Cooking With Wine

[Scott M.]

I'm still relatively new to cooking, i've not cooked with any wine yet. I'm looking to try a couple recipies that call for red and white dry wine. can anyone recommend a good starter red / white wine to start with. and this might be a stupid question, but is this regular wine from the liquor store type wine? or is there a cooking wine that you can get at your local sobeys / superstore.

Thanks!

 

[KitchenSally]

Always use a "real" wine. "Cooking Wine", is salty and totally useless in cooking. Use any wine that you drink. Doesn't have to be an expensive bottle. There are sooo many table wines out there. Buy something you like. I constantly use wine to de-glaze my pans even when the actual "recipe" doesnt call for wine as an ingredient.

Have fun cooking with wine.

 

[Scott M.]

I dont drink wine.. ever! any recomendations

 

[CharlieD]

If you do not drink, just fallow the recipe. Or whenyou are in the liquer(gee I don't even know how to spell liquor, darn) anyway, when you are in one of those stores, not super store. Tell the sales person what youneed. They will be able to help you. I personaly do not cook with dry wines, do not like the taste. I use sweet wines and it works for me, not to say that it is true recipe, but i like it.

 

[Scott M.]

Sounds good.

I do drink, just not wine .

i'll hit the liquor store and interogate em!

Thanks again.
S

 

[Caine]

When in your regular grocery store, check around for individual servings of wine, packaged like this ----->

 

[Andy M.]

Consider box wine. There are several good quality box wines that will last for a long time as it is in an airless environment.

Merlot for a red is good because it is not too oaky and is low in tannins which can effect the flavor of a dish.

A sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio is good for white wine to cook with.

 

[BreezyCooking]

ScottM. - I have to disagree with CharlieD in this case, as will nearly all others here I'm sure. You can't substitute "sweet" wines for recipes calling for "dry" wines. Period. There's absolutely no reasonable arguement to this point. It would be like saying it's okay to substitute sugar for salt in a recipe. I don't know what CharlieD is/was thinking when he posted that.

As far as good inexpensive wines for cooking, buy California "jug" wines. I've been using them for years with excellent results, they store well in your pantry (i.e. don't necessarily need to be refrigerated), & are also "drinkable" - so long as you're not a wine snob - lol!!!

My two favorites that are ALWAYS in my cupboard: Gallo "Chablis Blanc" & Gallo "Burgundy". Both work well in any & all recipes calling for dry white or dry red wine. Decent flavor for recipes & decent price - both normally go for between $8 & $9 per gallon.

 

[ChefJune]

ScottM. - I have to disagree with CharlieD in this case, as will nearly all others here I'm sure. You can't substitute "sweet" wines for recipes calling for "dry" wines. Period. There's absolutely no reasonable arguement to this point. It would be like saying it's okay to substitute sugar for salt in a recipe. I don't know what CharlieD is/was thinking when he posted that.

As far as good inexpensive wines for cooking, buy California "jug" wines. I've been using them for years with excellent results, they store well in your pantry (i.e. don't necessarily need to be refrigerated), & are also "drinkable" - so long as you're not a wine snob - lol!!!

My two favorites that are ALWAYS in my cupboard: Gallo "Chablis Blanc" & Gallo "Burgundy". Both work well in any & all recipes calling for dry white or dry red wine. Decent flavor for recipes & decent price - both normally go for between $8 & $9 per gallon.

Listen to Breezy and Andy. You won't go wrong!

 

[Jeekinz]

Scott,

The first thing to do would be to find what wine suits your taste. Pick up a couple different bottles of whites and reds and try them out. You can find some real nice wines for under $10 a bottle. I have been consuming and collecting wines for a few years now. I am far from an expert, but I know alot of what's out there.

Start off with any white or red from California. A Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet would get you off to a good start. The Pinot and Cab's are dry, where the Chardonnay is a little fruitier and woody at the same time. The Merlot is a lighter, fruitier red than the Cab. If you prefer sweeter wines, a Reisling or Beaujolais would suit you. Drier wines would be Cabernet's (alot of Italian reds are very dry), Pouilly Fuisse is a tad drier than a Chardonnay.

