Cane vinegar is a mild vinegar that you will see in frequent use in Philippine cooking, and on many islands where sugar cane is grown and harvested. It’s been compared to rice vinegar in its mildness, though there are certainly different grades squeezed from sugar cane. It’s not exactly sweet and instead has a mildly sharp taste that is useful for pickling ingredients or making sauces.

In the Philippines, you may see cane vinegar called sukang iloko after the northern region of Illocos, where much of the vinegar is made. It may be labeled sukang maasim, which does not denote region and simply translates as vinegar or sour vinegar. In Asian or Filipino grocery stores in the US, you may find sukang massim more often than sukang iloko.

You can find cane vinegar in many large grocery stores in the US since it is also manufactured in places like Hawaii and California. It’s becoming increasingly popular as an alternate vinegar to some more traditional offerings like wine or apple cider vinegar. Many people describe the taste as sour but fresh and like its light taste in a variety of foods.

Cane vinegar is used in dishes with sweet and sour sauces, and surprisingly, in many dishes that are certainly not Philippine in origin. Sauerbraten benefits from cane vinegar and some people now use it as the principle ingredient in pickled herring. The Vinegarman, a self-titled Internet expert on vinegar recommends cane vinegar added to hummus to give it an extra kick. He further suggests adding a bit of cane vinegar to a delicious lemon custard recipe.

In Philippine cooking, one of the classic dishes is adobo, where chicken and pork are simmered in vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and spices. This sweet/sour dish is quite popular, and easy to make in any country. It’s delicious served over rice. Braised pork leg or paksiw na pata is another popular Philippine dish, usually made with several cups of this alternate vinegar.

You might try cane vinegar especially with pork and chicken dishes. Some cooks recommend it as part of a marinade to tenderize meat. Since it has a lighter flavor then many other types of vinegar, food tends not to take on its flavor quite as much. It will taste more piquant, but have less of a strong vinegar taste. Some people like to add a touch to dressings for fruit salads since it will have bite but won’t interfere with natural fruit flavors.