Easy Shelf-Stable Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
Prepare a highly concentrated strawberry lemonade base that you can store and dilute later for quick, refreshing drinks.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: About 3 cups concentrate
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The strawberries will soften and release their juices.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press gently on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
- Stir the fresh lemon juice into the strained strawberry syrup.
- Pour the finished concentrate into a clean, airtight jar.
- Cool completely before sealing and refrigerating.
Notes
- To serve, mix 1 part concentrate with 2 to 3 parts cold water or sparkling water, depending on your preferred strength.
- This concentrate stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- For longer storage, freeze the concentrate in ice cube trays and transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup concentrate
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 55
- Sodium: 1
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 56
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0