jar and store in the refrigerator.
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