Cooking With Wine

Never cook with any wine or spirit you WOULD NOT DRINK! Cooking and the process of reducing a sauce will bring out the worst in an inferior potable.

A small quantity of wine will enhance the flavor of the dish. The alcohol in the wine evaporates while the food is cooking, and only the flavor remains. Boiling down wine concentrates the flavor, including acidity and sweetness. Be careful not to use too much wine as the flavor could overpower your dish.

Wine should never by added to a dish just before serving. It should simmer with the food or in the sauce while it is being cooked; as the wine cooks, it reduces and becomes an extract which flavors. Wine added too late in the preparation will give a harsh quality to the dish.

Questions And Answers About Cooking With Wine:

QUESTION: Will recipes taste better if I use a premium or expensive wine?

ANSWER: A good-quality wine will give the same fine flavor to a dish as a premium wine or expensive wine. Save the premium wine to serve with the meal. Remember - only use wines in cooking that you would enjoy drinking.

QUESTION: What is "cooking sherry?"

ANSWER: Cooking sherry usually has salt or chemicals added to make it unpalatable as a sipping wine. Sold in small bottles, it is generally more expensive than regular sherry.

QUESTION: Will wine in food make me tipsy?

ANSWER: No. The alcohol in wine begins to evaporate at 172 degrees - well short of the boiling point of water. Even people who avoid drinking wine for religious or personal reasons can cook with wine.

QUESTION: Can I use leftover wine for cooking?

ANSWER: Yes. To save leftover wine for cooking, pour into smaller bottles, cork tightly and store in the refrigerator.

QUESTION: How much wine should I use in a recipe when cooking?

ANSWER: This question depends upon the flavor intensity of the wine and the foods you are cooking. Proceed slowly in adding additional wine than the recipe calls for. Wine needs time to impart its flavor. If you're not sure whether to add more wine to a dish, let the dish cook at least ten minutes before tasting again. Adding more wine than the recipe calls for won't necessarily make it better. Wine does not automatically turn an ordinary dish into a gourmet dish. Use it with discretion.

Suggested amounts to add:

Soups - 2 tablespoons per cup
Sauces - 1 tablespoon per cup
Gravies - 2 tablespoons per cup
Stews & Meats - 1/4 cup per pound
Poaching liquid for fish - 1/2 cup per quart