Pickled-Berry Gin and Tonic
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1/2 cups of berries 1x
Description
These berries brighten a classic G&T, but they’re also great on their own, served alongside cheese and charcuterie.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the pickled, spiced berries:
- 8 black peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
- 2 juniper berries
- One 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 small bay leaf
- 2 cups (480 ml) red wine vinegar
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 shallot, quartered lengthwise
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 18-oz (510 g) fresh blackberries
For the Gin and Tonic
- 3 cubes of ice
- 1-oz (30 ml) gin (we love Watershed Distillery's Four Peel Gin)
- 5-oz (150 ml) tonic
- pickled blackberries (more or less to your liking)
- 1-2 tbsp spiced liquid (to taste)
Instructions
For the berries:
- Lightly crush the peppercorns, allspice, juniper berries, ginger and bay leaf on a cutting board with the back of a cast iron pan (you can also use a mortar & pestle or place in a plastic zip-topped bag and give it a couple of good whacks with a rolling pin)
- Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, shallot and fresh thyme
- Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar and salt; let the brine cool completely (you’ll cook the fruit if you don’t – not what you’re looking for here)
- Strain the brine into a large, clean measuring cup
- Divide the fresh berries evenly among clean jars and top with cooled brine
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 week before serving, 2 is even better
For the gin and tonic:
- Mix all ingredients together and serve
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 130
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why must the brine cool completely before adding the berries?
Step 3 of the berry instructions explicitly warns to let the brine cool completely before pouring it over the fresh blackberries—if you don’t, the heat will cook the fruit, which is not what you want for this recipe.
How far in advance do I need to make the pickled berries?
The recipe says to refrigerate the berries for at least 1 week before serving, with 2 weeks producing an even better result. Plan ahead before mixing the cocktails.
