Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Another member posted that chart some time ago and I saved it. I don't know the source but trust it's reliable because I trust the member who posted it.
Alcohol "Cooking Off"
- Thread starter tmh425
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Another member posted that chart some time ago and I saved it. I don't know the source but trust it's reliable because I trust the member who posted it.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
The USDA, supposedly.
ChefJune
Master Chef
My BIL is a recovering alcoholic, and neither I nor my sister ever use alcohol in anything that he's going to eat. There are too many other recipes, and too many subs for the booze.
You don't want to feel in any way responsible, should your friend fall off the wagon.
My BIL, even after 15+ years sober, says sometimes just the aroma is enough to give him a real struggle.
You don't want to feel in any way responsible, should your friend fall off the wagon.
My BIL, even after 15+ years sober, says sometimes just the aroma is enough to give him a real struggle.
OP
OP
tmh425
Assistant Cook
I do very much agree, I would never choose to sneak any ingredient in against someone's wishes or jeopardize my friend's recovery. The chart is very helpful, so I have saved that for cooking in the future. Once again, I thank everyone for their thoughts & wealth of info. I knew this was the right place to pose this question!
I have to say I would not have thought to ask something like this. It just wouldn't have occurred to me that the small amount of wine I might use in a dish would have any real effect on a recovering alcoholic. Who knew?
That has me wondering if it affects the foods they order when in a restaurant that might use alcohol. How would they have any control? No French onion soup?
Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
BINGO Andy. You beat me to it, and I couldn't agree more. I love to cook with wine but wouldn't even consider doing it in this case. I further wouldn't bring up the subject to them. First hand knowledge here .
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
I question the chart due to it's simplicity given the complexity and variables of the cooking processes it lists. What you're cooking, surface area of the fluid, stirring, rate of heat transfer and resultant evaporation, etc.
Of course I would never feed something to someone that they explicitly told me they do not consume (food or drink).
It does interest me how far some people would go though. How about things like Vanilla Extract, or foods that are prepared with or create trace amounts of alcohol such as Dijon Mustard, yeast-risen baked goods, most balsamic vinegars, beer battered items, etc.
For some things (such as peanut allergies) this trace issue can be deadly. I'm really curious what the limits are for alcohol.
Of course I would never feed something to someone that they explicitly told me they do not consume (food or drink).
It does interest me how far some people would go though. How about things like Vanilla Extract, or foods that are prepared with or create trace amounts of alcohol such as Dijon Mustard, yeast-risen baked goods, most balsamic vinegars, beer battered items, etc.
For some things (such as peanut allergies) this trace issue can be deadly. I'm really curious what the limits are for alcohol.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
You make a good point about the chart. I take it as a guideline that helps one understand that the old saw about alcohol's cooking off is not true. For people who don't have a problem with alcohol, the small amounts remaining are not an issue. It's the others we have to be careful about.
I don't think you can identify the limits for alcohol for an alcoholic. Each individual is different and their sensitivities will vary. That's why your approach of never feeding someone a food they are sensitive/allergic is the way to go.
How would "alcohol sugars" fit into this? I have noticed that a lot of treat things that are "no sugar added" seem to have those listed in the nutritional panel.
ChefJune
Master Chef
Beer battered items are a no-brainer, but I think things like vanilla extract are used in such small quantities compared to the other ingredients that there is virtually no effect from alcohol.
Interestingly enough, only Grey Poupon has wine in it, of the brands available in US. Most French mustards do not contain wine! and balsamic vinegar is not in any way alcoholic. It is made from the must of the Trebbiano grapes, and is not aged as wine is. (I'm talking about the expensive stuff here. The $9.95 bottles most of us buy in US bear little to no resemblance to the real stuff.) Yeast-risen baked goods? In what way are they alcoholic? You are talking about virtually ALL breadstuffs here. Fermentation doesn't mean alcoholic. Cheese is a fermented product, as well as olives. Not alcoholic.
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
Yeast-risen breads absolutely have ethanol in them, but almost all of it is removed through baking. There are many sources on the web.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fermentation
Some balsamic vinegars are actually allowed to ferment during the initial process, but not all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fermentation
Some balsamic vinegars are actually allowed to ferment during the initial process, but not all.
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Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
I'm also pretty sure (but not positive) that cheese doesn't ferment - different culture/bacteriological processes occur that produce lactic acid rather than ethanol and carbon dioxide.
Fermentation is the process of turning carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and alcohol (ethanol).
Now, how much is, of course, the question.
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