Apple Cider Vinegar

There are many times when I am left with a lot of something that is about to go bad really soon.  In a recent case, it happened to be apple cider that was quickly turning the corner.  I was hesitant to throw half of a gallon of it away, especially since it came with a hefty price tag.  Thankfully, the Internet stepped in at that point and put a stop to the throwing away madness – for the cider at least.

It seems that you can make cider into apple cider vinegar.  Yes, it was a “duh” moment for me too.  You put the leftover cider into non-reactive containers for 3-4 weeks, add a special vinegar yeast if you want, and stir every day until it smells like vinegar.  Strain the result through cheesecloth and now you have apple cider vinegar.  If you would like more comprehensive directions, they can be found here.

If you are wondering what to do with apple cider vinegar, I can list a few off the top of my head.  It’s often used in cooking like my skillet apple pie.  It can be used as a substitute for regular vinegar in a pinch, like during canning and cleaning which I have done on several occasions.  You can drink it straight up for medicinal purposes touted in many alternative health websites.  I have also tried this but didn’t follow-through with the process as it tastes like vinegar and made me gag (go figure!).  Or you can got to the 131 uses for apple cider vinegar website.

I must say that the process is stinky and the jars hiss at me when I loosen the lids.  It is great fun so far!