Honestly very confused by how it can be a mainstream condiment/dressing. For me it's just acidic. Doesn't really taste of much but sorta tingles on my tongue/throat. Sorta like when you burp up a little stomach acid or a milder version of when you throw up stomach acid. Very confused about salt and vinegar chips and any sort of vinegar based salad dressing.
74 Comments
Nemo@slrpnk.net · 30 pts · 1y
I love acidic foods. It's essential for cutting through the fatty richness of some dishes. Bacon's nice but bacon with tomato is amazing. Ham and cheese on bread are dece but it's not really a sandwich without mustard. Most soups are better with a squeeze of citrus. And so on, and so on.
Vinegar is another kind of acid, or really two kinds: Fermented vinegar is very different from distilled vinegar. Most people like fermented vinegar in moderation, and some (including me) like it even out of moderation. I will soak good bread in balsamic and eat it strait, for example. I barely put oil on my salads, it's mostly vinegar.
Distilled vinegar is the kind you clean with, but you can eat it, too. I think maybe overfamiliarity with it as a cleaning product may dampem some people's desire to consume vinegar; I myself never used it for cleaning growing up, except small amounts to treat laundry.
funkajunk@lemm.ee · 5 pts · 1y
Tomato and bacon pizza is godly
Nemo@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 1y
I'm a sucker for all kinds of pickles on pizza, especially peperoncini or pickled red onions.
grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.world · 27 pts · 1y
Salt & Vinegar chips are amazing
MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Roger that!
magnetosphere@fedia.io · 2 pts · 1y
I didn’t like them the first time I tried them, but they are awesome!
dditty@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
I'm also a big fan of these
grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
YES, these are excellent
xylogx@lemmy.world · 20 pts · 1y
Vinegar, lemon juice and other acids bring a sour flavor to a dish that when combined with other flavors can add a brightness to it.
tacosanonymous@lemm.ee · 18 pts · 1y
On its own? Absolutely not. But the right amount to balance flavor? Absolutely.
Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee · 4 pts · 1y
Vinegar with a side of fried potatoes? Absolutely
LilB0kChoy@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
I actually like vinegar by itself but it’s too potent to just drink it straight. Instead I’ll get a bunch of green onions and let them soak in the vinegar, then I suck the vinegar out of the green onions and enjoy the onion itself as a crunchy snack after.
Tujio@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Right. I'm not gonna drink a cup of it, but I fucking love vinegar in a balanced flavor pallette. Hell, maybe even a bit unbalanced. The other day we had a hazmat spill at work and used vinegar to neutralize it. Smelled so goddamn good I had to make buffalo chicken for dinner.
carl_dungeon@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 1y
I love it. And there are so many kinds! I keep a bunch on hand for different things: red wine, white, rice wine, apple cider, balsamic, malt, etc… they all taste quite different.
midori_matcha@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 1y
Pickles, salt and vinegar chips, fish and chips with malt vinegar, Chinese hot and sour soup, rustic Italian bread with EVOO and balsamic vinegar, chicken adobo, sinigang, chicharron dipped in spicy sukang, and the list goes on if you want to live a more substantial life with vinegar
Pop some Tums dipped in Tabasco if your body attempts to digest itself inside out
sxan@midwest.social · 7 pts · 1y
Here's a trick you can use to fool people into thinking you can cook:
Fry a chicken breast. Ideally, sauté, which just means: get a few tablespoons of canola oil in the pan almost smoking hot, dry the breast with paper towels - like, super dry - then fry the breasts a few minutes on each side. Put a little salt and pepper on the uncooked side as you're frying it. Flip it only once, fry the other side. It'll get that crispy brown coating.
When both sides are done, take it out, lower the temp of the pan to about medium, then dump a half-bottle of balsamic vinegar on there. I'm not joking - pour that shit in, a half bottle. Add some more salt & pepper - not too much! - tarragon, it you have it, and just boil it, stirring frequently. Scrape the bottom of the pan while you're doing it; make sure you scrape up any bits of chicken. Keep boiling that stuff. It'll boil down to less than half - when you can dip a spoon in curved-side down and lift it up and the sauce coats the spoon (doesn't just run off), take it off the heat immediately.
It'll be thick, and you'll get maybe a quarter cup reduced from the cup you dumped in. It'll thicken further as it cools. Let it cool, just a little, then drizzle that over the chicken.
Most of the acidity will be gone, and it'll be a sweet syrup, and it's fantastic.
