Tinctures Made In Hours, Not Weeks Using the Sous Vide Technique

Tinctures can be powerful and fast acting remedies that can be conveniently taken quickly for quicker relief. As any Herbalist can tell you, while tinctures can be great; they take an awfully long time to cure.

When addressing urgent needs, the tried and true "shake and pray" 2-8 week long curing time for standard tinctures just is not fast enough. Sous Vide is a method of infusion that cuts down the curing time to hours instead of weeks. This infusion process is sped up via the steady, yet low, temperature water bath. Canning utilizes a similar method, but the temperature ranges used in canning would scorch the medicinal value of the plant matter in the tincture, rendering it ineffective. Sous Vide uses a "low and slow" method, similar to a low temp decoction one might do on an oil infusion (this works for oil infusions too!) or sun tea, but maintains a constant temperature range to prevent over or under heating. Using Sous Vide as a method of infusions, tincture curing, and decoction making will open up a whole new world of possibilities!

I made a batch of lemon balm (melissa officinalis) tincture today utilizing the Sous Vide setting on my Ninja Foodi, lemon balm, vegetable glycerin, and canning jars. For this infusion, I cured my tincture for 8 hours on the 130 degrees Fahrenheit temperature setting.

What you will need:

• 2 oz of dried, cut, and sifted lemon balm leaves

• 15 fl oz of food grade vegetable glycerin (can sub for 7-10 fl oz of 100 proof vodka, but do NOT tighten jar lid collar all the way. Leave plenty of room for pressure to escape the jar. Alcohol can explode jar if too pressurized)

• A bamboo or metal skewer

• Food scale

• Pyrex glass measuring cup

• 1 pint sized canning jar with lid and ring

• A multipurpose cooker with a Sous Vide setting, or, a Sous Vide warming oscillator insert and a large stock pot

• A food processor or clean coffee bean grinder to macerate herb* (Optional, mortar and pestle works as well)

• Cheesecloth or fine mesh colander/strainer

1. Wash your hands, and ensure all instruments used are sanitized and dried.

2. Grind up the herbs a bit using your food processor, coffe bean grinder, or mortar and pestle. You do not want the pieces so small they will fall through your straining method (cheesecloth, mesh colander, etc.), but you do want to reduce the suface space in the jar so the menstrum (in this case, glycerin) can evenly coat all the plant matter.

3. You will then measure out the herbal matter, shooting for roughly 2 oz, and then place that 2 oz of lemon balm in the sanitized but dry canning jar.

4. Measure out your fl oz of menstrum (glycerin or vodka) and slowly add to the canning jar overtop the herb matter until full.

5. Once the jar is full, you will need to take your skewer and stir the menstrum around the plant matter. Because the plant matter is dried, it will begin to rehydrate, condensing down in volume. You will continue to add your menstrum a little at a time like this until all your 15 fl oz of glycerin is used. If using vodka, you will want to gauge how well covered the plant matter is, keeping in mind it will soak up the liquid more as the heat expands. If this batch comes out too diluted, use less menstrum next time. Likewise in the opposite way, if after infusion there is a lot of uncovered plant matter at the top, increase menstrum your next go around.

6. Keep notes on all measurements used in steps 2-4, and set aside until after the water bath.

7. Add the jar lids and collars, keeping in mind if using alcoholic menstrum that all jars must NOT be tight, this could result in an exploding jar.

8. Place canning jar/s (I made 5 jars at once) in the stock pot or pot insert. Fill with water until the materials in the jar are covered in the water bath.

9. Remove jar/s from pot, and begin pre-heat settings.

10. Once water bath is pre-heated, add your jar/s back into the water bath, insert Sous Vide insert if not using a multi-purpose cooker, cover with lid and let cure.

    
    

    And that is it! Remove from heat once finished, strain, and add your plant to menstrum ratio, and the date. Keep your tincture in a cool, dark place. Best kept in amber, tinctures can last a very long time. I have never had a lemon balm tincture more than a few months because I use it so much, but on average they should be viable for 2-3 years if kept well away from heat and light.

    Now that you have made a Sous Vide infusion, what will you Sous Vide next?