Although it’s really rather simple, cooking with wine has a reputation for being something that only fancy, experienced cooks can do. But the truth is that if you’re curious about experimenting with wine in the kitchen, it’s easier than you probably think. Here’s how to do it.
Have a Vision
First, know what you want to do with your wine. There are three basic options: to marinate in, to cook in, or to finish off with for added flavor. The point of the wine is to add to the dish’s flavor and aroma, enhancing your food and not overpowering it.
That’s why it’s best to start with small quantities of wine and add more if desired. You can easily mess up a dish by adding too much wine.
A Few Tips
The way that cooking with wine works is that the alcohol in the wine actually evaporates, leaving just the flavor and aroma. That’s why you always want to give the wine at least ten minutes to cook before tasting and serving.
As a rule, always use a wine that you’d drink to cook with. “Cooking wine” is a gimmick that doesn’t even taste good. It doesn’t have to be expensive; just drinkable and real.
So pick a recipe with wine in it and try it out. You’ll find it’s probably much more straightforward than you’d imagined.
