This recipe for Italian Herb Vinegar is perfect for any Italian or Mediterranean recipe.
I love growing herbs and combing them with vinegar and oil gives me a great ingredient for cooking.
Herb infused vinegar oils keep the flavor of the herbs well and add such a special taste to any recipe. 
Make Your Own Italian Herb Vinegar
One of the tricks to making a good herb vinegar is to use a good quality vinegar. For this recipe I used white wine vinegar, but you can also use red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar Be sure the vinegar you choose is at least 5% acidity.
Also be sure to store the finished recipe in a glass bottle, not a metal container. Store in a dark area, such as a pantry, not in a sunny window. (this will cloud the vinegar, eventually.)
There is no substitute for the fresh herbs used in this recipe. I chose, oregano, thyme, and sage for my mixture.
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients: (links are to affiliates)
- 3 1/2 c white wine vinegar
- 1/2 c of roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 c of fresh oregano leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup of fresh sage leaves
- 4-5 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
You will also need the following supplies:
- coffee filter
- cooking thermometer optional but helpful
- paraffin wax
- clean bottles with corks
- sieve
Directions for the herb vinegar:
Wash all of the herbs. Be sure to reserve an attractive sprig of each to place inside the bottom that you plan to fill.
Put the white wine vinegar, herbs, two crushed garlic cloves, the peppercorns and the salt into a stainless steel pan. Cook on the lowest setting possible (the vinegar should become warm, not hot – 110-110º.)
You may need to turn the stove off from time to time to make sure the vinegar does not get too hot.
Let the mixture steep for 1-2 hours. Check the flavor occasionally until it reaches the intensity that you want.
Use a coffee filter in a sieve over a large bowl and pour in the vinegar mixture. Discard the filter and herb remainders.
In each bottle that you want to fill, insert 1 or two peeled and halved garlic cloves,a few more peppercorns, and your reserved sprig of each of the herbs. Fill the bottles with the strained vinegar and cork the top of the bottles.
Melt the paraffin wax over a very low heat and dip the corks and necks of the bottles in the liquid wax to seal the bottles, using two thin coats.
Store in a cool dry place. It will keep for 6-12 months.
Optional: Add a pretty tag at the neck of the bottle. It will make a great hostess gift!
This idea is shared from a vintage issue of Crafts Magazine.