Elevate Your Coleslaw By Swapping The Vinegar For This Tastier One

If you're looking for the perfect summery side dish for your next barbecue, don't overlook the classics. In particular, a good go-to homemade coleslaw recipe can stand the test of time — the dressing might just need a refresh from its typical makeup of mayo, granulated sugar, vinegar, black pepper, and salt. The good news is, you can elevate your tried-and-true coleslaw dressing recipe by swapping white vinegar with one with far greater complexity: malt vinegar. 

Made from double-fermented malted barley (the same soaked and germinated grains used for malt beer-making), malt vinegar is a staple condiment in British cuisine, where it's commonly added to dishes like fish and chips. When used to replace neutral-tasting distilled white vinegar made from acetic acid, malt vinegar's nutty taste and cooked sugar notes can introduce new flavor depths to the veggie salad. Since it has a citrusy, earthy tang, malt vinegar also perfectly balances fatty ingredients like the mayo used in classic coleslaw dressing. 

The variety of different vinegars called for in homemade coleslaw recipes is usually subtle options like distilled white, white wine, or rice wine vinegars. These vinegars add a tang to the mix without singing too pronouncedly, which gives way to a nice, well-rounded taste. But let's be real — in this economy, one-dimensional dressing recipes can take a back seat. Instead, swapping white distilled vinegar with a more flavorful malt barley vinegar is the perfect way to change up your average coleslaw recipe.

Once you try swapping out the simple white distilled vinegar in your coleslaw for a more flavorful malt vinegar, your mind could very well open to a multitude of ways to boost the flavor of the side dish. Take, for instance, simple changes like using fresh shredded cabbage instead of bagged mix, or marinating the veggies in advance. While you're swapping the vinegar for a new variation, why not try different vegetable additions like shredded beets, rainbow carrots, or Brussels sprouts? 

Though malted vinegar will give your coleslaw a significant flavor lift, it can also be fun to expand on the fact that the ingredient goes especially well in sour and sweet applications. So, experiment with how malt vinegar pairs with different sweetener elements in your dressing. Try out maple syrup to amplify malt vinegar's sultry, roasted hints. Or add in honey for floral fruitiness. And of course, if you're not a fan of mayo, you can make an oil-based vinaigrette as your dressing. In this case, the taste of the malt vinegar will shine through better, since it's not muted with the creamy egg and oil emulsion. With oil and vinegar-based coleslaw dressings, play around with adding in different spices like mustard seed, dill, or rosemary, and whisk in a tablespoon or two of mustard for even more tang and creaminess.