Whilst cleaning the pantry, we realized that we have nine different vinegars in our collection, including a couple that haven't seen the light of day for years. And we started to wonder, does vinegar ever go bad?
Vinegar: Does It Have a Shelf Life?
Vinegar is a fermented product to begin with, and the good news is that it has an "almost indefinite" shelf life. According to the Vinegar Institute:
Because of its acid nature, vinegar is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration. White distilled vinegar will remain virtually unchanged over an extended period of time. And, while some changes can be observed in other types of vinegars, such as color changes or the development of a haze or sediment, this is only an aesthetic change. The product can still be used and enjoyed with confidence.
In addition to cloudiness or sediment, vinegar may develop a slimy substance called a "mother," which may look and sound scary but it is actually harmless. As its name suggests, the mother can even be used to make a new batch of vinegar.
So, we can keep those bottles of vinegar in the pantry for another year, or longer. But we also think it's time to stop hoarding and start enjoying all those wonderful varieties! Balsamic, sherry, apple cider, rice wine, malt... Do you have any favorite uses or recipe suggestions for us?
More vinegar posts from The Kitchn archives:
• Drinking Vinegar: Have You Ever Made a Shrub?
• Good Product: Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe's
• Good Question: What Is This Slime In My Vinegar?
• In Praise of Cherry Vinegar and Simple Summer Salads
• Pickling: Choosing a Vinegar
• What's the Deal With: White Balsamic Vinegar?
(Image: Flickr member Markyboy81 licensed under Creative Commons)
Comments (9)
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Red Wine. Simple and tangy. Makes the best all around dressing. Good on fruit too.
view chusmabilly's profile
I like using a little white wine vinegar to make a dressing in a basic spinach and strawberry salad. Yum :) http://bit.ly/YE1Ld
view alanadanielle88's profile
I bought blueberry vinegar 5 years ago on a honyemoon trip to Vancouver. I recently pulled it out (wondering the very same thing) and was pleasantly surprised that it was still fantastic! Go vinegar!
view edava72's profile
I finally started using my beautiful bottle of Spanish sherry vinegar (from about 2003?) in just about everything... I love it.
view keltrue's profile
So..."mother" may look and sound scary huh?
Still Tasty has these recommendations.
view wunami's profile
I always mix a couple teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with the cold water that goes in my pie dough. I'm not sure of the exact science, but I'm pretty sure the vinegar helps break down the gluten in the flour to make the crust light and flaky (and the apple cider gives it a wonderful, subtle flavor - especially with apple pies!).
view Serra's profile
The secret to chicken salad. Red Wine with Pepper Mayo. Throw in Shallots, Celery, Dried Cranberries and Slivered Almonds. Yum!
view mculp's profile
Some percentage of the liquid in the vinegar is acid, not water, and therefore doesn't contribute to gluten development. I've not seen anything that leads me to believe acidic liquids "tenderize" gluten or prevent it from forming, but liquids other than water do.
That's why Cook's Illustrated's foolproof pie crust recipe uses cold vodka -- the alcohol hydrates the dough to make it easy to work with, but does not create gluten. Alton Brown's apple pie crust recipe uses applejack (liquor) instead; same principle.
view mdeatherage's profile
i just had to throw out a gigantic bottle of balsamic because i'd lost the cap and found, to my horror, that it was infested with fruit flies. note to self: keep the cap.
view kodaly's profile