Vinegar is a product used in cooking as a seasoning and preservative, containing a large amount of acetic acid, obtained from food alcohol-containing raw materials through microbiological synthesis using acetic acid bacteria. It is a colorless liquid with a specific aroma and a strongly sour taste.
The first vinegar, by fermenting wine, was obtained about 3 thousand years ago. Then winemakers discovered that if grape wine is not corked after preparation, then after a few weeks it sours and turns into a caustic and sour product that can be used as a seasoning and preservative. A little later, they learned to prepare vinegar from honey, vegetables, grains and fruits. But the principle of preparing vinegar has not changed over time: first, alcoholic fermentation is used, and then acetic acid.
Vinegar Information:
- Composition of vinegar;
- Types of vinegar;
- How to dilute vinegar;
- How to make vinegar at home; Recipes for making homemade apple cider vinegar;
- Recipe for making homemade wine vinegar;
- Benefits of apple cider vinegar;
Ingredients of vinegar:
Vinegar consists approximately:
- 97% from water;
- 3% from carbohydrates.
Vinegar can be natural or synthetic. Natural vinegar, depending on the product from which it is made, contains tartaric, malic, citric, succinic acid, acetic, oxalic, lactic, as well as aldehydes, alcohols and water. Synthetic vinegar contains acetic acid and water.
The vitamin and mineral composition of natural vinegar depends on the product from which it is made. Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E and minerals - calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, sulfur and phosphorus.
Wine vinegar contains vitamins A, B5, C and minerals - potassium, fluorine, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Synthetic table vinegar 9% contains no vitamins and minerals.
The calorie content of 100 grams of vinegar depends on its type:
- synthetic table vinegar 9% – 11.3 kcal;
- apple cider vinegar – 21 kcal;
- wine vinegar – 9 kcal;
- rice vinegar – 41 kcal;
- malt vinegar – 54 kcal.
Can pregnant women eat dumplings with vinegar?
Table vinegar, especially one made from 70% vinegar essence, is not the best product for a woman expecting a baby. If you want dumplings, you should cook them yourself and season them with butter, sour cream, and chopped herbs. Vinegar dressing and semi-finished products from the store are not suitable now.
If you are expecting a baby, then it is better for you to find out how to drink apple cider vinegar correctly for prevention, for example, for heartburn. This natural product contains vitamins and minerals that will be beneficial for the expectant mother and her baby. At the same time, it does not irritate the esophagus and helps cope with toxicosis. But do not forget that it must be diluted with water before taking it.
And finally, a recipe on how to deliciously cook dumplings and make a sauce for them.
Types of vinegar:
Vinegar is classified according to the principle of preparation, the percentage of acetic acid content, and the starting substance from which it is prepared.
According to the principle of preparation, vinegar is:
- natural, obtained from natural products;
- synthetic, obtained by diluting acetic acid produced by chemical means.
Vinegar is classified according to its acetic acid content:
- 3% vinegar;
- 5% vinegar;
- 6% vinegar;
- 9% vinegar;
- any other % acetic acid content.
Vinegar, according to the product on which it is made, can be:
- Alcohol . This vinegar is produced by fermenting alcohol. It does not have a pleasant smell and is used mainly for marinating meat.
- Apple . It is obtained from apple cider. Most popular in Russia, USA and France. It has a pleasant aroma and slightly sour taste. It is used mainly for preparing fish dishes, pickling vegetables and acidifying sauces.
- Wine . This type of vinegar is obtained by fermenting wine or juice. It is widely distributed in wine-producing countries such as France. It can be white or red, depending on the type of wine it was prepared from. Has a pleasant smell. Mainly used for preparing marinades, sauces, and salad dressings.
- Rice . It is produced from glutinous rice varieties and comes in black, red and white. Most common in Asian countries. It is used mainly for making sushi, rice noodles, seafood, gravies and sauces. It makes a good marinade.
