Making Dill Mint Garlic Vinegar

Herb infused vinegars are great tasting and good for you. In previous posts, I have discussed how we simply do not buy any manufactured salad dressings in our household. Sure if a recipe calls for ranch dressing I will get it, but our standard dressing is EVOO and a herb infused vinegar. The variations on what you can make are endless. This dill, mint and garlic recipe includes the basic process that I follow in making our custom vinegars.

Tools and Ingredients

1 Glass Mason Quart Jar
Meat pounder/tenderizer (wood is better than metal)
1 cup White Wine Vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
White Vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch, Dill
1 cup Mint leaves

Wash and clean herbs removing any blemished or damaged material. Cut the main stalks from the dill and strip the mint leaves from the stalks. Remove the skins from the garlic cloves. Using a meat tenderizer give a light whack to each garlic glove and put them in the jar. Next take the mint leaves and again lightly whack the leaves to break the skin.

Next, put the mint into the jar pushing it down into the bottom.

Next, put the dill into the jar again pushing as much as you can in it. The mistake most people make is not putting enough herbs in so don’t be shy.

Next we will first add the white wine vinegar and then top it off with white vinegar to the top of the jar with about 1/2 in of head space. My main reason for the mix is to save some pennies. It is difficult to find white wine vinegar in anything but small bottles that come at a price. Sometimes I splurge and make it all with white wine vinegar. Next close the jar and label it with a date and give it a little shake. Put the jar in a cool dark place giving it a quick shake every so often over the next two weeks.

After about two weeks it should be ready. Give it a taste and if it works for you, it is time to strain it and put it in vinegar bottles. Feel free to reuse clean, and sanitized glass vinegar bottles you have bought before or purchase some new ones (Don’t use any bottle, especially any with uncoated metal lids). I get my bottles from specialty bottle.com with the plug dipper insert. Now you have homemade herb vinegar that will taste better than anything you have ever bought and they make great gifts too.

Notes: You can put some herbs in your final jars but make sure they are always covered with vinegar. If the final product is cloudy and you would prefer it clear, run it through a coffee filter after you strain it.