Hi,

I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .

Thanks!

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!
>


Vermouth, port, or sherry will keep for many months after you open it.
I usually cook with vermouth if a recipe calls for a little wine and I
don't want to open a bottle.

Bob

wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .


If necessary I store it in a ziplock with all the air squeezed
out. Keeping air off it extends the shelf life considerably.

Higher proof stuff, like port, keeps much longer and doesn't
need any special treatment. Store in a cool, dark place.

> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .

Avoid "cooking wine" like the plague.

--
Reg

> wrote

> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .

Doesn't matter if it keeps a day, yuck. Not being a snob, it
really is as bad as advertised. You can freeze leftover wine,
find a way to freeze it in one cup/whatever servings so you can
just pull out what you need.

nancy

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!
>

Sorry, can't help ya. I never have the problem of leftover wine.

;-)

Elisa

Nancy Young wrote:

> Doesn't matter if it keeps a day, yuck. Not being a snob, it
> really is as bad as advertised. You can freeze leftover wine,
> find a way to freeze it in one cup/whatever servings so you can
> just pull out what you need.


A little tip from Nigella Lawson that she let slip on
one of her shows:

After everyone goes home from her parties, she pours all
the leftover wine into an ice tray and freezes it for
later use in cooking. Not from the bottle, mind you, from
all the guest's glasses.

What cracked me up was she made it sound like she
was a bit embarrassed about it. Way to keep a secret,
put it into your show!

--
Reg

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!

Cooking wine has additives to extend its shelf life -- primarily salt.
If you *do* decide to use it, keep that in mind, and be sure to adjust
the amount of salt in the recipe accordingly.

Someone's all ready suggested storing the unused portion in a zip-lock
bag. As they explained, removing air is critical bit. Another way of
doing this are to transfer the remainder of the wine to a smaller, well
sealed bottle or jar (if you're lucky enough to have one that's just
the right size for the wine you have left -- you want to fill it
*completely, so that there is next to no air at the top).

If you like gadgets, there are a variety of vacuum pumps and corks
which you can buy, that will theoretically remove the air from your
bottle as you re-cork it. I have no idea how well they work.

If you think you might cook with wine enough times over the next few
months, I'd recommend just buying boxed wine. The box is filled with a
plastic bladder which keeps the air out and the wine fresh.

Some wineries are experimenting with tetra-paks for wine now. These do
*not* have a plastic bladder, but if you are careful, you can flatten
the partially used container, and get rid of a fair amount of the air.
Just squeeze the sides in until you see the wine come up to the top of
the box.

Also keep in mind that if you are *not* planning on drinking the wine,
it will keep longer than two to three days in your fridge. Old wine
doesn't go bad right away, it just becomes sharp and vinegar-y,
unpleasant for drinking. Its still perfectly fine for cooking with,
especially if you're just using a few tablespoons as acid in a dish


~gwendy

"gwendy" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> wrote:
> If you like gadgets, there are a variety of vacuum pumps and corks
> which you can buy, that will theoretically remove the air from your
> bottle as you re-cork it. I have no idea how well they work.

They work really well. I use one made by Metrokane that twists on tightly,
and I can hear the air equalizing when I open it again. I've re-opened a
bottle for drinking a week or more after it was originally opened, and it
still tastes as fresh as the first glass. Before using these the wine would
only last a couple days before developing an old, off-tasting flavor.

Sharon

"SBarbour" > wrote in message
...
> "gwendy" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> wrote:
>> If you like gadgets, there are a variety of vacuum pumps and corks
>> which you can buy, that will theoretically remove the air from your
>> bottle as you re-cork it. I have no idea how well they work.
>
> They work really well. I use one made by Metrokane that twists on
> tightly, and I can hear the air equalizing when I open it again. I've
> re-opened a bottle for drinking a week or more after it was originally
> opened, and it still tastes as fresh as the first glass. Before using
> these the wine would only last a couple days before developing an old,
> off-tasting flavor.
>
> Sharon

I agree. I have used a wine vac where you manually pumped the air out. It
works well. DH prefers it.
I now have a foodsaver vacuum seal which does the job.
They both work equally well IMO.
Since I can't physically open wine bottles myself, DH will open a bottle for
me if he's gone a few days, so I will have a glass with dinner if I wish.
Dee Dee
>

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!
>

The last time I needed to buy wine for a recipe I found "single serving"
size bottles. They come in four-packs. That way I still have three bottles
of sealed wine for the next three times I need wine for a recipe. The
liquor store had several brands and types of wine in that size bottles.

Ms P

ms_peacock wrote:


> The last time I needed to buy wine for a recipe I found "single
> serving" size bottles. They come in four-packs. That way I still
> have three bottles of sealed wine for the next three times I need
> wine for a recipe. The liquor store had several brands and types of
> wine in that size bottles.

That's what I use. I'm not much of a wine drinker, so I can't really
comment on the quality, but it seems ok to me. Very convenient.




Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Thanks so much for great suggestions! But can I ask one more question?
How long does the wine last (for cooking) under the various methods
suggested:

-- freezing as ice cube
-- sealed in ziplock
-- sealed with Foodsaver
-- resealed with vacuum pump

If ice cubes last forever, this seems like a good way to go . . .

