Scuff Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Both my parents grew up in alcoholic homes. So they went to the other extreme of no alcohol ever. And I don't really know what I'm doing with cooking much of the time, anyway. So, probably a dumb question, but what do you use when a recipe calls for wine? I've just been using the cheap stuff. But I see some recipes say "cooking wine". Is this something different? Should i be looking for anythin in paricular when buying a wine for the purpose of cooking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 The advice I've always heard is to use a wine that you wouldn't mind drinking. Not sure how this helps if you don't drink. :D We generally spend less than $10 a bottle on our everyday wine. We just use that when we cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lostinabook Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I just use the cheap stuff from Trader Joe's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 You can use water, chicken broth, etc. to replace wine when you cook. The idea is to pick a liquid that enhances the flavor of the dish. Cooking wine is vile. If you want to use wine in a dish use what you'd drink and enjoy the rest with the meal. If you don't drink wine, you probably would be better off using another liquid as a substitute. Otherwise you'll be pouring a lot of wine down the drain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 That works. Thanks! I thought I was doing something wrong just taking stuff off the rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Yep, our rule of thumb is "If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it". :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Buy a modestly priced drinking wine. Not a sweet wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 The advice I've always heard is to use a wine that you wouldn't mind drinking. Not sure how this helps if you don't drink. :D We generally spend less than $10 a bottle on our everyday wine. We just use that when we cook. Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Whatever you do, don't buy cooking wine. It's horrible. I buy wine under $10 / bottle. There are some good, cheap wines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 If I have leftover wine (I'm the only wine drinker in the family so sometimes a whole bottle doesn't get used up in a timely fashion), I freeze it in half-cup portions. Then I can just pull a "wine cube" out of the freezer for recipes as needed - obviously NOT for drinking anymore! It'd be easy to do, too, if you don't drink wine at all but just want it on hand for cooking. Open the bottle, use what you need for the recipe, and freeze the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Wine doesn't really go bad, though, does it? What's the problem with keeping an opened bottle for years? We have several bottles that are a few years old. We don't drink very often. (though I found one that I really like just before getting pregnant.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I don't use ultra cheap wine. I would never use anything labelled "cooking wine". I do cook with wines that cost around $10/bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 If it's been open more than a couple of weeks, it might be more like vinegar than wine.... Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Wine doesn't really go bad, though, does it? What's the problem with keeping an opened bottle for years? We have several bottles that are a few years old. We don't drink very often. (though I found one that I really like just before getting pregnant.) Unopened wine doesn't go bad. If you open it you have to use it in a few days. (Or quickly put half in a half-sized bottle and recork . . . but I'd look up the details on that.) If you're not going to drink it in the next few days, you can pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then, put it in a freezer bag and you'll have it on hand when a recipe only calls for half a cup. It really adds some depth to the flavor of a dish, and the alcohol cooks out. I like to sneak LOTS of veggies into my red sauce, but the zucchini makes it look pale. Red wine adds flavor AND brings the color back up so that the kids never suspect I've doctored the sauce :D If you're not sure what to use in a particular recipe, ask the wine store people. They've been VERY helpful to me. Edited March 5, 2012 by KungFuPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Cooking wine is typically very high in sodium, so not only does it taste bad, I can't imagine it's healthier for you than the alcohol in actual wine! You can buy wine in single serve bottles nowadays. Those are wonderful for cooking - just enough to sauce your dish and a toddy for the chef. ;) Oh, of course if you are making something like beef burgundy or champagne chicken which calls for two cups of wine, you'd need the big bottle. I find the boxed wines to be a good option because they are air-tight and won't oxidize. I also think the box varieties have improved remarkably in recent years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I've often wondered the same thing myself. I can never find anything labelled "dry white wine". :tongue_smilie: I did have a nice fellow shopper once tell me to just use a chardonnay. So that's what I do, and haven't tried cooking much with red wine yet. This article looks really informative: http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/wine/cooking-with-wine-00400000001386/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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