The short answer: for this ginger shot recipe, blend 100 g fresh ginger with the juice of 2 lemons, 1 orange and 150 ml water until smooth. Strain it through a fine sieve or a clean cloth, bottle it and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pour 30 to 40 ml per shot.
A ginger shot is a small glass of fresh ginger with citrus. It tastes sharp, hot and sour, and it is gone in one gulp. This ginger shot recipe needs no juicer: a blender and a sieve make ten shots in fifteen minutes.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 15 minutes |
| Makes | About 350 ml, or 10 shots of 35 ml |
| Equipment | Blender, fine sieve or clean cloth |
| Keeps | Up to 5 days in the fridge, 3 months frozen |
Ingredients
- 100 g (about 3½ oz) fresh ginger, a piece the size of a large thumb or two
- Juice of 2 lemons (about 80 ml)
- Juice of 1 orange (about 80 ml)
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) cold water
- Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons honey, a pinch of black pepper, or a slice of apple for sweetness
Do you need to peel the ginger? No. Young ginger with thin skin only needs a good scrub. Peel older, knobbly ginger with the edge of a spoon if the skin is dry or dirty.
How to make ginger shots
- Chop. Scrub the ginger and cut it into thin slices across the fibres. Small pieces blend more smoothly.
- Blend. Put the ginger, lemon juice, orange juice and water into the blender. Blend on full speed for 1 minute until there are no pieces left.
- Strain. Pour the mix through a fine sieve, a nut-milk bag or a clean thin tea towel set over a jug. Press or squeeze out every drop.
- Taste. Stir in honey if you want it softer, or a little more lemon if you want it sharper. Honey is not for babies under 12 months.
- Bottle and chill. Pour into a clean glass bottle, close it and keep it in the fridge. Shake before each pour, because the ginger settles.
How strong will it be?
Fresh ginger's bite comes from gingerols, the compounds that make it taste hot. More ginger per glass means more burn. This recipe is lively but drinkable for most people. Adjust it to your taste:
| Style | Ginger per 300 ml liquid | Taste |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle | 60 g | Warm, citrus first |
| Classic | 100 g | Sharp and spicy |
| Fiery | 150 g | Very hot, for ginger fans |
If a shot is too fierce, mix it with a little apple juice or sparkling water. It still tastes of fresh ginger, only softer.
Variations
- Ginger and apple: replace the orange with 1 cored apple. Sweeter and rounder.
- Ginger and turmeric: add a 3 cm piece of fresh turmeric. It turns the shot deep yellow and earthy. It stains, so rinse the blender straight away.
- Ginger and pineapple: add a handful of fresh pineapple for a tropical taste.
- Ginger and mint: blend in a few mint leaves for a cooler finish.
Tips for a smoother shot
- Use fresh, firm ginger. It should snap cleanly and smell sharp. Soft or wrinkled ginger tastes dull and woody.
- Squeeze the citrus by hand. Blending whole lemons with their peel makes the shot bitter. Use only the juice.
- Strain twice for a clear shot. First through a sieve, then through a cloth. The second pass catches the fine fibres.
- Serve it cold. A cold shot tastes cleaner and less fierce than a warm one.
- Make a small batch first. Every piece of ginger has a different heat. Taste, then adjust the next batch.
How to store ginger shots
- Fridge: in a clean, closed glass bottle for up to 5 days. The flavour is brightest in the first 2 or 3 days.
- Freezer: pour into an ice-cube tray, freeze, then keep the cubes in a bag for up to 3 months. Thaw one or two cubes in the fridge overnight.
- Do not keep it at room temperature. It is a fresh juice with no preservatives.
What to do with the pulp
The ginger pulp in the sieve still has plenty of flavour. Do not throw it away.
- Steep a spoonful in hot water with lemon and a little honey for a ginger tea.
- Stir it into a stir-fry or a curry paste.
- Freeze it in small portions for marinades.
Want ginger flavour that keeps for months instead of days? See our guide to making ginger extract for baking. For a sweeter spoonful to go with your shots, try a jar of whipped honey.
Questions
Can I make ginger shots without a juicer?
Yes. Blend the ginger with the citrus juice and a little water, then strain it through a fine sieve or a clean cloth. The result is very close to juiced ginger, and the blender is easier to clean.
How long do homemade ginger shots last?
Up to 5 days in a closed bottle in the fridge, or about 3 months frozen as ice cubes. Shake the bottle before you pour.
Why is my ginger shot so spicy?
There is a lot of ginger per glass. Use less ginger next time, or dilute each shot with apple juice or water until it suits you.
Do I have to peel the ginger?
No. Scrub young ginger well and blend it with the skin on. Only peel older ginger with dry or damaged skin.
