Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apple season is coming! We have 3 apple trees in the back yard and one of them is dropping apples to the ground. I think they have a bit of help in falling as several of the apples are half eaten. (Squirrels :P)

I don’t like to waste if I can help it, and apples on the ground are still useable!

Aside from any bugs, you use the whole apple to make apple cider vinegar. I was browsing Pinterest last year when I found a recipe that looked easy enough. I have everything I need on hand! I have apples, water, sugar, glass jars and time.

Almost 5 lbs of apples have been picked up from the ground but none looked appetizing. And some aren’t ripe.

This afternoon, I pulled the frozen apple scraps I’ve been saving and then used the ones from the ground and fill up 2 half gallon mason jars.

After cutting up the apples (they fit better and it cuts out the bugs), I measured out about 3 cups of water to fill up each of the jars, added 1 TBSP of sugar per cup of water (so 3 TBSP per jar), put a lid on to give it a good shake. I then took off the lid and used a coffee filter with a ring to let it ferment for the next two weeks.

You can add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help the fermentation process along. I decided to do that this time and added probably a TBSP to each jar (I didn’t measure).

Now it’s time for TIME to do its job. I will stir these jars daily for the next two weeks and wait for it to stop bubbling. Once that has settled down, I’ll strain out the apples and bottle up the liquid which will still sit in the bottles for a few months before its ready to use.

How’s that for almost free vinegar that is probably $6/pint at the store??? I love finding ways to use up scraps in a way that is something I already use!