Topic: sloe gin recipe

[fugazi]

anybody got a sloe gin recipe and directions for making? got huge sloe trees next to my plot, shame to waste them ;)

[Mrs Ava]

Don't touch them until winter sets in.  Then pick pick pick - I do it about 10 to 12 weeks before Christmas as I want it for Christmas pressies.  I bung them in a carrier bag and drop them in the freezer - this damages the skin for maximum flavour, and frosts them which is the best time to pick them, after the frost, but here in Essex, that would be March!  I then fill a large kilner jar half full of sloes, then fill it to the top with your gin of choice.  Give it a good shake every day for the first couple of weeks, then when you remember, but preferably, weekly.  When gin day arrives.....so 10 weeks or so, strain the gin/sloe mix - I use a muslin as I don't want bits.  Next make a sugar syrup - I do a few large tablespoons of sugar to a couple of teaspoons of water and melt it slowely in a pan until all the sugar is dissolved.  Then add and sample, add and sample, until you are happy with the taste.  Some people like it very sweet, so you will need to make a lot of syrup, some like it more fruity and ginny, like me, so less sugar syrup.  Some people add the sugar at the same time as the fruit and I believe you do roughly about equal quantities.  I don't think you can really go wrong.  Some people keep the sloes to eat once they have been pickled in the gin, I tried and hated them.....however, damsons done in the same way make excellent jam afterwards!

[fugazi]

thank you very much, looking forward to picking time!

[silverbirch]

My recipe is 1lb sloes, 1 lb sugar, 1 bottle (70cl) gin.  That lot just about fits in to a old 1 1/2 l bottle, or I've even used 2l plastic bottles.  Leave for 6 -8 weeks, shaking every day until the sugar has dissolved. I strain through a double muslin as well, then finish off through paper coffee filters.

I agree with putting them in the freezer first though, it does soften them, especially if we haven't had a decent frost.

You can make sloe jelly once they are finished with, treat just like damsons.  Or mix in with some blackebrries and rose hips for a "hedgerow" version.

[davee52uk]

Did the same with damsons and vodka last year - really good. Best to leave the stones on with the damsons as it gives it a lovely almond-like flavour.

I'm trying loganberries and vodka this year and will start again on this year's damsons soon. Also will probably try plums + rum - any recipes?

I was stuipid and threw away the fruit last year but could imagine that it would make really good jam or tarts.

Slightly off-topic, but has anyone tried making jam and adding whisky, rum etc - I know you can buy marmalade with whisky.

[Paulines7]

If I can find some sloes I might make some sloe gin this year. 

My Mum made some when I was a teenager and it tasted awful so it got pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotten.  Several years later we found it again and it was delicious and tasted like a liqueur.   It didn't last very long then.    ;D ;D   

I have just seen the Greengage thread so don't know whether to post this here or there, but has anyone actually made greengage gin instead of sloes?   :-\

[saddad]

Davee52uk
The best use for the fruit is to make "dog turds" melt some cooking choc and dip/roll the fruit in it... will need to be chilled for best effect and will develop a bloom as the alcohol fights it's way out... can add chopped nuts/raisins to the fruit...
also great in home made ice cream!

As I am now lactose intolerant I'm going to go into a corner and sulk for a while
 :'(  :'(  :'(  :'(

[Emagggie]

Don't cry Saddad, eat Swedish Glace (lactose free) instead, and dark choc instead of milk.

[Mrs Ava]

Yes Dave, I put booze in some of my jams, jellies and marmalades.  About a teaspoon per jar is enough as you really only want a whiff of flavour and scent, altho I have been rather heavy handed with my wiskey marmalade and it is DEVINE!  ;D  Put it into the jars before adding the jam, don't add it to the boiling mix otherwise you loose the alcohol.

I tried eating the sloes after they had been in the gin but I thought they were vile, however, in jelly they are great.  Have done damsons and plums in gin and voddy.  Might give some of the plums a go.  Wonder what alcohol I have I can use??

[sand]

Just been given a bucket full of damsons so I'm going to try damson gin this year, loved last years blackberry gin.

I've also come across loads of sloes today that seem ready for picking.  Why do you say to leave them until the frosts?  I'm afraid they will be well picked if I leave them that long.

I was hoping to go back tomorrow ???

sand

[Chantenay]

A truly embarassing question :-[  -  How do you drink the sloe gin and whatever-it-was vodka? Which glasses would I use??

[Emagggie]

Liquer glasses Chantenay, it's quite potent stuff and too much can result in a whopping hangover. (yes, I was that woman ::))

[wilko]

 ;) I enjoy a sloe gin in a tall glass on ice, with a Schweppes, Straightcut Pomegranate and Blueberry mixer............absolutely yummy

[widgetwilk]

Just picked my first 2lb of sloes,
we always have it before christmas dinner,
same because you can't always remember the dinner ;) ;)

[Emagggie]

 ;D ;D ;D

[Barnowl]

One of my uncles says that sfter removing the sloes you should add the to a bottle of ordinary white wine and leave for a few days. Apparently it makes a delicious drink.

Haven't tried it myself because I leave my sloes in the bottle for a year or so until I get round to creating the final blend. After which process I'm in no fit state to start re-bottling the sloes.

[killerflies]

Hi all!

Can I ask if the type of Gin that you use is important for taste?

I made some beech leaf noyau this year (flipping tasty it was too!!) but found that the Gordon's gin put a serious dent in the pocket. There are cheaper gins and was hoping that they'd do for my sloe gin.

Im not a gin drinker by any means, so cheap gin could very well taste the same as expensive gin........that said, Id like it to be worth my while and not regret it for the sake of skimping.

[Barnowl]

I agree with putting them in the freezer first though, it does soften them, especially if we haven't had a decent frost.

I'm not a fan of the freezer technique. I do it the old fashioned way by sticking a pin in each sloe because I found that sloe gin made from frozen sloes tended to turn brown after a couple of years.

[Emagggie]

I made the last batch with Aldi's best gin. It was fine. I suppose it depends whether you like it dry. I've got a feeling Tim's the man to tell you about gin.
How lucky you are to have some sloes, I counted 4 in the hedgerow this morning :o.

[Tin Shed]

Good old Aldi - what would we do without them!
When all the gin goes off the shelves in the local branch, Emaggie, I will know when you are making your sloe gin!