Photo: (Hans Hillewaert), CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Vinegar · From Bladwijzer
Wild apple vinegar
- Makes: ± 1 litre
- Time: 30 min + 6–8 weeks
- From: Crab apple
Ingredients
- 500 g wild apples (with skin and core)
- 1 litre water
- 50 g sugar or honey
Method
- Wash the apples, cut them into small pieces and remove any rotten patches. Skin and core can stay.
- Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water.
- Put the apple pieces in a clean, wide 2-litre jar and pour the sugar water over them. Place a small saucer or weight on top so everything stays under the liquid.
- Cover with a clean cloth and a rubber band and leave for 1 week at room temperature (20–25 °C). Stir every day.
- Strain out the apple pieces and pour the liquid into a clean jar. Cover with a cloth again and leave for another 4–6 weeks in a warm, dark place, stirring gently now and then. A thin, jelly-like film is normal; fuzzy mould is not: if it appears, throw everything away.
- Taste after 4 weeks. If the liquid smells and tastes of vinegar, it is ready. Strain through a coffee filter and pour into clean bottles.
Storing: A year in a cool, dark place in well-closed bottles. Use it for dressings and sauces. It is not suitable for pickling vegetables, because its acidity is not controlled.