During apple season, it's a shame not to make homemade apple cider vinegar. It’s much tastier than spirit vinegar. Discover the properties and a proven recipe that I got from my grandmother. Step by step, we'll make apple cider vinegar, which is always useful in the kitchen. Check out the properties and uses of apple cider vinegar.

Why Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home?

You can, of course, buy apple cider vinegar at the store. However, I prefer to make it myself. It has a wonderful taste. I am sure of its composition, rich in micro and macro elements and minerals. As an encouragement, you can make it in just a few minutes. Homemade apple cider vinegar has universal use in the kitchen. It perfectly replaces store-bought spirit vinegar. Our grandmothers still make it at home. My grandmother's recipe for homemade vinegar is very simple; it practically makes itself. If you have apples in your garden or home, you can start making it today.

Zero Waste with Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar fits perfectly with the popular zero waste idea. From typical waste (cores, peels, pulp from juice) that would end up in the trash, we can prepare a valuable and universal food product.

Ingredients for Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

I provide the proportions for 1 kg of apples. You can easily multiply by the number of apples you have. Homemade apple cider vinegar has about 5% acetic acid concentration.

1 kg of apples (or apple peels)
1 liter of boiled and cooled water
4-5 tablespoons of honey (honey can be replaced with sugar in a 1:1 ratio)

Step-by-Step: How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Step 1: Preparation

Boil water and let it cool. Pour it into a larger jar, which I previously sterilize thoroughly.
Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of honey, depending on the ripeness and sweetness of the apples. Stir until the honey dissolves. Remember not to add honey to warm water; above 40°C, honey loses its valuable enzymes.

Step 2: Preparing the Apples

Wash the apples thoroughly and remove any stems. Cut them in half, then into smaller pieces. The best are just the peels.
Put the chopped apples into the jar with the sweetened water, trying to press them down so they don't stick out above the water to avoid mold.

Step 3: Fermentation

Cover the jar with a clean kitchen cloth and secure it with a rubber band or string to protect against fruit flies. Place it in a warm spot in the kitchen for 4-6 weeks.
For the first 7 days, stir daily with a wooden spoon or shake the jar to mix the ingredients.
After a week, the apples will settle at the bottom of the jar. A white layer of jelly-like consistency will form on top, the so-called vinegar mother, which is responsible for the proper vinegar fermentation process.

Step 4: Straining and Storage

After 4-6 weeks, the vinegar fermentation is complete. Remove the vinegar mother from the top and strain the vinegar through cheesecloth into a jar.
Store the vinegar in a cool and dark place, like a cellar. Vinegar should not spoil as it is a preservative in itself.

Buying Ready-Made Bacterial Cultures

If you want to ensure that the fermentation process goes smoothly, you can purchase ready-made bacterial cultures for making vinegars, including apple cider vinegar. These are available at health food stores and some online shops. Adding ready-made bacterial cultures can speed up the fermentation process and ensure a higher quality final product.

Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a natural product that is much tastier than store-bought spirit vinegar. It is a rich source of easily absorbed microelements, macroelements, organic acids, and vitamins.

Health Benefits

Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits. It positively affects carbohydrate metabolism and destroys bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Externally, it was traditionally used for headaches, as an addition to homemade skin preparations for imperfections, and to improve the condition of hair and skin.

Culinary Uses

Homemade apple cider vinegar has universal use in the kitchen. It can be used in salads, marinades, dressings, and as a natural preservative.

Conclusion

The recipe for homemade apple cider vinegar is simple, but its preparation requires time and patience. However, it is worth taking a moment to prepare it to enjoy a healthy and tasty product in your kitchen.

More information can be found in other articles:

How to prepare apples for cider?

Should you add sugar to cider? Recipe for homemade cider.

Should you use yeast for cider?

How to Make Grape Vinegar? Complete Guide