Some recipes call for wine, either red or white to be added. I have never added wine, i just replace with water but I'm sure the wine would add a different/nicer (or something) taste. My problem is I have never bought wine, so what do I buy? Are there special wines you buy for cooking ro do you just buy any old wine from the supermarket? And if I do buy wine for use in recipes, will it keep cos I don't drink it either. I just want to extend (or refine! ) my tastes so any help is appreciated! :)
davidt4,
Jan 30, 6:43pm
You need to use a reasonable quality wine for cooking, but there is no need to go overboard. Have a look at your local supermarket's specials, and you should find something for around $12 - 14. If you don't know much about wine it's safest to stick to the big labels like Church Road, Villa Maria, Montana etc.
If you don't use the whole bottle keep it in the fridge and it will be fine for cooking for several weeks.
If you haveparticular recipe in mind let us know on this site and someone will be able to recommend something suitable.
cautis,
Jan 30, 6:53pm
Thanks David. I have no particular recipe in mind, just typing some out at the moment which call for wine so I'll have to do a menu plan for a couple of weeks so it all gets used. Thanks for the names, I'll write them on my next shopping list!
beaker59,
Jan 30, 8:00pm
David is quite correct though I have to admit to using cheaper wines than that as long as they are drinkable they are fine. Also try a range, whites I use are generally chardonnay or Sauvignon blanc which are nice in chicken pork dishes, reds are the richer ones like Shiraz Merlot or cab sav which are great in richer stews of red meats or gravies like the venison I cooked the other night which I deglazed the pan I had cooked the steaks in to make a gravy with sage rosemary and mushrooms. But don't ignore the fortified wines like sherry and port, a favourite of my wife and I is sheeps kidneys fast fried with onons and garlic then flambe'd with port to make a rich sweet gravy. But to start get a simple cheap white and make a chicken dish you will apreciate the benifits and take it from there.
ruby19,
Jan 30, 8:04pm
I use probably something like Hardy`s chardonnay for the white and agin either the cab sav or shiraz for reds. These can retail if on special around the $7 mark. I agree with the sherry and port, they give that little bit more depth. Again I personally only buy the super market products.
tania58,
Jan 30, 8:05pm
not really related as to what brand of wine to buy, but I often feed my neighbours cats and they always give me a bottle of red wine which I don't drink. So I use it in cooking so it doesn't go off or to waste. If something says stock I do half stock half red wine. Does make a nice flavour difference
yduj,
Jan 30, 8:08pm
This is how to cook with wine . . . . . LOL
"HOW TO MIX A CHRISTMAS CAKE"
Ingredients:
* 2 cups flour * 1 oz butter * 1 cup of water * 1 tsp baking soda * 1 cup of sugar * 1 tsp salt * 1 cup of brown sugar * Lemon juice * 4 large eggs
* Mixed Nuts * 2 bottle wine * 2 cups of dried fruit
Sample the wine to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner. . If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity.
Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat. Go to the supermarket and buy a cake.
Bingle Jells!
beaker59,
Jan 30, 8:21pm
Do not drive to the supermarket after trying this.
rainrain1,
Jan 30, 10:45pm
The rule is... . . If you can drink it, you can cook with it
cautis,
Jan 31, 2:08am
Hey thanks guys. I was going to ask about sherry cos after I went offline I found a recipe with that in it too.
Rain, what's the rule if you can't drink it! ! I can't stand the taste of wine, blerk! But Baileys or pina coladas, oh boy! Just don't think they'd go down too well replacing wine lol.
beaker59,
Jan 31, 5:47am
Sherry is quite useful but it can have quite allot of sugar in it so appears in mainly dessert recipes like cakes and trifles. Can be used in other dishes like chicken and pork or in the kidney dish I described above. Higher alcohol so good for flambe which can be a great dinner party trick, flambe'd fruit in butter served across some nice icecream.
rainrain1,
Jan 31, 1:39pm
I don't know... If you don't like it don't use it maybe?
vinee,
Jan 31, 2:17pm
Prenzels do 'vincon' it's concentrated wine for cooking. I haven't used it but know people who do and they love it. Wine does add a lot of flavour to a dish, but it is 'wine' flavour so if you don't like wine - would you like a dish with wine in it? ?
cautis,
Jan 31, 2:36pm
Vinee I think that cos the wine is mixed in with other flavours it would be fine, cos I did like those wine cooler drinks that came out years ago.
janeny1,
Feb 1, 8:24pm
For the sherry to save doing a trip to the liquor shop the supermarkets sell 'rich wine " or "rich cream"... not legally classed as sherry but almost ... . I put a slosh in casseroles and sometimes my gravies.
cautis,
Feb 2, 12:43am
I got two bottles of hardys wine today, one red and one white. I'll make something tomorrow and let you all know how it turns out!
darlingmole,
Feb 2, 12:51am
I absolutely adore the fortified wine when I make home-made pate ... it's so decadent! I prefer the golden to the darker version and my husband who doesn't touch a drop of alcohol ever (I've never gotten my head around this? ) also says that it improves my pate
lythande1,
Feb 2, 4:00pm
It doesn't matter, any wine will do, no it does NOT have to be quality or expensive. Wine makes it a bit acidic, so take note of that.
barloo,
Jul 27, 7:10am
let over wine can be frozen down ( I use ice cube trays) for when needed. That or I buy little bottles from the booze shop:)
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