🥃 Verjuice
Also known as: verjus
Sour juice of unripe grapes, used in cooking instead of vinegar or lemon.
Verjuice is the sour juice of unripe grapes. It is used in cooking in place of vinegar or lemon juice. The name comes from French: "verjus" means "green juice".
Verjuice is made from green berries that have not had time to ripen. They are crushed and the juice pressed out. It is very sour, hardly sweet, and has a fresh fruity taste. It is often obtained from bunches cut in summer so the crop is smaller and the remaining grapes ripen better. This way the surplus bunches are not wasted.
Verjuice was popular in medieval Europe. In France it is still made, and in Italy it is known as "agresto". It is added to sauces, salads, marinades and fish dishes. It is milder than vinegar and does not overpower the flavour of a dish. Verjuice belongs among grape products and resembles grape juice and wine vinegar but is neither. It contains no alcohol because it does not ferment. Keep it in the fridge.
How it connects to Wine
🥃 Verjuice → kind of → 🥃 Grape products → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🥃 Grape products
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ French wine, 🗺️ Italian wine
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Grape juice, 🥃 Wine vinegar
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that verjuice is made from wasted grapes?
No. It often comes from bunches cut in summer, so the crop is smaller and the remaining grapes ripen better; the surplus bunches are not wasted.
What does “verjus” mean in French?
“Green juice”; the name comes from French.
Where should verjuice be kept?
In the fridge.
What to read next
- 🗺️ Italian wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grape varieties, appellations.
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
Similar
🥃 Balsamic vinegar · 🥃 Grape must · 🥃 Grape syrup · 🥃 Pelamushi · 🥃 Grape seed oil · 🥃 Grape juice
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.