Using Herbal Vinegar
I LOVE herbal vinegars.
Vinegar, like salt, is a flavour enhancer. Use infused vinegars to add flavour without adding salt, sugar or fat to your favourite recipes. No preservatives. Just pure natural flavours. Substitute flavour infused vinegar in any recipe that calls for lemon or lime juice, vinegar or wine. Vinegar has been in use in kitchens since ancient times; it has graced the table of queens and was used to cure meats in Babylonia. It is used extensively in Chinese cuisine and French chefs would be powerless to create rich sauces without it.
Vinegar is good for marinades, sauces, cooking with vegetables, stews, stir fries, dipping sauces, salad dressings, savory desserts, seasoning – the uses are endless. There are many health benefits to including vinegar in your daily diet including increased absorption of minerals from the foods you eat. This includes iron, calcium and magnesium. Vinegar has also shown some promise as a tool for those with type 2 diabetes. Several studies have shown decreased insulin resistance in those who ingested vinegar before large carbohydrate intake. There is a very good article outlining the positive effects of vinegar on your health here.
To help you incorporate our flavoured vinegar in your diet, I have compiled some of my favourite recipes for you to try.
Fruit Shrubs:
Shrubs are an old fashioned drink that has fallen out of favor over the past few decades; ironically they are some of the tastiest and easy to make drinks. Essentially a shrub is a fruit syrup, preserved with vinegar and mixed with water or alcohol to make a tangy, refreshing beverage. Popular varieties around our farm are strawberry, cranberry, lemon and raspberry. Any of these are also great to have on hand for those of you who enjoy playing around with cocktail recipes!
To make a shrub from our flavoured vinegar you will need:
500 ml of flavoured vinegar; try raspberry, blueberry or strawberry, or try a more complex flavour like cherry balsamic.
1-2 cups of sugar. This will vary according to your personal taste and the vinegar you are using. You can use refined white sugar, brown sugar or unrefined cane sugar or stevia. My favourite is honey.
Place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a clean, sterilized container.
Store the shrub syrup in the refrigerator. Tightly sealed, it may last for up to 6 months. Taste before using to make sure the flavor is still good. Discard immediately if it has mold or any signs of fermentation such as bubbling, cloudiness, or sliminess.
To serve: mix 1 tablespoon shrub syrup into a glass of still or sparkling water. Taste and add more syrup, if desired. Shrub syrups may also be used as cocktail mixers, in salad dressings, and more.
Marinades:
Marinating meats and vegetables can be a very simple task, or as complex as a vinegar reduction sauce. Using a different flavour vinegar or balsamic to make your marinade makes a completely different meal, with different flavours complimenting different meats.
A marinade has three primary parts – acid, oil and flavour. They have three main functions;
Tenderize with acid
To tenderize the meat, marinades have some form of acid as a part of their base. Often that acid is some kind of vinegar. Make your marinade using a ratio of 1/3 balsamic to 2/3 olive oil. Marinate poultry and fish for no more than 3 hours. Pork, beef, and lamb can be marinated for up to 24 hours.
Be creative with marinating. Poultry, pork, and chicken are delicious with fruit Marinades – like our Cranberry, Raspberry or Cherry Vinegar.
Pork takes on the flavors of herbs, fruits & savory Marinades. Try our rosemary cilantro balsamic Vinegar. .Richer meats like a juicy sirloin or lamb need a hearty marinade consider Sun-Dried Tomato white wine vinegar or Garlic Cilantro Balsamic.
Please note: never marinate meat or vegetables in an aluminum bowl. The acidity of the balsamic vinegar interacts negatively with aluminum. Instead, toss the vegetables with the marinade in a covered glass, stainless steel or ceramic bowl, or combine meat or vegetables and marinade in a plastic bag.
Marinated Roast Pork With Herbs
Love this, especially with our own free range pork! . Serve over oven-roasted potatoes. Serves 8 generously.
