Back in the 1980s raspberry vinegar was A Thing. It seemed to get used with wild abandon, sometimes in dishes it shouldn’t have been allowed near. But fruit vinegars are lovely things to have in the store cupboard and they’re so easy to make.
They’re good in a salad dressing, with or without olive oil, but they give a fruity sweet and sour punch to sauces and, diluted with ice cold sparkling water, make a refreshing drink.
I had more blackberries than raspberries this autumn, so blackberry vinegar is what I’ve made, but you can use the recipe for either, or for redcurrants or strawberries when in season. I made a small amount – just scale up if you want more. Use unblemished fruit picked on a dry day.
Blackberry Vinegar
Ingredients:
500g blackberries
300 ml cider vinegar
Granulated sugar (see below)
Method:
Put the blackberries in a bowl and crush lightly. Pour in the vinegar, cover and leave in the fridge for at least four days. I forgot mine and they had nearly a week’s steeping to no ill effect.
Strain through a jelly bag and leave it to drip overnight or at least for a few hours. Discard the fruit (unless you’re feeling thrifty and you want to try making a chutney or something).
Measure the resulting liquid and for every 100 ml, add 75g of sugar. Put the sugar and fruity vinegar in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has melted. Bring to a boil and simmer, bubbling, for 10 minutes. Skim off any scum.
Allow to cool before pouring into sterilised bottles and sealing. It will keep for up to 12 months.
Well, of course this is beautiful! That color! I need to make vinegars more often. Years ago I made a strawberry vinegar and it was outstanding, so I’m sure this one is as well. And they’re so easy to make! Can’t wait to see what you use this on.
Thank you so much, Mimi. It has a lovely flavour, essence of blackberry. I’m keen to try it out! Lx
Lovely recipe Mrs P. I passed a raspberry forager on my Sunday cycle last week. It was very early in the morning and he looked very guilty I was just jealous of his endeavor. There are lots about this year.
Foraging in someone’s garden? The cheek! 🙂
I’m not sure why I made the connection, but did you ever see the episode of “Keeping Up Appearances” where Hyancinth gets tipsy on Lady Ursula’s homemade gooseberry wine? The things you can do with berries…
On a more serious note, that craze for berry vinegars may have put me off them permanently, but this does sound lovely. May even coax me back into that world…
It’s not the first time I’ve been likened to Hyacinth Bucket. How well you seem to know me. 🙂 I know what you mean about fruit vinegars, but I think they have so many possibilities, it’s a shame not to make something that delicious and that easy. All the best, Frank. Lx
Oh yes, I remember the raspberry vinegar days! The worst was a piece of chicken breast, marinated in raspberry vinegar, and grilled to shoe leather. But when used correctly, it really is delicious. Since blackberry is my favorite fruit, I think I’ll like this even more!
I certainly hope so! Thanks, Dorothy.
i still buy raspberry vinegar and i love it. i sometimes make it too. goes so well in salad dressings.
I agree, Sherry! It’s delicious.