How To Use Every Kind Of Vinegar You Have In Your Pantry

Cherie Gough
·8 min read

No doubt you’ve been hunting through your pantry lately. If you’ve found an assortment of vinegars, let us reassure you, you can use them. Vinegar keeps indefinitely.

But how and when do you best use each vinegar? Used right, it can become the star ingredient in everything from homemade condiments and even dessert. We’ve asked chefs to demystify each variety of vinegar and give us their best tips for how to use what you have on hand to make your dishes come to life with exciting flavors and balance.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Super affordable and a staple in many kitchens, apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting sugar from apples and turning them into acetic acid, its main active ingredient.

Though the internet abounds with claims of apple cider vinegar’s many health benefits, don’t consider it a cure-all. Anne Masri, owner and founder of MediChefs, teaches clients with chronic disease how to cook for health. She cautions not to rely on apple cider vinegar as medicine. While scientific studies support the vinegar’s ability to maintain lower blood sugar for diabetics in conjunction with proper medication, “The main thing is you can’t place everyone in the same box,” Masri said. “There is some compelling evidence that it can be a healthful addition, but many claims need more research.”

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Mildly sweet with a bit of tart, apple cider vinegar works well as a natural preservative. Its acetic acid keeps harmful bacteria at bay, making it perfect for pickling. Easy refrigerator pickles preserve veggies for 2 to 3 weeks.

Preserve your vegetables longer by making refrigerator pickles. (Photo: SherSor via Getty Images)
Preserve your vegetables longer by making refrigerator pickles. (Photo: SherSor via Getty Images)

All that’s needed is a sterilized jar, some vinegar, sugar, salt, spices and enough vegetables to fill the jar. Thinly sliced peppers, onions, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, carrots and fennel work well.

Once you simmer your vinegar with its accompanying spices, you pack vegetables into the jar and pour the mixture in until it’s 1/4 inch from the top. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can reach for a different variety. “Each variety of vinegar imparts a different personality,” Masri said.

Check out this recipe for refrigerator pickles.

Perfect Barbecue Sauce

Andy Harris, owner of Grand Ole BBQ, a Central Texas-style BBQ eatery in San Diego, praises the smoky undertones that apple cider vinegar adds to barbecue sauce.

“Apple cider vinegar is the vinegar of BBQ,” Harris told HuffPost. Harris’ favorite house sauce uses apple cider vinegar, organic ketchup (he likes the lower sugar content of organic varieties compared to conventional ketchup), salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. “It’s heavenly on pulled pork.”

Though his roots are from Texas, Harris loves to occasionally include a mustard-based Carolina sauce on his menu, also perfect on pork. He purees mustard, apple cider vinegar, pineapple chunks, a little sugar, salt and pepper and dash of hot sauce. The sauce packs a sweet, tangy, spicy punch that perfectly compliments a pulled pork sandwich topped with cool slaw.

Red And White Wine Vinegars

Don’t let the name fool you. Made from fermented wine (red and white respectively), these vinegars do not contain any of the alcohol content that wine does. They are ideal for making salad dressings.

Masri advises, “When choosing a vinegar, my first consideration is to always reach for organic. Grapes are consistently on the dirty dozen list, so for vinegars derived from grapes such as red and white wine and balsamic, organic is important for my clients’ health.”

Salad Dressings

In his cookbook “Jamie‘s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals” chef Jamie Oliver touts the wonders of salad dressing. “Your body can absorb far more of the nutrients from salads because of the presence of oil and acid in the dressing. So dressings give you a double whammy of being a healthy benefit and also delicious!”

Try different add-ins to make a simple vinegar-based dressing taste like new. (Photo: VeselovaElena via Getty Images)
Try different add-ins to make a simple vinegar-based dressing taste like new. (Photo: VeselovaElena via Getty Images)

Oliver recommends a ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar, to which he adds simple ingredient combinations: chopped shallots, herbs, salt, pepper, honey, dijon. Homemade dressings such as these are so easy and flavorful that you may never buy store-bought again.

