Blood Orange Vinegar
I found this recipe in the book 'A Year on the Farm' by Sally Wise. It is very simple to make, but I have slightly changed the method over time.
Quantity: 1 1/4 litres
Ingredients
- 1 kg blood oranges
- 1 litre good quality white vinegar
- Sugar
Instructions
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Use a food processor to mince the whole oranges.
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Place them in a large jar and add the vinegar. Stir to mix well
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Put the lid on the jar and leave it to stand at room temperature for one week.
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Use a strainer to separate the solids from the liquid. Dispose of the solids and retain the liquid.
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Using four thicknesses of muslin, strain the liquid again.
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Measure the liquid into a large pan, and for each 500 ml of liquid add 175g of sugar.
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Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
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Leave to stand for 5 minutes and then, using a flat spoon, skim off any scum.
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Pour into sterilized bottles and seal immediately.
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Leave for at least a month before using.
Notes
- While the original recipe does not include all of these steps, I have added them to ensure a beautiful clear finished product. If you do not wish to follow this the vinegar will have sediment that does not change the flavour, but just doesn't look as pretty.
- I repeat step 5 twice!
- I've halved the amount of sugar used in the original recipe.
- (Updated 11 September 2021)
That sugar/ liquid ratio is way, way off. We followed the recipe exactly and it is basically a thin orange syrup. Way too sweet to be a vinegar. Is that supposed to be 3/4 cup of sugar per QUART of liquid?
Hi Annette, thank you for your feedback. This is the recipe as it is stated in the book “A Year on the Farm” by Sally Wise. It is a sweetened vinegar, not unlike a balsamic, I guess. You could reduce the amount of sugar to suit your taste. But you have given me an idea to run a test on making it with no sugar at all – when I make my raspberry vinegar, I never add sugar…
I use this vinegar for salad dressings, and also for sauces to accompany duck and pork.
i’d like a balsamic blood orange reduction. Do I just add the orange, skipping the sugar, and reduce it?
Historically, there were vinegars made for sweetening, very much like they were what we, in current days, think of as “sweeteners”. I have to dig it up but I have a recipe for “1901 Raspberry Vinegar” and it is simply amazing in drinks and awesome on vanilla ice cream.
That sounds wonderful John, I’d love to give it a go. I played around with a lime version last year and while I thought I could use it in my cooking, I was greatly disappointed! But then I realised it was an amazing lime cordial/syrup, and is perfect with ice and soda on a hot day, or for those who must, would be the perfect addition to brandy and soda for a ‘Brandy, Lime & Soda’! Needless to say it was a hit with the family and am now down to my own personal supply that will be kept under lock and key until I get my hands on this year’s limes…
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