white wine for cooking?

[Lorix2]

When a recipe calls for white wine, what do you use?

At the risk of sounding completely stupid, I'm not sure if there is a difference between wine that you drink and wine that you only cook with

Thanks for any help and guidance you can provide, I appreciate it.

 

[marlynnp]

No difference. Pick one you'll enjoy drinking while you are cooking!

 

[piratesmate]

I rarely use alcohol in my recipes because we rarely drink, so I've accumulated quite a list of substitutions. Here are the two I have for white wines. They're obviously very different solutions to the problem, so you kind of have to judge which to use by what type of recipe you're making.

White Burgundy: Non-alcoholic wine, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar.

White wine: Non-alcoholic wine, chicken broth or stock, diluted white wine vinegar or cider vinegar, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar, ginger ale, canned mushroom liquid, water. For marinades, substitute 1/4 cup vinegar plus 1 Tbsp sugar plus 1/4 cup water.

 

[MazdaUK]

Apple juice is a good substitute for cider!

If you are using wine for cooking it shouldn't be worse than you will drink - I hope that makes sense! basically if its too rough to drink don't assume cooking will improve it, as the alcohol will evaporate off leaving the flavour - or lack of it. Because the alcohol evaporates off it is fine to use it even for family dishes. The exception is things like sorbet, where the alcohol remains but is essential for preventing freezing.

 

[Lorix2]

Thank you for you're suggestions, substitutions and clarifications, I appreciate you're help

 

[Imzadi]

The Food Network chefs always say NEVER use one of those bottled "cooking wines." As MasdaUK already said, they are not worth drinking, taste-wise, but also because they add too much salt to hide the bad flavor. You're basically cooked with alcoholic salt.

You can get a very small single-serving size bottle of wine at some liquor stores. Get a chardonay or Pinot Grigio or Savignon Blanc for a white wine. A merlot is fine for a red wine.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

A general rule of thumb for cooking with any alcohol is to use one you would drink. I'm including beer in this, too, as we cook a lot with beer.

If you don't care for oaky wines, don't cook with one. Most recipes call for a dry white wine -- as opposed to a dessert wine. I generally cook with the wine I would serve the dish with. Example: olive dishes pair magnificently with torrentes wines. For my recipes that call for olives and wine, I find a nice Argentinian torrentes wine.

 

[Lorix2]

thank you Imzadi and PoohLvr - good to know

 

[the Fidge]

Adding my glass of wine here.....Pinot Grigio its a great little white wine italian or french. I have been cooking with that and sipped along the way for 20 years bon apetit!