- Malt . This type of vinegar is made from beer wort. Most popular in the UK. It has a delicate taste and aroma. Mainly used for pickling fish and vegetables, as well as for canning. The British use it as a spice in their popular dish - fish and chips.
- Coconut . Made from coconut milk. Popular in the Philippines and India. It has a sweet taste and a pungent odor. Suitable for marinating pork and dressing for seafood and chicken salads.
- Reed . This type of vinegar is made by fermenting cane sugar syrup. Popular in southern countries where reed grows. It has a rich taste and unusual aroma. Excellent as a seasoning for fried poultry, fish and pork.
How to dilute vinegar:
It often happens that there is vinegar essence or vinegar with a higher concentration of acetic acid than required in the recipe. In this case, it is not necessary to go to the store for vinegar with the required concentration of acetic acid, because it can be diluted with water. This is easy to do - you need to calculate in what proportions to mix vinegar and water, and then mix.
You can calculate the number of parts of water that need to be added to the original concentrated vinegar to obtain vinegar of a lower concentration using the following formula:
(Initial vinegar concentration / Required vinegar concentration) – 1.
For example, you have a tablespoon of 70% vinegar essence, and you want to get 9% vinegar from it. Let's use the formula: (70% / 9%) – 1 = 7.8 – 1 = 6.8. For simplicity, we round the resulting value to 7. From the formula it follows that to obtain 9% vinegar from 70% vinegar essence, you need to mix a tablespoon of 70% vinegar essence with 7 tablespoons of water.
Using this principle, you can calculate the number of parts of water that need to be added to concentrated vinegar to obtain vinegar with any lower acetic acid content. You just need to remember that the mixed parts must be equal - if you took a teaspoon of the original vinegar, then add parts of water to it by teaspoons, if you took a tablespoon of the original vinegar, then you need to dilute it with tablespoons of water, if you took 100 milliliters of the original vinegar , then you need to dilute it with as many parts of water as 100 milliliters each, which were obtained according to the formula, that is, 100 milliliters multiplied by the result of the formula.
Below are tables with proportions for diluting vinegar:
Dilution of vinegar essence:
Desired vinegar solution | Original vinegar essence | ||
90% | 80% | 70% | |
3% | 29 | 25,7 | 22,4 |
4% | 21,5 | 19 | 16,5 |
5% | 17 | 15 | 13 |
6% | 14 | 12,4 | 10,7 |
7% | 11,9 | 10,5 | 9 |
8% | 10,3 | 9 | 7,8 |
9% | 9 | 7,9 | 6,8 |
10% | 8 | 7 | 6 |
The calculation field of this table indicates the number of parts of water that need to be added to 1 part of the original vinegar. The parts must be equal. For example, to obtain 3% vinegar from 70%, you need to add 22.4 equal parts of water to 1 part of 70% essence. For example, if the part is a teaspoon, then mix 1 teaspoon of 70% essence with 22.4 teaspoons of water. For simplicity, values can be rounded up.
Diluting vinegar:
Desired vinegar solution | Original vinegar | ||
9% | 8% | 7% | |
3% | 2 | 1,7 | 1,4 |
4% | 1,3 | 1 | 0,8 |
5% | 0,8 | 0,6 | 0,5 |
6% | 0,5 | 0,4 | 0,2 |
7% | 0,3 | 0,2 | |
8% | 0,2 |
The calculation field of this table indicates the number of parts of water that need to be added to 1 part of the original vinegar. The parts must be equal. For example, to obtain 3% vinegar from 7%, you need to add 1.4 equal parts of water to 1 part of 7% vinegar. For example, if the part is a teaspoon, then mix 1 teaspoon of 7% vinegar with 1.4 teaspoons of water. For simplicity, values can be rounded up.
