If you throw away apple peels when making apple sauce, you should keep them the next time! Why keep the peels, you are probably wondering, right? Believe it or not, you can use them to make your own healthy apple cider vinegar. Amazing,right? Zero waste and healthy food all around you. You should know that you can also make apple cider vinegar from the entire apple; therefore, no pressure if you have no leftover peels or cores!
If you decide to save peels and cores, keep them in the freezer until you have sufficient amount for a batch. It is important to note that organic apples are the best option for homemade vinegar, especially if you are going to make it with the peels! If organic apples are not found in your area, peel them and use the meat of the apple only.
Why Is Apple Cider Vinegar so Good for the Health?
Apple cider vinegar is made through fermentation and it is abundant in pivotal nutrients, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus,and magnesium. A lot of people swear by its ability to boost the digestion,alleviate heartburn, restore the pH of the skin, and relieve skin problems such as dandruff and eczema, according to Clean Food House.
Not all ACV Is the Same
In order to reap its benefits, the ACV you buy/make needs to be unfiltered and unpasteurized and to contain ‘the mother’ i.e. the good bacteria that develops during the process of fermentation. This is not always the case with store-bought ACV, particularly the more processed types.
DIY Recipe for Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
You will need:
A clean mason jar
Peels and cores from organic apples, enough to fill ¾ of the jar
Organic, unrefined sugar
Filtered water
Smaller jar
Cheesecloth
Rubber band
Preparation: Fill the clean jar with the scraps or chopped apples. Then, in a cup of water, dissolve a tbsp of the sugar. Pour the content into the jar. Add some water if necessary so that the scraps/apples are completely submerged. Weigh down the scraps with a small glass jar well. Then,cover the jar with cheesecloth and attach it with a rubber band. Put the jar in a cool and dark area. Leave it like that for 3 weeks.
You need to inspect the jar every few days to ensure there is no mold and that the scraps/apples are under the water. Once the three weeks pass, strain the content and return the liquid to the jar. Compost the scraps and then cover the jar again as you did before. Leave it in the same area for 4 more weeks. Stir it every two or three days. When the ACV becomes tart, close it with a lid.
Voila! You now have your own, homemade, organic apple cider vinegar ready for use!
Sources: