Do you want to learn how to make vinegar from scratch?
I am going to explain step-by-step how to make homemade apple cider vinegar and offer flavored vinegar; including red and white wine vinegar recipes.
How to Make Vinegar
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RECIPE
fully ripened apples, free from decay
Wash apples well and crush to extract the juice (or cider) in a clean press. Place the juice in a large, open kettle and boil it down until it is reduced one-half; skimming often.
Pour immediately into hot, sterilized jars and seal. You can also pour the fresh juice at once into jars, put the covers in place loosely, without the rubber and stand the jars on a rack in warm water up to a few inches from the top of the jar.
Cover and boil for one hour and remove jars, one at a time, putting a rubber in place and sealing them at once. Will keep indefinitely.
HOW TO MAKE TARRAGON VINEGAR
Fill wide-mouth jars with leaves and stalks of fresh or dried tarragon. Cover with cider vinegar; recipe above. Let stand 3 weeks – in the sun if possible. Strain and use in mayonnaise, sauces or salads.
GARLIC VINEGAR RECIPE
Put 4 to 6 minced garlic cloves in 1 quart of cider vinegar (recipe above). Let stand 20 days; strain and bottle.
DILL, CELERY or MINT VINEGAR
Fill jar with dill blossoms, fresh celery leaves and tips or sprigs of mint and cover with cider vinegar. Let stand 3 weeks in the sun and strain.
Now a quick lesson on how to make vinegar (red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar recipe).
HOW TO MAKE RED WINE VINEGAR or WHITE WINE VINEGAR
Combine leftover wine (or champagne) with the mother of vinegar (you can purchase this at a beer or wine making store) until thoroughly blended.
Pour the mixture into the clean jar. Place cheesecloth on the top, and secure with the canning rim; placing it in a warm dark place. Wait 3 to 4 weeks and taste to see if it is ready. (If you’ve used a mother of vinegar, it will be ready in several weeks) If it is not ready, taste every week until ready.
If you’re relying on the natural yeast spores in the air to make mother of vinegar on it’s own, it will take longer – perhaps 3 to 4 months before the vinegar has fully turned.
Balsamic Vinegar Recipes
Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to tasted
1 TBS chopped green onion
Shake everything up in a mason jar or whisk together in a small bowl. Can keep with a tight fitting lid for 5 days in the refrigerator.
Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
Pour two cups of balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan on medium-high. Add 1/2 cup granulated white sugar 1/8 tsp salt and bring to a low boil. Lower heat and continue cooking on a low boil until mixture has reduced in half.
You are in the middle of making something and you see Balsamic Vinegar in the recipe and you do not have any on hand. Buying the good stuff is expensive – Here is what you do (depending on how much you need – I gave 1 tablespoon as an example).
I love Modena Balsamic Vinegar.
Balsamic Vinegar Substitute Recipe
1 TBS apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp brown sugar (preferred), white granulated sugar or honey (healthier)
Make sure the sugar is dissolved and then its ready for the recipe.