Recipes

How to Make Infused Vinegars

Use summer's bounty of berries and herbs to create homemade flavoured vinegars for salads, marinades and beautiful gifts

By Jenn Chic /

Credit: Jenn Chic

Remember to shake your herb jar every day for a week to develop the flavours in your infused vinegar

Berry- and herb-infused vinegars are easy to make, elegant, and perfect for gift-giving

When you’ve had your fill of tarts, smoothies and other berry delights, take your leftover berries and herbs and infuse them in vinegar for a simple, yet elegant condiment that is perfect for gift giving.

Berry vinegars are delicious in salad dressings and marinades.

Add a splash of herbed vinegar to grilled vegetables, homemade mayonnaise, soups and stews for a much welcome zip.

These recipes are easy to make and beautiful to look at when stored in decorative bottles and will last up to a year in a cool, dark place.

Berry Vinegar

Ingredients

  • 2 cups berries
  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar

Instructions

  1. Puree the berries and vinegar in a blender. Transfer to a quart jar.
  2. Let stand 5 to 7 days in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar daily to blend the flavours.
  3. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth and discard the solids.
  4. Return the strained vinegar to the jar or decant into a decorative bottle.

Strawberry Vinegar


Strain the vinegar in a single layer of cheesecloth before pouring into canning jars. (Image by Jenn Chic)

Ingredients

  • 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar

Instructions

  1. Combine the berries and vinegar in a quart jar.
  2. Set in a cool, dark place for 1 to 2 weeks, checking for flavour after 7 days.
  3. Strain the vinegar through a fine mesh sieve and then a single layer of cheesecloth.
  4. Pour into decorative bottles or canning jars.

Herbed Vinegar

Instructions

  • ½ bottle white wine vinegar or 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 bunch fragrant fresh herbs such as tarragon, rosemary, or thyme
  • Pinch salt

Ingredients

  1. Leaving the leaves on the stems, wash the herbs in several changes of water. Dry thoroughly.
  2. Submerge the herbs in the vinegar in the original bottle or in a pint jar. Andd the salt. Recap and shake every day for 1 week to develop flavours.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Put ‘Em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton.