The Vinegar You Should Be Cooking With But Aren’t Yet (2024)

Like Coca-Cola Clear or white chocolate, white balsamic vinegar seems...wrong. But then we spotted bottles of it all over the kitchen of our #7 Best New Restaurant of 2018, Che Fico, and wondered: Had we been overlooking something secretly great all along?

The answer: Yes. Yes we have. At Che Fico, chef David Nayfeld uses white balsamic to brighten up vegetable dishes and salads—anything that could use a touch of agrodolce, or sweet-tart flavor. It’s floral and fruity with a sweet finish, like a wine we wouldn’t mind drinking a glass of. Nayfeld uses a mixture of white balsamic vinegar and butter to glaze roasted Brussels sprouts for his kaleidoscopic Chopped Salad, which he says is inspired by his serious love and nostalgia for the Olive Garden chopped salad. The glossy and rich Brussels sprouts join a tangle of honey-roasted squash, marinated chickpeas, cured meats, and cheese in a salad so complex and flavorful that we had to get the recipe.

We often use O California’s white balsamic ($15) in the BA Test Kitchen.

Photo by Chelsie Craig

So what is white balsamic, exactly? It starts out same way regular balsamic vinegar does: with grapes. Both types begin with a white-grape “must” (the term used to describe the crushed fruit plus the skins, seeds, and stems). To make regular balsamic, the must simmers for basically ever, until it becomes syrupy and caramelized. The resulting vinegar is then aged in a series of barrels for several years, which add to the vinegar’s flavor, color, and character. For white balsamic, however, the must is pressure-cooked to prevent it from browning before it’s aged for a short time. The result is a golden-hued vinegar that tastes like a gentler version of syrupy balsamic.

Restaurant chefs use white balsamic vinegar not only for its milder flavor, but also because it won’t turn a salad dressing or sauce brown the way the regular stuff will. Use it in any vinaigrette recipe, for dressing roasted vegetables, or for deglazing a pan of crispy chicken thigh bits. Don’t know where to start? Acetaia Cattani ($15) and O California ($15) are a couple of our all-around favorites for the price and quality.

Then make the Che Fico salad:

The Vinegar You Should Be Cooking With But Aren’t Yet (1)

The dressing and assembled ingredients alone make this salad a star. But the extra effort of cooking the vegetables is worth it we promise!

View Recipe

The Vinegar You Should Be Cooking With But Aren’t Yet (2024)

FAQs

Which vinegar should be used for cooking? ›

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is one of the most popular types of vinegar. As Balsamic Vinegar ages, its color gets darker, the flavor turns sweeter and the general consistency gets thicker. Balsamic vinegar is one of the best types of vinegar for food.

When should you use vinegar in cooking? ›

It works just as well uncooked, such as in vinaigrettes or pickles, as it does cooked. Try it in barbecue sauces or glazes. Use it to create a pan sauce — the vinegar will help lift off the flavorful browned bits — or add brightness to a soup or stew at the end of cooking.

Which is better to cook with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar? ›

White Vinegar for Cooking

White vinegar is an extremely versatile ingredient that can be used more often than apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. This is because it has a neutral flavor and scent profile that doesn't interfere with other ingredients.

Which vinegar is best for cooking meat? ›

Balsamic vinegar is a good marinade for red meats because it helps to tenderize them. The acid in the vinegar helps to break down some of the protein and fat in the beef, which makes it softer. The balsamic vinegar also adds a sweet flavor while tenderizing, without having to add any sugar.

Is there a difference between vinegar and cooking vinegar? ›

Acetic Acid Makes the Difference in Vinegar for Cleaning

The distilled white vinegar in the food aisle is 95 percent water and 5 percent acetic acid. In contrast, cleaning vinegar is 94 percent water and 6 percent acetic acid. While a 1 percent difference doesn't seem like a big deal, it actually is.

Can all white vinegar be used for cooking? ›

Both distilled and white can be used in cooking, cleaning, food preservation, and for medical and laboratory purposes.

Which is healthier, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar? ›

The question of which vinegar is better for you is difficult to answer because both red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar have different health advantages. Apple cider vinegar may help with blood sugar regulation and digestion, while red wine vinegar may contain antioxidants from grapes.

Is it healthy to cook with apple cider vinegar? ›

Research suggests that apple cider vinegar may have beneficial health properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy. People have used it for centuries in cooking and natural medicine. It may have some health benefits.

Which is better for cleaning white vinegar or apple cider vinegar? ›

Is apple cider vinegar or white vinegar better for cleaning? Both ACV and white vinegar are effective natural cleaners. ACV doesn't smell as harsh as white vinegar, but since white vinegar is slightly more acidic than ACV, it's a stronger cleaning agent.

What is the most versatile vinegar for cooking? ›

Rice Vinegar

The mild, barely sweet flavor is the least sharp of the bunch, and that mellowness also makes it the most versatile to cook with, bringing a slight hit of acid that won't overpower the rest of your dish.

What vinegar does Subway use? ›

Mix red wine vinegar and a blend of olive and other oils and you can recreate the sandwich dressing offered at Subway. This is a guide about Subways oil and vinegar recipe.

Which vinegar is used in Chinese cooking? ›

Zhenjiang vinegar is one of China's Four Famous Vinegars—along with Sichuan Baoning, Shanxi mature vinegar and Fujian's Yongchun red vinegar—and the most well-known of the four in the West. It's from Zhenjiang City—formerly romanized as Chinkiang—in the eastern province of Jiangsu, which is not far from Shanghai.

What kind of vinegar do you use for oil and vinegar? ›

While this vinaigrette recipe calls for white wine vinegar, other kinds of vinegar can add flavor. Red wine vinegar adds excellent flavor, and balsamic is terrific and will take you in a whole different direction.

What kind of vinegar do you use to clean food? ›

Washing fruits and vegetables with vinegar kills up to 98% of bacteria on the surface of your produce. Use 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water for your vinegar bath. Soak fruits and veggies in vinegar bath for 2 minutes.

Can apple cider vinegar be used for cooking? ›

It also has a ton of different beauty, household, and cooking uses. These include cleaning, washing hair, preserving food, and improving skin function. You can also use apple cider vinegar in all sorts of recipes, including salad dressings, soups, sauces, hot drinks, and more.

Can I use cleaning vinegar for cooking? ›

You should absolutely never cook with or consume cleaning vinegar. Most cleaning vinegar has a warning label on the packaging. Unlike cooking vinegar, it may not be tested for impurities that can be dangerous to the human body.

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