Chimichurri For Grilled Beef

On weekends, Harris’ barbecue joints are well-loved for their Argentine-style grilled meats. Chimichurri, an herb-packed sauce, is made from lots of chopped garlic, flat leaf parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Its vibrant tang makes an excellent compliment that stands up to beef.

Rice Wine Vinegar

Similar to white wine vinegar in color, rice wine vinegar imparts a sweeter flavor. Its acidity can be used to add flavor and has been used over the ages as a preservative.

Sushi Rice

You know rice wine vinegar as a major component in sushi. Chef Davin Waite, executive chef and co-owner of sushi restaurant Wrench and Rodent SeaBasstropub in California, shared this fun fact with HuffPost: Sushi means vinegared rice in Japanese.

To make sushi rice, Waite makes a house vinegar combining rice wine and apple cider vinegars and adds it to short grain rice and seasoning. Wrench & Rodent uses local fish like yellowtail from Southern California and Baja, which has a strong, gamy flavor that needs a punch from the added cider vinegar to balance it. “Vinegar is about balance of flavors. It allows me to pay respect to ingredients,” Waite said.

Salad Dressing

To create her favorite salad dressings, Masri chooses rice wine vinegar because “it’s very light and sweet.” To add an interesting hint of tart to the sweetness, she incorporates a bit of marmalade and adds chopped shallot, dijon and avocado oil.

Balsamic Vinegar

Originating from Italy and aged in oak, the longer balsamic vinegar has been aged before bottling, the sweeter and thicker it gets — and the more expensive, too. Balsamic comes in light and dark varieties. A refined white might be so sweet you can almost drink it, Waite told HuffPost. The darker the color, the bolder the flavor.

Use It On A Low-Fat Diet

Masri reaches for balsamic for clients who are on a very low-fat diet. “For people avoiding oils, balsamic is hearty and clings nicely to greens.”

Balsamic makes a zingy addition to low-fat diets that may be lacking in flavor. (Photo: natapetrovich via Getty Images)
Balsamic makes a zingy addition to low-fat diets that may be lacking in flavor. (Photo: natapetrovich via Getty Images)

Because vinegar is a commodity used in such small portions, she suggests if it’s within your budget, it’s a nice item to seek in a specialty oil and vinegar shop like her local Baker & Olive.

To jazz up a basic balsamic from the grocery store, Masri offers this tip: Reduce it and add a little touch of something sweet (like coconut sugar or pure maple syrup). Drizzle the reduction over strawberries for a delightful, healthy sweet treat.

Use It To Balance Flavors

“I like to use balsamic to marry sweet and savory. The sweet undertones enhance and integrate flavors in a sauce or salad,” Masri said. She combines spicy arugula, tangy goat cheese and adds balsamic. Using balsamic makes sweet and sharp come together to form an irresistible partnership.

Elevate Your Dinner

Chungah Rhee, founder of the blog Damn Delicious that’s known for easy, flavor-packed cooking, chooses basic balsamic to add refined flavor to everyday cooking. Balsamic elevates and adds tang to a basic sheet pan dinner of chicken and vegetables like her Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts and Veggies.

Or use balsamic to create a sophisticated sauce to pair with steak. Deglazing a pan with it after cooking the steak creates a sauce that imparts sweetness to a savory dish.

Malt Vinegar

Derived from barley, this is the one vinegar to avoid if you’re eating gluten-free. Malt vinegar’s dark, bold flavor stands up to balance other big flavors and cuts fattiness. That’s why it’s perfect on fish and chips. Try it over fries to add zippy tang like the Brits do.