How to dilute 70% vinegar to the required concentration
There are precise proportions in order to obtain vinegar of the required concentration from the essence, because it is used not only in food, but for many other purposes. There is a table in which the proportions are tied to the capacity of an ordinary tablespoon. So, to obtain the desired concentration, you need to add 70% vinegar to one tablespoon:
- 22.5 tbsp. spoon - you get 3% vinegar;
- 17th century spoon – 4% vinegar;
- 13th century spoons – 5%;
- 11th century spoons – 6%;
- 9 tbsp. spoons – 7%;
- 6 tbsp. spoons - 8%;
- 7 tbsp. spoons – 9%;
- 6 tbsp. spoons – 10%;
- 1.5 hundred. spoons – 30%.
There is another option to dilute 70% vinegar to 9%. It has been experimentally established that an ordinary cut glass contains 17 tablespoons of water. Therefore, to obtain a 9% solution, you need to pour 2 tablespoons of 70% vinegar into one faceted glass.
How to make vinegar at home:
If you want to use 100% natural vinegar in your dishes, you can make it yourself. Most often in Russia, apple or wine vinegar is prepared at home.
Recipes for making homemade apple cider vinegar:
1. Apple cider vinegar from overripe apples:
To create this apple cider vinegar recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- overripe apples – 1 kilogram;
- granulated sugar – 50 grams for sweet apples or 100 grams for sour apples;
- water;
In addition to the ingredients, you will need a large enamel pan and jars.
If you have everything, then you can proceed to creating apple cider vinegar, following the step-by-step recipe:
- Wash the apples well.
- Cut the apples and crush the pieces.
- Boil water and cool to 70 degrees Celsius.
- Place the crushed apples in an enamel pan and add hot water so that the water covers the apples by a couple of centimeters.
- If the apples are sweet, add 50 grams of sugar to the pan, and if they are sour, add 100 grams. Mix.
- Place the pan in a dark and warm place and cover with a cloth. Leave for 2 weeks. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Strain the contents of the pan into jars, leaving room to the brim for the vinegar to ferment, as it will increase in volume during fermentation.
- Leave for 2 weeks in a warm and dark place for further fermentation. If the liquid has brightened and acquired a pleasant sour taste, the fermentation process is complete.
- Strain the vinegar and pour into bottles for storage and use. Close the bottles tightly and store in a dark place.
Vinegar from overripe apples is ready!
2. Apple cider vinegar from regular apples:
To create apple cider vinegar for this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- apples – 1.5 kilograms;
- real bee honey – 150 grams;
- rye bread – 50 grams;
- water – 2 liters;
In addition to the ingredients, you will need a large enamel pan, jars and a grater.
If you have everything, then you can proceed to creating apple cider vinegar, following the step-by-step recipe:
- Boil 2 liters of water and cool to room temperature.
- Wash the apples well.
- Grate the apples on a coarse grater. Do not throw away the cores.
- Place the grated apples along with the cores in an enamel pan and add 2 liters of boiled water at room temperature, but do not fill to the brim, leaving room for fermentation.
- Place 50 grams of rye bread and 150 grams of real bee honey in a jar.
- Place the pan in a warm and dark place, cover with a cloth and leave for 12 days. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Then strain the contents of the pan into jars and cover them with a cloth.
- Leave in a dark and warm place for a month. If the liquid has brightened and acquired a pleasant sour taste, the fermentation process is complete.
- Strain the vinegar and pour into bottles for storage and use. Cover well and store in a dark place.
Vinegar from regular apples is ready!
Recipe for making homemade wine vinegar:
To make grape vinegar at home you will need:
- grapes - half a three-liter jar;
- granulated sugar – 140 grams;
- water.
In addition to the ingredients, you will need a three-liter jar.
If you have all the ingredients, then you can proceed to creating wine vinegar, following the step-by-step recipe:
- Boil a little more than half a three-liter jar of water. And then cool to room temperature.
- Wash the grapes well, select diseased berries and discard.
- Place grapes up to half of a three-liter jar.
- Mash the grapes well in the jar with your hand.
- Fill the jar halfway with boiled water at room temperature.
- Add 70 grams of sugar.
- Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Cover the jar with gauze and place in a dark and warm place for 12 days. Stir once a day with a wooden spoon.
