If you read the last post, then you saw just how easy it was to make tinctures. But you may have also noticed how long you have to wait for them to “cook” or extract the herbs. Sometimes I have great intentions on planning ahead, but life happens and before I know it, we start getting sick and I don’t have enough tincture made up! I don’t have time to wait 4-6 weeks! By that time, spring will be here and all this sickness will be behind us. Thank goodness for the glycerin tinctures!
These are my favorite to take and give the kids because they taste so sweet. These are sometimes called glycerites and one huge plus-they don’t affect your blood sugar! The glycerin also does a great job at extracting nutrients from the herbs although again since it can extract different properties, I often mix it with the vinegar or alcohol tinctures to get the most herbal properties possible. (A note about glycerin tinctures-honey can be used instead of glycerin in these tinctures. It will work just as well, but you will get a thicker tincture and I would recommend cooking at a lower temp since you don’t want to cook your honey.)
Here’s what you need:
- 2 pint mason jars
- 1 ounce dried herbs
- 1 1/4 cups glycerin
- 3/4 cups water
- 1 cheesecloth
- Place a small towel in bottom of large pot and fill with water.
- Place herbs into jar.
- Pour glycerin and water over herbs to fill jar to neck.
- Cap jar and place in pot full of water.
- Bring water to a low boil, immediately turn down heat.
- Simmer for 3 hours. Check water level in pot and add more if necessary. It should be almost to neck of jar.
- Remove jar from pot and allow to cool until warm to touch.
- Using a cheesecloth, strain out herbs.
- Store liquid in clean pint jar or other glass jar. Store out of light and heat. Will keep for at least 2 years.
If adding more water to pot, always add hot water and never pour directly onto jar. It could cause it to crack.
I hope you have fun stocking up your cabinets with herbal tinctures to help you and your family stay healthy! Have you gotten creative with tinctures? I would love to hear your favorite tincture and what all you use it for.
And for those of you who are like me and want to see a tincture being made-we’ve got you covered!
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