Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw apple cider vinegar with the "mother" is easy to make at home and full of many health benefits and uses. It is a great no-waste recipe, ensuring your apple scraps get put to good use!
Equipment
- 1 wide mouth mason jar
- 1 fermentation weight (optional)
- 1 breathable cloth
- 1 rubber band
- 1 fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 2 organic apples
- 1 tbsp organic cane sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
- filtered water
Instructions
First Ferment
- Add chopped apples or apple scraps to a wide mouth mason jar.
- Add sugar and apple cider vinegar if desired. (see explanation)
- Fill the mason jar with filtered water and stir, leaving about 2 inches of space from the top.
- If you are using a fermentation weight, place on top and push it down so that the apples are below the surface of the water.
- Cover the mason jar with a breathable cloth and rubber band. Allow to sit on the counter for 2-3 weeks.
Second Ferment
- After 2-3 weeks, use a fine mesh strainer to strain out all of the apples and apple scraps.
- Return the liquid to a mason jar and cover with a breathable cloth and rubber band.
- Allow to ferment at room temperature for at least another 4-6 weeks. Sometimes it can even take 2-3 months. Monitor the process through taste and smell to see when it is fully vinegar.
- Once complete, jar with a sealed lid and store in your cabinet at room temperature.
Notes
- If you are using a fermentation weight, it is EXTREMELY important to check your apple cider vinegar process daily for any apple pieces that may float to the top. The fermentation weight is supposed to keep everything submerged under the water, but sometimes little pieces will escape past it. Those must be removed immediately to prevent mold from growing.
- If you are using a fermentation weight, you’ll need to use a wide mouth mason jar.
- If you are not using a fermentation weight, you can use any mason jar or glass jar you wish, but you MUST stir the mixture at least once per day. Stirring will prevent mold growth.
- As it ferments and bubbles, it can sometimes leak over the top of your mason jar. Be sure to keep your jar on a hard surface that won’t be ruined by liquid (i.e. no butcher block countertops).
- Just like collecting vegetable scraps for making homemade bone broth, apple scraps can be collected and stored in a freezer bag in your freezer as you make apple recipes. Once you have enough scraps saved, you can use those to make ACV.
