White Vinegar
White (distilled) vinegar is a sharp, clear vinegar made by fermenting and distilling grain alcohol, valued across many cuisines for its clean, assertive acidity in pickling, everyday cooking, and food prep.
How to buy
Standard distilled white vinegar is widely available at a standard 5% acidity for cooking; pickling-specific vinegar sometimes comes at a higher acidity, which matters for shelf-stable canning recipes, so check the percentage if you're canning. It should be perfectly clear with no sediment.
How to store
Store in a cool pantry away from direct light; it's extremely shelf-stable indefinitely thanks to its high acidity and lack of other ingredients, so spoilage isn't a real concern.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sharp, clean, and purely sour with none of the fruity or malty depth of wine or cider vinegars; its straightforward acidity makes it useful wherever you want sourness without added flavor.
- Texture
- Thin and completely clear, with no body or cloudiness.
- Aroma
- A sharp, clean acidic smell with no fruity or fermented undertone beyond straightforward vinegar sourness.
How to prepare
- Pickling brine — The standard base for quick and canned pickles thanks to its reliable, high acidity.
- Used in doughs — A splash added to pie or biscuit dough to help tenderize gluten.
- Rinsing/deglazing — Used to rinse produce or deglaze pans, separate from flavoring a finished dish.
- Mixed into hot sauces — Used as the acidic base for many vinegar-forward hot sauces.
Classic dishes
American
- Classic dill pickles — Cucumbers brined in a white vinegar solution with dill and garlic.
- Buffalo wing sauce — A vinegar-based hot sauce tossed with fried chicken wings.
- Coleslaw dressing — A tangy dressing built on white vinegar in place of or alongside mayonnaise.
- Deviled eggs — A splash of white vinegar in the filling for brightness.
- Chow chow relish — A Southern pickled vegetable relish made with white vinegar.
- Pickled beets — Beets preserved in a sweetened white vinegar brine.
- Pickled banana peppers — Peppers preserved in a tangy vinegar brine.
- Egg salad — A touch of white vinegar for brightness in some classic recipes.
Italian
- Giardiniera — Mixed pickled vegetables held in a white vinegar brine.
Mexican
- Pickled jalapeños — Peppers preserved in a white vinegar brine.
French
- Perfectly poached eggs — A splash of white vinegar in the poaching water helps the whites set quickly.
German
- Quick-pickled cabbage — Shredded cabbage quickly pickled in a white vinegar brine.
Cajun & Creole
- Southern-style hot sauce — Chile peppers fermented or steeped in white vinegar.
British & Irish
- Pickled eggs — Eggs preserved whole in a vinegar brine, a classic pub snack.
- Fish and chips with vinegar — Chips traditionally doused with a splash of vinegar at the table.