Did you know that balsamic vinegar can be used to treat migraines and headaches? It is true! Balsamic vinegar is well-known for the many health benefits it provides. You will be glad to know that you can make your own at home. This vinegar has a sweet taste and is thicker than other types of vinegar. You can use it as a salad dressing, seasoning or marinade.

So, if you want to know how to make balsamic vinegar at home, this post has you covered! Go ahead!

Balsamic Vinegar – A Brief:

Authentic balsamic vinegar is made in Italy with the juice extracted from Trebbiano grapes. It is reduced by boiling and left to ferment in wooden barrels. This vinegar needs to be aged for a minimum of 12 years (1). While it is left in the barrels, the grape juice becomes concentrated and makes the flavor rich. The older balsamic vinegar gets, the expensive it becomes. The good news is that you can save yourself quite a lot of money by making your own at home!

Making Homemade Balsamic Vinegar:

Making balsamic vinegar takes only about 5 minutes, and needless to say, a homemade one saves you money as it costs less than store-bought ones. Here is a look at how you can make your own balsamic vinegar at home:

1. Buy Wine Barrels:

Before gathering the ingredients for this vinegar, you will need to purchase 5 wine barrels of different sizes (large to small). Based on the flavor you want, you can choose barrels made of cherry, oak, chestnut or mulberry. You can find them in stores that provide different products used in wine making.

2. Clean The Barrels:

Before you use the barrels, clean them thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria and other impurities. You can use a mixture of water, salt and vinegar and brush the barrels with this solution. This will ensure that your barrels are all cleaned well.

3. Buy Grapes:

To make balsamic vinegar, you can choose to use Trebbiano or Lambrusco grapes. You can also use them together. You should buy enough grapes to make sure that 80 percent of every barrel can be filled with the juice.

4. Extract The Juice:

The next thing that you need to do is crush the grapes so that the juice is extracted. Once you have the juice, separate the fruit from the liquid, using a sieve. Make sure that there is no pulp in the juice. Let it settle for about 15 minutes.

5. Boil The Juice:

After the juice has settled, pour it into a large kettle. Let it boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer for 24 hours at a temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This stage of making the vinegar requires patience, so do not rush. Do not go over 195 degrees as it will prevent your mosto from fermenting in the next stage. Mosto is a sweet syrup that is produced during the long process of simmering.

6. Let The Mosto Ferment:

Once the juice has reduced to half its original volume, you can let the mosto cool. Allow it to sit for a couple of hours. Next, transfer the mosto to a container that is non-reactive i.e. one that is made of glass or an open barrel. This is when it needs to ferment. Once it has fermented, transfer the mosto into the barrels.

7. Cover Barrels:

It is important to remember not to put the lid on the barrels. Instead, use a mesh cloth to cover the openings. This will allow the liquid to evaporate and continue to reduce. Needless to say, use a clean mesh. Now, you will need to leave the barrels alone and wait for 6 months for the liquid to turn into vinegar.

8. Transfer The Liquid:

After 6 months, to transfer the liquid to the smallest barrel from the next largest. You need to repeat this process until you come to the largest barrel. For the next 5 years, you will need to transfer the mosto from the larger barrels to the next in size once every year.

9. Move Vinegar From The Smallest Barrel:

During this stage, you will need to take 1 liter of the vinegar that is stored in the smallest barrel. Your liquid has not yet turned into balsamic vinegar, but it is a different form of vinegar.

10. Continue Liquid Transfer:

The process of transferring the liquid needs to continue. You need to move the liquid from the larger barrels to the next in size once a year for another 7 years.

As you can see, the process of making balsamic vinegar is a long one. It takes at least 12 years for this vinegar to mature. What you get before that is vinegar, but not that of balsamic. After 12 years, you can get certification for your balsamic vinegar from the Italian consortium by sending it to them for testing. If it passes the standards, you can proudly say that you made authentic balsamic vinegar at your home!

How To Use Balsamic Vinegar This Summer:

Summer is a time for salads, BBQs, cocktails and desserts! When you have balsamic vinegar, you can make sure that you have tasty treats for every occasion. Here are 3 ways to make use of your sweet balsamic vinegar this summer:

1. Salad Dressing:

This vinegar is used to dress a wide variety of salads. For a fuss-free vinaigrette, all you need to do is mix the balsamic vinegar with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. It is tasty and healthy! For a creamier vinaigrette, blend the vinegar, a dash of mustard, olive oil and grated parmesan together in a food processor. You can create different balsamic vinaigrettes by experimenting with molasses, oranges, etc.

2. Glazes:

You can use reduced balsamic vinegar over grilled veggies or meats for that extra flavor. It goes well with ribs as well as fish. The next time you have an outdoor party, use balsamic vinegar reduction as a glaze for the meats you cook on the grill.

3. Desserts And Cocktails:

Give your desserts and cocktails a twist this summer by adding a bit of balsamic vinegar to them. You can give your Bloody Mary something extra with a dash of this vinegar. Or you can use it on your favourite dessert too. It tastes divine with strawberries, so use it to make refreshing desserts with this fruit and fresh cream. You will love it and so will everyone else!

If you love using balsamic vinegar in your kitchen, you should definitely consider making your own. It takes time, but it is definitely worth the wait!

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The post How To Make Balsamic Vinegar At Home? appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Renold Rajan via STYLECRAZE