Sherry vinegar: application, analogues and photos

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Sherry vinegar is a type of grape vinegar. This product is extremely popular in the Mediterranean countries, where it is part of the national dishes of many peoples inhabiting this region. For example, the famous Spanish gazpacho is made exclusively with sherry vinegar. It is used to make marinade, as well as dressings for meat, salads and desserts.

History and preparation

The Spanish province of Andalusia is considered the birthplace of this product. It was here that vinegar was first produced from Muscatel and Palomino white grapes.

For the first time it began to be made only at the beginning of the 15th century, and until the 19th century it was prepared from unusable wine. In 2000, sherry vinegar entered the list of products of territorial origin.

Make it as follows. Juice is obtained from grapes, to which a fungus is added. The fermentation process takes place in special oak barrels. The volume of barrels, as a rule, reaches 500 liters. They stack in a special way on top of each other. Thanks to a special layout, young sherry is mixedwith an older one and thus acquires the desired taste and aroma characteristic of this vinegar. Elite varieties can withstand at least ten years. Next, the liquid is bottled and sent for sale.

Chemical composition

The calorie content of vinegar is only 19 kilocalories per 100 g of product. It contains many useful components. It contains practically no fat, and the amount of protein it has is extremely small. One serving of this product has about 0.3 g of carbohydrates. Of the vitamins in vinegar, only vitamin C was found, and then in small quantities. But minerals are quite widely represented:

• Potassium is in the first place, which is responsible for the he alth of the heart muscle.
• Sodium and calcium help build bone mass and prevent osteoporosis.
• Thanks to phosphorus, the immune system is strengthened and metabolism is normalized.
• This product contains a small amount of magnesium, without which it is difficult to imagine a he althy nervous system.
• There is also a small amount of iron in vinegar, which has a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic system.
• Zinc, manganese and copper are present in small quantities.

This delicacy comes in many varieties. The species differ depending on the grape variety from which it was made and the aging time.

How to use

As a rule, it is added to ready-made dishes. Experienced chefs do not advise exposing thisa heat-treated product, as its taste properties are noticeably reduced and aroma is lost. It looks great in first courses, as part of marinades and sauces. It is added to fresh fruit and vegetable salads.

The use of sherry vinegar is quite wide. With its help in the Mediterranean countries marinate meat. It is advisable to keep the piece in a special composition for about three to four hours before cooking. And also a ready-made meat dish can be moistened with a few spoons of a delicacy product.

Bulgarian pepper with garlic

Vegetables are pre-baked in the oven. Ready peppers are cut into slices, the core is removed, s alted and sprinkled with allspice. Next, vegetable oil is mixed with vinegar and poured over the finished dish. Top with finely chopped parsley and basil. Crushed garlic must be added to this dish. It is he, along with vinegar, that gives that unique taste and aroma to roasted peppers.

Meat with sherry vinegar

To prepare it, you will need a small piece of pork belly, prunes, raw potatoes and carrots. As a seasoning, you should take vegetable oil, ground pepper and vinegar. The meat is pre-rubbed with s alt and ground pepper, dried a little and fried in vegetable oil. A slightly cooled dish is moistened with vinegar, covered with foil and sent to the oven. Separately bake potatoes, carrots and prunes. Ready-made meat is unwrapped and combined with vegetables and prunes. Before serving, the pork is cut into small pieces,add s alt again and sprinkle with pepper.

What to replace

Sherry vinegar can be replaced with other types of a similar product. Its closest relative is balsamic. And also this product can be replaced with ordinary wine. True, its color will be noticeably different from the rich dark sherry. Balsamic vinegar is a product of the Italian national cuisine and is produced in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. It also contains varieties of white grapes. It is quite thick and has a spicy fruity aroma.

Vinegar analogues

Not only balsamic, but also other types of wine vinegar may well replace sherry. As a rule, these are red and white wine, as well as balsamic white and red vinegars. If desired, an analogue of sherry vinegar can be prepared by yourself. To do this, you need dry red wine, a whole piece of cinnamon and oak bark. And you should also buy the most inexpensive domestic wine vinegar in the store. Further, all components are placed in a glass container and infused for 4–5 weeks. The taste of homemade vinegar is quite pleasant and may well replace the famous sherry for a while.

Another sherry vinegar recipe uses honey and whole grapes. They should be overripe or slightly damaged. Grape clusters cannot be washed, as wild fungi are present on their surface, due to which andfermentation will take place. Honey (can be replaced with sugar) and grapes are placed in slightly warmed, pre-settled water. The resulting composition must ferment for at least seventy days. It is advisable to stir it daily with a wooden stick or spoon. In this way, not only can the fermentation process be strengthened, but mold formation can also be prevented.

In a word, if there are no options for replacing sherry vinegar, then it is quite possible to cook it yourself at home. The taste and aroma, of course, will be somewhat different from natural, but preservatives and flavor enhancers can be avoided.