5 Chefs Share Their Favorite Vinegars & Tips for Using Them

Chefs love vinegar. It’s much more than just a pantry staple ingredient but a key to helping balance flavors and boosting acidity and flavor. It’s used in salad dressings, pickles, braising liquid, sauces and so much more. We spoke to several of our favorite award-winning chefs to find out which vinegars they like and how they use them.

Joanne Weir photo credit Melissa McArdle Photography

Joanne Weir

Chef Joanne Weir is a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, international cooking teacher and renowned chef who is familiar to legions of fans who know her from her long running cooking shows on public television. Passionate and knowledgeable about a wide variety of ingredients, she graciously opened her pantry to share her top vinegar picks.

“I love Mutti Tomato Vinegar because of the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a rich tomato flavor.  It adds a real kick to this very unique and savory dressing. I don’t dress the salad with the dressing. Instead, I spoon the dressing onto the bottom of the plate and top with the undressed salad ingredients.

One of the wildest recipes she has that uses vinegar is a strawberry milkshake that includes prosecco and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Her pick? Leonardi Condimento

Balsamico , 5 year old. Shares Weir, “It adds just the right of sweetness, richness and just a touch of acidity that brings this milkshake alive.”

Red, White and Sparkling Wine Vinegar

“For red wine vinegar, I am in love with Espelt.  They have one made with Moscatell and another made with Garnatxa. These two are perfect for any salad” She adds, “My other favorite is Prosecco Vinegar by De Nigris. This too has a touch of sweetness.  If you’re making a salad with stone fruit, this is the perfect.”

Apple Cider Vinegar

“And one more vinegar that I go crazy for is the Aged Apple Vinegar of Modena made with the famous sweet apples from northern Italy.  I covet this stuff.  It’s slightly sweet and actually tastes like apples. This is also made by De Nigris.”

Sherry Vinegar

Gazpacho Salad is a favorite recipe that uses vinegar. Says Weir, “The aging of sherry vinegar in oak casks gives some depth and complexity to this dressing and gives it a very distinct Spanish flavor.  My first choice for vinegar would be Alvear sherry vinegar which is made with Pedro Ximenez grapes. It adds a brightness to this soup along with a touch of sweetness.”

Gazpacho Salad Recipe

Courtesy of Chef Joanne Weir

Serves 6

Dressing:

2 red bell peppers

2 ripe red tomato, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

¼ teaspoon pimento or smoked paprika

2 to 3 tablespoon sherry vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups coarse-textured bread cubes

2 1/2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and ¾-inch dice

1 green pepper, seeded and 3/4-inch dice

1 medium red onion, ¾-inch dice

1 hothouse cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and ¾-inch dice

Gazpacho salad

Place the peppers directly on the gas jets or outdoor grill and char the peppers on all sides until the skin is completely black. Alternately, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems, seeds and ribs. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Broil until the skin is blackened, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag, close tightly and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the skin by scraping with a knife.

In a blender or food processor, puree the pepper, tomato, garlic, pimento, vinegar to taste and olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the oil with the bread cubes. Place on a baking sheet, season with salt and bake until the bread cubes are golden and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Cool.

In a bowl, gently toss the diced tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers together. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the dressing into individual salad bowls, distributing evenly. Pile the diced vegetables into the middle of the bowl and top with the toasted bread cubes. Serve immediately.

Jason Halverson

Jason Halverson

Executive Chef Jason Halverson, is a partner in the Hi Neighbor Group, setting the culinary direction for The Madrigal, Mama, The Vault Steakhouse and The Vault Garden. He has worked with top Michelin star chefs and was named chef of the year by Eater San Francisco.

Wine and Fruit Vinegars

Shares Halverson, “One of my favorite vinegar brands is Huilerie Beaujolais. It’s a French brand that does a phenomenal job producing some of the most flavor packed vinegars (and oils) that I’ve tasted.”

