Simply Home Remedies

How to Make Homemade Vinegar

by Marye Audet on July 29th, 2008

Vinegar is good for you.  At least natural, unpasteurized vinegar is.  When the vinegar is heated during the pasteurization process it kills all the good stuff in it, including the taste.  If you have ever tasted organic, unfiltered vinegar you will know exactly what I am talking about.  Yes there is a major difference!

Making homemade vinegar is easy, especially in the summer!  It is a very thrifty way to use up left over peeling from fruits and vegetables, as well. Be sure to always get organic produce when you plan to use the peelings for vinegar.  And experiment! It doesn’t cost much and you may find that peach vinegar or banana vinegar gives a whole new flavor to your salads!

What you need:

•  A glass jar, crock, or enamelware pot.
•  Cheesecloth that is large enough to cover the container
• Kitchen twine to tie around the cloth to secure it to the container.
• The peels and cores from clean, organic produce
• Distilled water.   The chemicals added to plain  tap water will not allow the bacteria to work in the vinegar.
• 1/2 cup raw, unfiltered vinegar from the health food store
• A warm, dark place to store the vinegar while it is “working”.  The cupboard above the oven or stove is a great place…or even on top of the water heater if it is in a closet.

Fill the container you are going to be using with boiling water.  Allow to stand for five minutes.  Pour the water out and add the produce peelings, cores, and scraps.  Cover them with distilled water. Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth and secure it.
The cheesecloth allows the good bacteria and wild yeast found in the air to colonize in the vinegar.  This is part of the fermentation process.  Stir it once a day to keep it mixed up.

After a few weeks there will be a vinegary smell.  At that point you just allow it to ferment until you have the acidity that you find most pleasant.
Once you are satisfied with your vinegar strain through the cheesecloth and bottle it.  Store in a cool dark place.  Always save one cup of vinegar to make the next batch.

Image:Morguefile 

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POSTED IN: Basics