If you consider yourself a fairly serious home cook, you already know that acid is a vital component to pretty much every dish. If not, let this be your introduction: Acid brightens, balances salt and fat (two other nonnegotiable elements of a well-rounded plate), and in the best cases, adds layered flavor. Vinegar is one of the simplest ways to achieve this complexity, but it’s not as easy as just grabbing whatever you have in the cabinet. The world of vinegar is vast, so to help you navigate it, we consulted experts to find out their favorites and exactly what to use them for.
“Vinegar is a product that is fermented past alcohol,” explains Michael Harlan Turkell, author of Acid Trip and a true connoisseur of vinegars of all kinds. “So anything that can be made into an alcohol can be made into a vinegar. And any sugar can be made into an alcohol. And any starch can be made into a sugar.” This is basically a backwards way of saying that there are a lot of ingredients that can be turned into vinegars — wine, of course, but also grains, vegetables, and fruits. You are likely already familiar with rice wine vinegar (which comes from a grain) and apple cider vinegar (which comes from a fruit), and while we got recommendations for some of these more traditional types, there’s also a lot of innovative, out-there products that deserve a spot in your pantry.
“I think vinegar is having a bit of a renaissance as an ingredient,” says chef and food writer Andy Baraghani. “I have so many different kinds in my pantry that I reach for all the time — to dress greens and vegetables, to add to braises, to finish soups or fatty roasted meats to bring them back to life, for desserts.” Soon you’ll be using vinegar for way more than just vinaigrette (but also lots of vinaigrette) — and your cooking will never be the same. Read on for the full list of recommended options.
The best floral vinegars
Chris Crawford makes small-batch vinegars out of Brooklyn, and they have become treasured across the food industry. “It feels silly to even say this,” says Baraghani, “but it really is like the vinegar of the moment.” Because of the small scale, the company is often sold out of products, but keep your eyes open for when any come back in stock. The rose and lavender are two kinds that came up over and over again as being wonderful in drinks. The former, made from Diaspora Co. rose petals sourced from India, pairs perfectly with just seltzer as a sort of drinking vinegar, but softer. The latter works beautifully in a smoky mezcal drink. But both have culinary uses, as well. Sara Kramer, the other co-owner of Kismet in Los Angeles, says the “floral zing of the rose is great across both sweet and savory foods.” Baraghani likes to macerate or roast with it. And Turkell likes to add a splash of the lavender to any recipe that reminds him of Provence, like bouillabaisse.
The best balsamic vinegars
Atara Bernstein, co-founder of Pineapple Collaborative and maker of the ACV (below), readily uses this syrupy balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. There are certain types of balsamic that are highly regulated in terms of where they’re made and how long they’re aged, and while this is technically defined as a “balsamic vinegar condiment,” it can be used pretty much interchangeably. It’s the thickest and sweetest of the three versions produced by a woman named Mariangela Montanari. “It has a beautiful, silky texture and caramelized flavor that’s a bit sweet and a bit sour,” says Bernstein. “I use it in dressings, of course, but it’s also amazing with steak and as a finisher over roasted vegetables.”
Emily Schildt, founder of Pop Up Grocer, uses Brightland’s balsamic vinegar all the time. “I love to reduce it a bit and put it on everything,” she says. “Tomatoes, cheese, you name it. It also pairs really well with Brightland’s Champagne vinegar, Parasol. I like to mix the two together.” Deravian also likes the Champagne vinegar, especially when it comes to drizzling it on fruits, because of the citrusy notes. “Plus,” she says, “the bottle is so pretty sitting out on your counter.”
“Someone gave my wife and me a bottle of this vinegar when we got married and we just finished it last year, around our 17th anniversary, having savored every drop,” says Battilana. While a real, deep, delicious balsamic is not something she poured into her everyday dressings or wasted on cooking, a drizzle on Parm, bread, and on panna cotta or vanilla ice cream really let it excel. “This special, ambrosia liquid is made according to a time-consuming, traditional, and painstaking process and is the highest available grade,” she explains. It’s a bit sweet, a bit sour, and dense and intense all at once. A small bit will get you far. At $275 a pop, you really have to want to indulge — but it’s something special that will last quite a while.
What is the Best Apple Cider Vinegar?
What makes a good vinegar?
A good vinegar should be delicious—a little slurp should make you salivate and want more, not blow out your palate so you can’t taste anything else. Serious Eats / Michael Harlan Turkell In the US, vinegar is loosely defined as being a solution containing a minimum of 4% acetic acid.
What are the health benefits of vinegar?
Vinegar can be made from a variety of different substances. Some examples include but are not limited to rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and malt vinegar. The possible benefits of vinegar vary depending on the type of vinegar. Some vinegar is a source of antioxidants. There are some claims that have been made about vinegar being a source of “good” bacteria, but not enough research has been completed to determine if this is valid. In general, vinegar is not a source of any significant amounts of calories, vitamins, or minerals.
Which vinegar has the best taste?
Acetaia Malpighi ‘s IGP Bronze Balsamic Vinegar of Modena ( $20.00 for 250 mL) had the perfect amount of thickness, with a tart, sweet taste. Test Kitchen Director Chris Morocco noted that the vinegar had “a bit of bite, but with balance.” Overall, this vinegar had the most roundness and body out of any vinegar we tasted.
Who makes the best vinegar in the world?
Turkell believes Gegenbauer makes the greatest vinegars in the world — and describes the man behind the brand, Ignaz Gegenbauer, as “Austin Powers meets Willy Wonka, giving a bit of ’70s vibe with so much childlike, giddy wonder when talking about the over 100 different single-origin vinegars he creates.”