Substitutes for sweet sherry

[Kristy]

Hi All!

I am going to attempt to make a seafood soup today and the recipe has asked for sweet sherry. I don't particularly want to have to buy a bottle of sherry just for a couple of tablespoons. Is there an alternative I can use?

 

[texasgirl]

Welcoem Kristy! Most of our members are not on here right now, but, someone will get to your post real soon.

 

[texasgirl]

Kristy i found this for you, hope it helps. The 5th line shows the sherry can be substituted with orange juice

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/recipes/techniques/alcohol_substitutes.txt

 

[HanArt]

You could substitute white wine. Sherry is a fortified wine which means it'll keep for quite a while. It's a good thing to have on hand. DO NOT use cooking sherry, it contains salt and is simply nasty!!!

 

[Michael in FtW]

Sherry is made from a blend of old (oxidized) white wine from several years that is then blended and fermented. While it may contane a slight "hint" of vanilla or "floral citrus" - it doesn't taste anything like either vanilla or orange/pineapple juice in the substitution that texasgirl found for you. (and I'm not picking on texasgirl in any way ... she was kind enough to go out and look for a substitution for you ....) HanArt had a good idea, while white wine would be "closer" - it's not going to have the depth of flavor or character of Sherry - do DO stay away from anything labeled "Cooking Sherry" - it's crappy stuff that is undrinkable to begin with and has had so much salt added to it that it's even more undrinkable.

This is kind of a classic way to finish off some soups. You would be better off skipping it than to mess up your soup with substitutions.

 

[texasgirl]

No offense taken, Michael. I really don't know anything about cooking with sherry, so I don't know what the taste is. I figured one of you "real" cooks would come on here and tell her what is best.

 

[Ishbel]

Japanese rice wine is an accepted replacement for sherry in recipes I've tried.

BUt, as I like sherry (but preferably a bone dry one like Tio Pepe or a really good Fino) I've always got some in the house.