I made Caribbean sorrel drink the other day because ’tis the season. I decided to make a quick post to share the recipe for those who are looking for drinks to enjoy on Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Year’s eve, or on other days in the holiday season. Sorrel drink is made from the petals of the sorrel plant which is also called the hibiscus plant, Roselle plant and flor de Jamaica. These petals can be purchased from Amazon, health food stores, Afro-Caribbean grocery stores, and Latin American grocery stores; I purchased the ones that I used for this drink from La Tortilleria.
Sorrel drink is usually served during Christmas and New Year’s time in the Caribbean. Nigerians also make this beverage but it is referred to as zobo drink or zoborodo in Nigeria. The beverage is sweet and tangy like cranberry juice and can be consumed as a non-alcoholic drink or as an alcoholic drink with a bit of rum.
How to Make Caribbean Sorrel Drink
The ingredients that you’ll need for this drink are: 2 cups of sorrel petals, 2 tablespoons of ginger (grated), 1 cinnamon stick, 15 allspice seeds (pimento), 1 orange peel, juice of half an orange, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 9 cups of water.
Boil 7 cups of the water in a large pot on the stove. Remove the pot from the heat and add the sorrel petals, ginger, cinnamon stick, allspice seeds, orange peel, and orange juice to the water and let sit for 2 hours. Use a strainer to strain the juice and throw out the solids.
Pour the sugar and the remaining cups of water into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Continuously use a spoon to mix the sugar until it completely dissolves in the water. Let the syrup cool and then pour it into the sorrel drink and mix well using a spoon. Place the drink in the refrigerator and let it chill before serving. You can add a splash of rum to individual servings and/or some orange slices to the drink that you’re serving. Happy holidays!
Caribbean Sorrel Drink
Ingredients
- 2 cups sorrel petals
- 2 tbsp ginger (grated)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15 allspice seeds (pimento)
- 1 orange peel
- juice of half an orange
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 9 cups water
Instructions
- Pour 7 cups of water in a large pot and boil the water on the stove.
- Remove the pot from the stove and add the sorrel petals, ginger, cinnamon stick, allspice seeds, orange peel, and orange juice to the water.
- Let the ingredients sit for 2 hours and then strain the juice from the solids and throw out the solids.
- Boil the remaining cups of water and the sugar in a small saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Use a spoon to continuously mix the sugar until it completely dissolves in the water.
- Let the syrup cool and then pour it into the sorrel drink and use a spoon to mix well.
- Place the drink in the fridge and let the drink chill before serving.
- To make the drink alcoholic, you can add a splash of rum to the individual servings.
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