A Good Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
Let me show you just how easy it is when you get the urge to experiment when making apple cider vinegar and explain what an apple cider vinegar mother is. It does unfortunately take quite a bit of time so best pop the dates throughout the stages somewhere where you can easily see and remember them. This will give you a great sense of satisfaction knowing that you have made it. Have fun with it, mix it up with salad dressings, add it to meats and fish for an extra zing and eat a couple of teaspoons each day to help with optimizing your health naturally.
Place all your apples whole and un-peeled into your grinder or blender and mash them up. They won’t look very palatable at this stage; they will look a bit like a brown ground up mess. This is exactly want you want at this stage so don’t worry about it. Using your muslin cloth add the mashed up apples a few at a time and turn it very tightly holding it over your bowl until you have squeezed every last drop of liquid. Repeat this until there is no liquid left. Some people prefer to store their liquid in large glass jugs for easy pouring or even those gallon jugs which are often used when making wine. It doesn’t matter, it is your choice. Store the liquid exposing it to the air for roughly six to eight weeks where it will ferment into alcohol (not recommended for drinking although you could). At the end of this stage you have actually made a form of apple cider but it needs a bit more time before it becomes vinegar. Make sure you have covered it with a fine mesh or muslin cloth.This will allow it to “breath” but also stop any particles of dust settling on top and also keep any nosy insects at bay! This is when you add your “mother” which is the really sticky and smelly gummy looking stuff that floats on the top of a completed batch of vinegar. To speed things up if you are in a hurry you can purchase this from health food stores. However, if like me you want to see the process through right to the end pour some of your hard cider, about a pint into a glass jar and place it somewhere warm and dark. Leave it to work its magic and in a few weeks you will see this "mother" form on the top. It will smell very strong and you will instinctively know it is ready for use. Once you have your “vinegar mother” pour all your hard cider into your wooden barrel and add this. Make sure you then re-cover your barrel with muslin and leave it alone in a warm dark place. This will eventually turn into acetic acid which will be your vinegar. Remember to scrape off the mother before it dies and sinks to the bottom. You can re-use this with your next batch which saves you lots of time second time round. Taste it after a few weeks and when you think it palatable it will be ready for you to strain into glass bottles with a cork, not a metal stopper. Now after all this time, I know it does take time but it is certainly worth it. How are you going to use it? With raw honey, because these two are fantastic for your health.  Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe |
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