Infused Oils and Vinegars: Stop Paying $15 for a Tiny Bottle
I was standing in a specialty store recently and picked up a small bottle of white wine vinegar, infused with tarragon, less than eight ounces total. It cost fourteen dollars and ninety-nine cents. I put it back. Not because I didn’t want it. Because I knew exactly what was in it and exactly how simple it is to make at home. For the price of that one tiny bottle, I can make six. That’s the thing about infused oils and vinegars. They look luxurious, they feel like a splurge, and every specialty shop in America wants you to believe they’re complicated. They’re not. They’re some of the simplest things you can make in your kitchen, and they’re genuinely beautiful.
Why Make Your Own
The honest reasons are simple. Cost is the obvious one. A good bottle of olive oil and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary will produce more infused oil than you can use in a month, for a fraction of what a store charges. Control is the better reason. You choose the quality of the base oil. You choose the herbs. You know exactly what went into the bottle because you put it there yourself. And then there’s the gift factor. A beautiful glass bottle filled with golden rosemary garlic oil, corked and labeled, tied with a piece of linen ribbon, is one of the most thoughtful and inexpensive gifts you can give. People save the bottles. They ask for more.
Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil
This is the one to start with. It goes on everything: bread, pasta, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, a piece of good cheese. Once you have a bottle of this on your counter, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
What you need:
– 2 cups good quality extra virgin olive oil – 4 to 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, washed and completely dried – 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
A note before you start: fresh garlic in oil at room temperature can harbor harmful bacteria if stored too long. For a shelf-stable pantry oil, dry your rosemary thoroughly overnight on a paper towel and use the heat method below. If you use fresh rosemary and fresh garlic together without the heat method, store it in the refrigerator and use within two weeks. Mimi will always tell you the safe way first.
The heat method for a pantry-safe oil:
Combine the olive oil, dried rosemary, and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat gently over the lowest possible setting for 20 to 30 minutes. You’re not frying, you’re barely warming. The oil should never bubble. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Strain into a clean, dry glass bottle. Store at room temperature away from direct light. Use within two months.
The result is a deep golden oil with a fragrance that fills the kitchen while it warms. Pour it over fresh bread, and you’ll never reach for plain olive oil again.
Tarragon White Wine Vinegar
Vinegar is forgiving in a way that oil isn't. The acidity makes it naturally safe, which means you can use fresh herbs with no concerns about storage. This is the place to start if you're new to infusing. Tarragon and white wine vinegar is a classic French combination. It's the base for a real Béarnaise sauce, a beautiful vinaigrette, and one of the most elegant things to have on your pantry shelf.
What you need:
– 2 cups white wine vinegar – 4 to 6 sprigs fresh tarragon
Warm the vinegar gently in a small saucepan over low heat until just steaming. Don't boil it. Place the tarragon sprigs in a clean glass jar or bottle. Pour the warm vinegar over the herbs. Let cool completely, then seal and store at room temperature.
Steep for at least one week before using. Two weeks is better. The longer it sits, the more the tarragon flavor develops. When it tastes right to you, strain it into a fresh bottle or leave the sprigs in for presentation.
Taste it against the bottle you almost paid fifteen dollars for. There won't be a comparison.
The Gift That Gets Remembered
A set of two bottles, one oil and one vinegar, wrapped simply with a card explaining how to use them, is one of the best gifts in your repertoire. Hostess gifts, teacher gifts, holiday baskets, housewarming presents, people who receive homemade infused oils and vinegars never forget it. Keep a few extra bottles on hand. Once people know you make these, they’ll ask for them.
Mimi’s Tip
If you’re new to infusing, start with the vinegar. It’s more forgiving, completely safe at room temperature, and the results come faster than you expect. Once you’re comfortable with vinegars, the oils will feel like a natural next step.
Find everything you need to get started in Wise Owl Essentials.
