# Cooking wine question



## larry_stewart (Jul 7, 2018)

I know this topic had been rehashed many times.  I also know the general consensus is to choose a wine you enjoy drinking when selecting one to use for cooking.

Problem I have is I dont enjoy drinking wine.  When I taste wine, I see it as an ingredient, not a beverage ( just me, but thats the way it is).

Therefore, when I go into a wine store to select something to use for cooking, Im faced with an endless selection ( from floor to ceiling) of wines.

Years ago, I had an over abundance of kiwi's, and made kiwi wine.  I used that for cooking over the years, but my supply finally ran out.  I am now faced with restocking my ' cooking wine cellar'.

My question is, if you were me, which wines, alcoholic beverages would you keep on hand to use for cooking?  Dont worry about the vegetarian thing, Im just curious what you guys have on hand for cooking purposes.  ( and I know to stay away from the crap labeled 'cooking wine'  in the grocery store.

The more specific, the better.

Thanks

( I usually use various wines/ alcohol for different gravies, pasta dishes, red sauces, Onion soup, marinades ...., just to give an idea )

**Only thing I have in the house now is Vodka, and Rice wine**


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## Steve Kroll (Jul 7, 2018)

Since you don't like to drink wine, you probably don't want to buy anything that comes in a large bottle. I would suggest something like Mondavi Woodbridge Pinot Grigio. It's a simple wine, inexpensive, and, best of all, you can buy it in a 4-pack of single serving bottles - the perfect size to keep on hand for cooking. It has a shelf life of about 2 years.

And if you do choose to drink it, it ain't terrible.


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## Just Cooking (Jul 7, 2018)

I agree with Steve.. 

I don't drink wine either but, I most always have a 4pak of a red and a white on hand for cooking purposes..


Ross


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## GotGarlic (Jul 7, 2018)

I agree also, and I would suggest also keeping a four-pack of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon on hand for reds.


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## CraigC (Jul 7, 2018)

Steve Kroll said:


> Since you don't like to drink wine, you probably don't want to buy anything that comes in a large bottle. I would suggest something like Mondavi Woodbridge Pinot Grigio. It's a simple wine, inexpensive, and, best of all, you can buy it in a 4-pack of single serving bottles - the perfect size to keep on hand for cooking. It has a shelf life of about 2 years.
> 
> And if you do choose to drink it, it ain't terrible.



+1 and we usually split with 2 reds and 2 whites. Then there are times when we make something that requires 1 or more 750ml bottles. For cooking purposes we have sherry, marsala, madiera, shaoxing (which reminds me of a dry sherry), mirin, vodka, cognac and rum on hand. We'll buy what a recipe calls for if we don't have it on hand and prefer gewurztraminer for French onion soup.


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## larry_stewart (Jul 7, 2018)

Great, I appreciate the quick replies. 
Any other suggestions, keep them coming.

Secret between you and me, I always take a quick swig of the wine i am using , before I use it, just to get an idea of what im working with


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## tenspeed (Jul 7, 2018)

Here ya go...


https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/how-to-choose-red-white-wine-for-cooking.html


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## Dawgluver (Jul 7, 2018)

I like sweet and dry vermouth and Dry Sack sherry for cooking. Pinot Grigio for drinking.


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## Andy M. (Jul 7, 2018)

I keep a bottle of dry vermouth for cooking or just steal some of SO's chardonnay.


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## di reston (Jul 7, 2018)

I would suggest leaving out the glass of wine to drink, but use wine to flavour what you're going what you're going to make. When you heat wine, the alcohol, evaporates the alcohol, leaving the taste milder.

di reston

Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## GotGarlic (Jul 7, 2018)

di reston said:


> I would suggest leaving out the glass of wine to drink, but use wine to flavour what you're going what you're going to make. When you heat wine, the alcohol, evaporates the alcohol, leaving the taste milder.
> 
> di reston
> 
> Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


It evaporates some of the alcohol, but some remains. Depending on how long the cooking time is, there can be quite a bit left.


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## tenspeed (Jul 7, 2018)

A few months back I caught Milk Street Radio in the car, and Kenji stated that all of the alcohol does not evaporate when cooking.  According to fooducate.com:

_In tests conducted and published by the USDA, adding alcohol to a boiling liquid and removing from heat immediately retained 85% of the alcohol. However, the application of heat changes the alcohol content dramatically. Simmering reduces the alcohol levels in a liquid as follows: After just 15 minutes, only 40% of the alcohol is retained. After an hour – 25%. After 2 and a half hours, just 5% of the original alcoholic content is retained._

_Any cooking beyond 2.5 hours won’t change the alcohol content – 5% is the lowest level so long as there is liquid in the dish. This is due to the fact that water and alcohol are azetropic – when combined, their molecules have a high affinity for each other. At 95% water to 5% alcohol, the evaporation rate of both remains identical._

  I couldn't link the article, but you can find it on their site by searching for "When Cooking with Wine, What Happens to the Alcohol?"


