Herbal vinegars made from your garden harvest can enhance flavors in recipes and also make beautiful gifts. You can use an herbal vinegar in dishes that call for vinegar in the recipe, or as an addition to fresh vegetables for a tangy sauce alternative.
Vinegar Types to Use
Choose good quality vinegars for your brews. Many prefer the wine vinegars, either white or red. This author has also used plain white vinegar as well as cider vinegar on some occasions, and it works well too.
The Basic Recipe:
Small batch:
3 tablespoons fresh packed herbs, washed and dried
1 cup vinegar
Large batch:
1-2 cups fresh packed herbs, washed and dried
4 cups vinegar
To Brew:
After washing and drying, bruise the herbs slightly with a wooden spoon to help bring out more of the essence. Pack them into a clean (sterilized if preferred) glass jar. Heat the vinegar in a glass or stainless steel pot, but do not bring it to a boil, and pour it over the herbs. Let it cool before covering the jar. Cover and place in a cool area for two weeks. (Note: if you are using a jar with a metal lid, cover the jar with plastic wrap before screwing on the lid to prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal on the lid.) After two weeks, pour into a clean, decorative bottle and place some fresh herb snips inside; cork or cap the bottle. If a more decorative look is desired, the top can be dipped in some melted paraffin wax and some raffia tied around the bottle.
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