Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
Blackberry Vinegar Recipe Blackberry Vinegar Recipe
Apples are in abundance at this time of the year, the trees groaning under their weight and with only so many cakes, pies and sauces you can reasonable make, this autumn I have decided to have a go at making my own Apple Cider Vinegar.
A quick internet search will reveal lots of health benefits associated with Apple Cider Vinegar and as it’s incredibly simple to do, why not join me and have a go at making some for yourself?
Equipment:
A 2 litre glass jar
Coffee filter papers or clean lint free, close knit material such as a muslin square
An elastic band
Non-metal stirrer – I use a chopstick
Ingredients:
6 eating apples, washed, cut into smallish chunks, pips removed
4 tablespoons of white caster sugar with optional frog 😉 Please note: no amphibians were harmed in the making of this vinegar, Billy-Bob frog is ceramic and part of a handmade bowl I fell in love with at a craft fair.
1 litre spring water *
NB: *Chlorinated water will kill the beneficial bacteria needed for the fermentation, so avoid tap water unless you filter it and leave it for 24 hours for any chlorine to evaporate.
Method:
Wash the apples and dry them. If I use non-organic produce I soak it in a bowl of cold water for around 20 minutes with a tablespoon of white vinegar added, then I rub the skins well to remove as much pesticide residue as possible and rinse in clean water before drying.
Chop the apples into small-ish pieces and remove the pips and stalks – you can include the cores. If you consume apples regularly you can keep the peels and cores in a bag in the freezer until you have enough to use instead of whole apples.
Fill the jar with the chopped apples until it’s about ¾’s full.
Dissolve 4 tablespoons of sugar in a litre of water and add to the jar. Leave at least an inch headspace from the top of the jar so that when in begins to bubble there will be enough space to prevent it from overflowing. It’s always a good idea to put any jar of fermenting produce on a plate to catch any potential spillage.
Stir well and cover with the coffee filter or cloth – whatever you use, it needs to be breathable and the weave of the fabric tight enough so that fruit flies are unable to get through it. Secure with an elastic band.
Store in a cupboard or wrap a tea towel around the jar to keep the light out.
Every day for the next 30 days, remove the top cover, stir the mixture well at least once or preferably twice a day, pushing down the brown apple pieces that are on the top and then replace the covering. After a couple of days, you’ll see the mixture begin to ferment with tiny bubbles appearing.
There’s nothing croak and dagger about Billy-Bob here. As the keeper of the jar, he ensures I hop to it daily to give it a good stir with the (tad) pole. Ok, Ok I promise not to give up the day job 😉
After 30 days, strain the liquid into a sterilized glass container and discard the apples. It should have a pleasant vinegary smell and taste. If it’s not quite there yet, leave it for another 2-4 weeks in a cupboard until it’s to your taste and then use. It won’t go off and if you see a gelatinous disc or blob floating around in it, your vinegar contains a ‘mother’. Congratulations! Leave it be and once you’ve used up most of your homemade apple cider vinegar, you can use the mother to kickstart your next batch.
If you’d like to have a go at making other types of vinegar, here are the links to some of my other recipes:
I do hope that’s inspired you to get creative in the kitchen. Have fun!
Ann x
Photos: Ann Halstead
Find us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Find us on Twitter
Find us on YouTube