A balsamic glaze you can trust

I love using balsamic glaze on many things: meats, salads, vegetables, ice cream. It even makes kale chips delicious. But looking on the back of the label of a bottle someone had given me a while back, I was disappointed to find out that balsamic vinegar wasn't all that was in it.

Ingredients:  BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA P.G.I. (39%) (WINE VINEGAR, COOKED GRAPE MUST, COLOR E150D), COOKED GRAPE MUST, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, COLOR: CARAMEL E150D. CONTAINS STATEMENT: SULFITES.

Granted, this is not a very expensive glaze (about $4 for 5.07 ounces). But for about the same price, you can make a glaze that has none of those added ingredients (although I do add a little kosher salt to intensify the sweetness). If you have a half hour or less, and a glass or nonreactive (glazed) iron saucepan, you can make some yourself.


Lori K's balsamic glaze

The amount of vinegar to use should be twice the amount your bottle holds. Add a pinch of salt for every 10 ounces of vinegar.

Ingredients
10 ounces balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt

Instructions
Bring vinegar to boil in nonreactive saucepan. Add salt. Turn down heat to medium low so that it's still on a low boil. Stir occasionally. In about 15 minutes, check to see if it has reduced by half; if it hasn't, keep it on the heat until it does. Cool and pour into a bottle. Does not need to be refrigerated.