This is one of those ‘no cost’ recipes made from things that other people normally throw away. When I made applesauce, I also started making this vinegar at the same time, with all of the fruit trimmings, cores, and cut out bruises. I fermented them in jars for awhile, strained out the fruit scraps, and let the vinegar ferment longer. The result? An amazingly fragrant and abundant fruit vinegar for almost no cost. Waste not, want not!
Ingredients:
skin and core from 1 pineapple.
for pineapple vinegar only: 2 teaspoons dried oregano & 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes–OR– for apple scrap vinegar.
apple or pear cores, trimmings and peels (bruised or overripe fruit ok, except throw out any pieces with mold on it).
To make sugar water:
1/4 cup Rapadura sugar (or honey)
1 quart filtered warm water
Preparation:
Prepare the sugar water for the amount of fruit scraps that you have with the ratio of 1 quart water to 1/4 sugar. Make sure all sugar is completely dissolved. Fill jars with coarsely chopped up fruit scraps about half full, then pour in the sugar water solution. For pineapple vinegar, add the additional spices and stir in. Cover with a towel or cheesecloth and let ferment at room temperature. Stir once/day if you can.
You will notice the liquid darken after about a week. At that point, strain out the fruit scraps and discard or compost them. Ferment the vinegar for 2 to 3 weeks longer, stirring it periodically.
I hope to enjoy