Apple scrap vinegar

Vinegar plays an important role in cooking by introducing acidity and flavoring to our foods. It is simple to make your own flavored vinegars and this recipe calls for the scraps from making apple juice or apple sauce.

Caution, only use the apple peels if they are grown without the use of pesticides.

Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 - 3 cups filtered water (no chlorinated water)
• 1 pound apple cores and peels 

Use 1 tbsp of sugar for each cup of water. Stir sugar into water until it dissolves.

Add apple scraps into a large ceramic, glass or stainless steel bowl. Pour sugar water over them. The apples should be covered but some may float. Cover with a towel and leave them at room temperature for a week. Making vinegar is an aerobic process so it requires air, avoid using an air tight lid. Stir the apples at least once per day (more if you can).

At the end of the week, strain out the fruit. The liquid should be a darker color than when you started. Once strained, leave the liquid sitting at room temperature for 2 more weeks to 1 month. Stir at least once everyday. The smell will change from lightly alcoholic to sour vinegar.

Once the vinegar is as strong as you like it, pour it into bottles and add tight covers.

This recipe was adapted from the book "Preserving Everything" by Leda Meredith.