My "go-to" wines are: Cavit Pinot Grigio and Mondavi Cabernet in the 1.5 litre form. These are my daily drinking/cooking wines that I keep at all times.

Some brands you may want to go by are: Mondavi/Woodbridge, Three Blind Moose, Peppergrove, Mirasou and Hogue Cellars. These are all $10 bottles. A very nice Cab is Chappallet ($30-35) which is comparable to a $125 bottle.

All of these wines can be used in cooking. (Except for maybe the Chapp )

Once you find your style, you'll know what flavor it will add to your dish.....heck, I could be sauteing some string beans and throw in a cup of whatever it is I'm drinking at the time.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

 

[CharlieD]

Breezy Cooking,
Where did you see that I suggested substituting sweet wine for dry wine? I said that I do it and that it isn't true to the recipe. Did you even read my post or do you just automatically disagree with me when you see I've posted someting?

 

[BreezyCooking]

I apologize CharlieD. I definitely misread your post & meaning. And no, I don't automatically disagree with you when I see you've posted something.

 

[fireweaver]

you know, this is certainly not the first time that a topic like this has come up. i think it's an outcropping from the whole wine-is-trendy thing we have going on now...even people who don't like wine want to try cooking with it!

anyway the point is, would an administrator consider starting a sticky in either "general cooking" or "booze" that would cover the basics of wine in recipies?

 

[Robo410]

wine adds an important flavor to many dishes, and unlocks many flavors in others. Julia Child always used a dry vermouth as a white cooking wine, but a chablis or chardonay works fine too. For reds, a burgundy, a cabernet or a merlot are fine. Dry sherry and brandy are also sometimes called for as is marsala. And these are specific ingedients for those recipes.

keep away from salted "cooking wines" and wines with flavors like citrus chillers.

As you don't drink wine, look for or ask for a wine with a screw cap, and small bottles.

For a pan deglaze or sauce as little as a 1/4 cup may be called ofr, but some recipes like a beef burgundy require a whole bottle 750ml.

 

[ironchef]

you know, this is certainly not the first time that a topic like this has come up. i think it's an outcropping from the whole wine-is-trendy thing we have going on now...even people who don't like wine want to try cooking with it!

anyway the point is, would an administrator consider starting a sticky in either "general cooking" or "booze" that would cover the basics of wine in recipies?

I wouldn't exactly say it's trendy. It's been a part of many cuisines (i.e. French, Italian, Spanish, etc.) for generations. Sadly to say, there are still many people only discovering the joys of foods other than casseroles and hamburger helper now.

Regarding the "sticky", the information is here on in the forum for everyone to read and learn from. The problem is that people are too lazy or not smart enough to do a search. They'd rather post their question and wait all day for replies rather then take 10 minutes out of their time to search past threads. The internet is great because there's a wealth of information, but it's also made people more stupid because it doesn't take any effort on their part to find out the answers. Learning is not just in the answers, it's in the process.

 

[fireweaver]

ironchef, i'm sadly going to have to agree with all of the above. i suppose better late than never on people learning new cooking techniques, tho...

 

[jennyema]

IC,

Your Marcel avatar is hilarious! He looks like Zippy the Pinhead, though ...

 

[ironchef]

ironchef, i'm sadly going to have to agree with all of the above. i suppose better late than never on people learning new cooking techniques, tho...

You're right though...better late than never.

 

[ironchef]

IC,

Your Marcel avatar is hilarious! He looks like Zippy the Pinhead, though ...

Yeah, I was laughing when I saw this pic of him. I figured it would make a perfect avatar.

 

[sidefx]

I would go out and buy a French cookbook... Almost every recipe they have involves wine and it's a great way to get started and figure out what you like.

I suggest some riesling recipes if you like fish...