Ever wonder why simple balsamic dressings taste a million times better in a good restaurant? It’s because they use balsamic reductions not straight harsh vinegar.  You can do this too – it’s easy!

You don’t need the expensive balsamic vinegar,  I like the 750 ml bottle of organic balsamic from Costco.  This makes it taste so so sweet without costing you an arm and a leg.  Every time I make balsamic dressing or glaze with this vinegar it’s a show stopper!

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle of Balsamic Vinegar

Pour the entire bottle into a stainless steel frying pan and heat gently until it simmers.  You don’t want a rage boil here, just a gentle simmer.  When it is simmering it will smell up your whole house. If your face is right over the vinegar it might get caught in your throat.  The smell is pretty strong but totally worth it.

Once the vinegar has reduced by about a third (you can do more or less if you like to experiment) turn the heat off and let cool.  This can take around a half hour.  Once cool you can pour the vinegar right back into the same bottle from which it came.

Boom – crazy simple balsamic reduction.  When using this balsamic for recipes you will need less than what the recipe calls for.

This life hack will up your cooking game big time!