Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <substitutions><vinegar>
Title: Possible substitue for vinegar
Question: Hi I have recently really been getting into cooking however the girl I am dating has allergic reactions to vinegar, which is in a lot of sauces and stuff.  Looking for possible substitutes that might work when recipes call for this, currently use lemon juice but sometimes that tastes weird (For example I tried to make ketchup since she can't have kraft ketchup which she use to love, however lemon juice tasted quite horrible for my try at it).  Let me know what I should be using! thanks:)

Answers:
sents: text: Citrus juice is probably the most widely available substitute.
text: However, if you can get your hands on some Verjus (or Verjuice) you will be pleasantly surprised.
text: Verjus is the juice of pressed green grapes.
text: It is similar to wine but the grapes haven't had a chance to ripen and there isn't any alcohol.
text: It has a much more neutral flavor than lemon juice.
text: It can be difficult to find though.
text: I buy mine at a local vineyard.
text: You may be able to find some online.
text: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verjuice
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1895/LoganGoesPlaces
score: 3
sents: text: Citric acid powder or granules, as opposed to lemon juice.
text: This will impart less undesired flavor than lemon juice, should be a better substitute.
text: 1/4 teaspoon substitutes for 2 tablespoons of 5% vinegar, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
text: I got mine from Amazon.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/69185/Dwaine
score: 3
sents: text: I have been allergic to vinegar for years, I cook frequently and have not found a substitute for most condiments because as a couple of you noted- citric acid usually tastes bad, and nothing tastes like vinegar.
text: A few tips: Coleman’s mustard doesn’t have vinegar!Make your own hot sauce by boiling and pureeing habenaros (wear a mask).
text: Make your own mayo with lemon juice.
text: Homemade hollandaise is also vinegar free when lemon is used
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/68061/Heather
score: 2
sents: text: I also can’t tolerate vinegar due to inflammatory actions.
text: I also can’t tolerate ascorbic acid or citric acid.
text: To compensate I found a chefs tip that I tried for a suitable substitute.
text: I Add 1 part Amchoor or Amchor powder with two parts water, mixed and refrigerated overnight to allow the two to meld & produce a nice tart substitute that I can use in place of vinegar in cooking and salad dressing.
text: It’s not acidic
text: so it’s not a preservative.
text: Amchoor or Amchur.
text: Powder is dehydrated green mangos.
text: I hope maybe this might help you.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/86971/AMC
score: 2
sents: text: I find rhubarb juice home made is fabulous in oil and “ vinegar” salad dressing.
text: I can’t eat vinegar or alcohol or citrus.
text: Didn’t know about ascorbic acid.
text: Rhubarb juice rocks it and there is a lovely pink color
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/76366/Cornelia
score: 1
sents: text: Unfortunately there really isn't anything that tastes like vinegar except for vinegar, and the lemon juice you're trying is about as close as you're going to get.
text: It just comes down to chemistry.
text: Most categories of edible compounds, like starch, protein, hydrocarbon lipids, etc. have a ton of different compounds in them, so if you have to avoid one you can often find another with very similar characteristics regarding flavor and how it reacts with other compounds when being cooked.
text: These chemical similarities are what allow for good substitutions.
text: The problem is that vinegar comes from the much less human-friendly compound category of acids.
text: The list of edible acids is incredibly short, and once you rule out the ones you either can't use (carbonic only exists in carbonated drinks) or wouldn't ever want to put in your mouth (butyric and lactic come from spoiled dairy products), you only have a handful of possibilities.
text: The food acids you're left with at this point are: oleic (olive oil) palmitic (palm oil) oxalic (tomato) tartaric (tamarind)
text: citric (citrus obviously)
text: acetic (the vinegar you're trying to get away from)
text: The only thing on that list that even remotely shares vinegar's tanginess is citric acid, which is why lemon juice is the standard suggestion to use in a pinch if one is out of vinegar.
text: Your best bet would be to experiment with other citrus juices and see if perhaps using something other than lemon would help things taste better.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/45317/Barkode
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
Citrus juice is the most widely available substitute, but you can also try citric acid powder or granules, Verjus/Verjuice, a 2:1 mixture of Amchoor powder and water that has been chilled overnight. Homemade rhubarb juice is also very good in a salad dressing with oil.
Although there are many substitutes for vinegar, including citric acid and Amchoor, nothing really tastes like vinegar. However, experimenting with different products will help you find your preferred taste.