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DIY Fruit-Flavored Vinegars

by Noelle on June 15, 2012

 

I love to use fruit-flavored vinegars for vinaigrette, glazes for fruit salad, marinades and much more.  They only take a small amount of fruit and taste delicious.

This year, I decided to make my own vinegars flavored with fruit.  It was very easy to do and are a great way to use fruit from your garden.  Of course, you can always buy the fruit from your local farmer’s market or grocery store.

I must admit that I am completely hooked on different vinegars and am excited to share with you how fun and easy it is to make.

My first batch of fruit vinegar was made from peaches.  I am very fortunate that my mother has peach trees and a bountiful harvest that she shares with me :-)

You will need the following to make Peach Vinegar:

1 pound of peeled, diced peaches ( 2 /14 cups diced)
2 cups white wine vinegar
Non-reactive pot (I used my enamel pot)
Sterilized 1-quart glass jar with lid
Strainer
Coffee Filters
Sterilized jar(s) for finished vinegar.
1. Heat the white wine vinegar over medium heat until you begin to smell the vapor – don’t let it boil.
2. Add the peaches to the white wine vinegar and heat for 1 minute.
3. Pour the vinegar/peach mixture into a sterilized jar and let cool for 1 hour before putting screwing the top on.
4. Store in a dark, cool place (I stored them in my pantry) for 5 days.  Each day, shake each jar to help mix the peaches.
5. After 5 days, pour the vinegar/peach mixture through a strainer.  You can tell that the vinegar assimilated much of the color of the peaches.
6. Pour the peach vinegar through a coffee filter to strain out the rest of any peach solids.
This part takes some patience, but I did figure out a short-cut.  At first the peach vinegar runs through the coffee filter quickly when first poured.  Then it tapers off and slowly drips.  So, I would pour it and when it slowed down – I poured the remaining mixture still in the coffee filter back into the bowl with the unfiltered peach vinegar.  Then I put a new coffee filter in and poured again.  You will use quite a few coffee filters during this step.

7. Pour the strained peach vinegar into sterilized mason jars.  You don’t have to sterilize the vinegar mixture – just the jars.

Peach vinegar will store in a dark place for 2 – 3 months or 6 – 8 months in your refrigerator.  But you won’t want to store it….you will want to use it all the time!

Making strawberry vinegar is even easier….

Here is what you need:

1 pint strawberries, diced

2 cups white wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons sugar

1. Add the diced strawberries, white wine vinegar and sugar into a sterilized jar and cover.

2. Store in a cool, dark place for 2 days.

3. Strain out the strawberries and then pour the strawberry vinegar through coffee filters to filter out any leftover strawberry solids.

4. Pour strawberry vinegar into sterilized mason jars and store in a cool, dark place.  I recommend using within 6 months.

**It doesn’t get much easier then that, does it?

Flavored vinegars will enhance your favorite recipes and also make a great gift!

Check out the link below to learn how to make raspberry vinegar:

Homemade Raspberry Vinegar

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