When to 'add acidity'

[OMGitsnotgood]

I've heard this a lot on TV cookery programmes - mainly Masterchef Australia: they taste the food and say it needs 'more acidity', then add wine vinegar or lemon/lime juice accordingly.
I'm a reasonable cook but have never tasted something and thought 'it needs more acidity'. What should I be looking out for? Prompted by trying to make a meal plan from what's in the freezer, and noticing i've lots of bits of lemons and limes leftover from recipes asking for eg the rind of a whole lemon and juice of half. Plus I've always got red & white wine vinegar in.

I'm not looking for recipes to use these up, more when I'm cooking something that would benefit from a squeeze of lemon or a bit of wine vinegar - how do I know when that is?

Not sure I've explained that very well, but I know what I mean!!

I generally work on the assumption that almost everything is improved with a squeeze of lemon or lime! The acidity brings a bit of lightness, and takes away any heaviness/cloyingness.

A lot of pasta sauces, definitely. A tomato based sauce will almost always see me splashing in a bit of vinegar - usually balsamic. A more creamy sauce will get a hit of lemon zest and/or lemon juice.

Most dressings need some acidity - lemon or vinegar.

I've never served fish without lemon or lime.

Stir fries, even if you're using a pre-made sauce, really benefit from a hit of lime juice. Actually, even MORE if using a pre-made sauce as they can often be very sweet.

I do thai style curries fairly often. I do use a paste rather than make from scratch, but always add fresh lime at the end.

When I make gravy, I always add vinegar, wine or lemon juice depending on the meal. Chicken or pork will usually be lemon juice. Lamb or beef would be wine.

When cooking things in the oven like a tray bake, some acidity will help to ensure they're tender. So a chicken tray bake, for example, would always include lemon juice and/or some alcohol. Ditto, on the bbq, I usually marinate in lemon juice with other things.

Spinach soup is something I make fairly often to keep in the fridge. key to the recipe is a generous squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I don't know a foolproof way of testing/explaining this but if you think of things that you know need a bit of acidity (eg a salad dressing, fish before lemon, etc) and taste it before adding and notice how that tastes/what it's missing maybe that will help the identification.

I often ask myself "salt, fat, acid?"

Leftover limes and lemons in this house are either chopped and put in a freezer bag to keep a G&T cold or used to clean the sink /microwave.

I read somewhere that when you taste a dish, and it's properly seasoned (so dirdnt need more salt) but it lacks 'something' and you can't put your finger on what, then it needs acidity.

So I cook a really lovely roast chicken and veg soup, for example, I squeeze some lemon and add parsley to cut through the richness and give another flavour dimension that makes it completely more-ish.

Worcestershire sauce does similar I've found, and as a pp said balsamic vinegar - if you look at hello fresh recipes they include balsamic/apple cider vinegar at the earlier stages of cooking so the acidity lifts the dish but the overt vinegar taste mellows.

Leftover limes and lemons in this house are either chopped and put in a freezer bag to keep a G&T cold or used to clean the sink /microwave.

I buy the damn things by the bucketload... and have never had a leftover lemon or lime. Ever. Admittedly, Dh and I are partial to a margarita....

@Whataretheodds I think I know what you mean. The way I'd describe it is if it feels a bit too much in your mouth when you taste it. Does it feel like it's coating your mouth rather than just being a delicious flavour that slips down?

For me it's usually when something tastes bland, flat or too sweet or salty, but as a pp said I think most food benefits from a squeeze of lemon or lime.
If restaurant food is otherwise nice but tastes too rich it's often because it needs acidity.
Try seasoning a chicken or vegetable dish as normal, taste first, then add a drop of sherry vinegar or lemon and taste again, see what you think.

Excellent advice from you all, thank you.

You need this book, it explains everything and has great illustrations. Put it on your Christmas list!

I've just sent that to my mum as she was just asking what I'd like! Cheers!