Any cooks in here, what to use instead of red wine?

[Echo2002]

I'm making a mushroom sauce that calls for a 1/3 cup red wine. What can I use to substitute it? I've heard grape juice can be used?

[applepansy]

This might help you:

Substitutes for Alcohol in Cooking - GourmetSleuth

[jerome1232]

Not answering the question but, what's wrong with using red wine in cooking? The alcohol cooks out.

[applepansy]

Not answering the question but, what's wrong with using red wine in cooking? The alcohol cooks out.

In the following thread Pam posted some links to other threads that discussed this.

http://www.lds.net/forums/advice-board/39855-cooking-wine-alcohol.html

[Guest gopecon]

Most or even all of the alcohol may cook out, but I'd still rather not support the alcohol industry or be seen purchasing it in the store. Appearance of evil and all...I can't go to our local Walmart supercenter without running into someone that I am acquanted with. Rather than feel like I have to explain the contents of my cart to everyone, it makes sense to me to just not put the junk in the cart to begin with.

[RescueMom]

Ok I got a question...Beef bourguignon? Calls for 3 cups of wine. Anyone know the substitution for it? I see for small amounts but what about large amounts.

[MarginOfError]

I'd substitute with wine.

[applepansy]

Snow posted this link in the other thread.

Does alcohol burn off in cooking?

[Echo2002]

It's not that I mind cooking with wine, it's that I have no clue what kind of wine to buy. I also don't want to buy a bottle and then waste most of it, because there aren't a lot of recipes I have that call for wine.

I agree with gopecon, I'd rather not be seen buying it.

[Echo2002]

I think I might try the grape juice and a little vinegar.

[RMGuy]

I'm with MoE.

-RM

[sister_in_faith]

"Not everyone likes to or can eat foods that contain alcohol. It is a myth that alcohol completely burns off during any sort of cooking. While alcohol will evaporate during cooking, the amount that evaporates depends on the cooking time and technique. Hit the wrong combination, and you could leave over 75 percent of the alcohol content lingering in your food---an unpleasant surprise for those needing to avoid it. Uncooked foods will, of course, retain all alcoholic content. Use a nonalcoholic substitute if you want to be completely sure your food is alcohol-free. (resource 1)

Fruit juices, particularly red grape juice and cranberry juice, are suitable substitutes. Watch the sugar content; if you are substituting dry, or nonsweet, wine, use a less-sweet fruit juice. Broths and flavored vinegars are good, nonsweet substitutes as well. Use the same amount of the substitute liquid as you would dry wine."

Read more: Substitutes for Dry Red Wine in Cooking | eHow.com Substitutes for Dry Red Wine in Cooking | eHow.com

[MarginOfError]

I'm with MoE.

-RM

The world would be a much better place if more people could reach your conclusion

[pam]

Not answering the question but, what's wrong with using red wine in cooking? The alcohol cooks out.

Not entirely true. Not all of the alcohol cooks out.

[theoriginalavatar]

I'm making a mushroom sauce that calls for a 1/3 cup red wine. What can I use to substitute it? I've heard grape juice can be used?

Hello SG,

I have never been fond of the taste of red wine myself (even before I became LDS), and I have always used a type of carbonated beverage instead. The carbonation in the soda breaks down the collagen in the meat and works to tenderize the meat. Plus, you cannot taste the soda when you are eating the meal.

I am not sure if that will help, but I thought I'd throw it out there!

[jerome1232]

I guess I can understand that, the only dish I've made that calls for the stuff has a cheesy Marsala Wine sauce, it's sold as a cooking wine, doesn't look like a wine bottle. It doesn't call for much and the wine adds a characteristic taste. I'd probably would steer clear of it if it's not sold specifically as a cooking wine.

[pam]

Hello SG,

I have never been fond of the taste of red wine myself (even before I became LDS), and I have always used a type of carbonated beverage instead. The carbonation in the soda breaks down the collagen in the meat and works to tenderize the meat. Plus, you cannot taste the soda when you are eating the meal.

