Comments on: Plant-Based DIY Basics: Infused Vinegar

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 04:29:56 +0000

Hah! Thank you for calling me on such a TERRIBLE typo!! All fixed now. 🙂

By: No

No — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 00:07:11 +0000

Dear whomever wrote this.
Sorry to be pedantic.

But it’s DIY not DYI.
As in Do It Yourself.
Not Do Yourself It.

By: pawpaw

pawpaw — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 04:12:01 +0000

I have some Elder Berries in my freezer do you think they would be good in red wine vineger

By: moonwatcher

moonwatcher — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:25:19 +0000

Hi Chile! Great to have you chime in on this. I tried doing that, but alas, my experiments developed mold. This is a mold proof way to use up the extra vinegar I already have. 🙂 But am hoping some day I can make it work. Your directions are excellent. Thanks for sharing!

By: Chile

Chile — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:50:38 +0000

I take it one step further (earlier?) and make my own vinegar with fruit scraps. This yields different flavors of vinegar, is cheap and easy to do, and pretty darn fun.

By: moonwatcher

moonwatcher — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:25:28 +0000

Welcome, Diane, and thanks for your comment. In my experience the infused vinegars have kept for months without decanting. I just decanted the last raspberry one probably about a month ago and it was made in July. My strategy is to keep the berries in the bottle with the vinegar and decant as needed. On the other hand, over the years I didn’t always refrigerate the decanted vinegar and sometimes did not use it for quite a while (a couple of months? cant remember) and it was always fine. We are basically “pickling” the fruit and plants in the vinegar, so once decanted it should keep for year, possibly up to five years, like an herbal tincture would, if the lids are on tight and it’s stored in a cool, dry place. I once discovered a bottle of nasturtium flower vinegar that had literally been in the cupboard for years, and much to my amazement, it was fine. The flower was like wisps of disappearing paper, but it was not rancid or anything like that. That’s been my experience anyway. Hope it helps!
Maria

By: Diane

Diane — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:00:15 +0000

I too want to give this a go (and chuckled and agree with Nicole’s, “LOT LESS expensive than buying the fancy-pants ones at Whole Paycheck”)! My question is: How long will the infused vinegars keep before decanting? ie, After I decant, I’m wondering if I can close the jar and shelf the infused vinegar for 6 months to a year or more? I’d like to experiment with this and make one or two types of infused vinegars in bulk for the year while berries are in season. What do you think? Peace and thanks,

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:14:49 +0000

Thanks, Maria! I’ll start with fresh before experimenting with frozen!

By: moonwatcher

moonwatcher — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 17:36:00 +0000

Hi Cheryl! Thanks for your comment. Yes, you are understanding correctly that there’s no canning magic. It’s merely a matter of filling the jar and closing it tight. No need to force a seal, although sometimes it will seal itself. And yes, it should keep for months until you’re ready for it. Just make sure whatever you’ve got in the jar is completely covered. I’ve never had a problem with an infused vinegar going bad. It practically IS too good to be true, but it really IS true. 🙂

As for organic frozen berries, I’m not sure. As they defrost, they will release a flood of their juice into the vinegar, so proportions may need to be adjusted. I know the vitamin C in raspberries is somewhat lost once they are frozen too, though with other kinds of berries I don’t think that’s the case. I’ve always shied away from frozen, and used fresh. Sometimes I buy a pint of strawberries at the farmer’s market just fot that purpose if I don’t have enough in the garden at home. If you experiment with frozen, let us know how it turns out.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 17:10:51 +0000

Hi Maria,

This sounds simple and delicious! I don’t grow my own fruits, and I like to stick to organic as much as possible. I’m wondering if I could use organic frozen berries?

Am I understanding this that there’s not canning magic here, I just need to fill the jar and seal it, and it’ll keep for months till I’m ready for it?

This all sounds too good to be true!

Thanks, Maria!