My last blog post shared a cocktail in the spirit of Chinese New Year called a ‘Happy Dragon cocktail’ made with homemade Ginger-Infused Vodka. It’s a cinch and I’ll provide the instructions so you may do the same.
Ginger is a coveted culinary and medicinal root. I have addicted friends who eat it like a beaver chomps through trees. It has a nice warming effect and is great for ailments of the stomach. (You may have heard of the motion sick remedy of Ginger Pills). I for one make a tea from it during the winter with a few 1/8 inch slices of unpeeled ginger, a slice of lemon and a bit of honey in teacup filled with boiling water. It’s light, flavorful and I’m sure good for me!
Ginger is a root and when mature it bears spiciness (like arugula is spicy, not like chilies). It is a distinct flavor you’ll identify in most Asian cuisine though it’s present in international cuisine. When infused in the vodka the vodka has a clear ginger flavor but it’s not strong in the way something like crystallized ginger is. Makes for a unique twist in vodka cocktails.
GINGER-INFUSED VODKA
I suggest using very light flavored Vodka for this infusion desiring the ginger to be the flavor to shine through.
Yield: approximately 2 cups infused vodka
Ingredients:
· ½ cup unpeeled ginger, sliced (about 1/8th inch thick)
· 2 cups quality Vodka
Place ginger and vodka in a sealable glass jar. Set in a dark location. Check flavor after 7 days. If it is strong enough for your taste you can begin to use it. If you’d like a stronger flavor allow it to sit 3-4 additional days, taste and either use or allow to sit longer. I did not remove the ginger from my Vodka once it was done though you can.
GINGERTINI
A ginger spin on a classic cocktail. I garnished with sliced kumquats on a skewer.
· 2 ounces Ginger-Infused Vodka
· 1 ounce Martini and Rossi Rosso Vermouth
· Splash Lemon Bitters
POMEGRANATE GINGER SPARKLER
I use organic, unfiltered pomegranate juice so it has a darker reddish-brown color to it that I love.
Ingredients:
· 1 ½ ounces Ginger-Infused Vodka
· ½ ounce Lemon Vodka
· ½ ounce Simple Syrup
· 2 ounces unsweetened Pomegranate juice
· Ginger ale
Combine vodkas, simple syrup and pomegranate juice in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass filled with ice. Pour in Ginger ale to fill glass. I garnished with a slice of an Asian pear.
A few straight forward options; one a redo of a classic Vodka Tonic….
GINGER-VODKA TONIC
· 1 ½ -2 ounces Ginger-Infused Vodka
· Tonic
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add vodka and fill with a quality tonic.
GINGER-VODKA AND GINGER ALE
· 1 ½ -2 ounces Ginger-Infused Vodka
· Ginger ale
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in vodka and fill with Ginger ale.
In case you missed this…..
HAPPY DRAGON COCKTAIL
This drink is very fresh tasting with the tangerine juice and ginger. You could easily make it non-alcoholic by omitting the ginger-infused vodka.
Makes: I cocktail
· 1 to 1 ½ ounce Ginger-Infused Vodka
· Juice of 2 tangerines, freshly squeezed
· Splash lychee fruit syrup (most easily found from a can of lychees)
· Ginger ale to fill
Fill an 8 ounce flute with ice. In a separate glass add the ginger-infused vodka, tangerine juice and lychee syrup. Stir and pour into the flute. Fill glass with ginger ale. Garnish with a lychee fruit on a skewer.
Cooking with Michele says
Goodness, how do you get anything done with all of these wonderful cocktails in your life?! 🙂 I might just have to switch from wine to hard liquor so I can try some!
Boulder Locavore says
I think the better question is 'how do you have any space in your pantry with all the mason jars of infusions'? I do more creating than drinking.
Kiri W. says
Hot damn! I hadn't even thought to make my own infused spirits at home!
The happy dragon cocktail sounds amazing, I love lychee to death.
Boulder Locavore says
I'll warn you Kiri, once one opens the infusing door there are no limits! I look at almost everything as 'infusable' now!
Eliotseats says
Not only am I going to infuse some vodka, I am trying out your warming tea.
Boulder Locavore says
I hope you will try the tea! It's very good especially if you are feeling under the weather.
Simply Tia says
I am going to have to try ginger infused vodka. Right now in my cool dark place I have mason jars of bubble gum infused vodka, resse's peanut butter cup infused vodka and peppermint infused vodka. I have two more days left in the process. As soon as those are done, I'll be starting the ginger one! Yum.
Boulder Locavore says
Wow! That is quite a collection of vodkas. I wonder if you'll be making up cocktails with them all and if so I'd love to see them!
Yvette ~ Muy Bueno Cookbook says
TGIF!!! LOVIN’ the sound of infusing ginger to make all these amazing cocktails. I can’t wait to try it. I bet these drinks are amazing. WOWZA!
Boulder Locavore says
Hi Yvette! Great to have you pop by and thank you for your kind remarks about the cocktails! It's a fresh twist on regular vodka and certainly without limit on how it could be used! Have a great weekend.
Sandra says
I am looking forward to trying this and know I'll want to infuse some of everything.
Tre says
I’m SO glad I found your site ! I love infusing spirits… I have a recipe where I infuse fresh ginger with tequila. I’ve also invented a drink where I infuse ginger with gin, add fresh juiced cucumber, fresh squeezed lime juice, a splash of simple syrup, shaken with ice and served in a chilled martini glass (I keep a dozen in my freezer at all times – for emergencies), and served with either a paper thin cucumber floater, or a sprig of fresh mint. Hail Daylight Savings Time !
Toni Dash says
I’m glad you found me too Tre! I agree on the infusing. Once you start the world of possibilities open up, don’t they? I love the gingery things you’ve made! I made some Ginger Vodka last year that I wound into a Chinese New Year cocktail with mandarin orange. It’s a great ingredient. Thanks for ‘popping in’; hope you’ll continue to find things your like and keep me posted on your inventions too!
Bill says
Toni – Thanks for the recipe for ginger infused vodka. I have a batch going right now. I suggest using Vernor’s Ginger Ale – it is barrel aged and it’s as sweet as most other brands.
I have a question about the knife in your pictures. It’s beautiful. What brand is it?
Toni Dash says
Bill my apologies for my delayed response. Thanks for your ginger ale tip! I too like smaller batch crafted ginger ale that tastes less processed. I think you’ll like the ginger vodka.
The knife is a steak knife that I found at a Thrift store actually! Lucky find.
Thanks much for your comment! Enjoy the vodka!
Katie B says
These look awesome. Better discovered late than never! My question is what you mean by sealing the jar. I use mason jars to store everything, but I use plastic lids on them. Do you mean to seal them like in a canning process, or just to put the flat metal lid on and secure with a ring? Or would a plastic lid be sufficient (it is not airtight or leakproof). Thanks so much! Can’t wait to get started.
Toni Dash says
What I really mean is to keep it in a jar or bottle with a lid or that can be closed. You want the infusion to stay closed to prohibit evaporation. I do think of plastic lids for Mason jars as leakproof as I use them often for this type of thing. Even a recycled jar that has been sanitized and has a tight fitting lid is fine.
Zach says
Beautiful knives. Where did you get them?
Toni Dash says
A thrift store find Zach. I love them too!
Charles says
Just came across your site Toni as I am just getting into infusion myself. Your recipes look great and will have to give them a try, especially the Happy Dragon.
Just wanted to share the method I use in the event you would like to speed up your wait times. Not too long ago I started cooking via Sous-Vide using an immersion circulator and recently realized that I could also use this method for infusions. I made a great vodka ginger infusion using crystallized ginger that I usually drink straight (from the freezer that is). It took about 3hrs @ 135 degrees F. Another great thing about this method is that I can try several different versions at the same time. In my first attempt I had three different mason jars with each having different amounts (grams) in it.
I’ve also made a honey pepper vodka in the attempt to replicate Nemiroff’s version that I cannot find anywhere around me. I simply used whole black peppercorns and honey. This is still in the process of perfecting.
I’m currently attempting recipes that I can drink straight or with a little sparkling water. My next effort is a ginger pineapple vodka infusion using crystallized ginger and natural dried pineapple (no sugar). Hopefully it will turn out as good as I am imagining it.
Toni Dash says
Charles I love getting your comment! Ironically I received a sous-vide device last Christmas and haven’t used it yet! Ug, I feel horrible saying that but it’s a time thing. I have not been infusing as much recently but ironically just pulled out a new infusion that I’ll be sharing in the next week. I love all your flavor combinations and sharing how you approached your process. It’s always fun to try and learn new ideas. Please promise you’ll keep in touch with your efforts and let me know what you are up to! And check back in a about a week for my latest infusion!
Marian says
I love this idea and wouuld really like to make it but am a bit bewildered by the ‘cups’ ….. what would a cup of ginger weigh …. I could put it in a cup but don’t want to pack it too firmly and end up with too much? And what size cup would you use for the vodka … 7oz or smaller. I’d really appreciate your help.
Toni Dash says
Hi Marian. My guess is you might be in the UK? These measurements are taken with each a dry (for the ginger) and liquid (for the vodka) measuring cup in the U.S. 1 fluid cup is equal to 8 ounces of liquid. The dry measuring cup measures volume. With my husband’s help and some of our cookbooks we feel for the ginger it would be equivalent to roughly 120 ml for you. Using a metric converter I found on Google, 2 cups liquid equals 473 ml which is the amount of vodka the recipe takes. Hopefully this helps!