Vinegar

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pacanis

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I have no idea where this belongs.... so...... Here it is! :)

Can someone give me a tutorial on vinegar?
Recently I picked up some basalmic vinegar because I kept seeing "basalmic reduction" written here. That's a good enough reason, right? It does have a unique taste to it. I haven't made a reduction with it yet though.... I also made a cole slaw dressing that called for apple cidar vinegar, but would another vinegar have been OK? And I always have the clear vinegar on hand in case one of the poochies has an accident, which even with the pup, just doesn't happen working at home. So I have one gallon and one small bottle of that. I have red wine vinegar, too, because that's what I add to barbeque sauce when the mood strikes. Don't ask me why :huh:

So is there a niche for the different types (and I know I have left out a lot)? Does one shine for say, pickling, where another would be a no-no?
And is it OK to keep them all on a shelf? I always kept the red wine in the fridge, but my new bottle I figured what the heck, it is after all vinegar, so it shouldn't need refrigerated, right? None of my others are.....
 
Hi, Pacanis. I am a vinegar fiend - I have white distilled, apple cider, balsamic, strawberry balsamic, white wine, red wine, and tarragon vinegars.

I'd say use the white distilled when you want a sharp vinegar flavor, but not additional flavor. White wine V is similar but a bit less sharp. Apple cider V is traditional for cole slaw, but there's no law that says you can't experiment. I like red wine vinegar in BBQ sauce, too :)

I use red wine, white wine (tarragon or plain) or balsamic V in vinaigrettes for salad dressings or marinades, and sauces, like the one I make for salmon (mayo, white wine V, fresh tarragon, some other stuff), a potato salad with vinaigrette dressing, and caprese salad. I also make an appetizer of roasted peppers marinated in red wine V, olive oil, dried oregano, S&P, on crostini spread with goat cheese. Not sure about pickling, I haven't done that.

I keep the most used ones on a bamboo lazy Susan next to the stove and the rest on the shelf. They're already preserved, so they don't need refrigeration. HTH.
 
I use malt vinegar for pickling - it has to have a certain strength to make good pickles. Over here they sell labelled pickling vinegar (already spiced).
 
There are many different kinds of balsamic vinegars, from relatively cheap to outrageously expensive. Have used several of the cheaper ones and find them wonderful - if I ever win the lottery will pick up the really 'sepnsive ones. Also a little bit goes a long way.

And I agree, no need to refrigerate. Lived in FL for many years and learned to put many things in the fridge (the ants would find anything that was open). But never needed to cool the vinegar.
 
Thanks for the info.
So it looks like what I am reading is they are basically interchangeable... that choosing one over another is strictly a matter of taste.
Malted vinegars are better for pickling because they are stronger.
And there is no need to refrigerate any of them.

I gotta find a way to use up all this white vinegar I have. I was hoping to try pickling some eggs with it.....
 
There's an idea, Barb. Does the smell go away when you dry the window?
 
i keep several vinegars about the house, have never tried any balsamics though. I use a fair amount of white V. in cheesemaking and dish machine de-gunking, and red wine V. in cooking and canning. I am convinced the red wine vinegar adds a dimension to my canned chili sauce:cool:
 
There's an idea, Barb. Does the smell go away when you dry the window?

I actually use a combo of water, white vinegar and lemon juice in a spray bottle as an all-purpose cleaner in the kitchen.

I like to soak sliced cucumbers in vinegar for an hour or so for a snack or side with dinner. You can also make a cuke salad with sour cream, vinegar, dill, S&P.
 
Here's information about the various vinegars that is helpful:

Vinegar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For those that believe that anything with vinegar in it does not require refrigeration, like pickled eggs, I would encourage they keep their health/life insurance in full force.

I refrigerate foods with vinegar in them, but not the vinegar itself.
 
I like making cucumber & onion salads using 1/2 mayo and 1/2 sour cream, but a couple of times/year I will use 1/2 cider vinegar and 1/2 water with some ice cubes. I guess I am due for experimenting using the others.
I also love the cider vinegar on french fries, but according to that Wiki report the cider vinegar can cause burns.... hmmm. I pour it on and never suffered a burn when I ate it.
 
I also love the cider vinegar on french fries, but according to that Wiki report the cider vinegar can cause burns.... hmmm. I pour it on and never suffered a burn when I ate it.

Burns? Huh?

Try malt vinegar on your chips sometimes. That's the traditional way.
 
White Vinegar is used in canning/pickeling because of the higher acidity level. It is also used as a cleaner. Cider vinegar is used more for cooking. You cannot always use them interchangebly in canning/pickleing. Wine/fruit vinegars can usually be used interchangebly in cooking in may cases but the resulting flavor may be different.
 
Burns? Huh?

Try malt vinegar on your chips sometimes. That's the traditional way.

From wiki:

Apple cider
Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known simply as cider vinegar, is made from cider or apple must, and is often sold unfiltered, with a brownish-yellow color; it often contains mother of vinegar. It is very popular, partly due to its beneficial health and beauty properties. Due to its acidity, apple cider vinegar can be very harsh, even burning the throat. If taken straight (as opposed to usage in cooking), it should be diluted (e.g. with fruit juice) before drinking.[3] Others dilute it with warm water and add some honey.[4] There have been reports of acid chemical burns of the throat in using the pill form."

It has never tasted harsh to me or burned my throat. And while putting it on FFs may heat it up some, I wouldn't consider that cooking with it ;)

And getting malt vinegar is on my list :)

"
 
I use all of the above for various things, but use white for more than just food.
I put it in the wash to get out any soap residue, and once in a while take all the shower heads and faucet ends off and put in a pail to get the calcium deposits off. I've poured it on stubborn weeds to kill them and on ant holes
too. If I don't have lemon, I use it in a pyrex cup with water in the microwave to neutralize popcorn smell. And in a spray bottle with water to use on my glass sliding doors and car windows for where the dogs nose has streaked them. - I don't want to use chemicals where he'll be.
My MIL used to peel and cut her potatoes for mashed ahead of time for a big family gathering, put them in a pot of water with alittle white v. and the potatoes wouldn't turn brown. Then rise out before cooking and use just water to boil.
I love the stuff.
 
I also love the cider vinegar on french fries, but according to that Wiki report the cider vinegar can cause burns.... hmmm. I pour it on and never suffered a burn when I ate it.
Vinegar is an acid and even at 5% acidity it can cause problems in certain circumstances at full strength. Most uses however are diluted with water or something else.

I "drink" apple cider vinegar with water every day. I also rinse my hair daily with a vinegar/water solution and also use it to keep my skin soft and beautiful (I'm a guy so no flowery lotions for me) after working in the garage or yard.

Good stuff and yes the smell goes away in a matter of minutes.
 
Big vinegar users here. I have a horizontal wine rack on top of a cabinet that I store all our different vinegars on. Saved interestingly-shaped wine bottles and transferred my vinegar to them. Currently I have red wine, tarragon, malt, cider, white wine, white distilled, balsamic, rice wine vinegar. They all have their purpose in our house.

I especially like to dip fresh strawberries in good balsamic vinegar. Yum.

I've never refrigerated vinegar.
 
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