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Malt vinegar is the perfect addition to French fries. (Photo: Szakaly via Getty Images)
Malt vinegar is the perfect addition to French fries. (Photo: Szakaly via Getty Images)

Waite, whose parents originate from England, is fond of mint sauce poured over a traditional Sunday roast complete with roast potatoes, roast lamb and Yorkshire pudding. This isn’t the insipid jarred mint jelly on grocery shelves. Waite’s fresh sauce is made by mixing chopped mint, diced onion, sugar and malt vinegar. The sauce’s brightness stands up to the strong flavor of lamb. “Adding sugar to a rougher, less refined vinegar helps temper it,” Waite said.

Distilled White Vinegar

Made from corn distilled into alcohol, this vinegar is often best saved for cleaning purposes. However, if you have a jug hanging around, it holds two practical uses in cooking.

The Perfect Poached Egg

Crack a fresh egg into a cup, add a spoonful of distilled white vinegar and cook in a whirlpool of simmering water for 3-6 minutes. The vinegar won’t change the egg’s taste and will help keep whites from whisping.

No buttermilk? No problem.

To create a substitute for buttermilk, savvy home cooks know to add 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 cup milk to make buttermilk.

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Condition Your Hair

Whether you ran out of your favorite brand or you just washed your hair au naturel with a <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-8953/diy-this-baking-soda-shampoo-saved-my-hair.html" target="_blank">DIY baking-soda blend</a>, an apple-cider-vinegar-and-water rinse is a surprisingly efficient conditioner. Betsy Jabs, coauthor with her husband, Matt, of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/DIY-Natural-Household-Cleaners-Naturally/dp/0615579655" target="_blank"><em>DIY Natural Household Cleaners</em></a>, suggests mixing a tablespoon of vinegar with a cup of water in a clean spray bottle, shaking it up and squirting it all over your wet hair. Massage it in, let it sit for a minute or two and rinse. Your hair will be smooth and won't smell like vinegar (though you may crave a salad for lunch).

Refresh Your Workout Clothes

Those moisture-wicking tank tops and sports bras may keep you dry during intense sweat sessions , but somehow they still smell awful after they've been washed. Donna Smallin, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Cleaner-Plain-Simple-Cleaning/dp/B005B1M5CE" target="_blank">The One-Minute Cleaner Plain & Simple</a></em> , says if you can't seem to get the stink out, load the clothes back into the washer and add a cup of white vinegar (or a half-cup if it's a front-loading HE machine, which uses less water). Run one cycle in the same temperature as you normally do, then repeat, swapping in a half-cup of baking soda (or a quarter-cup for an HE machine) for the vinegar. Dry as usual.

Revive Limp Greens

White vinegar can work wonders on wilted lettuce -- just soak the leaves in a bowl with cold water and a splash of white vinegar for 10 minutes. Then rinse the greens. If you're using the lettuce in salad, dry it using a salad spinner (since dressing won't stick to wet leaves) and dress it with a tastier variety of vinegar, such as balsamic or red wine.

Repel Ants

Spring and summer often bring ant invasions into homes, and while some of the natural deterrents we've heard about -- especially flour and pepper -- can be messy, a spritz of white vinegar is not and can work just as well. Spray it directly into cracks, around baseboards, on countertops or anywhere ants tend to crawl.
Spring and summer often bring ant invasions into homes, and while some of the natural deterrents we've heard about -- especially flour and pepper -- can be messy, a spritz of white vinegar is not and can work just as well. Spray it directly into cracks, around baseboards, on countertops or anywhere ants tend to crawl.

Get The Grime Off Blinds

You can vacuum the dust off metal, plastic or wood blinds; but if the grime buildup just isn't coming off, try covering your hand with a (clean) old sock, dipping the tip in white vinegar and wiping the blinds -- the gunk should soon disappear.
You can vacuum the dust off metal, plastic or wood blinds; but if the grime buildup just isn't coming off, try covering your hand with a (clean) old sock, dipping the tip in white vinegar and wiping the blinds -- the gunk should soon disappear.

