Create tasty, flavored balsamic vinegar by infusing it with herbs and fruit.
Balsamic vinegar is a dark vinegar often mixed with olive oil for use as a salad dressing. While balsamic vinegar on its own can get boring over time, infusing it with herbs and fruit is the perfect way to kick the flavor up a notch. Bottles of delicious, infused balsamic vinegar are simple to create at home and also make perfect gifts and party favors.
Instructions
1. Place glass jars in a large pot filled with water and boil them for 10 minutes to sterilize. Use tongs to remove the glass jars from the water and place them upside-down on a clean towel.
2. Wash the corks or lids for the jars in hot, soapy water. Scald the lids by placing them in a saucepan of almost-boiling water, then remove from the heat. Scald corks by dipping them in and out of the boiling water several times.
3. Mix 1 tsp. household bleach with 6 cups of water in a clean, large pot or bowl, and dip the herbs in this solution to sanitize them. Rinse the herbs and pat them dry using paper towels. Use herbs such as dill, rosemary, thyme and tarragon.
4. Wash the fresh fruit thoroughly and peel if necessary. While small fruits such as raspberries can be left whole, larger fruits such as pears and peaches need to be halved or cut into smaller pieces.
5. Insert your selected herbs and fruits into the jars you sterilized in Step 1. Between three and four sprigs of fresh herbs, or 3 tbsp. dried herbs, and 1 or 2 cups of fruit are recommended for every 2 cups of vinegar.
6. Pour 2 cups of balsamic vinegar into a pot and heat the vinegar until it reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can verify with a cooking thermometer. Pour the vinegar into the jars filled with herbs and fruits, leaving a 1/4-inch space at the top. Secure the lids onto the jars tightly, or insert the corks.
7. Allow the jars of vinegar to cool. Store them in a cool, dark place for between 3 and 4 weeks for the flavors to infuse the balsamic vinegar.
8. Strain the infused balsamic vinegar through cheesecloth to remove the herbs and fruits, which can be discarded. Pour the flavored vinegar into sterilized jars and cap or cork securely.
Tags: balsamic vinegar, herbs fruits, vinegar into, with herbs, balsamic vinegar