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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