Sorrel drink is a tangy beverage infused with warm spices often served at Christmastime and New Year's in several parts of the Caribbean.
Learn how to make sorrel drink from scratch!
There are some recipes that are so ingrained in our family traditions, we can sometimes take them for granted. This sorrel drink recipe is like that for me.
We don’t make a ton of Caribbean foods at home, simply because a lot of the classic recipes take a long time to make, or require ingredients that are difficult to find here in Canada.
But my mom has always tried to bring elements of Trinidadian cuisine into our holiday celebrations, with recipes like pone, sweet bread, and this sorrel drink recipe.
Growing up, this ruby-coloured beverage would show up around Christmastime and stick around straight through the New Year.
At first, I didn’t take much notice of it - preferring to drink my mom’s sparkling cranberry punch instead.
But eventually, I came to know sorrel drink as the nicer one of two Trinidadian beverages that my parents would have in the house during the holidays.
(The other drink being something called Mauby – a bitter drink made from special tree bark, which I have never liked!!!)
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🤔 What is Sorrel Drink?
If you've never had this chilled Caribbean beverage before, you can think of sorrel drink as a Christmassy lemonade.
We make the drink by steeping the calyxes of the Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) plant (which we call sorrel) and flavouring the mixture with warm spices.
The drink is tangy and is served cold, making it a refreshing alternative to the heavier winter drinks like hot cocoa or hot chocolate.
🍊 Ingredients
- dried sorrel (a.k.a. roselle or hibiscus sabdariffa)
- water
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- fresh orange peel
- white sugar
If you saw my spiced apple cider recipe, you know that my family loves to cook with star anise, and that flavour is key to our version of sorrel drink, too.
We call this recipe “sorrel”, based on the Roselle hibiscus plant that it’s made from, but there is a leafy green called sorrel, too. The two plants are completely unrelated, so make sure you have the right ingredient before you get started!
📖 Recipe Variations
Like so many Caribbean recipes, including my beloved macaroni pie, there are many different variations of this drink.
- Ginger, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves are popular flavour additions.
- Sometimes allspice and bay leaf are also added.
- While you can add rum or other alcohol to this drink, we've always enjoyed it as a non-alcoholic drink at my house.
🍷 How to Make Sorrel Drink
Some sorrel recipes require you to steep the mixture for hours, or leave it overnight to develop the flavours.
We prefer to use a lot of spices and bring the mixture to a simmer, so that the mixture can become flavourful in a shorter period of time.
However, if you prefer a really strong brew, you can still leave the mixture in the fridge overnight to really intensify the flavours.
We use fresh sorrel for this recipe when it’s available (which isn’t often), but dried sorrel works equally well.
Since dried sorrel tends to be easier to find, I’ve based my recipe on that. You can find dried sorrel at Caribbean speciality stores or large grocery stores. Otherwise, you can buy sorrel online at Amazon.
Using Fresh Sorrel
If you want to use fresh sorrel, be sure to at least double the amount that you use. The dried sepals have a much stronger flavour than the fresh (much like dried herbs).
How to Sweeten and Dilute the Drink
You will probably need to add a lot of sugar to balance out the acidity of the sorrel.
We never sweeten the whole pitcher. Instead, we leave the strained sorrel in the fridge and then everyone can adjust their glass with sugar and water to their preference.
I like to dilute mine a little bit, and add a teaspoon or two of sugar to my glass.
The last thing to keep in mind is that steeped sorrel is sometimes used as a natural pigment to dye fabric, meaning that this stuff will stain anything it touches.
Just something to keep in mind before you decide to make this while wearing a nice white sweater!
Have you tried sorrel before? Let me know in the comments!
🙋🏽♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
It can be. We don't usually add alcohol to our recipe, but you can add white or dark rum to the finished drink. Just adjust the amount to your preference.
No. Not all hibiscus flowers are safe to consume. Sorrel drink is made by steeping the calyxes of the Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) plant, and should not be substituted with other types of hibiscus plants.
It's best to store this drink in a glass bottle, as it is likely to stain plastic. A clean empty wine bottle with a screw-top lid is perfect (in case you'd rather not buy a glass bottle).
Recipe
Caribbean Sorrel Drink
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried sorrel (roselle/hibiscus sabdariffa)
- 10 cups water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise whole
- 2 pieces orange peel fresh (2-3 inches)
- 2 teaspoon white sugar or more (to taste)
Method
- Combine all ingredients, except the sugar, in a large pot.
- Gently simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours to infuse.
- Strain the mixture into a glass pitcher. Set in fridge to chill.
- When ready to serve, sweeten and/or dilute the mixture to your preference. Serve over ice.
- Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It is normal to see some sediment in the bottle after a few days.
Esmeta lawson says
Thanks for sharing, the recipe, was great
Shareba Abdul says
I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Roberto says
A “light” version or better a variant of this recipe is popular in Panama.
Shareba Abdul says
Interesting! I did not know that. Thanks for sharing!
Maria O'Brien says
Queensland, Australia, where I live is sugarcane and rum country so I read, then bought, a Caribbean recipe book. There're a lot of the food groups that are the same in our coastal districts, so I reckon it makes sense to try the foods rather than always look to SE Asia. Bought dried hibiscus flowers at a nearby African shop to try the 'Sorrel Syrup' recipe in my book and it's a hit in my family. Going to make some for Christmas and also try out a non-alcoholic Sorrel punch recipe. This is exciting!The food beats hell out of simple beer and prawns, or for heaven's sake, dry old turkey for Christmas!!
Shareba says
Hi Maria, thanks so much for your comment! You made my day! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas 🙂