Apple Cider Vinegar

 

6 apples

¼ C. sugar

2 C. warm water

32-oz. (1-quart) mason jar

 

Sterilize your mason jar by washing it thoroughly with dish soap and hot water. Let it air-dry. Peel the skins and take out the cores from 6 apples and add the skins and cores to the jar (snack on the rest of it). Sprinkle in ¼ C. sugar, then top with 2 C. warm water. Give everything a stir. Place a square of cheesecloth over the top, then add the ring from the lid loosely just to hold the cloth in place. Set the jar in a warm, dark spot in your pantry for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, fish out and compost the solids. Return the cheesecloth and ring to the jar and ferment for up to 2 more weeks, tasting it every week. The vinegar is ready when it is tangy to your liking. Always make sure you’re using a clean utensil in the jar, and if at any point you see blue or black mold around the top of the jar, throw out the whole batch immediately. Store the vinegar in a sealed jar in the pantry for many weeks.