2 tsp fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
3 Tbsp crushed dried black peppercorns, divided
1/3 cup RASPBERRY or ONION GARLIC VINEGAR
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup red table wine
1/4 cup water, as necessary
4-5 lb pork roast (center loin cut, as lean as possible)
2 Tbsp mustard
Combine herbs, 1 tablespoon peppercorns, vinegar, soy sauce, wine and water in a shallow dish or a large Ziploc bag. Add roast, coating well. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Turn occasionally. Drain and reserve marinade while you preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread mustard over roast and pat on remaining peppercorns. Put in pan in the oven and pour reserved marinade around sides. Bake until meat thermometer reads 170 degree (3-4 hours).
Marinade for Grilled Vegetables
2⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄3 cup of our 5 herb red wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Marinade cut vegetables for 3 to 4 hours and then grill or brush marinade onto vegetables as you grill.
Yield 1 cup marinade.
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/4 c. raspberry vinegar
1/2 tsp. mustard
1 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix together the vinegar, salt, mustard and pepper. Drip in the olive oil slowly and mix with whisk until all is emulsified.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the strawberry vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk well until fully combined.
This is a great vinaigrette to use with a plain baby spinach and strawberry salad with pecans.
Raspberry Poppy seed Dressing
Directions
3 EASY WAYS TO MIX THE DRESSING:
--In a blender or food processor. Mince the onion. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, & salt to the blender or food processor and mix until combined. With the blender/food processor running, add the oils in a thin stream through the hole in the top. Blend until well mixed. Add poppy seeds and pulse just until mixed.
--In a bowl. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, minced onion, and poppy seeds until well combined. Continue whisking while adding the oils in a thin stream. Keep whisking until well combined.
--In a jar. Add everything except the 2 oils to the jar. Cover and shake to combine. Add 2 oils and shake vigorously until well combined.
If too thick, may be thinned by whisking in water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
I LOVE herbal vinegars.
Vinegar, like salt, is a flavour enhancer. Use infused vinegars to add flavour without adding salt, sugar or fat to your favourite recipes. No preservatives. Just pure natural flavours. Substitute flavour infused vinegar in any recipe that calls for lemon or lime juice, vinegar or wine. Vinegar has been in use in kitchens since ancient times; it has graced the table of queens and was used to cure meats in Babylonia. It is used extensively in Chinese cuisine and French chefs would be powerless to create rich sauces without it.
Vinegar is good for marinades, sauces, cooking with vegetables, stews, stir fries, dipping sauces, salad dressings, savory desserts, seasoning – the uses are endless. There are many health benefits to including vinegar in your daily diet including increased absorption of minerals from the foods you eat. This includes iron, calcium and magnesium. Vinegar has also shown some promise as a tool for those with type 2 diabetes. Several studies have shown decreased insulin resistance in those who ingested vinegar before large carbohydrate intake. There is a very good article outlining the positive effects of vinegar on your health here.
To help you incorporate our flavoured vinegar in your diet, I have compiled some of my favourite recipes for you to try.
Fruit Shrubs:
Shrubs are an old fashioned drink that has fallen out of favor over the past few decades; ironically they are some of the tastiest and easy to make drinks. Essentially a shrub is a fruit syrup, preserved with vinegar and mixed with water or alcohol to make a tangy, refreshing beverage. Popular varieties around our farm are strawberry, cranberry, lemon and raspberry. Any of these are also great to have on hand for those of you who enjoy playing around with cocktail recipes!
To make a shrub from our flavoured vinegar you will need:
500 ml of flavoured vinegar; try raspberry, blueberry or strawberry, or try a more complex flavour like cherry balsamic.
1-2 cups of sugar. This will vary according to your personal taste and the vinegar you are using. You can use refined white sugar, brown sugar or unrefined cane sugar or stevia. My favourite is honey.
Place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a clean, sterilized container.
