I have been wanting to make raspberry vinegar for a few years now. With our first real crop of raspberries just coming in – I am excited I can finally tackle the project. To be honest I cannot believe it took me this long. It is super easy.

It is a recipe I learned back in culinary school. Each year at the beginning of term we made big batches of several different items we would use regularly throughout the year. Bone stock, spice blends, flavoured oils, and vinegars. Raspberry was my favourite.

It can be used as an add in – in drinks like lemonades, or used to deglaze pans for pork, lamb, chicken. Personal favourite – use it in the salad dressing below for tasty spinach and greens salad – yum!

Vinegar can be stored in fridge or in root cellar for up to 6 mos. I use Glass flip top bottles. I found mine at a dollar store. Ensure they are clean and sterilized.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup Raspberry Vinegar – recipe below
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard ( click here for canning recipe)

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. Store in the refrigerator. Just before serving, shake dressing again.

Homemade Raspberry Vinegar

• 3 c. fresh raspberries
• 2 c. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 c. sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Gently rinse raspberries and let dry on paper towels. Place raspberries in a large jar or glass bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar.

Over medium heat, bring mixture almost to a boil while stirring fairly constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over raspberries and let cool to room temperature. Cover jar tightly and let stand at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 48 hours.

Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour raspberry and vinegar mixture into colander and then gather up corners of cheesecloth. Press on cheesecloth with rubber spatula to release as much of the rich raspberry juice as possible.

Discard cheesecloth with raspberry pulp. Pour raspberry vinegar into a clean bottle or jar and seal tightly. Refrigerate or store in a cool dark place; use within 6 months.