Herbs in Vinegar

He chopped up peppers, mixed them with vinegar and Avery Island salt, put the mixture in wooden barrels to age and funneled the resulting sauce into secondhand cologne bottles. - James Conaway

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Herbal Vinegar

A pantry full of herbal vinegars is a constant delight. Preserving fresh herbs and roots in vinegar is an easy way to capture their nourishing goodness. It's easy, too. Herbal vinegars are an unstoppable combination: the healing and nutritional properties of vinegar married to the aromatic and health-protective effects of green herbs (and a few wild roots).

  1. Rinse and thoroughly dry your choice of fresh herbs or edible flowers.
  2. Sterilize your bottles or jars and let them dry thoroughly.
  3. Slightly bruise the herbs and stuff them into the bottles. Fill the jar about 1/3rd full with herbs and flowers. Shake the bottle as you insert the herbs, to distribute them.
  4. Bring the vinegar to a boil and carefully pour into the bottles and over the herbs. Fill to within ½-inch of the top of the bottle or jar.
  5. Allow to cool and seal the bottles.
  6. Refrigerate and allow to steep* for 1 - 2 weeks.
  7. Herbs and flowers can then be strained out, to prolong the life of your vinegar.
  8. Keep refrigerated.

*Note: Steeping means soaking to remove an ingredient. In this case it is to remove the aromatic oils from the herbs to infuse the vinegar.

What You Need

Worth Reading...

Herbal Vinegar book cover...Maggie Oster's book has helped me in making the most tasty and beautiful herbal vinegars ever. I was stuck in the boring "chive blossom vinegar" or "Tarragon Vinegar" with no variations. After I followed a couple of Maggie's recipes, I livened up my meals immensely!

Vinegar has more uses than you would ever imagine, and Maggie Oster's Herbal Vinegar helps you realize its full potential. Utilize vinegar in various sauces, soups, marinades, relishes and chutneys to give the dish a distinctive flavor. Decorative bottles of flavored vinegar can serve as a kitchen ornament and a homemade gift. Find towards the back of the book a few sample labels to get you started!

Take a look at Herbal Vinegar by Maggie Oster

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White wine vinegar is a safe bet with any herb, but cider, rice and red wine vinegars are also good with the more robust herbs such as garlic, basil and sage. White distilled vinegar is fairly harsh and may not give the best results.

See Also: Herbal Oils

Tips

  • Choose colorful herbs and flowers, to tint the color of your vinegar.
  • Good choices for herbal infusions include: basil, borage, calendula, dried chilies, cilantro, dill, nasturtium, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme.
  • Fruits, spices, garlic and peppercorns also work well.
  • Many gift recipients won’t want to use something so beautiful. Remind them the vinegar won’t keep and promise to make more next year. If you give the vinegar as a gift while it’s steeping, label with a ‘Ready to Use’ date.
  • Wrap simply with a ribbon and a label or cover the top with a decorative fabric for a country-look. Include favorite recipes when giving as a gift.