Vinegar, an often overlooked ingredient, is used in salad dressings, marinades and much more. But not all vinegars are created equal. Many store-bought vinegars have an acidic taste but are otherwise rather flavorless. Making your own vinegar at home is a process that requires patience but few ingredients, and yields surprisingly tasty results.
Container Choice
Use a glass, enamel or earthenware container or crock. Do not use metal containers other than stainless steel, as the acid can interact with other kinds of metals
Adding Ingredients
Fill the crock a third- to half-full with two parts red wine (the better the wine, the more flavorful the vinegar will be) to one part filtered water.
Add a homemade starter or a commercially purchased "mother" to the wine mixture. This will change your wine into vinegar. Look for commercially produced "mothers" at beer and wine supply stores.
Cover your container with a breathable material, such as cheesecloth, and tie the fabric down with a rubber band or string around the opening.
Storage
Keep the container at a steady warm temperature, between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures lower than 60 degrees do not lend themselves well to vinegar making.
Stir your mixture daily, to provide oxygen to the mixture. The "mother" will be a thick mass at the bottom of the container; don't try to break it up, just stir the liquid. Add 1/2 to 1 cup more wine every week or so until the crock is 2/3 full and allow to mature and develop for four to 10 weeks.
Check it on a weekly basis and when it smells and tastes like vinegar, strain it into sterilized glass or plastic bottles and cover. Use within four months, or pasteurize and store in sealed and sterilized containers.
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