To make your own infusion use 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs per 2 cups of vinegar. If using dried herbs use 1/2 cup herbs per 2 cups of vinegar.
Always use glass jars with plastic or cork tops, not metal (it will react with the vinegar.) If using a metal lid like a canning jar lay a piece of plastic wrap over the lid and then screw in the metal lid so the vinegar has no contact with the metal.
Always wash all jars, utensils, etc in hot soapy water before using so they are sterilized.
There are a ton of different methods and recipes out there for making infused vinegar. Some heat up vinegar, some don't. For this project we are following directions provided in the book Herbal Vinegar by Maggie Oster (available as an ebook on Hoopla)
You can use different kinds of vinegar with different results.
1. Wash canning jar and 10 ounce glass bottle with cork and their lids in hot soapy water. Rinse well with hot water. Fill a large deep pot about half full with water. Place the jars upright into the pot; add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the water to just before a boil and leave in pot for 10 minutes. Add the lids to the pot, and then remove the pot from the heat. This will sterilize them.
2. Thoroughly rinse herbs or other fresh ingredients. Zest lemon by using a vegetable peeler to remove strips of the outer skin (zest), leaving the bitter white pith behind. Peel shallot's outer skin and slice into narrow strips.
3. Put fresh ingredients into mason jar. Use glass (not metal) measuring cup and measure out 10 ounces of vinegar, pour vinegar into mason jar.
4. Steep in a dark place at room temperature for 2-4 weeks. Do not put in the sun to steep. Shake contents occasionally to make flavorings are always completely covered by vinegar so that they do not mold.
5. After 2-4 weeks or til the taste is to your liking, strain the vinegar. Place a funnel into the glass jar, line it with a coffee filter and pour the contents of your mason jar mixture into jar. If the mixture going into the glass bottle is cloudy repeat the process with another coffee filter.
Shallot, Tarragon & Lemon Vinegar Recipe
Adopted from this Eating Well Recipe
10 ounces cider vinegar
1 shallot peeled and quartered
2 strips of zest from lemon
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
To gift create a unique tag to tie around the neck of the bottle. Include a recipe for how to use the flavored vinegar.
Recipe to use your vinegar in:
From this site: https://www.thegunnysack.com/garlic-and-herb-chicken-marinade-recipe/
Garlic and Herb Chicken Marinade Recipe
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Serves 4
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp minced onion
2 tsp roasted garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1. Mix together sea salt, minced onion, roasted garlic powder, black pepper, coriander, parsley, and paprika.
2. Put the spice mixture, olive oil, and vinegar into a gallon sized ziptop bag. Add two pounds of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. Toss to coat well, place in the fridge and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
3. Grease the grill grates, discard the marinade and grill the chicken over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side for a total of about 10 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