Late Spring Lobster & Avocado Salad- Burrata, Green Garlic, Curry-Calamansi Vinaigrette.

A current dish he serves featuring Huilerie Beaujolais Calamansi Vinegar is Late Spring Lobster & Avocado Salad with Burrata, Green Garlic, Curry-Calamansi Vinaigrette. He adds, “I’m a traditionalist when it comes to using vinegars in cooking. I’d say the most outlandish thing I do with vinegars (especially the Huilerie Beaujolais) is to use them in cocktails. They’re so intense in their stated flavors that you can taste them in drinks. Phenomenal”

Chef Tu David Phu

Tu David Phu

Chef Tu David Phu was named a Rising Star Chef in San Francisco and then went on to become even more known after a stint on Top Chef. He’s worked in Michelin star kitchens on both coasts and was the subject of the documentary Bloodline about finding personal meaning in food through his family and culture.

Drinking Vinegars

Instead of focusing on cooking with vinegar, Chef Tu surprised us with drinking vinegar. Says Tu, “I love drinking vinegar. I love Kombucha. However, it’s hit-or-miss for me. But I do love the Japanese/Taiwanese equivalent. I’m not sure of its heritage name but Purely (also known as Qsoo) calls their line up “probiotic and prebiotic drinks.”

Purely Ginger Pear

He shares that that Qsoo makes organic, non-GMO, pro and pre-biotic drinks, possibly inspired by Japanese-style drinking vinegar. “The product uniquely combines apple cider vinegar with a “mother” culture. The company was started a few years ago in Portland by founder Judy Tan and two other co-founders. Their goal was to produce a health-conscious Japanese-style vinegar drink with flavors such as yuzu, shiso, and anashi pear, but without the typical high sugar content found in other drinking vinegars. Instead, they sweeten their products with stevia. The company has grown since its early days at farmers markets and in local stores, expanding to over 100 stores including all the Pac West Whole Foods Markets.”

Rather than cooking with it, Tu says, “I love using this vinegar as a base for soda and mixed cocktails. They are equally delicious to shrubs and bitters used in bars. And is a huge plus for me since it’s low sugar.”

Chef Harrison Cheney

Harrison Cheney

Executive Chef Harrison Cheney of Sons & Daughters has worked at a myriad of Michelin restaurants including a current restaurant that is inspired by new Nordic cuisine and yet leans on classical cooking techniques.

Grilled Maine Scallop

Infused Apple Cider Vinegar

Says Cheney "I use a lot of vinegar in my cooking but we make them or infuse them, for example for our scallop we use Apple cider vinegar and infuse it with crown dill, fresh dill and dill seeds."

A typical dish using infused vinegar is Grilled Maine Scallop with browned butter and roasted potatoes.

Lisa Dahl

Lisa Dahl

Chef Lisa Dahl heads up Dahl Restaurant Group in Sedona, Arizona which includes Mariposa, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa, Dahl & DiLuca, and Butterfly Burger. Named “Top Chef of Arizona” and “Food Pioneer by the Arizona Restaurant Association - self-taught chef, she has built an impressive restaurant empire and takes an Italian approach to cooking living by the mantra, “When you cook with love, you feed the soul.”

Wine and Fruit Vinegars

Lisa Dahl's vinegar picks

Dahl uses Bel Aria for her Italian-Mediterranean vinaigrette recipes. She also uses Sparrow Lane for more of the finishing touches, as well as delicate marinades. For richer, more concentrated dishes, like her gazpacho, she uses a 10 year aged sherry vinegar like Pedro Ximenez.

Balsamic Vinegars

Says Dahl, “I’m very particular about the vinegars that I use in my restaurants, because the viscosity of certain vinegars can really make or break vinaigrettes and marinades that are the proprietary foundations to my recipes. For commercial use - I use a traditional balsamic vinegar as well as white balsamic, because they are well- balanced. Although they are not vinegars that are aged, their PH balance works perfectly for so many of my signature vinaigrettes and marinades.”