On a busy day at Heartwave Farms, Annie and Julianne found themselves surrounded by a bounty of apples, a generous gift from a customer.
While these apples serve multiple purposes, from feeding animals to baking, there’s always a significant amount of scrap left behind.
Instead of merely discarding these peels and cores, the duo has a delightful solution.
They’re turning their scraps into gold. Or vinegar anyway, which is pretty close depending on who you ask.
More specifically, they’re making apple scrap vinegar and, as you might have guessed, it all starts with the scraps.
With the rising costs of organic apple cider vinegar in stores, especially the kind with the mother, this homemade version not only saves money but also ensures a pure, organic product.
The process of making apple cider vinegar, as Julianne and Annie demonstrate, is surprisingly simple.
The primary ingredients are apples, sugar, water, and a good dose of patience.
The sugar plays a crucial role in the fermentation process, feeding the bacteria and aiding in the transformation of the apple scraps into vinegar.
To start, Julianne adds four tablespoons of organic cane sugar to a jar, followed by a cup of warm water.
This mixture ensures the sugar dissolves completely.
It’s essential to use clean jars to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and prevent any unwanted microbial activity.
Once the sugar solution is ready, the jars are filled halfway with tightly packed apple scraps.
This includes the peels, cores, and any other leftover bits from their apple processing.
The duo emphasizes the importance of packing the jars well to ensure a rich flavor in the final product.
After stuffing the jars, they’re topped off with clean, filtered water.
Julianne then stirs the mixture, ensuring the sugar is evenly distributed and removing any trapped air bubbles.
The vibrant colors and textures of the apple scraps evoke a sense of autumn, reminding the duo of the season’s beauty and bounty.
The next step is crucial for the fermentation process.
The jars are covered with breathable fabric, like napkins, allowing the mixture to breathe without letting in any contaminants.
Annie points out the aesthetic appeal of the jars, noting how lovely they look on a shelf, serving both a functional and decorative purpose.
With the jars prepared, they’re stored in a cool, dark place.
For the first one to two weeks, the tops are removed every few days, and the mixture is stirred.
After this initial period, the jars are left undisturbed, allowing the fermentation to continue for one to three months.
Once the fermentation is complete, the liquid is strained, leaving behind a pure, homemade apple scrap vinegar.
Annie and Julianne emphasize how simple the process is, encouraging everyone to try it out.
While fermentation can sometimes be unpredictable, with occasional troubleshooting required, the results are often rewarding.
Heartwave Farms’ apple cider vinegar journey is but one example of the joys of homemade products.
It offers a sustainable solution to apple waste and provides a pure, organic product that can be used in various ways, from cooking to personal care.
Just to be clear, apple scrap vinegar is not the same product as apple cider vinegar. ACV is made from fermented apple juice and is a slightly different process. However, they are very similar in terms of both flavor and action and can be substituted for each other in many instances.
See how simply this apple scrap vinegar recipe comes together in the video below!
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