Fruit syrup
Grapefruit Syrup
Pink grapefruit zest steeped in hot syrup, fresh juice stirred in cold. Bittersweet and built for the Paloma.
- 43 min total
- 1½ cups + 1 tbsp370 ml
- Keeps 2 weeks
Quick answer
Grapefruit syrup is grapefruit zest steeped in hot sugar syrup, with fresh grapefruit juice stirred in off the heat. Dissolve 1 cup sugar in ½ cup hot water, steep the zest of 1 grapefruit for 30 minutes, strain, add ½ cup juice and a pinch of salt, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Grapefruit is a balancing act between sweet, sour and bitter, and heat throws it off: cooked grapefruit juice tastes canned. So only the water and zest see the stove, and the fresh juice goes in cold.
A pinch of salt sounds odd, but it softens grapefruit's bitterness and makes the citrus pop. It's the same reason a Paloma gets a salted rim.
Tastesbittersweettartpink grapefruit
The recipe
Grapefruit Syrup
Ingredients for 1½ cups + 1 tbsp370 ml
You’ll need: zester, citrus press, small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, swing-top bottle, sparkling water makerzester, citrus press, small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, swing-top bottle, sparkling water maker
Method
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Zest
Finely grate the grapefruit zest, taking only the colored outer layer. Grapefruit pith is thick and very bitter, so go lightly.
1 pink grapefruit½ cup120 ml fresh grapefruit juice
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Dissolve
Warm the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until clear, about 3 minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in the zest.
1 cup200 g granulated sugar½ cup120 ml water
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Steep
Steep for 30 minutes. Don't go much past an hour, or bitterness creeps in.
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Add juice
Strain out the zest through a fine-mesh strainer, then stir in the grapefruit juice and the pinch of salt.
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Bottle
Funnel into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
Storage. Refrigerate in a sealed bottle for up to 2 weeks. Freeze extra in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 31 kcal, 8.1 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Paloma
2 oz (60 ml) blanco tequila, ½ oz (15 ml) lime juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) grapefruit syrup over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, topped with 3 oz (90 ml) soda water.
Zero-proof Paloma
¾ oz (22 ml) syrup, ½ oz (15 ml) lime juice and a pinch of salt over ice, topped with 5 oz (150 ml) soda water.
Grapefruit soda
1½ oz (45 ml) syrup in 6 oz (180 ml) cold sparkling water with a squeeze of lime.
Salty Dog
2 oz (60 ml) vodka or gin, 2 oz (60 ml) fresh grapefruit juice and ¼ oz (7 ml) grapefruit syrup over ice in a salt-rimmed glass.
Grapefruit spritz
1 oz (30 ml) Aperol, ½ oz (15 ml) grapefruit syrup and 3 oz (90 ml) prosecco over ice, with a splash of soda.
Classic drinks with Grapefruit syrup
Gear for this recipe
Microplane Classic Zester/Grater
Lifts just the fragrant zest, not the bitter pith, for brighter citrus syrups. Also grates fresh ginger and nutmeg.
Best for Citrus and ginger syrups
Zulay Kitchen 2-in-1 Metal Lemon & Lime Squeezer
Best for Fresh citrus for sours and lemonade
SodaStream Terra Sparkling Water Maker
Best for Homemade sodas every day
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
More gear for this recipe (3)
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Kuhn Rikon Swiss Y-Peeler (set of 3)
Best for Citrus peels for oleo saccharum
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Juice the grapefruit after zesting and strain the juice; grapefruit pulp makes the syrup cloudy.
- Ruby red grapefruit gives the prettiest color. White grapefruit is more bitter and better suited to dry, bracing drinks.
- Taste before bottling. If your grapefruit was very sour, stir in another tablespoon of sugar until it dissolves.
- Use it sparingly in bitter drinks: try ¼ oz (7 ml) in a gin and tonic or a Negroni.
Variations
Grapefruit-rosemary
Steep 2 sprigs of rosemary with the zest. Superb with gin and in a rosemary Paloma.
Spicy grapefruit
Add half a sliced jalapeño for the last 10 minutes of the steep, for spicy Palomas and margaritas.
Grapefruit-honey
Replace half the sugar with 120 g honey, stirred in off the heat, for a rounder, softer syrup.
Questions people ask
Why is my grapefruit syrup bitter?
Pith in the zest or a long steep. Grate lightly and strain within an hour. A pinch of salt also tames bitterness.
Can I use bottled grapefruit juice?
A good not-from-concentrate juice works for the juice portion. You still need a fresh grapefruit for the zest, which carries most of the aroma.
How long does grapefruit syrup last?
Up to 2 weeks refrigerated. Freeze in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.
Do you need grapefruit soda for a Paloma?
No. Grapefruit syrup plus soda water makes a fresher, less sugary Paloma than most bottled grapefruit sodas, and you control the sweetness.