What if I don't drink white wine?

Question

I've read that to cook with white wine, just use one that you drink... but I don't drink white wine. Is there a substitute? I don't want to buy a whole bottle, then only use 1/2 cup. It's for a chicken dish, if that matters. Thanks~

Hey- I have no problem trying a new wine, especially for cooking. For now though, I am trying to find recipes to freeze for when I have a baby in August, and will be nursing, so I don't plan on drinking the wine, just using it for cooking... the small bottles will work perfect, I didn't know they made them with wine, thanks~

Answer 1

Sarah,

Wine reduces to a flavorful sugar when used for cooking. You won't miss it if you leave it out.

However, you can buy a good, inexpensive bottle and use it for your chicken dish, deglaze your baked meats, add it to grains when cooking, pasta sauce. If you have any leftover, you can always freeze it in an ice tray for later use.

The small bottles of wine usually are not very good quality (to wine drinkers, anyway).

Also, stay away from cooking wines. They are loaded with salt and don't reduce as nicely.

A great, inexpensive bottle is Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay. It's available for $6.99 and is wonderful to cook with.

Answer 2

Unless you plan on spending a lot of money and trying a lot of very good and very bad wines that have huge distinction, then just use a cheap Chardonnay for cooking. They actually make "cooking wines." Your local wine shop can point you in the right direction.

Since you are pregnant, be very careful about making sure the wine is in the HOT dish long enough to evaporate all the alcohol out. It does not take long (only a minute or so under most circumstances) to get the alcohol out. Remember, it is the wine's flavor, not the alcohol, that is important. You don't want to nurse your child if you have alcohol in your system (and just because our parents did it and we turned out fine is no excuse).

One final thing. Alcohol added to a hot, shallow dish can become explosive. It is far more of a danger with liquor added than wine, but any heated alcohol becomes vaporized very quickly, and thus potentially explosive. Make sure you have good ventilation when you add the wine.

Answer 3

couple things for you. you can subsitute one to one with either apple juice or chicken stock for the wine. Won't have the same flavor, but will work.

Usually when you cook with wine you want something more on the dry side. So that would be a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc. Not a riesling or gewurz or anything sweet like that.

Any decent wine under $10 is fine. go to trader joe's or cost plus world market, and grab a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc and you should be good to go. I usually cook with stuff from Fetzer, Kendall-Jackson, Clos Du Bois. Whatever I find on sale. I am more of a red wine drinker, but usually keep on hand some whites for cooking.

Most grocery stores carry those small four-packs with the single serving size. You should be able to find things by sutter home, robert mondavi, fetzer, etc. One small bottle should be just enough for your half cup. STick the rest in the fridge for another recipe later.

Answer 4

They mean to use good wine that people drink, not that vile cooking wine sold by the vinegar in the store. Recipes usually call for dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio. Sutter Home sells mini bottles of red and white wines. I find it in a regular grocery store.

Just so you know: even if you don't drink wine, cooking with it is delish. Your food will taste restaurant-quality. You may also try drinking some; start with sweeter dessert wines, and go from there. Wine is an acquired taste, so keep an open mind. Good luck!

Answer 5

My wife and I aren't big drinkers either, but we do like wine from time to time. We just don't care for that real expensive stuff. Personally, I like Arbor Mist, which comes in a variety for fruit flavors.

Anyway, you might be able to find either an in-expensive bottle of white wine or maybe they might have small bottles available like they do for the wine coolers.

Even if you have to buy a 4 pack of small bottles the left over bottles would keep very well in the refrigerator for the next time you want to make another dish or even the same one that requires white wine.

I hope this helps.

Answer 6

You can substitute apple juice for the white wine if you like, or buy small, individual servings of white wine (small bottles). Basically, they're just telling you to not use cooking wine (found in the cooking aisle). Anything you find in the liquor department would be fine.

Answer 7

You can buy four packs of six oz wine and use that Albertsons sells them Vons too. Like another post said just not cooking wine YUCK!

Answer 8

Usually you should cook with a dry white wine. Some good choices are Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc. I use Chablis for my shrimp scampi sauce and it is amazing (at least I think it is)

Answer 9

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Answer 10

I agree, buy the small bottles, they come 4 to a pack I think!