I am not sure if that will help, but I thought I'd throw it out there!

Hey there TOA. :)

[annewandering]

I generally toss in whatever is handy. The idea of pop sounds like a good one. Not overly sweet if you pick the right one.

by the way just curious what the difference is between wine and cooking wine.

Edited October 24, 2011 by annewandering

[beefche]

If it calls for one cup or less of red wine, I use beef broth. If it calls for white wine, I use chicken broth. For something like Coq au vin, I make chicken salad instead. :)

[Echo2002]

I bought some sparkling grape juice, it's in a wine bottle, haha.

The mushroom sauce calls for 2 cups of beef broth, so I don't think substituting with broth is going to work.

I've had a few sips of wine before and it tastes awful to me, I don't see how people drink the stuff.

I have some white cooking wine, but it has a ton of sodium in it. I think it does still have a small amount of alcohol in it.

[theoriginalavatar]

I bought some sparkling grape juice, it's in a wine bottle, haha.

The mushroom sauce calls for 2 cups of beef broth, so I don't think substituting with broth is going to work.

I've had a few sips of wine before and it tastes awful to me, I don't see how people drink the stuff.

I have some white cooking wine, but it has a ton of sodium in it. I think it does still have a small amount of alcohol in it.

Adding alcohol to a dish does several things...

It adds flavor (the flavor of alcohol, to be exact),

It adds liquid volume,

It acts as a tenderizer for the meat.

Many people, myself included, do not enjoy the flavor of wine in food, so leaving it out is not a problem. You can add liquid volume in other ways, and there are other ingredients (previously mentioned) that can soften the meat.

Apple or grape juice are also nice substitutes for the sweetness of the wine if the recipe calls for a sweet and not a dry wine.

[beefche]

I bought some sparkling grape juice, it's in a wine bottle, haha.

The mushroom sauce calls for 2 cups of beef broth, so I don't think substituting with broth is going to work.

I've had a few sips of wine before and it tastes awful to me, I don't see how people drink the stuff.

I have some white cooking wine, but it has a ton of sodium in it. I think it does still have a small amount of alcohol in it.

Most of the time (not all), the wine is added for flavor. So, substituting the wine with beef broth loses flavor, but since I didn't have it before with the wine, I don't know what flavor is missing.

One of my favorite beef stews calls for 1 cup of wine. Plus something like 5 cups of beef broth. I've never made it with wine. And using 6 cups of beef broth doesn't make me like it any less or makes me think that something is missing from the recipe. It's still ding-dang good.

[ADoyle90815]

One issue with cooking wine is that it has a lot of sodium, so I would rather use grape juice or broth if I was going to substitute. Since I'm not LDS, I happen to like using wine if a particular recipe calls for it. It's not something I use every day in cooking, since most things I cook don't always call for wine or other alcoholic beverage.

[Dravin]

One issue with cooking wine is that it has a lot of sodium, so I would rather use grape juice or broth if I was going to substitute. Since I'm not LDS, I happen to like using wine if a particular recipe calls for it. It's not something I use every day in cooking, since most things I cook don't always call for wine or other alcoholic beverage.

Couldn't one just use drinking wine to avoid the sodium? Not that I'm arguing for greater wine use or something, but almost every cooking show I've watched recommends cooking with alcoholic beverages you'd be willing to drink. They are mostly talking about quality I suspect (don't cook with cheap boxed wine and the like), but following the advice would rule out cooking wine.

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

OK, so you're terrified of someone seeing a bottle of wine in your shopping cart but fearless about serving people something that is traditionally made with wine? Or you plan to bore them to death at the dinner table explaining how your sauce was NOT made with wine?

Make something else. There are literally thousands of mushroom sauces and many of them do not use wine.

Anyone who considers making Beef bourguignon without burgundy would be better advised to leave out the pearl onions and mushrooms as well. Substitute celery and potatoes and call it "Beef Stew". Stop being pretentious.

Edited October 27, 2011 by Captain_Curmudgeon
the -> them