This Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers has a bright orange-lemon flavor that is balanced with a slightly spicy maltiness.

Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers

The flavors of this shrub were inspired by the description on a box of Yunnan tea, which has a “malty aroma, a slightly peppery smooth taste, and a mouth-filling sweet finish” according to Silk Road Teas.

I immediately thought it would go well with an orange shrub, especially if I paired it with some Szechuan Peppers to up the spice level. So instead of using plain sugar, I used my Orange Sugar with Szechuan Peppers.

Use this shrub in drinks, salad dressings, or even drizzle some over ice cream. You can specifically use it in this Orange Gin Fizz (recipe coming soon).

DIY Gin Bar Recipes

This Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers will be featured in the DIY Gin Bar along with four others.

Here are all the recipes that are part of the DIY Gin Bar!

Infused Sugars

• Vanilla Bean Sugar
• Orange Sugar with Szechuan Peppers
• Lemon Zest Sugar with Cardamom
• DIY Citrus Sugar with Lemon and Dill
• Lemon and Lavender Infused Sugar

Shrubs

• Strawberry Shrub with Basil and Peppercorn
• Blackberry Shrub with Vanilla and Earl Grey
• Lemon Shrub with Cardamom and Mint
• Orange Shrub with Cardamom and Thyme
• Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers

Cocktails

• Strawberry Gin Fizz
• Blackberry Gin Fizz
• Mint Gin Fizz
• Lemon Gin Fizz with Cucumber and Dill
• Orange Gin Fizz
• Gin Lemonade Cocktail

Mocktails

• Orange-Basil Strawberry Mocktail
• Vanilla Earl Grey Blackberry Mocktail
• Sparkling Basil Lemon Mocktail
• Lemon-Dill Cucumber Mocktail
• Rosemary & Mint Lemonade Mocktail

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Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers

This Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers has a bright orange-lemon flavor that is balanced with a slightly spicy maltiness.

Course Beverages

Keyword beverages, quick and easy, shrubs

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 26 minutes

Servings 3 cups

Author Megan Wells

Ingredients

• 1 cup Orange Sugar with Szechuan Pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup orange pieces* skin and pith removed
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper crushed in mortar and pestle
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Yunnan Black tea bags or two tablespoons loose leaf tea

Instructions

1. Add the sugar and the water together in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Add the oranges and Szechuan peppers and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the syrup has become the color of the fruit and the fruit has lost its vibrancy.

3. Add the vinegar and bring the mixture back to a simmer (about 5 to 8 minutes). Turn off the heat and add the tea bags or leaves, letting them steep for 3 minutes.
4. Strain using a fine-meshed sieve covered with one layer of cheesecloth.
5. Pour into a jar and keep it in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

• The pith from oranges can be very bitter. To prevent bitterness, use a paring knife to cut away all the pith to prevent bitterness. I like to cut the bottoms of the tops of oranges to create a flat surface and then use a small paring knife to remove the skin and any pith from the orange.