Apple cider vinegar is a genuine product with almost infinite uses. It is an excellent natural remedy against various health problems and you can also use it for home hygiene. If you are in the habit of using a lot of it, the expense can be high: knowing the correct proportions and timing, you can save money by making apple cider vinegar at home with ease.
Ingrediants
Apple vinegar
- Apples
- Waterfall
- Sugar or honey
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Base for the Cider
Step 1. Buy quality apples
Even if you have to let them ferment for a long time, the nature of apples can significantly affect the flavor of the finished vinegar. Choose the best quality available to get an excellent final product.
- Use more than one variety to give the vinegar a more structured and complex taste. For example, you can use two sweet apples, like Golden Delicious or Gala, paired with one with a sour taste, like McIntosh or Liberty, to get a slightly more pungent vinegar.
- Instead of using whole apples to make vinegar, save the parts you don't use when you eat them or use them to make other recipes. A whole apple is roughly equivalent to the scraps of two apples. Store the peel, core, and other parts in the freezer until you are ready to make the vinegar.
Step 2. Wash the apples under cold water
It is always best to wash fruit and vegetables before eating them and the same rule also applies when you intend to cook them or let them ferment. Thoroughly wash the apples under cold water, rubbing them with your hands or a vegetable brush, to remove all the substances that must not end up in the vinegar.
- You can use as many apples as you like to make vinegar. The more they are, the greater the amount of vinegar. If you've never prepared it before, it's best to start with three apples - you'll get a good dose of vinegar and won't run the risk of wasting too many raw materials if something goes wrong.
- If you want to use the leftover apple parts at the table or in the kitchen, remember to wash the fruits thoroughly before peeling and cutting them.
Step 3. Cut the apples into cubes
The larger the surface exposed to the liquid, the faster the vinegar will ferment. Take a clean knife and cut the apples into 2 to 3 cm cubes, keeping the skin and core as well.
If you want to use the leftover apple parts, there is no need to cut them
Step 4. Transfer the apples to a glass jar
It is very important that it is sterilized, as it will have to contain the apples during the fermentation phase, which can last up to 3 months. It must also have a wide mouth. Once the apples are added it will need to be no more than three-quarters full, so it's best to use one that is one liter or larger.
Do not ferment apples in a metal container; it is important that it is made of glass. Otherwise, as acidity increases, it may corrode and the vinegar may have an unpleasant metallic taste
Step 5. Cover the apples with water
Make sure they are completely submerged, as if they were left exposed to air they would easily spoil rather than ferment and give life to vinegar. The ideal choice would be to use mineral or filtered water to prevent impurities from ruining the vinegar.
- If you are using three apples and a one-liter glass jar, you will need to add about 800ml of water. Use more or less according to your needs.
- In general, it is better to use more water than required, rather than using too little. If you use too much, the fermentation process may take longer and the vinegar may have a milder taste, but if you don't add enough some apples may get exposed to the air and rot, forcing you to throw out the entire batch of vinegar..
Step 6. Add one teaspoon (4g) of whole brown sugar to each apple
Stir until it dissolves completely in the water. The sugar will ferment and turn into alcohol, giving life to the cider which, over time, will turn into vinegar. Whole cane sugar is the most suitable ingredient to start this process, but if you prefer you can use honey or a different type of sugar.
Step 7. Cover the jar with a piece of muslin food gauze
As the apples ferment, resulting in cider and later vinegar, the mixture will need to breathe. Wrap a piece of food gauze around the mouth of the jar and hold it in place with a rubber band. The cheesecloth will act as a barrier to prevent anything from getting into the jar, but it will let the gases created during fermentation escape.
Part 2 of 2: Fermenting the Cider
Step 1. Keep the jar in a warm, dark place
Find a place where you can let the ingredients ferment undisturbed for a long time. You can place it in a remote corner of the pantry or kitchen or anywhere where it can stay out of direct sunlight. Each house offers a different but equally suitable place.
The jar should be kept at room temperature while the mixture ferments, possibly around 21 ° C
Step 2. Stir the mixture 1-2 times a day
Stirring will aid the fermentation process, as well as redistribute the apples inside the jar. Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon once or twice a day for the first 7-14 days. Don't worry too much if you skip one day, as long as you resume mixing regularly from the next.
If you notice the apples sticking out of the water, use a fermentation weight or similar object to press them lightly so that they are completely submerged
Step 3. Expect the apples to drop to the bottom of the jar
As you stir and check for submerged bubbles, look for bubbles that indicate the fermentation process is underway. After 1-2 weeks the pieces of apple will all be placed on the bottom of the jar: it is a sign that they have fermented and are no longer needed to make vinegar.
If there is foam on the surface, remove it with a skimmer and throw it away
Step 4. Drain the apples from the cider and return the cider to the jar
Use a plastic colander or a clean piece of gauze to separate the apples from the liquid. As in every step, avoid using metal utensils to avoid ruining the fermentation process. Pour the cider back into the jar, cover it using a piece of cheesecloth and a rubber band, and put it back in the same warm, dark place where you have stored it so far.
At this point the apples are no longer needed, so throw them away. They cannot be eaten, as they have fermented
Step 5. Let the cider ferment for 3-6 weeks, stirring it every 3-4 days
This is the stage where the cider will start turning into vinegar. Stir it every 3-4 days, just to move it around a bit as it ferments.
- During this period the sweet scent of the cider will leave room for slightly more acidic aromatic notes. This signal indicates that fermentation is taking place and the cider is gradually turning into vinegar.
- The longer the fermentation period, the stronger and harsher the vinegar will be. After about 3 weeks, start tasting apple cider vinegar every 3-4 days until you feel it has developed the right acidity and taste.
- The duration of the fermentation process varies according to the climate of the moment. During the summer it will take less time, while in the winter you will likely have to wait longer.
Step 6. Transfer the fermented vinegar to a jar with a lid for storage
Put it in a sterilized glass jar and cap it to stop the fermentation process and keep the properties of the vinegar intact. Store your homemade apple cider vinegar in the refrigerator, presumably it should never go bad.
- The cold from the refrigerator should stop the fermentation process, but it may resume over time. If the vinegar gets too strong, add a little water to dilute it to reduce its acidity.
- You can keep apple cider vinegar at room temperature, but if so, it will continue to ferment.
- If a jelly-like mass forms on the surface of the vinegar, you should celebrate rather than worry. That substance, known as the "mother" of the vinegar, can be used to start the cider fermentation process in the future. Add the mother along with the apples to speed up the timing.
wikiHow Video: How To Make Apple Cider Vinegar
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Warnings
- Do not use homemade vinegar to pickle vegetables, as a 5% acetic acid level is required. It is difficult to determine exactly the level of acetic acid in homemade vinegar, so it is best to use the one on sale in the supermarket to avoid any health risks.
- If you notice that green, gray, black or brown foam or mold has formed on the surface of the vinegar during the fermentation phase, you should throw it away and start over. It may contain dangerous bacteria and using it you could get sick.
