Whether it’s to honor granny’s recipe or just to try something new, one of the best (and most nostalgic!) ways to relax on Sunday is by treating yourself to Jamaican carrot juice. Here’s how to make it!
Table of Contents
- What is Jamaican Carrot Juice?
- What is in Jamaican Carrot Juice?
- Jamaican Carrot Juice Calories
- How to Make Carrot Juice Jamaican Style
- Jamaican Carrot Juice – is it Worth the Effort?
- FAQs
What is Jamaican Carrot Juice?
As a child, I loved carrot juice so much that the tip of my nose would turn orange! In hindsight, that was almost certainly a case of carotenemia – luckily for you though, the alcohol in Jamaican carrot juice will keep you from drinking enough to turn yellow.
And yes, it is alcoholic! So it’s maybe not the best to pair with jamaican easter buns.
Despite it’s name, this drink isn’t just another health fad as you might’ve thought. In actuality, it’s a sweet alcoholic beverage traditionally enjoyed on Sundays, and can be as strong or as weak as you wish. In fact, you can entirely omit the alcohol if you’d like!
While it’s certainly a main factor in this drink, that’s not all that there is to Jamaican carrot juice…
What is in Jamaican Carrot Juice?
Jamaican carrot juice is typically made up of five main ingredients – carrots, alcohol (either a dark stout Guinness or rum), condensed milk, carrots, and some spices like nutmeg, ginger and vanilla extract.
Another popular inclusion is vanilla Supligen. Don’t know what that is? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Supligen is a meal supplement made by Nestle and produced in Jamaica. While it can be drank on it’s own, its presence in Jamaican carrot punch can’t be understated. Depending on where you are, it can be hard to source. If this is an issue, try ordering vanilla Supligen online.
Alternatively, replace it with vanilla Nutrament, Nurishment, or your milk of choice with some added vanilla extract.
As for the other ingredients, it just comes down to your personal taste. There are some variations, so I’ll go over the two most common below.
Variations of Jamaican Carrot Juice
- Jamaican Carrot Juice with Ginger
- While either (or both!) vanilla or nutmeg are always added, you can also add cinnamon and ginger.
- Jamaican Carrot Juice with Rum
- Instead of using a Guinness, you can add a shot or two of white rum to give your carrot juice a bit more of a kick.
Jamaican Carrot Juice Calories
Gauging how many calories are in Jamaican carrot juice is a little tricky, since recipes tend to vary. Still, you can expect a glass of this beverage to have roughly 160 calories.
How to Make Carrot Juice Jamaican Style
| Prep Time: |
| 20 minutes |
Makes: 1 large jug
While this excellent video by YouTube channel David and Jody uses Jamaican carrot juice with Guinness recipe, you can choose to use rum instead – or opt out completely! To make a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the alcohol or use something like this (inexpensive) non-alcoholic rum.
While this punch is certainly a hit at parties, a non-alcoholic version is best to pair with the dessert after some Jamaican stew peas and rice.
Ingredients
| – 1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract |
| – 1 can of Supligen (vanilla flavor) |
| – Sweetened condensed milk |
| – Ground or freshly grated nutmeg |
| – A pinch of cinnamon (optional) |
| – Small – medium piece of ginger (optional) |
| – 1 bottle of extra stout Guinness OR 1-2 shots of white rum |
| – 4 ½ extra large carrots, if using smaller carrots use more |
Method
Carrot Prep
- Start by skinning and washing the carrots. Use a good quality peeler to speed the process up. I’d recommend saving the peels for later (more on this soon). If you do this, make sure to wash the carrots before peeling – use a bristle scrubber to clean it well.
- Now, chop your carrots – they don’t have to be perfectly even, just make sure they fit in the blender. At this point, you can choose to boil your carrots. If you choose to opt-in this step, simply boil your carrots in some water until soft. This takes roughly ten minutes. If choosing to add ginger, chop and add in with the carrots and before blending together.
- Once ready, add your carrots to the blender and use enough water to just about cover the carrots. Boiled your carrots beforehand? Try adding half as much, using the same water you used to boil them. Blend until smooth(ish) – it’s okay if it’s still chunky.
- Next, use a sieve to strain out these chunks. Press the pulp against the sieve to harvest all the juice. Work in batches if needed. Like other scraps, save the pulp to make a stock.
Flavoring your Carrot Juice
- To begin, slowly add the Guinness to your carrot juice. Add in the majority of the bottle, saving just the last three centimeters of liquid.
- Now, put in 1 – 2 teaspoons of the liquid vanilla extract. If you’re using syrup, add just a little less and adjust as needed.
- Add ¼th of a teaspoon of nutmeg to the mix. Make sure to mix your carrot juice before the next step.
- With a fork or whisk, pour your condensed milk while gently stirring. The most effective way to ensure the condensed milk and carrot juice mix is by waiting for the condensed milk to hit the bottom of the bowl, then using a circular scraping motion at the bottom of the bowl. Be sure to pour it in slowly whilst you do this!
- Once this is done, all that’s left to do is adjust for taste and serve! If it’s not sweet enough, add a little more condensed milk. If it needs some more Guinness, add in the rest of the bottle that was saved earlier! The same goes for flavor – if it’s lacking a little something, adjusting the spices will be sure to round out your punch. To finish, simply pour the carrot juice into your jug of choice and serve with ice after a plate of hot Jamaican boiled dumplings!
What to do with Leftover Carrot Peels
Reusing food scraps is not only getting the most bang for your buck, but also minimizes food waste! The easiest way to do this would be to everything to a pot and boil with water. After straining and reducing, you’ll end up with the perfect homemade veggie broth!
Alternatively, you could also do something more like the TikTok embedded above. However, if that doesn’t seem a-peel-ing… You can try making carrot your crispy carrot skins instead! To do this, simply follow this quick recipe by the same user.
Jamaican Carrot Juice – is it Worth the Effort?
While Jamaican carrot juice is certainly a very tasty drink, it does require a fair amount of prep work. However, if you have good quality tools, the time it takes to make this beverage is significantly reduced.
On top of that, its beautiful, vibrant orange color and fall flavors would make it an excellent choice for upcoming Halloween parties!
FAQs
How long does Jamaican carrot juice last in the fridge?
Presuming you took precautions to keep the juice from spoiling, Jamaican carrot juice can last for up to a week when refrigerated. The best way to prolong your carrot juices’ shelf life is to store it in a sterile, tightly sealed glass jar in the fridge.
What is Jamaican carrot punch?
Jamaican carrot punch is simply another term for Jamaican carrot juice. It’s not uncommon and refers to the exact same beverage made from carrot, condensed milk, Supligen, alcohol, water and spices.
Jamaican Carrot Juice - Quick Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe + More!
Making Jamaican carrot juice may seem taxing, but with the right tools, it's as easy as ever!
Type: drink
Cuisine: Jamaican
Recipe Yield: 1 large jug
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 can of Supligen (vanilla flavor)
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- Small – medium piece of ginger (optional)
- 1 bottle of extra stout Guinness OR 1-2 shots of white rum
- 4 ½ extra large carrots, if using smaller carrots use more
