The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: alang on October 18, 2018, 12:30:39 pm
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I've finished eating some homemade pickled beetroot (still a few jars to go) and was wondering if i can re-use the vinegar again with some more beetroot? Would be such a shame to waste it.
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good question! My understanding is that proper vinegar can't go off (that's why it makes such a good preservative), so it may be worth trying with a small batch and trusting your senses on the results. I usually drink any leftover beetroot vinegar - there are alternatives to more pickling, if you like the taste!
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No, as the concentration of vinegar decrease by adding more water (in form of beetroots) and by evaporation every time you open the can. Use the mixture in your garden instead as an herbicide or to kill flies in your house, unless you feel like setting up a lab in your kitchen to distill the acetic acid. ;)
Acetic acid don't have an best before date, so buy in bulk when it's free instead. I've used vinegar from the 50's.
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I can see that it would be diluted by adding more water-containing veg to it, so that's not a good idea, but surely concentration would increase by evaporation? Real aged balsemic vinegar is thick as treacle, achieved just by evaporation.
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Balsamic vinegar contains more things than just acid and water. The hydroxy on the molekule, probably attaches itself to the other substanses in the balsamic vinegar, making it less likely to evaporate.
But test wthat happens when you pour balsamic and vinegar on two different plates.