There are a few reasons you might have ended up with leftover alcohol soaked fruit. You might have needed the fruit for:
- A recipe
- Infusing alcohol
- Just something tasty and boozy to eat at a party
If you’ve got extra, there’s no reason to toss it! There are plenty of fun ways to use up your boozy fruit.
1. Freeze the Fruit for Later
First off, if you don’t have an immediate need for it, you can freeze your leftover fruit. Because of the alcohol content, the pieces might not freeze solid, but they’ll still save well in a bag or tupperware in the freezer.
2. Make Fruit Infused Liquor
If you’ve got some leftover alcohol soaked fruit from a recipe or party, consider using that fruit to infuse vodka or another liquor. Put the fruit into a jar, completely cover it in alcohol of your choice, place the lid on, and store it in a cool dark place. It’ll help to shake the jar every few days. Fruit will last quite a while in a jar of alcohol, especially if it’s in the fridge. After a few weeks, or up to a few months, strain it to remove the little fruit pieces. You’ll be left with a naturally and deliciously flavored liquor to drink or add to a cocktail!
At this point, your fruit might have started to fall apart and be beyond use. But if you want to try to get some more mileage out of it, below are a few more ways to use it.
3. Turn it into Dessert
You can easily use leftover alcohol soaked fruit in a delicious dessert. Simmer it with some sugar and use it as an ice cream topping, or use it as a fruit layer in a cake or crumble. You’ll simmer off all the alcohol but will still be left with great flavor.
Note: If you’re worried that the alcohol flavor will come through too strong in any of these ideas, you can always mix the fruit you’re using with fresh fruit in order to dilute the alcohol content.
4. Use it as a Glaze on Meat
For a savory option, certain fruits can also be turned into a rich glaze for chicken or pork. As above, simmer the fruit with some sugar, if you’d like to neutralize some of the sharpness of the alcohol. Fruits that would be delicious prepared this way include peaches, pears, and berries. Or imagine some rum-soaked pineapple glaze on roasted pork!
5. Make Jelly or Jam
If you’re into canning, you can create some tasty jam or jelly with leftover alcohol soaked fruit. The boozieness of the fruit won’t affect the process. In fact, there are many jam and jelly recipes that specifically call for alcohol. For some inspiration, check out this rum raisin apple pie jelly or this brandied vanilla pear jam.
6. Make an Alcoholic Smoothie
This is a great option for any type of alcohol soaked fruit you’ve got. Make a fun boozy smoothie! It’s very simple too – blend the fruit with some ice and juice and you’ve got a refreshing adult slushie.
7. Create Boozy Ice Cubes
Place pieces of the fruit into an ice cube tray, fill with water, and freeze. These will be fun to use in cocktails later! Not only will they look pretty, but as the ice melts, the fruit will add flavor to your drink.
8. Compost Leftover Alcohol Soaked Fruit
If you think the fruit has reached the end of its life, and you don’t have another use for it, composting is a good way to dispose of it. Not everyone has a compost pile, but if you do, you know the incredible benefits of having one. You can create amazingly rich soil for your garden or houseplants while reducing the food waste sent to a landfill. And that’s important because food does not break down in a landfill – it turns into harmful methane gas. Both fruit and alcohol are perfectly acceptable items to compost, so toss ’em in and let ’em rot!
Side note: If you don’t currently have a compost bin, but have been thinking of getting into composting, this is a personal favorite. It’s the perfect size, and the lid prevents animals from getting in and smells from getting out. In fact, we often use it to compost what was leftover from parties!
Comments are closed.