But here's the real magic: you can deglaze a pan and reduce almost anything that has sugars on it. Amaretto Chicken isn't chicken cooked in amaretto: it's chicken, with an amaretto reduction made exactly like I described for the balsamic above. Basically; I know the chefs are going to come out of the woodwork, but honestly. Try it with Grand Marnier liquor for an orange twist.
Wine needs more work, and white or red vinegar won't do - there aren't enough sugars for a reduction, but any liquor will do. Balsamic is my favorite.
One final trick: the balsamic reduction is best with tuna steaks. With those, you want them to hit the pan, sit for maybe 15 seconds, flip, 15s, and done. Pink in the middle with brown sides.
The most important things about all this are: high heat, and very dry meat. Get that stuff as dry as you can, with paper towels, or hand towels if you like washing clothes. It's the water on the surface of what you're cooking that causes oil to splatter, and everything works better when the meat, or tofu, is as dry as you can make it.
Final word: cast iron skillet.
Hugin@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
FYI that's shallow pan frying you are describing. sauté means to jump and the food should be almost constantly moving.
One of the things a sauté does is prevent a fond from forming. That keeps the flavor on the food and a deglaze is not necessary or helpful.
As my chief friend said when you are barefoot at the beach and the sand is hot you sauté to the shade.
https://cookingpro.net/what-is-the-definition-and-type-of-sauteing/
SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Lol that's not a trick - you're describing cooking.
sxan@midwest.social · 2 pts · 1y
Sshhh.
Thing is, nobody explains how easy these things are to do. Deglazing a pan. Making a reduction. Sauté-ing. They sound fancy, but they're really, really simple; and sauté is so often misdescribed in recipes it's become a pet peeve of mine. When I read instructions like, "sauté on medium heat" it drives me nuts. Sauté isn't just a fancy word for frying. High heat, short cook time: it's the definition!
Although my post went on a bit long, I was mostly saying that adding a little salt, pepper, and an herb to a lot of a high-suger liquid like balsamic vinegar, or Amaretto, or Cointreau, and boiling it down makes a wonderful sauce; and it's easy to do.
I see recipes with 30 ingredients and 20 steps, and sometimes that's needed, but usually not. My favorite bread recipe is "combine all ingredients in a mixer, mix for 5 minutes." It doesn't have to be more complex than that.
The best description of good food I've ever heard is: "quality ingredients, prepared simply."
I wish someone had shown me when I was in my 20's how simple some of these things are to do, hidden behind fancy names and complex recipes. A handful of easy techniques can produce a large variety of dishes just by changing ingredients, and I think that is a trick.
MunkyNutts@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Ohh man, don't know what it's called but we make a dip we call Italian bread dip. Use whatever dried spices you want (garlic/onion powder, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, etc.) mix in olive oil and basalmic vinegar (I do it by eye and taste but usually around a 2:1 oil: vinegar), mix then rip off fresh crush bread dip and eat. I have to add more vinegar becuase my family loves the tangy flavor.
MrJameGumb@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 1y
There are lots of different types of vinegar with different flavors and acidities. I frequently use malt vinegar, rice wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar when I cook and even as a condiment
I don't see how it's any different than using lemon or lime juice 🤷♂️
Fingolfinz@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 1y
P1nkman@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
That sounds amazing! What type of vinegar do you recommend?
Fingolfinz@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Donebrach@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y
Your loss.
Monkeyhog@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y
I love vinegar, when I was a kid id drink it straight. And I love salt and vinegar chips.
massive_bereavement@fedia.io · 4 pts · 1y
Alright vinegar gang assemble!
I'll shoot vinegar into my veins if it wasn't illegal and salt and vinegar chips are the ultimate flavor.
burgersc12@mander.xyz · 2 pts · 1y
I don't think its illegal, but your doctor may lock you up if you tell them you're trying to inject some
Sho@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y
Love it, honestly it's the only foods that I can think of how it tastes and my salivary glands go off. There are times when I crave it in some capacity.
scytale@lemm.ee · 7 pts · 1y
If you like Asian food, vinegar is a staple ingredient and condiment. You probably don't notice that some food you eat uses vinegar.
QuarterSwede@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
German potato salad is vinegar based. Delicious.
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
South German.
QuarterSwede@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Bavarian, yes. Good distinction.
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
The Swabians commit the same culinary crime. Thats why I said southern Germany. It is not just Bavaria.
QuarterSwede@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
TIL. Thanks.
