White vinegar
A sharp, clear, distilled vinegar with no fruity or oaky notes — the plainest, most acidic vinegar in the pantry. Common in pickling brines and cleaning as much as cooking, where its neutral flavor won't compete with anything else.
Used for
- pickling
- brines
- dressings
- deglazing
In the kitchen
- simmer into pickling brine
- whisk into dressings
- use sparingly — it's sharper than wine or cider vinegars
Picking it at the store
- The cheapest vinegar in the store, and fine for pickling since its neutral flavor won't clash with spices
- Not a substitute for cider or wine vinegar in a dressing that wants their fruitier notes
Related terms
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