Sea buckthorn is an ornamental plant with edible but not very tasty fruits that are rarely used in cooking. But for lovers of homemade spirits, these berries are a great find. Knowing the correct recipe, you can make a tincture of vodka or alcohol from sea buckthorn. The drink will turn out not only tasty, but also healthy. In moderation, it is used for the prevention of beriberi, wound healing and the treatment of inflammatory processes.
To prepare the tincture, I advise you to select only large ripe fruits. Before adding to the jar, all berries must be carefully sorted out, removing rotten and moldy ones.
Ingredients:
- sea buckthorn berries – 3 cups (0,5 kg);
- sugar – 3 tablespoons (75 grams);
- vodka (diluted alcohol, moonshine) – 0,5 liters.
Before infusion, pure alcohol must be diluted with water to 45-40 degrees, and moonshine should be well cleaned with charcoal or a second distillation should be done. Also, an inexpensive cognac can be an alcohol base. In the latter case, the tincture has interesting flavor notes.
To soften the taste, I advise you to replace sugar with fresh (not candied) flower or linden honey (150 grams is enough). Even spice lovers can add orange zest, cloves or pepper (to taste) to the ingredients. Spices are added at the first stage and do not affect the cooking technology.
Sea buckthorn tincture recipe
1. Pour the washed berries together with sugar into a jar and crush with a wooden rolling pin.
2. Add the alcohol base, close the jar tightly with a lid and shake well.
3. Put the jar for 20-25 days in a dark place with a temperature of 18-25°C. Shake the mixture every 3-4 days to better dissolve the sugar.
4. Drain the finished sea buckthorn tincture from the sediment and filter through several layers of gauze and cotton wool to make the drink transparent.
5. Pour into bottles for storage and close tightly with stoppers.
Sea buckthorn tincture can be stored in the refrigerator or basement for up to 3 years. It has a delicate aroma and a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
Attention! Sea buckthorn tincture is contraindicated in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis.