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Spiced Medlar Vinegar

Spiced Medlar Vinegar is a traditional British recipe for a classic method of creating a spiced vinegar from leftover cooked bletted medlar pulp. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Spiced Medlar Vinegar.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

5 minutes

Total Time:

25 minutes

Additional Time:

(+5 days steeping)

Makes:

2 bottles

Rating:

Tags : Spice RecipesBritish Recipes

This is an excellent way of using left-over medlar pulp after making medlar jelly or medlar cheese. However, I would recommend adding at least 3 whole bletted medlars (mash these lightly before use).

Medlars, introduced by the Romans, used to be common in the UK and they were frequently consumed as a fruit in Medieval times (which is why there are a number of medieval recipes for them). However, the number of medlar trees have fallen dramatically and today they are most typically occasional plantings in gardens — which is a shame as this is a delicious fruit. They are best collected between late October and late November. When in season, specialist greengrocers might be able to source some and often they can be ordered on-line.

Ingredients:

600-700g (1 ¼-1 2/5 lbs) medlar pulp or the equivalent weight of whole bletted medlars
1l (4 cups) white wine vinegar
450–750g (2 1/4 – 3 3/5 cups) granulated sugar
2 star anise
4 whole cloves
10cm length of cinnamon stick

Method:

Steep the medlars in the vinegar for 3 to 5 days in a non-metallic container. Pour the contents into a jelly bag and allow to drain. This will take several hours so leave overnight if possible. DO NOT SQUEEZE the bag to extract more liquid otherwise your vinegar will be cloudy.

For every 600ml (2 2/5 cups) vinegar add 450g (1 lb) sugar (basically you need 75% sugar to the quantity of vinegar). Combine the vinegar, sugar and spices in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then simmer for around 5 minutes removing any scum that floats to the surface. Allow to cool then remove the spices and bottle. Use for salad dressings.