All you need to know about White Balsamic Vinegar
White balsamic vinegar is one of the most important pantry staples that make room in a small pantry too. It is a milder version of traditional balsamic vinegar, which is made with white wine vinegar and aged for years in stainless steel or wooden barrels.
It has a light, slightly sweet flavour and can be used in salad dressing, for vinaigrette recipes, or for marinades.
Are you wondering how it is different from traditional balsamic vinegar, its substitutes and how to use this sweet-tart flavoured vinegar? Here is a guide to all things white balsamic vinegar!
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What is white balsamic vinegar?
This golden coloured vinegar is made from white wine vinegar. The Trebbiano grapes are used to make this white wine. These grapes are grown in Italy that is combined with uncooked and concentrated grapes later.
It has a moderate amount of acidity ranging from 5.2 to 7%. Its taste is slightly sweet as compared to conventional Balsamic vinegar, which has a sweet flavour. In case you can’t find it in stores, balsamic vinegar is an excellent white balsamic vinegar substitute.
How is it made?
White balsamic vinegar, just like the regular balsamic vinegar, is an Italian recipe for making vinegar. It is prepared in an Italian region of Emilia-Romagna by brewing white Trebbiano grapes.
The grapes are cooked at high temperatures and low pressure. This helps in getting its original pale and golden hue colour. From then onwards, the syrup is preserved to age but not more than a year to keep the colour and the flavour lighter.
In contrast to this, the darkish colour and sharper flavour of balsamic vinegar are due to the high-pressure cooking of Lambrusco and Trebbiano grapes in Modena.
Uses for it
Dressing of Salads and Seasoning
The first and foremost use of white balsamic vinegar is the salad dressing. It adds a slightly tangy and sugary flavour to your salad. Seasoning is also another primary usage.
Sauces and Soups
You can also this vinegar sweet and tangy flavour for making tomato sauces or soups.
For Braised Dishes
As white balsamic vinegar has a golden colour, it gives brightness to the dishes that require braising. It gives the dish a deep and rich look and a slightly sweet taste.
For Marinating
This vinegar is also used for marinating meat and works very well on tendering steaks and other red meat.
Soda and Cocktails
As it has a slightly sweet profile, it can be an excellent addition to your tangy soda and cocktails. You can dilute this vinegar into soda and make your soda frizzier.
If you have difficulty finding in the white balsamic vinegar, you can get almost the same flavour with its substitute.
Substitute for White Balsamic Vinegar
If you are looking for a white balsamic vinegar substitute, then balsamic vinegar (complex flavour) is the best substitutes. There are other substitutes to white balsamic vinegar that are mild flavoured rice wine vinegar and white wine vinegar.
Other Substitutes
White Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar is an excellent white balsamic vinegar substitute. It is prepared by fermenting white wine and oxidizing it into an acid. This gives the vinegar a very fruity flavour, which is not exactly sugary.
You can directly use it in meals where white balsamic vinegar is commonly added. It is also used to pickle fruits and vegetables. You can marinate steaks and meat with it.
Its colour is also light and almost gives the same texture to food. The only difference is the slightly acidic nature of white wine vinegar, which also subtracts when you cook it.
Rice Wine Vinegar
Like other types of vinegar, it has a mildly acidic taste. It is vinegar mainly used in Asian cuisine, and because of its mild nature, it is primarily used for dressing salads and fruits.
Rice wine vinegar has a similar flavour to white balsamic vinegar, but the earlier is sweeter. Like white wine vinegar, it has a light colour that adds a nice shiny texture to dishes.
All these three kinds of vinegar are great white balsamic vinegar substitute. Let’s see where you can find this vinegar in the UK.
Where to Buy White Balsamic Vinegar?
There are several online stores where you can buy white balsamic vinegar in the UK. Belazu and Sous-chef are one of these. You can also purchase it from Tesco and Aldi Farms. Truffle Hunter also sells this vinegar online.
Our favourite place to buy white balsamic is via the Find Food Specialists. They have a variety called Giuseppe Giusti that has been produced by the same family for over 300 years. It’s aged for 5 years before being bottles and imported to the UK.
FAQ's
What is the difference between white balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinegar?
Unlike balsamic vinegar, it is made with white grapes that are crushed along with seeds, skins and stems to create a ‘grape must’. The basic difference processing between conventional balsamic and white balsamic vinegar is the processing procedure.
The regular balsamic vinegar is made from cooked grapes. The grapes juice is slowly cooked, which gives it’s a dark brown colour. On the other hand, white balsamic vinegar is cooked in pressurized vats. It is then aged for at least two months in wooden or stainless steel barrels. This process gives it a golden colour and a milder flavour.
Is White Balsamic Vinegar Healthy?
White balsamic vinegar is less sugary, which makes it suitable for people having diabetes. As an additive, it is safer than its other form.
Its zero fat content makes it more likely to stabilize blood pressure and cholesterol. Sometimes you can use it for weight management as it keeps you fuller for a longer period of time.
Vinegar is some cases, can cause heartburn and stomach aches. It can also cause gastric issues. If you feel any of these, stop using them immediately.
What is a substitute for white balsamic vinegar?
The best substitutes are balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar and white wine vinegar.
What is the Best White Balsamic Vinegar?
Belazu, Vorrie, and Tesco have the best white balsamic vinegar from Italy.
What do you Use White Balsamic Vinegar for?
It is primarily used to season dishes, marinate meat, and dress salads.
Conclusion
It is always better that you buy an authentic version of white balsamic vinegar to make the best out of your dish, salad, or sauce. But if there is a shortage of that very rare vinegar, you can always go for a white balsamic vinegar substitute.
White and rice vinegar are the two you may find perfectly matching. You can buy it from the gourmet market, well-stocked grocery stores and online.
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!