TabbsTheBat@pawb.social · 6 pts · 1y
Mm pickles :3
MiyamotoKnows@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
Vinegar on fries is the Canadian way and it's delicious. Excepting the Quebecois of course who have it even better with gravy and squeaky curds on their poutine.
criitz@reddthat.com · 6 pts · 1y
It's probably the best flavor we have
Hossenfeffer@feddit.uk · 6 pts · 1y
Love it. Quite apart from the subline perfection of vinegar on fish and chips, I love a good vinaigrette salad dressing. I could drink that. And salt and vinegar crisps are top tier (although Walkers^1^ Pickled Onion are even sharper). I also like pickles of almost all sorts.
1 Walkers are, of course, deeply suspect. Salt and Vinegar should be in a blue packet, not a green packet!
abysmalpoptart@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Something not a lot of people are talking about is why the different vinegars are so different.
Vinegar has similar properties to alcohol. My understanding is that they're made similarly. For example, white vinegar is basically like grain alcohol. It's... Unpleasant.
Balsamic though? Similar to wine. Pretty great, and so many variations
Malt vinegar? Beer. Pretty tasty.
Same deal with apple cider and rice vinegars
But yeah, plain white vinegar is not great
CyanideShotInjection@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
The reason they are made similarly is basically because it's a "spoiled" alcoholic fermentation. For instance if you try to make cider and screw up, it transforms into cider vinegar. Rice vinegar comes from sake, etc.
abysmalpoptart@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Sure that makes sense. Helps to get a little more detail, thanks.
Squirrelsdrivemenuts@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
I don't like pure vinegar, but it's a nice taste to add to a dish to make it slightly more acidic/fresh tasting.
MagicShel@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 1y
Malt vinegar is the best condiment for fish and chips. Or sometimes just chips. Hell, ketchup is basically vinegar, tomato paste and sugar.
Balsamic is wonderful for salads, and if you're trying to reduce calories/carbs it's the clear choice for salad dressing.
White vinegar is for cleaning. I don't know what you do with the rest, but I imagine make delicious foods.
BenDoubleU@lemmy.radio · 3 pts · 1y
A Canadian friend introduced me to putting malt vinegar on my “fish and chips”. Was one of those eye opening “why haven’t I been doing this all my life!” moments.
Acamon@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Do you like other acidic flavours? Lemon juice? Citric acid?
Fleur_@hilariouschaos.com · 2 pts · 1y
yeah I do. All for lemon juice to up the acidity of things but really not a fan of vinegar.
iamanurd@midwest.social · 5 pts · 1y
Yes.
zxqwas@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
A splash of oil and vinegar makes the salad taste much better.
Having a swig from the bottle would be unpleasant.
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 5 pts · 1y
By itself? Hell no.
But, like, Frank's is basically just vinegar and cayenne pepper, and it's the vinegar that gives it that sour tang to it that I like. It's what makes pickles pickley.
Salt & Vinegar chips are alright, not my favorite. But you add some dill flavor on top of that and suddenly, you have dill pickle flavored chips that go awesome with a sandwich.
Oofnik@kbin.earth · 4 pts · 1y
Hey Fleur, I hate vinegar too, I always have, and I found out why a few years ago - you might be a certain kind of Supertaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster
You can take a test off of Amazon if you care (though it isn't like knowing it really changes much). In any case, your aversion may be partially biological. I envy the others in this thread that love vinegar! But the fact is it isn't for everyone!
Angelusz@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
They said it tastes like stomach acid to them. Sounds to me like the opposite of super taster.
twt@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Malt Vinegar is essential on Fish & Chips. If you haven't tried it, you should.
(As a citizen of the area formerly known as the southern United States, we grew up using the condiment known as "ketchup" which is now essentially tomato flavored corn syrup. I cannot recommend it as an adult.)
Zombiepirate@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Delicious stuff. Vinegar drinks have been popular the world over since ancient times.
Hugin@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Vinegar is a great backup flavor. Sweet, Salty, and Sour add a lot of complexity and when something tastes lacking one of those will probably help.
However they are all easily overused. If the first taste impression of food is one of them it's over seasoned.
Try a few drops of good vinegar in a gravy to make it pop.
vvilld@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Yes, I thoroughly enjoy vinegar.
peregrin5@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
Go to one of those balsamic vinegar and olive oil shops where they let you taste all the different types. I think you'll taste a difference.
There are many different types of vinegar.
MintyFresh@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Rice vinegar makes a great condiment. It's much sweeter and less pungent than most other vinegars. If you're making a sandwich right, it's half salad. Dress those greens with some rice vinegar!
Slice up some cucumber, some onion, dress it in rice vinegar and stick it in the fridge overnight. Great on salad, on toast, anything really. I've even diced it up good into a relish and put it(cold) on pizza.
