Wine Whine
After reading a recipe for Bordelaise sauce, in which red wine plays an important part, I wondered if anyone else out there refuses to/is unable to cook with wine, and what they do about it.
If the recipe calls for a tablespoon or an eight of a cup, I substitute acidulated water. But when the wine, especially a red wine, really is an important part of the meal, how do you substitute?
I should mention that I am of the school which believe that you can't cook off 100% of the alcohol...and I can't have ANY alcohol.
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7 Comments:
Use vinegar or half water half lemon juice, something acidic.
Depending on what the main component of the dish is.
I actually send a box of my cookies every year to some baptist folks and last year my friend said to me you used booze? Guilty, I said I flavor my baked goods, sauces and food with wine and liquor. Even vanilla has alcohol in it. I always was under the impression most of it left.
Here is a link http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol12.htm
Now I know there is wine with no alcohol in it. I see it at the grocery store.
How about finding one that is tolerable
http://www.winelog.net/blog/2007/03/05/alcohol-removed-wine/
that link lists some brand names.
JerzeeTomato at 12:03PM on 12/24/08
There are nonalcoholic wines. Haven't tried them, no idea how they'd be for cooking. Probably not worse than the stuff sold as "cooking wine."
But for something where the wine in the main component, if you substitute, it's simply not going to be the same dish. Like making green bean casserole with aparagus, it might be good, but it certainly wouldn't be the same. I'd just make something else. Some things can't be substituted, in my opinion. YMMV.
When you're adding wine (or votka, even) to certain dishes (tomato sauce, for example) the alcohol is a key component, since it is the alcohol itself that releases certain flavor components. So there really is no substitution for that particular chemical reaction. You can find something to mimic the taste somewhat, but results aren't going to be identical.
If this was a short-term need for alcohol avoidance, I'd probably opt to avoid dishes that require it until I could use it again. If this was a long-term thing, I'd start seeking out the best nonalcoholic wines I could find, and keep a case onhand for cooking. And I'd resign myself to the fact that certain things aren't going to be the same.
Just curious, what do you use in place of things like vanilla or almond extract, or do you just leave those out?
dbcurrie at 12:06PM on 12/24/08
Either I leave them out or I use lemon juice with honey--in which case what I get is good or even great, but not what the recipe intended.
Thanks db and Jerz. I can always count on you guys for info.
annien at 1:42PM on 12/24/08
By all means, NEVER use the "cooking wine". That stuff is just nasty. You'd be better off just using a juice of some kind. Pomagranate juice would be a great substitute as it isn't as sweet as grape juice. Haven't tried any of the non alcoholic wines. "Why bother?" Personally, I love wine. Especially a good dry red. Malbec is one of my all time favs.
Good luck and if you have any wine that you don't want to use, send it on over to my house......
Taste Matters at 1:54PM on 12/24/08
I would use a splash of vinegar (or some lemon juice) in lieu of wine rather than non-alcoholic wine - you have red wine, white wine, sherry, champagne, and a gazillion of other kinds of vinegar you can play with.
brooke29 at 2:45PM on 12/24/08
I'd go in another direction. A cup of wine is a significant amount. And if you choose not to have alcohol, that's fine; my best friend and her DH are both that way. I'd look for another sauce. Good luck with your efforts.
lemons at 3:25PM on 12/24/08
I have no idea why I'm thinking about this, but cranberry juice might be a good sub for some applications. It's not as sweet as most fruit juices, and you'd get the red color, if you're subbing for a red wine and you're looking for that. If they still sell cran-raspberry juice, that might be good, too.
It all depends on the recipe, though.
dbcurrie at 1:37AM on 12/25/08