Ready to make a lovely fish or seafood dish? Do you like French cuisine and the fine tastes of herbs in lighter meals? Tarragon vinegar is worth a try!
Tarragon vinegar is a vinegar made from shoots and leaves of tarragon. It has a sweet and bitter flavor and is almost similar to the taste of licorice. Tarragon vinegar is often used in dishes containing fish or chicken.
If you run out of tarragon vinegar or cannot make more, there are substitutes that will suffice. These include white-wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and sherry vinegar.
What is Tarragon Vinegar?
Tarragon is an herb from the sunflower family. It sits high in French cuisines and is used in multiple things such as bearnaise sauce. Tarragon is taken, fresh or dried, and added to white vinegar, or steeped in white vinegar and filtered out.
Tarragon can also be added to meals in the form of its sprigs or leaves. Tarragon can also be dried and shredded and added to meals to finish them. Whatever it may be, tarragon itself, and also tarragon vinegar, can be very versatile!
Tarragon vinegar can be used to make
- Salad dressings
- Marinades
- Sauces
Substitutes for Tarragon Vinegar
It’s okay if you don’t have tarragon vinegar to add to your dish. There are plenty of great substitutes that can match the flavors and delicacy of tarragon. Some of the best substitutes for tarragon vinegar include:
- White-wine vinegar
- Champagne vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sherry vinegar
White-Wine Vinegar
White-wine vinegar can be used as a substitute for most recipes that include tarragon vinegar.
- Has a smooth and delicate flavor
- It should be noted to use a dry white-wine vinegar because it is not as sweet as regular white wines
Champagne Vinegar
Champagne vinegar is a little harder to get your hands on and can be a little more expensive.
- Made with pinot noir or smaller champagne grapes
- Best used in similar dishes as salad dressings, chicken, fish, or vegetable dishes
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made with the flavor of apples in the undertones.
- More sour than sweet, this pairs well in dishes with light proteins like chicken and fish
- Is one of the only vinegars that can be tasted even in dishes with darker red meat
- Can be used as a substitute for any dish the calls for tarragon vinegar
Sherry Vinegar
Sherry vinegar is made from sherry wine that originates from Spain.
- Has a milder flavor than that of white-wine vinegar
- Best used with fish, chicken, and lean meats
Substituting Tarragon Vinegar
It is important to be able to have the correct flavor profile when creating a specific dish. Sometimes, though, you just don’t have the right ingredients and need to substitute. Tarragon vinegar is luckily something one can substitute.
Taking a look at the finer flavors of tarragon allows one to gauge what kind of substitute you need to use to produce the correct result. If you need a delicate taste in your dish, go with the more delicate substitutes. This also applies for the heavier dishes that can include red meats that absorb and overtake the flavors of vinegars.
Conclusion
If you decide you are on a mission to create an amazing French cuisine dish or sauce you may end up needing tarragon vinegar. If you’ve run out or don’t have any, don’t worry! There are substitutes for tarragon vinegar.
These substitutes include white-wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and sherry vinegar. Each different substitute carries its own flavor profile and can be used in a variety of ways to substitute tarragon vinegar. It just depends on you to decide which flavor tickles your fancy today!
