Sorrel Drink is a tangy, spice-infused beverage that is often served at Christmas and New Year's in several parts of the Caribbean.
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.
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!!!)
You can think of sorrel drink as a Christmassy lemonade.
Steeped sorrel has a strong, tangy/acidic flavour that tastes strangely like lemon, but it plays well with warm fall spices. It might seem a bit strange to drink a cold beverage with warm spices, but it actually works really well!
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 coconut “breakfast bun” cookies, or Caribbean Chelsea buns, and this sorrel drink recipe.
We’ve always just called this “sorrel”, based on the Roselle hibiscus plant that it’s made from, but apparently, there is a leafy green called sorrel too. The two plants are completely unrelated, so if you’re trying this recipe for the first time you’ll want to make sure you have the right ingredient before you get started!
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 additions, but I’ve also seen recipes that call for allspice, bay leaf and rum.
The recipe I'm sharing today belonged to my late grandmother, and of course, my mom has put her own spin on it throughout the years. If you saw our spiced apple cider recipe, you know that we love to cook with star anise, and that flavour is key to our version of 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 flavors.
We use fresh sorrel for this recipe when it’s available (which isn’t often), but dried sorrel works equally well. Since the dried sorrel tends to be easier to find, I’ve based the recipe on that.
If you do get your hands on fresh sorrel, just be sure to at least double the amount that you use. The dried version has a much stronger flavour (like dried herbs).
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!
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 tsp white sugar, or more (to taste)
Instructions
- 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 unused portion in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It is normal to see some sediment in the bottle after a few days.
Notes
- cloves
- allspice
- ginger
- lime Tips:
- For a more "adult" drink, you can add rum to this recipe.
- If using fresh sorrel, you will need at least twice the amount compared to using dried sorrel.
- To intensify the flavour even more, you can leave the unstrained mixture in the fridge overnight, then strain before serving.
- Try lining a sieve with cheesecloth before straining the mixture, this helps to catch tiny particles and impurities in the mixture.
Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations.
SJam
I live in Belize on the Caribbean Sea. This morning in the market were heaps of fresh sorrel! I'm so excited to have fresh sorrel spiced punch for our Christmas day.
Shareba
That sounds so lovely!!! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Merry Christmas 🙂
Sher
I just finished making the sorrel for the 1st time! I put cloves, ginger slices, cinnamon and lemon wedges! I did not know about the star anis. So I added them know to see if the taste will change. I do find the drink a little bitter is that what it is supposed to taste like?
Shareba
Hi Sher,
Hmmm... the drink shouldn't have turned bitter. Star Anise does have a very strong liquorice flavour though, so if you're not used to it you may need to use less or omit them all together.
Another possibility is that your stovetop gets hotter than mine, and the mixture cooked at too high of a temperature for too long. I could see that resulting in a bitter drink. The drink should taste sort of like a warm spiced lemonade, if that makes sense. The sorrel makes the drink sour, which needs to be balanced out with the sugar, and the spices should come through but shouldn't be overpowering.
Mat Vanden
Today While Working outside of a Guyanese Mans House He was impressed with our work and offered us a unknown dark red drink on ice! We said sure , tryed it and the unique flavour sold us both who we’re trying it for the first time.
He was happy we liked it and offered us a bag of sorrel each to make it at home again for ourselves! Awesome experience and that how I learned about this drink and will try it again soon! 🙂
Shareba
That was nice of him! I hope you enjoy making the drink at home 🙂
gale
I'm glad I found your blog. I have everything I need to make the sorrel except an orange, which I will solve once I finish my coffee. I will let you know how it turns out.
Shareba
I hope you like it!
marsha Johnson
I made a pot and it is amazing. Fresh sorell, ginger, allspice and cinnamon sticks. Will add sparkling water sweetener and ice.
Shareba
I'm glad you enjoyed it Marsha! Adding sparkling water is a great idea!
Nancy
After a hot and grueling climb up a narrow, twisting mountain path to spend two weeks with my in-laws in the hills outside of Kingston, Jamaica, I was breathless and drenched in sweat. My mother in law handed my an ice cold glass of sorrel. An unforgettable memory that reminds me of their generous hospitality long ago.
Shareba
That's a great story! I'm sure you appreciated that cold drink, that sounds like quite the trek!
Maria Upal
I have made the drink from the dried flowers first time in my life although I grow sorrel at home and use the leavesma for soups, it is heaven. Thank you for the recipe so now I am enjoying the wonderful drink- thank you so much.
Shareba
I'm so glad I could help Maria!
Marcia
My neighbor gave me sorrel from her garden. I followed my mom's Panamanian recipe which was very much like yours. I made too much though! How should I store this drink? Glass or plastic container? Can I freeze it? Please help I don't want to waste any and I've already given away a gallon. Thank you.
Shareba
Hi Marcia, I always prefer storing drinks that are spiced and/or dark coloured in glass, in the fridge. That way you don't have to worry about flavours sinking into the plastic or strong colours dying it. I've honestly never tried to freeze it, but I think it could work! I'd either freeze it in 1 litre freezer-safe containers (I use food-safe plastic so I don't have to worry about glass breaking in the freezer), and then just thaw what you need when you need it. Any extra sorrel could be made into ice cubes to either cool off your drink without diluting it, or add them to plain water to make a little fancy water. I hope this helps!
Patricio
Do's your mother have a good recipe for Sorel jam without too much sugar
Shareba
Hi Patricio, unfortunately she doesn't. Maybe this might be an option? I haven't tried it myself: https://thatgirlcookshealthy.com/sorrel-jam/