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## taxlady (Jul 7, 2018)

I usually suggest dry vermouth for people who don't drink wine. The reason is that an opened bottle of vermouth won't go off for a long time, unlike an opened bottle of wine. Julia Child recommended it and pointed out that it already has herbs. Her preferred dry vermouth was Noilly Prat. It's pretty nice.


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## Mad Cook (Jul 9, 2018)

There is no rigid rule that says you MUST use wine in cooking. Obviously bœuf bourguignon isn't the same dish without the wine but if you don't like to drink it you don't have to use it.

If you do and you don't use the bottle you could try freezing the remains in an ice cube tray for future cooking (I wouldn't suggest drinking the defrosted wine but as you don't anyway it's irrelevant). Alternatively, red and white vermouth keep better for the next time. It won't taste the same and you won't need as much but it's a good substitute.

Incidentally I have  fish dish somewhere that uses red vermouth - it tends to look a bit sinister but tasted OK when I tried it.


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## msmofet (Jul 9, 2018)

I rarely drink wine but when I do it’s white zin (I wouldn’t cook with it). 

I keep burgundy wine and Pinot Grigio in fridge for cooking.


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## larry_stewart (Jul 9, 2018)

Mad Cook said:


> There is no rigid rule that says you MUST use wine in cooking. Obviously bœuf bourguignon isn't the same dish without the wine but if you don't like to drink it you don't have to use it.



My thing is not that i dont like the way it tastes, I just don't see it as a beverage. As an ingredient, I love using it.  But, since I have little experience in drinking it, my culinary wine library ( in my head) is slim to none.  To me , drinking wine is like drinking vinegar, or soy sauce or any other liquid ingredient I'd cook with.  Like the way it tastes, just wouldn't drink it.

So, Im not opposed at all to cooking with wine,  just needed some guidance as what i should stock up on.  And thanks to everyone here, i made a trip to the local wine shop and bought basically one of everything suggested   Should keep me going for awhile, and help me build up some knowledge and experience ( hopefully good experiences ) on my taste buds.


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## JustJoel (Jul 9, 2018)

larry_stewart said:


> My thing is not that i dont like the way it tastes, I just don't see it as a beverage. As an ingredient, I love using it.  But, since I have little experience in drinking it, my culinary wine library ( in my head) is slim to none.  To me , drinking wine is like drinking vinegar, or soy sauce or any other liquid ingredient I'd cook with.  Like the way it tastes, just wouldn't drink it.
> 
> So, Im not opposed at all to cooking with wine,  just needed some guidance as what i should stock up on.  And thanks to everyone here, i made a trip to the local wine shop and bought basically one of everything suggested   Should keep me going for awhile, and help me build up some knowledge and experience ( hopefully good experiences ) on my taste buds.


I’m with you. I’m not a wine drinker, except for a brief period in the ‘90s when I had the privilege of interpreting for an int’l ballroom dance couple who were visiting Japan to teach master classes. They loved their red wine!

As others have suggested, when a recipe calls for wine, I typically use vermouth, although not any expensive brand. It’s cheaper than wine and has a much longer shelf life. I also really like the taste it imparts to my dishes.

I do keep a bottle of ruby port in the pantry, as well as a bottle of Marsala. I can use the port in place of red wine, although it will change the taste of the dish considerably, and one of my favorite plates is chicken Marsala, hence the wine.


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## caseydog (Jul 9, 2018)

Steve Kroll said:


> Since you don't like to drink wine, you probably don't want to buy anything that comes in a large bottle. I would suggest something like Mondavi Woodbridge Pinot Grigio. It's a simple wine, inexpensive, and, best of all, you can buy it in a 4-pack of single serving bottles - the perfect size to keep on hand for cooking. It has a shelf life of about 2 years.
> 
> And if you do choose to drink it, it ain't terrible.



*Great answer.* I buy the small bottles of wine for cooking, too. I always have some in my pantry. 

The key thing is not to use any wine that you would not drink. That _does not mean_ the same thing as wine you like to drink. If the wine tastes nasty, your food is going to taste nasty. 

If you are not a wine drinker, ask some friends who are wine drinkers what they like to drink, that isn't too pricey. Use that for cooking. 

CD


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## CharlieD (Jul 11, 2018)

Joel, your mentioning of Vermouth reminded me that I bought a bottle of Vermouth specifically to make a dish, which recipe I red somewhere, and it looked very interesting, problem is I cannot remember either the dish or where I red about. I guess old age kicked in early. Now I have a bottle of Vermouth seating on the shelf, that i do not know what to do with. Oy, to cry or to laugh.


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