Prep and rest time: 30 minutes prep, 6 weeks rest
You'll need a pickling type jar. The size of the jar is dependent on how much you want to make and how many cucumbers you have. If you have a good jar, but it's bigger than what you really need, you can still use it. The jar doesn't have to be full. The main criteria are that the jar be ceramic or glass and the lid, non-metallic with a seal like a rubber-gasket. If the lid is metal, you can place plastic wrap between the lid and the jar. The vinegar will corrode any metal it comes in contact with.
In 6 weeks, you'll need a colander, cheesecloth, a funnel, and several sterilized glass jars with non-metallic lids. (See Kitchen Notes for ideas for jars.)
"*" See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
The Peppercorns – It’s best to use a mix of peppercorns. I’ve use a tricolor blend of black, white and pink peppercorns and bi-color blend of black and white. This year I had black peppercorns and some Sichuan Peppercorns (the red peppercorns at the top of the jar). These are amazing peppercorns and I think they are going to contribute a wonderful bite to this vinegar. In case you aren’t familiar with them, here is a description I found online: “simultaneous numbing, tongue-tingling, party-in-your-mouth sensation that you experience from trying even one of these small, russet-colored spices.”
Vinegar Jars – I always repurpose soy sauce jars and other vinegar jars for infused vinegars and oils. Grolsch Beer bottles also make excellent vinegar jars. They have the ceramic lid with the rubber gasket, so they’re perfect for vinegars. Really any jar with a plastic or ceramic top or a cork stopper would work. Just stay away from metal.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen