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preservation What vinegars?

POTAWIE

POTAWIE

I'm starting to try different vinegers in my home-made sauces and was hoping for suggestions. My brazilian buddy uses cachaça a lot, but I have no idea what that is. Any help would be appreciated.
 
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setzuanfire said:
If you want to make a sauce that doesn't need refrigeration after opening, use vinegar. Be safe and get a PH meter. We put whole or cut chile pods in white vinegar for 2-3 years to let the flavors mellow and 'mature'(although 6 months should show much better flavor). The sharp bite from the vinegar is gone and it has a smooth 'liquor'-like consistency. We drain the vinegar from the pods and use it as a quick hot additive to many foods.(try it in marinades) The pods, of course, become sauces with just enough of the vinegar to keep it runny enough to come out of a bottle. Apple cider vinegar is used for some pods that will benefit from it's flavor, see what works for you. Be careful of wine and rice vinegars, as they may not be acidic enough.
I know many sauce-makers HATE vinegar, but I try to follow safe home canning and preserving methods as approved by the USDA, The Ball Blue Book, etc. If you want short-term sauces with no vin. for the fridge, just freeze your fresh pods and thaw only small amounts when needed.

brookthecook
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I was considering making a couple homemade hotsauces next year. I was going to use a little lime juice in one and the other one I was going to have some tequila in it. Anyways, how long will the sauces last in the fridge without vinegar. I plan on making some HOT ones. I'm sure I won't be dumping it on like Tabasco..LOL!! Should I use vinegar???
 
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In interest of canning safety I have to agree with setz, I don't do 2-3 years, using good methods recommended by Ball Blue Book or equally researched canning experts. I used both white and apple cider vinegar this year in salsas and hot sauces with no noticeable vinegar taste. If you plan to pressure can your sauces it can have a smaller amount of vinegar, PH meter would be a necessity I believe no matter which method you use.
 
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No but lemon juice can replace vinegar in certain recipes. However vinegar can not be used to replace lemon juice. Fresh juice sounds the best but commercially prepared lemon or lime juice( bottled) is the best in terms of acidity.
 
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I've come to like rice vinegar too, the one I found is from Korea and is diluted to 6.5%.

Called "Hwa Young Vinegar"..rest of lable I can't read..lol A fairly good buy too, as it's 900ml for 3.99

It's sweet almost but takes less becuase it's higher acidity.

Makes a great german potato salad too. ;)
 
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I like to use plain distilled vinegar. I believe it give a neutral acidity and lets the flavor of my sauces come out best. I also use a lot of lime juice. Only freshly squeezed, though. Commercial lime juice has a nasty chemical flavor.
 
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thehotpepper.com said:
I used to serve caipirinhas as a bartender with Pitu cachaca. It's a sugar cane liquor, like rum, but it's nasty straight, unlike rum. You have to add a lot of sugar to this liquor to make a palatable drink. Sugar + limes + cachaca = caipirinha.
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Caipirinhas!! Had them once in Cape Town - could live on them! Any chance you have a good recipe from the ol' days?

Qtys, method, etc?
 
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It's like making a mojito. You have to crush the ice with limes and sugar, with bar tools (a tin cup and wooden pestle or whatever they're called). Once crushed add the liquor. Shake, serve.
 
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Mojito is similar, mint leaves instead of lime, and Cuban rum. Go for that if you have mint. I think it's a better drink.
 
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