Unclog Drains

Environmentalist <a href="http://www.oprah.com/world/Why-Be-Green-By-Elizabeth-Rogers" target="_blank">Elizabeth Rogers</a> has a cheap, nontoxic solution to clogged drains: She pours a cup of baking soda down the drain, chases it with a cup of white vinegar and lets the two work their magic for five minutes. The finale: She flushes the drain clear with eight cups of near-boiling water.

Kill Weeds

Even if you aren't growing fruits, vegetables or herbs to eat, you probably don't want to spray pesticides in your garden. Try full-strength (i.e., non-diluted) vinegar on the weeds: its acidity will kill young, pesty plants (though if the weeds are large and threatening to take over, you may need to just yank them out by the roots).
Even if you aren't growing fruits, vegetables or herbs to eat, you probably don't want to spray pesticides in your garden. Try full-strength (i.e., non-diluted) vinegar on the weeds: its acidity will kill young, pesty plants (though if the weeds are large and threatening to take over, you may need to just yank them out by the roots).

Get Rid Of Odors

If you want to eliminate the fried-fish smell in your kitchen but not necessarily replace it with "pineapple breeze" (or some other scent that comes out of an aerosol can), try this trick from Smallin: Pour white vinegar in a small bowl and leave it on the kitchen counter overnight to absorb cooking odors.
If you want to eliminate the fried-fish smell in your kitchen but not necessarily replace it with "pineapple breeze" (or some other scent that comes out of an aerosol can), try this trick from Smallin: Pour white vinegar in a small bowl and leave it on the kitchen counter overnight to absorb cooking odors.

Ease A Jellyfish's Sting

The vast majority of jellyfish stings aren't harmful -- but even so, the pain can put a damper on your day at the beach. <a href="http://www.oprah.com/blogs/An-Estimated-150-Million-People-Will-Be-Stung-By-Jellyfish-This-Year-Read-Dr-Ozs-Advice-on-What-to-do-ifor-WhenYoure-One-of-Them" target="_blank">Dr. Oz has a fast-relief remedy</a>: Fill a bucket with vinegar and soak the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes; the acetic acid in the vinegar stops the tiny darts that a jellyfish injects into your skin from releasing more venom. (However, Dr. Oz says that some people are allergic to jellyfish, so if you're experiencing hives or wheezing, seek emergency help ASAP.)

Make Glasses Shine

Even if it's in a china cabinet, crystal can collect a thin film of dust. Smallin gets glasses sparkly clean again by soaking them in a solution that's one part vinegar, three parts warm water -- plus a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. She rinses them with warm water and wipes them dry with a microfiber cloth.
Even if it's in a china cabinet, crystal can collect a thin film of dust. Smallin gets glasses sparkly clean again by soaking them in a solution that's one part vinegar, three parts warm water -- plus a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. She rinses them with warm water and wipes them dry with a microfiber cloth.

Remove The Bacteria From Produce

When the editors of <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14540742" target="_blank"><em>Cook's Illustrated</em></a> set out to find the most effective way to wash fruits and vegetables, vinegar came out the clear winner, beating antibacterial soap, water and just a scrub brush in removing bacteria. Fill a spray bottle with three cups of water and a cup of white vinegar, and spritz each tomato, apple or any other smooth-skinned fruit or vegetable about six times. Rinse well before eating.

Keep Bright Clothes From Bleeding

Sometimes, even if you separate lights and darks, a new piece of clothing can bleed onto a slightly faded pair of jeans, for instance, and leave color stains. Prevent this from happening by first soaking the unwashed garment in a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar for 20 minutes. Then, wash the item with other colored clothes. (The vinegar step can help the new clothes resist fading over time, too -- though it only works on 100 percent cotton clothing.) <strong>Next: <a href="http://www.oprah.com/home/House-Cleaning-Tips-and-Ideas" target="_blank">The cleaning mistakes everyone makes</a></strong>

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.