balsamic vinegar
A dark, sweet-tart Italian vinegar made from reduced grape must, often aged; used in dressings, glazes, marinades, and drizzled over finished dishes.
Buying guidance
Read the label rather than trusting the price alone -- true aged balsamic (aceto balsamico tradizionale) is thick, expensive, and meant for drizzling in small amounts, while inexpensive supermarket balsamic is thinner and more purely tart, and is what most cooking calls for.
Substitutions
- Red wine vinegar plus a little honey or brown sugar -- approximates the sweet-tart balance for cooking.
- Sherry vinegar -- another good acidic option, though less sweet.
Tips & common mistakes
Balsamic's natural sugars make it reduce to a syrup much faster than plain vinegar, and it keeps thickening as it cools even off the heat -- pull it from the pan while it still looks a bit thin, or it can turn from syrupy to a hard, taffy-like clump.
Storage
Balsamic is stable at room temperature indefinitely, opened or not, thanks to its acidity, so refrigerating it isn't necessary and mainly just makes it thicker and harder to pour. True aged balsamic may develop a little sediment over time, which is a normal sign of its concentration rather than spoilage.