Here's How You Should Cook With Vinegar
You know all about ACV and the distilled white stuff, but there’s a world beyond those vinegars that can kick up any dish. Follow these five simple rules to make your dishes sing—not burn.
CREDIT: PHOTO: CLIVE STREETER AND PATRICK MCLEAVY/GETTY
1. Don’t buy cheap vinegar.
“If you’re buying anything over 16 ounces that costs under $5, use it to clean your windows, not on food,” That doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune, either—Something in the mid range is good (try: Macellum Vinegar, $17.95, Walmart.com)
2. Use it sparingly.
One way to justify spending a little more on vinegar is that a little goes a long way. “Most people overuse it, which makes a dish painfully acidic, and then have to balance that with more fat and sugar,” Even in salad dressings, try the rule of thumb is four parts oil to one part vinegar.
3. Match the vinegar to the dish.
You can substitute within reason. Most of the time, using what you have on hand won’t kill a dish, but for optimal culinary impact, certain vinegars work best with certain flavors. His starter kit for home chefs includes a basic white vinegar for pickling, rice vinegar for all Asian foods, an aged balsamic for finishing dishes, and sherry vinegar, which makes flavor pop more than any other ingredient. “It takes on an umami quality, and really fills your palate when you’re eating it.”
4. Think outside the salad bowl.
Yes, vinegar is an essential ingredient in homemade dressings, but it has a similar effect on any kind of vegetable. We like to douse roasted or grilled veg—anything that doesn’t have a high water content—in a splash of vinegar while still warm, Sherry vinegar is the secret ingredient in a number of the restaurant’s sauces, even for desserts, because it balances them nicely.
5. Replace them regularly.
People tend not to think of vinegar, which is aged to begin with, as having an expiration date, but like spices and dried herbs, they tend to lose their oomph after about six months. But that just gives you a chance to experiment with new varieties. Some more to check out: golden balsamic, which has a lighter, sweeter tang than the dark stuff, and black vinegar, a Hong Kong condiment that is enhanced with dried fruit and has an almost sweet and sour effect.
Credit: CookingLight