Jamaican Sorrel Drink

This is a wonderful spice infused Caribbean beverage that is consumed during Christmas and throughout the new year period. My take on this festive drink is sweetened to be low GI and non alcoholic making it suitable for drivers or children. Slow cooker and instant pot friendly!!

As we are fast approaching Christmas I've been working hard behind the scenes on a few projects. Although with that being said I couldn't miss the opportunity to submit this wonderful sorrel drink recipe.

Grab a glass, sit back and get yourself in the festive mood with this delicious island Christmas drink.

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What is sorrel?

Sorrel is the common name that is given to the sepals of the hibiscus plant known Roselle. A species native to West Africa which was brought over to the Caribbean during the transatlantic slave period.

There's so much confusion in respect to sorrel. The easiest way to distinguish is not to mistake it for the common or garden sorrel which is a leafy green herb or hibiscus rosa-sinensis, a bright coloured flower.

In Nigeria, the origins of sorrel, it is known by the name of zobo. Although the zobo drink includes pineapple where as sorrel does not and that is the main difference between the 2 beverages.

Sorrel when fully matured bears a bright crimson hue and this is what is used to make the drink.

Some of you maybe familiar with it's other several different names; Florida Cranberry, Hibiscus Sabdariffa, Saril, Bissap just to name a few and believe me there are SO many names for it.

With that being said, I want to focus on the Caribbean style of making Sorrel as this is what the post is about.

If you're lucky enough to have visited the islands during the festive season, then you already know about some the culinary dishes which are prepared during this time.

Each island brings something unique to the table and that is what I love about the Caribbean embracing each island's uniqueness.

Ingredients you will need

• Sorrel - You will need sorrel leaves, you can get them in dried or its fresh form.
• Water - A large amount of water is need for boiling/steeping the sorrel leaves.
• Agave nectar - You can use granulated or liquid sweetener however I prefer to use agave nectar because it is a liquid sweetener which seemlessly mixes into the sorrel drink.
• Pimento berries/cloves - Whole not ground spices
• Ginger - Fresh grated ginger, large heapings as per the Jamaican version of this drink.
• Orange peel - Orange peel only, with the white part removed, for enhanced flavour.

Traditional Caribbean food and drink

You can find various food and drink traditions such as pastelles (Trinidad) cremas (Haiti) jug jug (Barbados) or even pepperpot (Guyana).

Although the aforementioned are unique to each island, they do share some similarities for instance most islands enjoy their sorrel drink along with some black cake (a sweet fruit cake) during Christmas.

This Jamaican sorrel drink is made using the bright red petals with water, spices, ginger and sugar to sweeten.

To make the actual drink, the leaves are boiled in hot water along with the above ingredients i.e spices.

Once boiled the sorrel is left to steep for a few hours or overnight where it yields a dark red colour.

The petals are strained and the drink is sweetened (traditionally with brown sugar) to taste. Without any sweetener the drink would be quite sour and quite tart in taste.

Some people prefer to add a splash of alcohol to their sorrel making it an all exclusive grown up affair.

When I was growing up my grandmother would make two batches of sorrel one for the children and the other one as she would say "fix it up" with rum, we weren't allowed to drink that one.

There are other drinks that are alcohol free and suitable for the festive season such as;

• Coquito Drink (Puerto Rican Coconut Drink)
• Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine
• Pouche de Creme (Dairy Free) and Vegan Punch ah Creme
• Haitian Cremas

Reasons to make this drink

• High in vitamins and minerals
• Helps to detoxify the body
• it's non alcoholic so great for those who are driving, pregnant, children or simply don't want rum
• It's the perfect Caribbean festive drink
• You will immediately be transported to the Caribbean
• There's no sorrel without Black Cake

Caribbean Sorrel Variations

Caribbean sorrel is BIG business to Island people during Christmas. There are so many delicious variations - Bajan sorrel, Trini sorrel, Jamaican sorrel etc...

Each person makes sorrel differently, for instance some add a large amount of ginger, yielding a strong pungent taste. I personally find Jamaicans tend to go hardcore on the ginger.

Others focus more on infusing the drink with spices - pimento seeds (allspice), cloves, mace, cinnamon and even orange peel. You typically wouldn't use all of the spices at once, just select a few preferred spices.

The steps

• In a large pot bring the water to the boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add your ginger and spices - cloves and pimento berries (allspice) followed by the orange peel.

• After 5 minutes add the sorrel and stir.
• Simmer on low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the stove, cover leave to steep for 2-4 hours or preferably overnight (recommended).
• Strain and discard the excess sorrel, peel and spices.
• Sweeten to taste (add rum or rum flavouring now) and serve.

Where can you buy sorrel?

You can purchase fresh or dried sorrel from most ethnic grocery stores - Latin, African or Caribbean and Asian stores tend to stock it as well. Alternatively, you can purchase it dried online.

Can you leave sorrel to steep for more than 24 hours?

Yes, some people have their sorrel steeping for longer than a day. Keep in mind, the longer you steep the sorrel for, the more pungant and stronger the taste will be.

Can you use another sweetener other than maple syrup or agave nectar?

Yes, you can use cane sugar, just make sure that it is organic.

Can sorrel go bad?

The dried leaves are sold in plastic packaging because the leaves from the plant are dried they generally last a long time. Meaning there is no rush to use the sorrel.

Can you make sorrel without sugar?

If you want to drink sorrel without using any sweetener and make a herbal tea. Simply follow the instructions and steep the leaves/spices while hot and serve.

What does sorrel drink taste like?

When sweetened, sorrel is very fruity, it reminds me of a combination of sweet berries (think cranberries and raspberries) with an element of warmth from the spices.

What can you do with the leftovers?

You can make tea, Sorrel Jam or use it for compost (credit goes to my readers for these ideas)

Can you ferment sorrel?

Yes, back in the day. Once the sorrel was strained and bottled some people would add about ¼ cup or so of rice and leave to ferment in a cool dark place for almost a year.

Of course fermenting is stepping into alcohol territory, it's not something I do but I know this to be an old custom.

Notes and tips

• It is best to steep overnight and strain the next day, however if this is not possible then leave for at least 2-4 hours.
• Fresh sorrel leaves aren't easy to obtain, so use dried sorrel leave instead which are usually available in most African/Caribbean grocery stores/marketplace.
• Make sure to scrape off the pith (white part) from the orange.
• Granulated sweetener doesn't dissolve, if you are using cane sugar, it's best to strain the sorrel then warm it up slightly then stir in your granules so it dissolves, then leave it to cool.
• If you want a STRONG (Jamaican style) ginger sorrel add the ginger in heap forms instead. Some people add more ginger once the sorrel is ready prior to straining
• Feel free to play around with the spices/amount, what is listed is a rough guide.
• Add your chosen sweetener AFTER straining the sorrel drink.
• Make sure to store the sorrel once it is made in the refrigerator.
• Sorrel can be kept refrigerated for 5-7 days (possibly longer but I haven't tested it).
• Feel free to double or triple the recipe for a large gathering.

Other Caribbean drinks to try

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