The pomegranate-flavored syrup grenadine, like simple syrup and sour mix, are popular cocktail ingredients that are far better when made from scratch and it's really easy to do. This homemade grenadine recipe produces a far better product than the majority of the store bought brands, but, because of the lack of preservatives, it doesn't have as long of a shelf life. However, 1 1/2 cups of grenadine in normal cocktail use should last quite awhile so you don't have to worry about that. This particular recipe uses pomegranate juice (look for POM or Gnar), but there's also a version that uses fresh pomegranate.
Ingredients:
- 1 quart pomegranate juice
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 dashes orange flower water
Preparation:
- Bring the pomegranate juice and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
- Reduce the heat and cover, allowing it to simmer for 10-15 minutes and stirring occasionally.
- Allow the mixture to cool, then pour into a small decanter or bottle with a tight-sealing lid.
- Add a dash or two of orange flower water (don't overdo it).
- Seal the bottle and give it a few good shakes.
This grenadine should be good for up to 3 weeks and makes about 1 1/2 cups. You can also add a small amount of over-proof (over 80) vodka as a preservative to give it a little longer of a shelf life. Some people would also recommend freezing the grenadine, but I think this takes the freshness out of it.