AceSLive@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
I buy "double strength" vinegar for my chips and things. The vapours, when it hits my hot food, make me cough because its so strong but I love it. It also burns/damages my tongue, but again I love it
Corno@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
I love it!
MoreFPSmorebetter@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 1y
I will only eat my pot stickers with balsamic vinegar and after I finish all the dumplings I have been known the drink the remaining oily vinegar that's left over.
I fucking love vinegar.
systemglitch@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
I love vinegar. It's nice having working tastebuds.
DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social · 3 pts · 1y
Vinegar is love, vinegar is life, you ain't my homie if you're not vinegar's homie
MrFinnbean@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Vinegars first and most important thing is its acidity. Its one of the building blocks for deeper taste in dishes.
Most condiments and seasonings taste bad on their own. You probably wont enjoy spoonfull of salt or pepper either so you dont need to enjoy vinegar on its own.
Some people like salt and vinegar chips, some enjoy sourcream and some like their chips with habanero.
As for salad dressings, vinegar is often used with oil to get emulsion for the dressing and historically its good for preserving food so many recepies still work around that taste. Not too dissimiliar why many food cultures use chili and paprika. Strong flavors were used to both preserve food and hide the possible moldy tastes.
Personally i like vinegar when it highlights and deepens the taste of food, but does not cover anything under it.
RBWells@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Live vinegar is the one I like. But also - I've developed more tolerance for sour foods over time, your palate may adjust.
Try a "shrub" - use a little vinegar and some mashed berries and a little sugar to flavor cold water, sort of like making a lemonade but with vinegar and see if you like that; and also try a balsamic reduction.
I can't imagine anyone likes straight up plain white vinegar on its own, and sometimes those vinaigrette dressings are way too sour, but vinegar can be such a good adjuster and flavoring.
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
If you just take the plain acidic vinegar, well, you are right. If you overdose it in your food, well, you are right, too.
But have you ever tried a nice Aceto Balsamico? Or other Crema Vinegar variants? I've got a blueberry vinegar I sometimes consume as an Apéritif. Yes, it is no soda, but it has a nice, light acidity.
For people used to drinks laced with 20% HFPC, vinegar might be an issue, though.
And regarding Salt&Vinegar chips: I was very sceptical when I tried my first S&V chips in the UK, and I think they are wonderful. To the point that we bring loads of English S&V crisps back from our trips to the UK.
Pandantic@midwest.social · 2 pts · 1y
I use the Aceto Balsamico de Moderna from Trader Joe’s to make salad dressing and it’s amazing.
Other than that, I’m not a huge vinegar fan.
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
I recently bought a dark barrel aged balsamic vinegar from a locally owned store. It's pretty sweet and a little tangy.
Basically, go try out some different vinegars. There's tons out there
MicrowavedTea@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 1y
It's ok in some salads and things pickled in vinegar are good. I don't like apple cider vinegar though.
But salt and vinegar chips are amazing. Best way to destroy your mouth without going spicy.
IAmJacksRage@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
For me vinegar’s contribution to foods is that it brings out hidden flavors from the other ingredients. But just a tiny amount is enough to do that. Any more and it’s kinda gross. I agree with everything op said.
burgersc12@mander.xyz · 2 pts · 1y
White vinegar and French fries are the best, but malt vinegar can go to hell
leaky_shower_thought@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 1y
chem vinegar (acetic acid) has its place for balancing marinade and sometimes dressing, sometimes laundry too.
the more common one i use are cane and apple cider.
yumpsuit@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
I don’t see a mention of this form of drinkin’ vinegar, but I love me some shrub. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub_(drink)
Fleur_@hilariouschaos.com · 1 pts · 1y
Yeah I really like balsamic vinegar, but white vinegar I'm not a fan of.
Thcdenton@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
I drink swizzle from time to time so yeah
Canopyflyer@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
When used properly, yes absolutely.
Vinegar is very useful in balancing flavors in recipes. Personally, I love balsamic vinaigrettes far better than other dressings. Malt vinegar on french fries is better than ketchup (and no I'm not British). Mario Batalli's "Chicken in Cooked Wine" would be very boring without a healthy dose of red wine vinegar.
Everyone has different tastes. I personally detest olives, passion fruit, and rye bread. My wife absolutely loathes eggplant.
Random bonus content, mainly because I made this last night for dinner:
My Alabama White BBQ sauce recipe:
3/4c Mayo
2 TBSP Sugar
1tsp Prepared Horseradish
2TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2tsp Salt
1/2tsp pepper
1/4tsp cayenne pepper.
Throw all the above into a food processor and blend till smooth. Great on chicken and french fries.