Just realized my grandma's 'secret' to perfect pie crust was actually the right one

I always thought her trick of using a tablespoon of vinegar in the dough was just an old wives' tale, but after my crusts kept turning out tough, I tried it last Thanksgiving and it was flaky and perfect. She told me it 'relaxes the gluten' and I guess she was right all along. Has anyone else had a family cooking tip they doubted that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

noranguyen1mo ago

Oh man, I was the same way with my mom's "add a pinch of sugar to your tomato sauce" trick. I thought she was just making it up to be cute, like a little kitchen superstition. Turns out it actually cuts the acidity and makes it taste way better. I felt so dumb for arguing with her about it for years.

uma_baker991mo ago

Relaxes the gluten" sounds like total nonsense to me though.

mary_patel591mo ago

Wait, have you actually tried letting dough rest before though? I used to think my grandma was just making up stuff with her "let it sit for 20 minutes" rule, but then I noticed the difference myself with pizza dough. The gluten really does relax after a rest period, makes it way easier to stretch out without it snapping back at you. Honestly, it's one of those things where you gotta feel it to believe it, like when you handle dough right after mixing vs an hour later.