Homemade Fruit Vinegar: Vinagre Casero
In the cooler areas of Mexico, homemade vinegar is usually made with apples, while in warmer places, the abundant pineapples are used to make the pineapple "beer" called tepache and the pineapple vinegar that is used in cooking and pickling. Fruit vinegar will take about one month to ferment in warm weather and two months when the weather is cooler. The following recipe, adapted from Susana Trilling's Oaxaca cookbook, Seasons of My Heart, is the easiest I have found.
Ingredients:
- Peel of 1 ripe pineapple
- 3 cups brown sugar or 1 pound piloncillo cones
- 1 gallon purified water
Preparation:
Place the pineapple peel, sugar and water in a sterilized glass container with a sterilized, tight-fitting lid.
Place the container in a dark place for 1-2 months, depending upon the temperature. A white skin called a "mother" will form at the bottom of the container.
Strain the vinegar into sterilized bottles and cover tightly with caps or corks.
The vinegar should be stored in a cool, dark place.
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