How to Make Rasin and Berry Vinegars
I have been making vinegar of all kinds for several years and am always experimenting with new fruits, herbs, and blends.
Though vinegar is incredibly easy to make, the easiest one is raisin
- which also happens to be my favorite because it seems the most
versatile. Its smooth, rich flavor and aroma makes it go so well in sautes, salad dressings, making vinegar based extracts, adding to
homemade breads, and much more.
Newly started batch and a completed batch of raisin vinegar
All you need to get started is just three ingredients:
*Water - filtered rain, spring, or well water, NOT city tap
*Water - filtered rain, spring, or well water, NOT city tap
*Fruit (whole berries or raisins, sliced fruits, or even just the
scraps like peels, cores, and pits from apples, peaches, pears, et
cetera)
*Organic cane sugar or honey (not needed with fruits that have a high sugar content like raisins).
When making vinegar with berries or raisins, start with a half gallon jar and fill the bottom up to at least 1"-2" inch deep when using raisins and 2" -3" deep when using fresh berries. Add 1/4 cup organic cane sugar or honey to your berries but you can omit this if using raisins. Adding sugar the raisins will likely make a stronger vinegar but will also take longer to finish. As you can see in the photo above, I used just over a cup of my home grown blueberries I had frozen from a couple of years ago.
*Organic cane sugar or honey (not needed with fruits that have a high sugar content like raisins).
When making vinegar with berries or raisins, start with a half gallon jar and fill the bottom up to at least 1"-2" inch deep when using raisins and 2" -3" deep when using fresh berries. Add 1/4 cup organic cane sugar or honey to your berries but you can omit this if using raisins. Adding sugar the raisins will likely make a stronger vinegar but will also take longer to finish. As you can see in the photo above, I used just over a cup of my home grown blueberries I had frozen from a couple of years ago.
Fill your jar about half full of water and stir with a wooden spoon
or chop stick to blend in the sugar and help get it dissolving. I do
not worry about it all dissolving, it will in time anyway, mostly just
make sure it is mixed well.
One can add a bit of mother from other vinegars if they
choose but aside from a recent experiment with a one of my batches of
floral vinegar, this is something I never do and I still end up with
great vinegar. With the experiment I tried by adding a bit of mother, there was no difference in time or the finished product.
Top off the jar the rest of the way with water. You can choose to
use a grape leaf or some kind of weight to hold the fruits down under
the water but I never bother with this as they always seem to do just
fine with out it. If at some point you do develop mold at the top, just
leave it until the process is finished and them carefully lift the top
layer out before straining. The molds that develop are nothing to be afraid of and any that may end up in the product will be killed by the vinegar.
Cover your jar with a cloth and hold in place with a rubber band.
This is to keep out bugs and dust while still allowing the gases to
escape during the process.
Set your jar in a warm place. I prefer on top of my fridge as it is
not only out of the way, but stays warm there. Leave there for the next
thirty days and just forget about it during that time. After thirty days,
check to see if it is tart. If it is bubbly, it is not quite done and
may need another week or so. The amount of sugar and the fruit used may extend this time another whole month.
Once it is finished, strain out the fruits and give to your chickens
if you have them (they will love them and they are very healthy for them) or throw in your compost.
Completed batch of peach vinegar made from fruit scraps:
Completed batch of peach vinegar made from fruit scraps:
I have also made vinegars from cedar branches, flowers, and various herbs. I like to use these ones for cleaning counter tops, floors, carpet, windows, and washing my hair with.
Here is a video I did this past summer on how to make a floral vinegar:
Here is a video I did this past summer on how to make a floral vinegar:
Completed batch of blackberry vinegar:
Hope you enjoyed this post and that you will give that vinegar making a try! ~Heidi
Other posts you may enjoy:
Benefits of Catnip
Elk Burgers
Multi Vitamin/Mineral Extract
Other posts you may enjoy:
Benefits of Catnip
Elk Burgers
Multi Vitamin/Mineral Extract
If I am using a quart jar should I cut the sugar down to a third of a cup to make the vinegar going to try strawberry
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