Save Your Pineapple Scraps To Make A Flavor-Packed Vinegar

Whether you're on a make-your-own hot or cold process cocktail shrub binge, are getting oddly into fire ciders, or have fallen into a rabbit hole of cooking with acidic liquids, the world of vinegars and how to create them is a solid, even if slightly uncommon, culinary skill to add to your repertoire. Not only are their uses varied, but they also help to utilize what would otherwise be trash or compost — like in the case of pineapple vinegar.

We likely all have a bottle of apple cider vinegar stashed away in the back of the pantry. It gets broken out for house-made pickles, in-the-moment health tonics, and the occasional clay facial mask. Pineapple vinegar is a bit more niche; you're not likely to see it on the shelves at your local grocery store. But its uses are many, and its ability to punch up the flavor in a variety of dishes is why it's a staple in cuisines like Mexican.

To create your own pineapple vinegar, you'll need to cut a pineapple and save those scraps. You know — the shaved off bumpy skin, core, and other bits that aren't quite fit for eating. You'll also need vinegar with the mother. If you're familiar with raw apple cider vinegar — the one with the slimy-looking stuff floating around in the bottle — that's the mother. It's much like the SCOBY from a kombucha starter. As with any fermenting or canning process, you'll also need a clean glass jar and a cloth lid. Combine your scraps with water, organic sugar, and a few tablespoons of the raw vinegar in the glass jar, secure the cloth lid, then set it on a counter in your kitchen. Stir once each day and, after a couple of weeks, you'll toss the pineapple scraps and let the mixture continue doing its magic for a few more weeks.

Once your vinegar is ready to use, feel free to experiment! It's wonderful as a salad dressing and adds a tropical kick if fruit is in the mix. Try adding it to a salad with grilled fruit for a summery twist. You can use it as a tenderizer for meat in your next marinade, too. The enzymes in the pineapple help to break down the meat's fibers. In traditional adobos and stews, you can use it in place of regular vinegar. Lastly, try to make your next cocktail shrub with it for an interesting twist on happy hour.