Make a sage vinegar to use as a marinade.
Vinegar isn't just for salads anymore. Homemade, natural herbal vinegars can be used for cleaning, toning your skin, hair cleaning, cooking and even as a deodorant. Easy to make and with a life of 1 to 2 years, making your own herbal vinegars using either fresh or dry herbs or essential oils is a wonderful way to infuse some nature into your household.
Instructions
1. Pick your herbs. If you are going to use fresh herbs from your garden, pick them at the appropriate time. Usually this means getting up early in the morning when the air is cooler and the dew is still on the plant. Carefully clip or snip the plant material, being sure that leaves and stems are whole, clean and unblemished. Rinse them in cool clear water, being careful not to bruise the herbs.
2. Pack the herbs carefully into a sterilized brown or dark-colored bottle. You want the bottle to be as full as possible without damaging or bruising the herbs.
3. Warm the vinegar in a glass pot and gently pour into the herb-packed bottle. Seal tightly and put away. This will need to steep at least 10 days to release all the essential oils into the vinegar. Once completed, strain through cheesecloth into a brown storage bottle. You will be able to keep this 1 to 2 years. Be sure to include the herbs and date on the label.
4. To make your herb vinegar quickly, combine 10 drops of essential oil for every 1 oz. of vinegar. Allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours before using. This type of herb vinegar should not be used in any food preparation due to its incredible strength.
Tags: essential oils, fresh herbs, herb vinegar, herbal vinegars