# Adding alcohol to hot mixture?



## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

If you heat a mixture to abut 140 degrees, take it off the heat, and  then stir vodka into the mix would all the alcohol evaporate? If so, around what temperature would the mixture have to cool to before the vodka could be mixed in?


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## sparrowgrass (Jul 10, 2011)

Tell us what you are making, and we might have a better idea of how to help you.  Sounds like you don't want the alcohol to evaporate--if that is true, the cooler the better.  

If you are cooking with alcohol--beef burgundy or something like that--it takes a long time for the alcohol to evaporate.


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## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

sparrowgrass said:


> Tell us what you are making, and we might  have a better idea of how to help you.  Sounds like you don't want the  alcohol to evaporate--if that is true, the cooler the better.
> 
> If you are cooking with alcohol--beef burgundy or something like  that--it takes a long time for the alcohol to evaporate.



Having a go at adapting a lollipop recipe to make it alcoholic (yeah, it's a long shot!) and we want to add the alcohol at the point when you usually add the flavouring. At that point the mixture is still pretty hot, but it cools rather quickly.


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## Andy M. (Jul 10, 2011)

When alcohol is added to a dish, some of it evaporates and some remains behind in the dish.  
How much remains behind depends on how long the dish is cooked after the addition of alcohol.


*Cooking   Method Alcohol   Remaining*​ 
Alcohol added to boiling liquid and removed from   the heat 85% 
​ Flamed                                                                                   75% 
​ Stirred in and baked or simmered for:

 15 minutes                                                                              40% 
​ 30 minutes                                                                              35% 
​ 45 minutes                                                                              30% 
​ 1 hour                                                                                     25% 
​ 1 1/2 hours                                                                             20% 
​ 2 hours                                                                                   10% 
​ 2 1/2 hours                                                                               5%


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## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> When alcohol is added to a dish, some of it evaporates and some remains behind in the dish.
> How much remains behind depends on how long the dish is cooked after the addition of alcohol.
> 
> 
> ...



So that's if it is added to hot water and taken off the heat immediately afterwards? Then I'd imagine if you added it after it's been taken off the heat, there'd be a little more than 85% left?


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## Andy M. (Jul 10, 2011)

lavenderblonde said:


> So that's if it is added to hot water and taken off the heat immediately afterwards? Then I'd imagine if you added it after it's been taken off the heat, there'd be a little more than 85% left?




That seems to make sense.  What's your intent?  Do you want to add vodka and have the alcohol NOT evaporate?  If so, wait until the dish cools.  Not sure what you're making but the vodka will be a harsh addition to the finished dish.


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## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> That seems to make sense.  What's your intent?  Do you want to add vodka and have the alcohol NOT evaporate?  If so, wait until the dish cools.  Not sure what you're making but the vodka will be a harsh addition to the finished dish.



Yeah, I want the alcohol to not evaporate  We're having a go at adapting a lollipop recipe to make it alcoholic, but I've never cooked with alcohol before so I wasn't sure if it would work .. I think it will be okay though, if that's the case.


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## GB (Jul 10, 2011)

Add it when the mixture is cool and you wont lose any of the alcohol. Even if you add it will to hot water just taken off the heat you will not lose much at all.


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## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

GB said:


> Add it when the mixture is cool and you wont lose any of the alcohol. Even if you add it will to hot water just taken off the heat you will not lose much at all.



I can't wait for it to be completely cool, the mix hardens as it cools. But I can wait until it's a bit cooler.


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## GB (Jul 10, 2011)

Go ahead and add it while it is still hot. The amount of alcohol that will evaporate will be negligible.


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## lavenderblonde (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks everyone


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