Catherine Love~ Ramblings from my Heart and Home

Dill Vinegar

Yesterday I shared a bit about dill with you.  Today, as promised here are a few ideas and tips for  making flavored vinegar with dill. 

As with most things, there are different ways to make flavored vinegar.  Every herb book I've read has a slightly different method, recipe, etc.  So, here are a few hints and you can choose how you want to make yours! 

First, to preserve your dill for pickle making if the timing between your dill and cucumbers is a bit off, try this:

Cut fresh flowering stems of dill, pack into clean sterilized jars and cover with white vinegar.  When the cukes are ready, you've got your dill and vinegar ready to go, too.  I've read that dill preserved this way will last for years.  I made some last spring and it still seems to be OK.  I haven't had any cucumbers yet, so no pickle making for me, either.  When my mother-in-law's cucumbers get ready, I'm going to give it a try. 

Now, for Dill Flavored Vinegar for salad dressings, etc...

Use cider vinegar, or wine vinegar.  Heat your vinegar and dill (or whatever herb you're using) gently- do not boil.  Place in a clean covered container and allow to steep for about 1 week.  Strain out the herbs and put into clean sterilized bottles or jars.   

I've also read that you don't really need to heat the vinegar and herbs, just bruise the herbs a bit with a spoon and pour the vinegar over them.  Some recipes say to let it set for 3 weeks instead of 1.  To make it pretty,you can  put a fresh sprig of herbs in the bottles when filling them. 

When my basil is ready to harvest, I plan on making some with red wine vinegar, basil and possibly a bit of garlic.  I think I'll also make a thyme & marjoram vinegar this year, too. 

Obviously, you can make lots of different herb vinegars using these methods.  Just one way to preserve your herbal harvest.

If you have a "tried and true" method or recipe you'd like to share, I'd love it!  Leave a comment that you've posted it on your blog, or just put it in your comment here if you'd rather. 

Garden Blessings!

 Catherine

Untitled Comment

11:25 PM, Tuesday, June 27, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle

Thanks for great blogs! I'm new to the herb world. The main thing I'd like to know is how to dry basil. I'm getting tons of it and don't know how to keep it. I'll keep reading on the herbs!