German Mulled Wine Gluhwein for the Holidays

The holidays and winter months is the time for the German mulled wine gluhwein, or as we say in Germany, Glühwein.
It is red wine, spiced with cinnamon, anise and cloves, and enjoyed while it is hot.
Glühwein can be found on every Christmas Market and is is the right drink for these cold temperatures while staying outside and strolling over the market. This is an authentic recipe from Germany. Happy Holidays!

Ingredients German Mulled Wine Gluhwein

2 liter red wine
3/4 l brown rum, 40% –  optional
sugar to taste
2 of each:
organic oranges (blood oranges would work too), organic lemons, cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean
5 cloves and 1 star anise

Cooking Instructions

– Heat the wine in a big pot but don’t bring it to a boil; heat it on low temperature.
– Remove seeds from lemons and oranges.
– Cut the orange and lemon with the peel in slices or quarters, add them to the wine with the cloves. Keep it on low temperature and let it simmer.
– Cut vanilla bean open and add the seeds to the wine.
– Add 2/3 of the rum – the rum adds a nice taste to the wine but it also makes it stronger, so you can add just a little bit or if you prefer, don’t add it at all.
– Let simmer until oranges and lemons are getting very soft- for about 1-1.5 hours. Remove a piece of lemon and check if you can take off the peel. The wine should color the lemon red until to the peel.
– Stir frequently.
– Clean some bottles with hot water.
– Remove fruit and cloves; best is to use a strainer.
– Press remaining juice out of the fruit and add to the wine. If you like your can puree the fruit without the peel and add it to the wine as well, that would make the wine thicker though.
– Heat wine again and add remaining rum and sugar – don’t bring it to a boil!
– Fill hot wine in bottles and close them right away, or keep it warm to enjoy it the same day.

The Best German Gift you can make: The German Christmas Box