7 Ways to Cook With Vinegar

August 29, 2010
Randy Mayor
Be it balsamic or just the plain apple cider variety, vinegar perks up the flavor of salads, barbecue, and even dessert.
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Versatile Vinegar

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Virginia Houston
Adding a splash of something acidic, like vinegar, tends to brighten the flavors of almost any dish. But don't limit yourself to one variety. Like wine, vinegars each have distinct personalities from mildly sour rice wine vinegar to boldly sweet Italian balsamic. Once opened, use vinegar up within six months.
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Honeydew Relish Salad

Lara Hata
Honeydew Relish Salad Recipe
Honeydew melon, cucumber, grapes, and celery make a beautiful green salad. But it's a simple dressing of honey, white wine vinegar, and mustard seeds that "pickles" and elevates these ordinary ingredients into a sweet-tart masterpiece.

Prep and Cook Time: about 45 minutes.

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Pulled-Pork Fajitas

Photo: Susie Cushner
Pulled-Pork Fajitas Recipe
An easy Carolina-style barbecue sauce of cider vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and Worcestershire put a delicious Southern spin on Mexican fajitas. Use leftover rotisserie chicken (the dark meat works best) in place of the pork for an even quicker meal.
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Strawberries with Buttermilk Ice and Balsamic Vinegar

Photo: © Tina Rupp
Strawberries with Buttermilk Ice and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe
A granita-style frozen ice with buttermilk, lemon juice, and a tiny amount of sugar tops sliced strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

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Pickled Grapes With Rosemary and Chiles

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Pickled Grapes With Rosemary and Chiles Recipe
Add these gorgeous spicy-tart grapes to an antipasto platter or cheese plate or stir them into chicken or mixed green salads. Guests will love the complex flavors. But the best part: prep time is 10 minutes and "pickling" happens in the fridge in just a few hours.

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Zesty Vinegar Coleslaw

Zesty Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe
The neat thing about adding hot salad dressing to shredded cabbage is that it wilts the greens just slightly for a wonderfully tender-crunchy texture. The dressing combines sugar, oil, and cider vinegar with pungent turmeric to put a spunky and colorful kick into an old picnic favorite.

Turmeric adds a pungent flavor and a deep yellow color. It can be found in the spice section of your grocery store.

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Flank Steak with Caramelized Onions

Randy Mayor
Flank Steak with Caramelized Onions Recipe

The reduced balsamic vinegar sauce gives the flank steak a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with the caramelized onions.  Both the steak and onions contribute a hefty dose of potassium to this entrée--766 milligrams in each serving. Serve with steamed broccoli or asparagus, and drizzle some of the glaze over the vegetable.

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