Herb vinegars are vinegars made using freshly harvested herbs. They are usually made with quality vinegar, often white or apple cider vinegars. The fresh herbs are picked when at their best, washed and dried, then added to the vinegar for infusing. After a time, depending on the recipe being followed, the vinegar is ready for use as a culinary, medicinal or household product.
Composition of herb vinegars[edit | edit source]
Typical herbs used in herb vinegars include: Basil, rosemary, tarragon, dill, fennel, chives, garlic, thyme and mint. Herb vinegars may also contain edible flowers, fruits, spices and other edible plant matter such as seeds, berries or peels. The vinegar can be sweetened if needed.
The vinegar can be of any kind but it should be noted that different vinegar types will match different flavours and have different appearances:[1]
- White vinegar is acidic and clear
- Apple cider vinegar is milder, with a sweetness and it has a dark, amber-like colour
- White wine/champagne vinegars are good quality and tend to be more expensive but make great herb vinegars
Balsamic vinegar is not considered suitable for making a herb vinegar for most cases.[1] It is a strong and overpowering vinegar that would mask the herb flavors, thus making it pointless to use the vinegar for this purpose.
Uses of herb vinegars[edit | edit source]
Herb vinegars are relatively easy to make but care must be taken to ensure that everything is properly sterilized and cleaned before preparing the vinegars, and that storage is appropriate to ensuring longevity and safety for consumption (where relevant). Herbs can be sanitised in a germicidal bleach if you wish.[1]
Herb vinegars are often used to add flavour to dressings, marinades, sauces, pickles and the like.[1]
Making herb vinegars[edit | edit source]
This section will be added later. Feel free to do so yourself if it's still languishing!