- Strain the grape juice, squeeze out the pulp and discard it.
- Strain the juice into a three-liter jar.
- Add 70 grams of granulated sugar and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Cover the jar with gauze and place in a dark and warm place for 2 months.
- As soon as the mixture stops fermenting and turns a little lighter, strain it into glass bottles.
- Seal the bottles with stoppers and store in a cool, dark place.
Wine vinegar is ready!
Using Vinegar
What is white vinegar used for - examples of use:
- In cooking. The product is widely used in cooking - as a dressing for vegetable salad (in combination with mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt), as a preservative in vegetable preparations for the winter. They pour it over manti, and also extinguish soda to loosen baked goods. White vinegar is added to marinades to soften the fibers of meat, poultry and fish. It is a common component of mayonnaise and sauces.
- At home. White vinegar is used in households to disinfect surfaces, whiten things, and clean surfaces from organic contaminants. A transparent synthetic option is optimal for this - it will not stain the fabric, floor, or walls. To remove grease stains, the solution is diluted by half with water.
- For washing. You can disinfect your washing machine by pouring 50 ml of a white fermentation product into the rinse aid compartment. You can rid things of odors by soaking them in water with the addition of a fermentation product. Another option is to pour it into the fabric softener compartment when washing by machine.
- For auto. The use of 1.5% acetic acid helps to clean windows and surfaces from dirt in the interior and eliminate odors.
- In folk medicine. The product is used to lubricate insect bites to relieve itching, and rub the temples during a headache attack. Based on it, warm compresses are made (from 0.25 liters of liquid, 1 teaspoon of salt, 4 drops of iodine) if a muscle strain occurs. A solution for gargling for sore throat is obtained from apple white vinegar - 2 tbsp. l. per glass of water.
- In home cosmetology. Masks with the addition of apple cider vinegar are used to lighten and degrease the skin and eliminate freckles. To do this, connect 2 tbsp. l. sour and 1 tsp. fermentation product. Exposure time – 10 minutes. For shine, rinse hair with a solution (2 teaspoons of white vinegar per 200 ml of water) after each wash.
- For the garden and vegetable garden. Sprinkle on weeds and add to water for cut flowers.
- For weight loss. It is believed that the vinegar solution speeds up metabolism, increases fat burning, and reduces appetite if you drink 1 tbsp in the morning on an empty stomach. water with the addition of 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar. There is no reliable data on this matter, but it can damage tooth enamel and provoke the development of gastritis.
You can make an aromatic seasoning with spices from white vinegar - recipe:
- pour wine, apple or synthetic product into a glass container;
- add pieces of garlic and horseradish, sprigs of parsley, basil, dill;
- add honey or sugar - ½ tsp. for ½ liter of liquid;
- leave for a month in a dark place, shaking occasionally;
- strain;
- season meat, salads.
The components can be any and in arbitrary quantities - citrus zest, onion, sea buckthorn, lavender, nasturtium, rose hips, violet, chili pepper, etc.
Watch the educational story:
How to replace vinegar:
There are situations when you need to prepare a dish whose recipe includes vinegar, but you don’t have vinegar at home. Then the question arises, what can replace vinegar in the recipe? Everything is very simple. Vinegar can be replaced with citric acid or lemon juice.
Proportions for replacing vinegar with citric acid:
What kind of vinegar analogue should you get: | Dilute 1 teaspoon of citric acid powder into: |
3% vinegar | 46 tablespoons water |
4% vinegar | 34 tablespoons water |
5% vinegar | 26 tablespoons water |
6% vinegar | 22 tablespoons water |
9% vinegar | 24 tablespoons water |
To obtain the equivalent of 70% vinegar essence, you need to dilute 1 tablespoon of citric acid in 2 tablespoons of water.
Is it necessary to add vinegar to adjika?
Vinegar is added to adjika not only for pungency. Acetic acid is a natural preservative that extends the shelf life of the product. This is especially valuable when preparing adjika without cooking.