Store the shrub syrup in the refrigerator. Tightly sealed, it may last for up to 6 months. Taste before using to make sure the flavor is still good. Discard immediately if it has mold or any signs of fermentation such as bubbling, cloudiness, or sliminess.
To serve: mix 1 tablespoon shrub syrup into a glass of still or sparkling water. Taste and add more syrup, if desired. Shrub syrups may also be used as cocktail mixers, in salad dressings, and more.
Marinades:
Marinating meats and vegetables can be a very simple task, or as complex as a vinegar reduction sauce. Using a different flavour vinegar or balsamic to make your marinade makes a completely different meal, with different flavours complimenting different meats.
A marinade has three primary parts – acid, oil and flavour. They have three main functions;
- To tenderize your meat (acids)
- To keep your meat from drying out (oils)
- To give your meat flavour (flavours)
Tenderize with acid
To tenderize the meat, marinades have some form of acid as a part of their base. Often that acid is some kind of vinegar. Make your marinade using a ratio of 1/3 balsamic to 2/3 olive oil. Marinate poultry and fish for no more than 3 hours. Pork, beef, and lamb can be marinated for up to 24 hours.
Be creative with marinating. Poultry, pork, and chicken are delicious with fruit Marinades – like our Cranberry, Raspberry or Cherry Vinegar.
Pork takes on the flavors of herbs, fruits & savory Marinades. Try our rosemary cilantro balsamic Vinegar. .Richer meats like a juicy sirloin or lamb need a hearty marinade consider Sun-Dried Tomato white wine vinegar or Garlic Cilantro Balsamic.
Please note: never marinate meat or vegetables in an aluminum bowl. The acidity of the balsamic vinegar interacts negatively with aluminum. Instead, toss the vegetables with the marinade in a covered glass, stainless steel or ceramic bowl, or combine meat or vegetables and marinade in a plastic bag.
Marinated Roast Pork With Herbs
Love this, especially with our own free range pork! . Serve over oven-roasted potatoes. Serves 8 generously.
2 tsp fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
3 Tbsp crushed dried black peppercorns, divided
1/3 cup RASPBERRY or ONION GARLIC VINEGAR
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup red table wine
1/4 cup water, as necessary
4-5 lb pork roast (center loin cut, as lean as possible)
2 Tbsp mustard
Combine herbs, 1 tablespoon peppercorns, vinegar, soy sauce, wine and water in a shallow dish or a large Ziploc bag. Add roast, coating well. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Turn occasionally. Drain and reserve marinade while you preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread mustard over roast and pat on remaining peppercorns. Put in pan in the oven and pour reserved marinade around sides. Bake until meat thermometer reads 170 degree (3-4 hours).
Marinade for Grilled Vegetables
2⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄3 cup of our 5 herb red wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Marinade cut vegetables for 3 to 4 hours and then grill or brush marinade onto vegetables as you grill.
Yield 1 cup marinade.
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/4 c. raspberry vinegar
1/2 tsp. mustard
1 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix together the vinegar, salt, mustard and pepper. Drip in the olive oil slowly and mix with whisk until all is emulsified.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons strawberry vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the strawberry vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk well until fully combined.
This is a great vinaigrette to use with a plain baby spinach and strawberry salad with pecans.
Raspberry Poppy seed Dressing
- 1/4 cup grated/minced onion (half of a small onion)
- 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Directions
3 EASY WAYS TO MIX THE DRESSING:
--In a blender or food processor. Mince the onion. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, & salt to the blender or food processor and mix until combined. With the blender/food processor running, add the oils in a thin stream through the hole in the top. Blend until well mixed. Add poppy seeds and pulse just until mixed.
--In a bowl. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, minced onion, and poppy seeds until well combined. Continue whisking while adding the oils in a thin stream. Keep whisking until well combined.
--In a jar. Add everything except the 2 oils to the jar. Cover and shake to combine. Add 2 oils and shake vigorously until well combined.
If too thick, may be thinned by whisking in water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
