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Vinegar, White or Cider, which should I use... |
| The biggest difference between using white vinegar and cider vinegar is how if affects the taste of what you are canning. I usually use white vinegar. It doesn't affect the taste. The cider vinegar will change the taste. Just depends on what you want as to whether or not you like the final product. Make sure you use commercial vinegar (5-6% acidity). Or you can use other but the acidity has to be right or whatever you can may not be safe. Kathy, THE SCRUBBIE LADY |
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Thank you for visiting the National Center
for Home Food Preservation.
> question -> One of my readers
has a question. Her recipe calls for vinegar but does not say white or
cider. How does one know when to use one or the other. I see both for
the same type of recipe. Can you advise?
Usually if a recipe calls just for
"vinegar" it would not matter which was used. The
choice will depend on desired flavor and "sharpness" in
vinegar taste, and perhaps desired color. Cider vinegar has a
light amber color which can change the appearance of light-colored
products in which it is used, whereas white vinegar would not.
Cider vinegar tends to have a milder flavor while white vinegar is
quite "sharp" or "acrid" to some people. If
you see both in similar recipes, it is probably the choice of the
writer as to which is preferred. In some of our recipes we
specify one or the other because that is how it was tested and
preferred.
If the food depends on vinegar for
pickling so it can be canned in boiling water for room temperature
storage (until it is opened), then what is most important is that the
vinegar be at least 5% acidity (for all our processes) or the acidity
stated in tested recipe. Most white and cider vinegar are
standardized to 5% or 6% acidity, but one should always read the
label. Store brands or lesser brands are sometimes only 4%, as
are some flavored or specialty vinegars. Whereas higher acidity
than 5% is as safe for pickled canned foods, the flavor can be
adversely affected with too much acid.
Some background on pickling and
ingredients for pickling:
Elizabeth Andress
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Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D. Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist Director, National Center for Home Food Preservation Department of Foods and Nutrition The University of Georgia 208 Hoke Smith Annex Athens, GA 30602-4356 Phone: (706) 542-3773 FAX: (706) 542-1979 Web: http://www.homefoodpreservation.com Web: http://www.gafamilies.org Email: [email protected] ----------------------------------------
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