Spring Greens Vinegar and Oxymel

Monek Marie
Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 2021 in Wild Edibles & Medicinals

These recipes is from the Herbal academy. I made one today and will start on the other one as soon as I dry more ingredients.

Spring Greens Vinegar

Herbal vinegars are a simple and delicious way to preserve wild herbs! Since minerals are readily extracted by vinegar, herbal vinegars are also the perfect preparation for mineral-rich herbs such as dandelion leaf, violet, nettle, and red clover. For a nourishing boost to meals, incorporate this infused vinegar into salad dressings and marinades or take by the teaspoonful. 


For a sweeter option, convert this Spring Greens Vinegar to an oxymel (see recipe below).

Ingredients

⅛ cup dried dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaf

⅛ cup dried violet (Viola spp.) leaf

⅛ cup dried nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf

⅛ cup dried red clover (Trifolium pratense) blossom

3 cups (24 fl oz) raw apple cider vinegar


Directions

  • Crush/grind dried plant material into small pieces to expose more of the surface area to the menstruum.
  • Place dried herbs in a quart-sized glass canning jar. Pour raw apple cider vinegar over the dried herb, making sure to cover the dried herb by at least 1 inch. You’ll want to be sure to check back the next day to see if the menstruum needs to be topped off a bit due to expansion of the herbs.
  • Place a square piece of natural waxed paper on top of the jar, then seal the jar with a lid.
  • Cap tightly and give a shake to ensure that the herb and menstruum are thoroughly mixed.
  • Label the jar and store in a cool, dark location and visit every 1-3 days, giving the jar a shake.
  • Let macerate for 4-6 weeks.
  • Line a wire strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth, or simply place the cheesecloth within a clean funnel placed in the mouth of a jar, and decant the mixture.
  • Strain the mixture through the cheesecloth and with clean, dry hands, gather the cloth up and squeeze strongly, squeezing as much liquid from the herbs as possible.
  • Transfer the liquid into a clean glass jar and let it settle overnight in a cool, dark location. Compost the marc (plant material).
  • Strain the vinegar through a finer filter such as a coffee filter or tightly woven cloth.
  • Transfer the vinegar into dark-colored glass bottles using a clean funnel.
  • Label and store in a cool, dark place.
  • Take 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon/day.

Spring Greens Oxymel (requires vinegar recipe above)

Transform our spring greens vinegar into an oxymel by sweetening with honey. This is a simple way to make bitter herbs more palatable and might just be the encouragement children need to take their herbal mineral boost! Note: This recipe contains honey and should not be given to children under 1 year of age.


Ingredients

½ cup (4 fl oz) Spring Greens Vinegar, strained (recipe above)

⅔ cup (5.3 fl oz) raw honey


Directions

  • Pour Spring Greens Vinegar into a small saucepan and heat until just warm.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Slowly whisk in honey until the mixture is smooth.
  • Bottle in a clean, dry dark-colored glass bottle or jar.
  • Label and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months or in the refrigerator for up to 9 months.
  • Take ½-1 tablespoon/day.


I love it when its foraging and wildcrafting time. To be able to craft delicious recipes and healthy food from you yard is truly amazing

Comments

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    I saw those recipes too, and they sound really good. I have nettles drying already, and I plan on gathering the violets and dandelions tomorrow. There's no clover in bloom around here yet though. I may go ahead and do the vinegar without that, but I'm also wondering about possible alternatives for substitution. I didn't see any edible flowers in bloom today except blackberry blossoms and chive flowers. The chives would be a totally different flavor and might overpower the greens. The blackberry blossoms could be interesting though.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021

    @MaryRowe I think blackberry could be interesting. Do you have any apple trees still in bloom?

    I had clover that I dried last fall.

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    No apple trees in bloom here now--that surprise bitter cold snap and snow got them; burned the blossoms badly--I don't expect many apples this year. Got my violet and dandelion leaves in to dry this AM, I'm about to head out again to make a last check for any other edible flowers, but at this point I think the blackberry blossoms are still my best candidates. I plan on making a couple half-sized recipes, with and without flowers, to see the difference.

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @Denise Grant Thank you for sharing this post. I have never done oxymel myself, so far. Now I am motivated to try it out. I have read about all the benefits of taking a spoon per day.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jolanta.wittib Oxymel is something I plan to do a lot more of. It has wonderful benefits and is easy to use. Kids will even take it

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @Denise Grant exactly. I need some healthy drink for grandchildren which could replace to bought lemonades or whatever other drinks. I am experimenting with water kefir. It is also good as it sparkles, but I have to be careful how long to let it develop, not to make it too strong.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @jolanta.wittib Have you tried shrubs for your grandchildren? Fruit, ACV & honey. Like an oxymel but with fruit instead of herbs. My husband loves it. About an ounce in a 16 oz. glass, fill with ice cubes and add soda water/club soda.

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @torey what a good idea. I will try it out!

  • frogvalley
    frogvalley Posts: 675 ✭✭✭✭

    @jolanta.wittib Thank you for sharing. You are always contributing amazing things.

  • marjstratton
    marjstratton Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭✭

    Having run out of most of my Oxymel, I need to get making some more. Really like hawthorn.

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant All I need is the clover blossoms---going to order some today! Can't wait to try--Thanks for posting!

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @marjstratton, You've got me curious----What do you add with the hawthorn? I have been looking for things to incorporate hawthorn. Thanks

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @water2world If you are looking for ways to use hawthorn, check out the recipe for Apple Berry Concentrate in Wild Remedies by Rosalee de la Foret.

    Or the Hawthorn Cordial in Alchemy of Herbs, also by Rosalee.

    Or this recipe for bitters.


  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great recipes! Thank you for sharing. Now just have to wait for stuff to get growing and/or blossoming around here.

    Have made an oxymel before but only with hyssop. Don't remember the recipe I used having as high a ration of honey to acv. Might make another this year and try a bit more honey in it.

    Have to try some of the vinegar and the oxymel with leaves and see what types of flavors I come up with. Have to be careful with Nettle. Tried some Nettle tea a month or so ago and had a reaction to it.

    Used dried Nettle bought from Mountain Rose and brewed a tea with it. Added a little honey and drank it. Not my favorite flavor but drinkable. Fist time had a little tingling on my lips, was sick at the time so thought it was the beginning of a cold sore. Second time the tingling was lips, tongue and inside of mouth and everything itched as well.

    Had used it before but only as a small addition to an herbal blend never by itself.

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @frogvalley Thank you 😊

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @torey Thanks, I appreciate the info! Will definitely try those! Hawthorne, here I come!

  • annbeck62
    annbeck62 Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭

    What a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    What about using fresh plant?

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You can use fresh plants but they are not as storng of a blend and its best to keep them refrigerated and they will not last as long. Dried plant matter makes a stonger mix what holds better.