The Best Verjus Blanc Substitutes

If you are looking for a verjus blanc alternative, then you have come to the right spot. Below, we’ll help you pick the most suitable verjus blanc substitute for your dish.

About Verjus Blanc

Verjus (also known as verjuice) is a tart, fresh grape juice made from unripe grapes.

The word “verjus” derives from the French term “vert jus,” meaning “green juice.” So, what does green juice refer to? Well, it refers to the source of verjus – the low-sugar, high-acid green grape that the winemakers harvest as soon as the grape starts to ripen.

For verjus production, the winemakers use either red or white grapes, leading to two main types of verjus: the white and the red.

So, what is Verjus Rouge? Well, it is a version of white verjus as its main source is unripe white grapes.

Where Can You Buy Verjus?

Where to buy verjus near me? If you ask yourself this question, you must be glad to know that Verjus is available at almost all gourmet food stores across the country.

Another option is to shop at places like Amazon or Walmart, to purchase verjus blanc online.

On these sites, you can quickly get almost any verjus you prefer from the top brands, such as Fusion Napa Valley Verjus Blanc. 

6 Best Verjus Blanc Substitute For Your Recipe

What should you use to substitute for verjus?

Take a look at the top five alternatives for verjus, so you can select the most suitable verjus replacement depending on your recipe.

1. White Vinegar

Let’s start with an easy-to-find affordable verjus substitute – white vinegar (also known as distilled or spirit vinegar.) 

Usually, white vinegar comes with a sour taste and pungent as its main component is acetic acid. For this reason, it would be best to use it in moderation if you want to substitute it for verjus blanc – fresh juice with a slightly acidic flavor.

To bring a similar savory sweetness to verjus, you should add a bit of sugar to white vinegar.

For recipes, white vinegar makes a perfect verjus replacement in many pickling or dressing recipes. Besides, it helps to enhance the savory taste of some Vietnamese or Thai dishes.

2. White Wine Vinegar

If you prefer a lighter alternative for verjus, go for white wine vinegar with a mellow, soft fruity flavor.

As the flavor of white wine vinegar is neither too sour nor too sweet, it becomes such a versatile alternative for verjus blanc. 

You use this versatile cooking liquid as a white verjus substitute in tons of recipes, especially pickling, braising, and salad dressing recipes.

As white wine vinegar is widely available, let’s go for the greatest quality product with the highest star rating you can afford. A little goes a long way, and you are able to create fantastic meals that blow anyone’s palate. 

3. White Wine

White wine is a popular cooking aid for most cooks worldwide since it can be used in almost all types of food.

White wine features a similar tartness to verjus as they share the same main source – unripe grape. However, it has a much stronger flavor and a bold taste of alcohol because of the fermentation process.

White wine varieties are large depending on their sweetness level. So, which white wine type is the best verjus blanc substitute?

It would be best to pick the dry white wine with an astringent taste. In this way, you can effortlessly customize sweetness by adding honey and create the sour-sweet balance you desire.

Then, you can use this versatile verjus rouge substitute in risotto for a good touch of acidity or add in the sauce for sautéed chicken, fish, pork, or mushrooms.

4. Vermouth

Vermouth – isn’t it the classic ingredient for cocktails?

Well, yes. But it is also known as the game-changing ingredient for tons of dishes as it comes with a strong, spicy, sweet flavor.

Besides, it has an unmistakable aroma that surely makes anyone thrive for your dish as soon as they feel the smell.

For all these reasons, Vermouth, especially the dry Vermouth, can be a perfect verjuice substitute if you prefer your dish to come with a stronger taste and aroma.

Notice: If you opt for Vermouth as an alternative to fresh verjus, work sparingly with it, or else you will make the hints of seasoning too prominent with too much alcohol.

5. Portuguese Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde (also known as Portuguese green wine) is a fruit wine made from a blend of native Portuguese grapes and released within three to six months of the harvest.

For the taste, Vinho Verde has a fresh fruit flavor that makes you want to try it out immediately when smelling.

Besides, it is low in alcohol and high in acidity. Thus, it would be best to replace verjus blanc when you want to bring a light, bright and fruity flavor to the dishes.

Let’s add a bit of Vinho Verde to fried seafood, grilled fish, sashimi, or fresh sea urchin. We bet that these dishes’ tastes will blow your mind away.

6. Lemon Juice

The last substitute for verjus blanc on the list is lemon juice, which is a super easy-to-find ingredient in your kitchen. It has such a strong sour taste because of the citric acid it contains.

So, you should add a little sugar to lemon juice to create a mildly acidic tasting liquid with hints of sweetness. In this way, it will mark a much closer resemblance to verjus.

However, it is not a great substitute compared to the above alternatives as it lacks the aroma and the complex tartness of unripened fruit.

Thus, you should only replace verjus with lemon juice when you don’t have any other substitutes. Besides, be careful with the lemon juice amount since if you accidentally add a little more than needed, you might ruin your dish with the excessive lemon taste.

How To Make Verjus Blanc Right At Home 

Follow this basic recipe and create a homemade substitute for verjus blanc in minutes.

Ingredient List

• 6 lb (2.72 kg) unripe grapes

Instructions

• Step 1: Remove the unripe grape stalks, then clean and rinse the grapes.
• Step 2: Transfer them to a plastic bowl and use a pestle to mash them gently. If you don’t have one, you can use the bottom of a jar instead.
• Step 3: Squeeze the ground grape through a mesh strainer.

You can repeat the straining process several times to remove all the grape skins and get the purest juice.

• Step 4: Transfer the acidic grape juice into a glass bottle and store it in the refrigerator for later usage.

How simple is it to create a homemade verjus blanc and bring a distinct taste to your dishes? Let’s give this recipe a try and make your savory verjus from the unripe fruit in no time.

How To Use Verjus

There are plenty of ways to use verjus (both red and white) to add acidity to foods and enhance their flavors. For instance, you can use Verjus in salad dressings with the typical verjus-oil ratio of 3-1.

Another option is to use the red verjus to bring the sour taste for the meat sauce or mustards. For the white verjus, let’s add in your homemade marinade and spread it on fish or chicken before roasting.

How To Store Verjus

Verjus can last from 2 to 3 months when you re-cork and store it in the refrigerator. If you prefer to lengthen its lifespan, you can pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it.