Vinegars

Herbal infused vinegars are simple and fast to make and are an excellent way to add an extra boost to your vinegars. Vinegar is great at extracting minerals and so can be used as an alternative to tinctures and glycerines with herbs rich in minerals. Vinegar is also a medicine in itself so in combination with herbs can be great for sore throats or colds; for example the well-known Fire Cider remedy.

 

To make a vinegar simply fill a jar with plant material, either fresh or dry, and cover with vinegar. If using a metal lid it’s best to use wax or parchment paper between the lid & vinegar as otherwise the lid will start to rust. Let sit for 2-4 weeks or start using immediately; the longer it sits the stronger it gets as more constituents are extracted into the vinegar. Feel free to strain out the plant matter or not, according to what you use you can eat the plant matter as well right from the jar. Vinegar is shelf stable so you don’t have to worry about refrigeration though some people prefer to. Some herbs that make great vinegars are: nettles, alfalfa, egg shells (high in calcium), and wild edibles such as: lovage, violet leaf, alliums, dandelion leaf.