Nancy Young wrote on 02 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> > wrote
>
> > 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> > lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened .
..
> > I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Doesn't matter if it keeps a day, yuck. Not being a snob, it
> really is as bad as advertised. You can freeze leftover wine,
> find a way to freeze it in one cup/whatever servings so you can
> just pull out what you need.
>
> nancy
>
>
>

There is 1 cup bottles of wine...for those who like to cook with but
drink wine infrequently. Or there's sherry. Sherry will keep for a year
or so...which is fairly cheap for a drinkable brand. But please never use
cooking wine.

--
-Alan

I make wine as a hobby, so I know a bit about it.

Never use cooking wine, as the primary flavor you get from it is salt. Use
for cooking a wine you would like to drink.

If you're not going to drink it, my first recomendation is to open a 375 ml
or one of the smaller bottles of wine you can find about the size of a wine
cooler. If you must open a 750 ml bottle, or if there is some left in the
375 ml bottle, I suggest a wine vacumn system. Essentially, that's a rubber
gasket that fits in place of the cork and a hand-pump to remove air from the
bottle. They're not very expensive, and they work well.

Air is the arch-enemy of wine, as the introduction of it causes the wine to
oxidize. Whites usually oxidize more quickly than do reds, and refigerating
seems to slow down the oxidation process a bit. not much, but a little.
Using a vacumn system has allowed me to keep an open bottle of white wine
for more than a week with good results.


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!
>

wrote:
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry.

You can use dry vermouth or dry sherry in many recipes that call for
white wine. Either of those keeps for months and month in your
cupboard. Let your taste be your guide.

Many recipes that call for red wine want a whole bottle or at least a
half a bottle so you're not wasting much even if it goes sour on you.
Perfectly drinkable red wines that you can cook with can be had for
just a few bucks.

I think you ought to make some wine-drinking friends and invite them
over to finish off the bottle. Do you live around here? -aem

aem wrote on 02 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> wrote:
> >
> > I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> > recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry.
>
> You can use dry vermouth or dry sherry in many recipes that call for
> white wine. Either of those keeps for months and month in your
> cupboard. Let your taste be your guide.
>
> Many recipes that call for red wine want a whole bottle or at least a
> half a bottle so you're not wasting much even if it goes sour on you.
> Perfectly drinkable red wines that you can cook with can be had for
> just a few bucks.
>
> I think you ought to make some wine-drinking friends and invite them
> over to finish off the bottle. Do you live around here? -aem
>
>

I didn't live thru the depression...but my mom did...Some of her waste
not mentality is ingrained in me...Like it is hard, still today, not to
clean my plate or let something go to waste. That's why I use the small 1
cup or so size little wine bottles. Dry sherry is a very good sub for
wine in soups and sauces and 1 large bottle can last a year on a shelf

Using the little bottles allows the memory of my mom, not to haunt me.

--
-Alan

Nancy Young wrote:
> > wrote
>
> > 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> > lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> > I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Doesn't matter if it keeps a day, yuck. Not being a snob, it
> really is as bad as advertised. You can freeze leftover wine,
> find a way to freeze it in one cup/whatever servings so you can
> just pull out what you need.
>
> nancy

you can freeze it in ice cube trays once its frozen just tip in to a
snaplock bag and top up or take out as you need , have one bag for
white , and one bag for red

tessa

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .
>
> Thanks!
>

You may wish to visit a local liquor/package store. You can usually buy
relatively cheap (drinkable) wine to cook with. Sometimes you can get
'sample' bottles in small sizes. For liquor's like sherry, a small bottle is
usually available.
And if you destroy a cork when opening a bottle, plug the top with either or
stopper or a spout (like used in bars).

In article >, "Kswck" >
wrote:
> wrote in message
roups.com...
>>
>> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it, but some
>> recipes call for the addition of white or red wine, or sherry. I
>> understand that grocery store "cooking wine" is to be avoided, but my
>> question is this: doesn't wine go bad once it's opened? Do people who
>> cook with wine sacrifice a whole bottle to get the recipe's 1/4 cup or
>> 2 tablespoons? Or do they plan to drink the rest the same day? Wine
>> lovers insist on a "three day rule" once the bottle has been opened . .
>> I understand that cooking wine can keep for a year or so . . .

You really do have a problem. :-) Most people insist on using
drinking wine for cooking so as to overcome the leftover problem.

>You may wish to visit a local liquor/package store. You can usually buy
>relatively cheap (drinkable) wine to cook with. Sometimes you can get
>'sample' bottles in small sizes. For liquor's like sherry, a small bottle is
>usually available.

Here in Oz, airlines and many restaurants offer "half bottle" plonk
(i.e. about 375 mL [1.5 cups] instead of 750 mL). I can't say I've
ever noticed such for sale retail, so they may only be available "to
the trade" -- and probably only in the higher quality (read expensive)
vintages. However, if you're chucking out most of a full bottle
anyway, the smaller bottles may still be a reasonable alternative.

The fortified wines (port, sherry, muscat) will keep quite well for a
long time in a decently sealed bottle.

>And if you destroy a cork when opening a bottle, plug the top with either
>or stopper or a spout (like used in bars).

A lot of reds are now available here in a screw cap bottle; can't say
I've noticed many whites sold that way as yet though.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I don't drink alchohol and know next to nothing about it,

Buy a bottle of white vermouth and keep it in the fridge. Keeps
forever. And its pretty much all you need in terms of white cooking
wine (it's not sour like a chardonnay, etc.), unless of course you're
making beef burgundy...which usually calls for at least one full
bottle. Then you buy the wine for the recipe. I keep a small bottle
of sherry in thr fridge, too. I use that for chinese food/marinating.