Don’t toss those apple peels and cores away – save them and make Apple Scrap Cider Vinegar! This fermented probiotic vinegar is super healthy and a wonderful substitute in any recipe calling for vinegar. Its uses are endless – from salad dressings to homemade cleaning products and hair rinses, to fruit fly traps – you’ll find a variety of ways to use this economical, easy to make fermented Apple Cider Vinegar.
Apple Scrap Cider Vinegar (fermented)
INGREDIENTS
• Leftover organic apple peels and chopped cores from any variety of apples OR from making our APPLE CHAI GALETTE
• 3 cups of pure water, boiled and cooled
• 3 tablespoons of honey (substitute raw sugar)
• Glass 1 quart or 1 litre mason jar
OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED:
• 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or regular vinegar
(not absolutely necessary but will help jumpstart the process and prevent m
HOW TO
1. Boil the pure water. Stir in honey (or sugar) and set aside to cool to room temperature
2. When ready to proceed: Fill the glass jar just over half full with apple peels and cores
3. Add the optional 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
4. Pour cooled, sweetened water over the apple scraps until they are completely covered. Make sure the scraps are fully submerged in liquid
5. Cover the opening with a coffee filter or clean cloth and secure with a rubber band. This will keep the vinegar clean but allow it to breathe so natural yeast can grow
6. Set jar aside in a warm dark place for about 2 weeks. Check every 1- 2 days and stir making sure apples are fully submerged. After about 2 weeks there should be some bubbles or fizz. That’s what you want! The vinegar should no longer smell sweet. It should now smell somewhat sour. If not, let it sit for another few days before you continue to step 7
7. Next, strain out the apple scraps and return the liquid to the glass jar. Cover again with a coffee filter or clean cloth and set aside to continue to ferment for another 2 weeks or until it is fermented to your liking.
8. Taste the vinegar and once it is soured to your liking, stop the fermenting process by replacing the cloth with a lid and storing the jar in the refrigerator. Your apple cider vinegar is now ready to use any way you choose!
TIPS
* If mold develops on top of the vinegar it has been contaminated and must be discarded. This is why it is important that the apple scraps are always submerged. Using the additional vinegar at the start of the recipe not only jumpstarts the process but prevents mold from forming,
• If a gelatinous disk develops on the top of your vinegar that’s a good thing! That is called the ‘mother.’ You can leave it in the jar for its health benefits or remove it and store in the fridge for use to culture future batches of vinegar.
• For more pronounced apple flavour add 1 extra apple, chopped, to the peels and cores.
