Did you know the word “vinegar” is derived from the French word “vinaigre” and translates to “sour wine?” Many people use various types of vinegar but the most popular of them all is white wine vinegar. It’s a versatile liquid that has many beneficial properties and ideal to make steak sauces.
Today we’d like to give you recipes, benefits and even cleaning solutions that white wine vinegar can provide. Keep reading to find out more about this type of vinegar and its many uses.
What is White Wine Vinegar?
Many people confuse white wine vinegar with standard white vinegar. But the truth is these two kinds of vinegar are completely different each with various benefits. White wine vinegar is made by fermenting white wine, straining the liquid and then bottling it. Furthermore, it’s primarily a condiment and preservative for other types of food.
White wine vinegar is inexpensive and an all-natural product so it’s also used as a cleaning aid. This is because it doesn’t trigger allergies and it’s colorless so it won’t stain surfaces. You can use white wine vinegar inside and outside of the kitchen because of how versatile the substance is.
3 Health Benefits of White Wine Vinegar
As mentioned before, white wine vinegar is an all-natural product which means it has various health benefits. You can replace fatty condiments with this low-calorie liquid when making food. Take a look at the top 3 health benefits of white wine vinegar in this next section.
1. Appetite Control and Blood Sugar
Do you find yourself eating more than you usually do? Studies show that white wine vinegar lowers the glycemic index of foods such as pasta or white bread making them more filling. This way you’ll feel full which will prevent you from overeating.
Other studies also show that consuming white wine vinegar or standard white vinegar can lower blood sugar levels after eating a meal.
2. Reduce Blood Pressure
Although white wine vinegar and white vinegar are different they both have the same health benefits. One of those benefits is that white wine vinegar can lower blood pressure to protect your heart. So if you drizzle white wine vinegar over your salad and consume it, you may reduce your risk of heart diseases.
When consumed, white wine vinegar has the potential to lower your cholesterol and fat cells in your gut which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease.
3. Antimicrobial Properties
White wine vinegar has antimicrobial properties that can help treat various ailments such as the following:
- Ear infections
- Warts
- Nail fungal infections
- Burns
- Skin infections
So if you don’t have a natural antibacterial supply in your first aid kit then white wine vinegar will be the ideal substitute. Simply pour some white wine vinegar onto a cotton ball and dab the affected area to treat it.
How to Use White Wine Vinegar at the Table
White wine vinegar is ideal for seasoning raw foods such as salads. It’s also the perfect condiment to make marinades for meats and fish. It can be used to cure meat to dehydrate it and make South African biltong or as the Americans call it, “beef jerky”.
Furthermore, white wine vinegar is also a contributing ingredient to many sauces originating from French dishes such as the following:
- Tartar sauce: This type of sauce is served with fried or baked fish and is made by whipping eggs with white wine vinegar and oil. It’s combined with fresh herbs such as parsley, capers, gherkins and tarragon.
- White butter: This white sauce is made with white wine vinegar, cream and butter and is typically served with grilled meats or baked fish.
- Mayonnaise: This is a white, creamy condiment that can be used in salads, burgers and even fries. It’s made with oil, egg whites and a dash of white wine vinegar and seasoned with pepper.
- Dressing: You can make a tangy salad dressing or even a salsa topping using white wine vinegar and chopped vegetables.
Lastly, you can also infuse other sauces with white wine vinegar such as chutney or to make a basic brine to pickle seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Delicious Recipes Using White Wine Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar Salad Dressing
You’ll need:
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Take a large bowl and pour all your ingredients into the container. Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. Then pour over your salad or into a jug so people can pour their own dressing onto their salad.
White Wine Vinegar Sauce – Béarnaise
What you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of chopped tarragon
- 1 chopped shallots
- 200ml of white wine vinegar
- 2 egg yokes
- 120g of butter
- Dash of salt and pepper
Finely chop your shallot and tarragon and place them into a pot. Pour your white wine vinegar into the pot with the chopped ingredients and bring to a simmer. Boil away the white wine vinegar completely until only the shallot and tarragon are left.
