Apple Scrap Vinegar

By
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/18/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Apple Scrap Vinegar in a jar and apple peel on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

The next time you make apple pie or applesauce or anything that uses a lot of apples, save the cores and peels. Use them to make this vinegar, which is delicious in salad dressings and marinades. It also works beautifully as a base for herbal vinegars.

"I didn't think it was possible that making Apple Vinegar was so easy. And that it's made from scraps makes it economical, too! I had lots of apple scraps on hand after making an apple tart. By the fourth day, I could smell the fermenting process beginning." —Diana Andrews

Apple Scrap Vinegar/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, or honey

  • 2 to 3 cups filtered water

  • 1 pound organic apple cores and peels

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Apple Scrap Vinegar ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  2. Mix one tablespoon sugar per cup of water.

    Sugar in a spoon poured into a measuring cup with water

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  3. Place apple scraps in a ceramic or glass crock or bowl and pour sugar-water solution over them. Use enough liquid to cover apple cores (they will float a bit—that's okay.)

    Sugar water poured into a bowl with apple scraps

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  4. Cover bowl with a dishtowel and leave at room temperature for 1 week if made with sugar water, or up to 2 weeks if using honey.

    Sugar water with apple scraps in a bowl, covered with a towel

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  5. During this time, stir vigorously at least once a day; more often is even better. The liquid will get frothy on top as fermentation gets going, especially when you stir it.

    Apple scrap, sugar, and water mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  6. When the color of the liquid starts to darken after 1 to 2 weeks, strain out and discard the fruit.

    Apple cider vinegar strained into a bowl, with the apple scraps in a strainer

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  7. Keep at room temperature, stirring at least once a day, for 2 weeks to 1 month until liquid smells vinegary and tastes sour. The healthy bacteria that create vinegar require oxygen for the process, so it is important not to seal the container with a lid until the vinegar is as strong as you want it to be.

    Apple cider vinegar in a jar

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  8. Funnel into a glass bottle, cap or cork the bottle and store away from direct heat or light.

    Apple cider vinegar in a jar

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

Warning

Homemade vinegar can only be safely used for pickling if it has at least 4.5% acetic acid. All commercial vinegars are that acidic or more so. You can test your homemade vinegar's acidity by using an acid titration kit, available from home winemaking suppliers.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
13 Calories
0g Fat
4g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 13
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 16mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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