Natural apple cider vinegar has a milder taste and aroma. In addition to acetic acid, its composition includes malic, oxalic, citric, and lactic acids, which are also natural preservatives.
How much and what kind of vinegar you add to adjika depends on your preferences: you want a spicier seasoning, with a pronounced sourness, and a milder taste. There are no specific standards for how much vinegar should be added to 1 liter of adjika. The average amount of 9% table vinegar is 1-2 tablespoons or 6% apple cider vinegar is 2-2½ tablespoons.
Additional Information! Store an open jar of adjika in the refrigerator. The shelf life will increase even more if you pour vegetable oil on top of the seasoning (about 0.5–1 cm).
Table vinegar production technology:
In general, the technological scheme for preparing table vinegar in production includes 7 stages:
- First, the process of preparing the wort is carried out by mixing water, alcohol, various salts and sugar, which promotes the development of bacteria that will oxidize the main product and release acetic acid.
- Next, a filler in the form of birch or beech shavings is introduced into the oxidizer generators, which is irrigated with wort and a product for oxidation, for example, alcohol. Fermentation occurs. The alcohol is oxidized into acetic acid within 5 days.
- Next, the resulting vinegar is drained and clarified using gelatin and activated carbon.
- The liquid is filtered to remove sediment.
- The vinegar is then diluted with water to obtain a solution with the required acetic acid content.
- The vinegar is then pasteurized to increase its shelf life.
- Poured into containers and packaged.
Vinegar is produced according to “GOST R 56968-2016 Table vinegar. Technical conditions".
The shelf life of vinegar depends on its type and the percentage of acetic acid, it is indicated on the label.
Benefits of vinegar:
Only natural vinegar containing vitamins and minerals can be beneficial to health, and synthetic vinegar does not provide any benefit to the human body, since it does not contain minerals and vitamins.
It is worth immediately noting that natural vinegar can benefit human health only if it is added to dishes as a seasoning or preservative in moderation, in the proportions specified in proven recipes. You can’t just drink vinegar, as you can get a chemical burn to the gastrointestinal tract and cause serious harm to the body. That is why vinegar should be stored out of the reach of children.
Benefits of apple cider vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar is made from apple juice and is rich in the minerals and vitamins found in apples. A small amount of apple cider vinegar that enters the body as part of the main dish helps strengthen the immune system due to the presence of a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Apple cider vinegar stimulates metabolic processes and speeds up digestion. It is useful because it improves the removal of toxins and waste from the body. Reduces cholesterol levels and improves the condition of blood vessels. Has antiseptic and diuretic properties. Helps strengthen hair and nails.
Benefits of wine vinegar:
Wine vinegar is made from grape juice, which makes it rich in minerals and vitamins found in grapes. When ingested as part of a main dish, wine vinegar slows down the aging process, lowers cholesterol, cleanses blood vessels and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Improves the functioning of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. Wine vinegar normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, improves hair and nails. It is an antioxidant and antiseptic.
Harm of vinegar:
Vinegar can cause the most serious harm to the body if it is drunk as a liquid. After which the person receives a chemical burn to the mucous membranes, food poisoning and kidney failure occur. That is why vinegar should be consumed only in small quantities as part of main dishes prepared according to proven recipes. The bottle of vinegar should be kept out of the reach of children to avoid poisoning the child.
But even in dishes, vinegar can be harmful and is contraindicated for people with diseases of the stomach and intestinal tract, such as gastritis, ulcers, colitis, enteritis, and hyperacidity. Vinegar can be harmful to these categories of people because it can aggravate these diseases. Also, people with obesity, nervous disorders, hypertension, nephritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis and cystitis should not use vinegar.
Healthy people without the mentioned diseases should consume vinegar in moderation as part of dishes prepared according to proven recipes. Only in this case, vinegar will not harm the body, and natural vinegar will have a beneficial effect on the body.
Source: www.konditer-club.ru