Melt your butter and pour it into a jug. Then place two large egg yolks into the pot with your cooked shallot and tarragon and pour in two teaspoons of water. Whisk it all together until it’s creamy and light. Then pour your melted butter into the mixture and whisk together until well combined. Keep the sauce warm so it doesn’t separate and then serve it with steaks.
Pickles with White Wine Vinegar – Gherkins
What you’ll need:
- 1kg of gherkins
- 1 kg of sea salt
- 500ml of white wine vinegar
- 500ml of water
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
- 4 celery leaves
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
Place your gherkins into a container and pour the salt over the gherkins and leave for 16 hours. Remove your gherkins from the salty container and place them into a clean jar with your bay leaves, celery leaves, sugar, garlic and seasonings.
Then pour your water and white wine vinegar into a pot and bring it to a boil. Pour the liquid into your jar of pickles. Close the jar and allow the gherkins to pickle for at least two weeks.
How to Clean with White Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar isn’t simply for eating and making delicious sauces and marinades but it’s also an all-natural cleaning aid. Since white wine vinegar is high in acidity it can remove mold growth easily and stop it from growing back.
What’s more, white wine vinegar also has antibacterial properties to eliminate bacteria and germs from surfaces. Here are some tips you can use to clean your home with white wine vinegar:
- Unblock drains: Pour half a cup of bicarb down your drain followed by a cup of white wine vinegar to unblock your pipes and eliminate foul odours.
- Wipe down counters: Pour white wine vinegar into a spray bottle and use it to clean away dirt and grime on your countertops.
- Clean out fridges: Pour a cup of white wine vinegar into a bucket with 500 ml of hot water. Dip a cloth into the mixture to wipe down areas inside your fridge.
- Soak plastic containers: Tupperware is made from porous plastic that often absorbs oils from the foods you store in them. Soak your Tupperware in warm water and white wine vinegar to clean them.
- Cleaning dishwashers: Pour a cup of white wine vinegar through a short dishwashing cycle to remove dirt build-up and limescale.
There are some items you should avoid cleaning with white wine vinegar such as natural stone because the high acidity levels can destroy the integrity of the stone. You should also avoid using white wine vinegar to remove egg spills because it thickens up the spill making it difficult to remove.
Additional Benefits of White Wine Vinegar
Reduced Salt
White wine vinegar has an extremely low sodium content so it will reduce the need to use too much salt in your cooking. The low sodium content is ideal for people who have high cholesterol. You can try it as a seasoning instead of pouring salt over your food.
Flavor Enhancer
You can enhance the flavors of your food with white wine vinegar. For example, some people use white wine vinegar as a dressing on strawberries to enhance their flavor profile. You can also enhance the flavors of sauces and glazes with basic flavors such as béarnaise sauce.
Low-Fat Content
If you want to substitute heavier ingredients such as creams or butter then white wine vinegar is the ideal option. This is a suitable option for those who are on a strict diet and need to reduce their fat intake. White wine vinegar has reduced fat so it’s ideal to make creamier sauces but without the high-fat content.
Natural Weed and Bug Repellent
Pesticides and herbicides can have toxic ingredients that could pose a potential health risk. If you have a garden then you’ll want to eliminate weeds and pests with a natural repellent. The perfect bug and weed control is white wine vinegar.
Simply pour one part white wine vinegar and one part water into a spray bottle and then spray the solution on your plants and growing vegetables. This will deter pesky bugs from eating your produce. For weed control, you may want to use undiluted white wine vinegar to burn the weeds away.
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are many uses for white wine vinegar and there are plenty of benefits that it offers. It’s low in fat, it works as a cleaning aid and it can be used in the garden. White vinegar is a versatile liquid that everyone should have in their kitchen cupboard!