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Boost Flavor Potential by Using Dry White Wine

Food & Recipes, Blog

Are you looking for a dry white wine to cook with? 

One of the most important things to know is…

…that the wine should taste good on its own.

Even an excellent dish can be ruined by a substandard wine….

Fortunately…

There are great tasting white wines for a very reasonable price….

You should avoid anything labeled as “cooking wine”…

…since it probably earned its title by being unfit for drinking. 

Most recipes call for much less than a bottle (usually around a cup)…

…so you can have a couple of glasses with your meal. 

Dry white wine

This is Emma’s story…

When I was a child, I was afraid of cooking with wine. I loved drinking it…

but I was always apprehensive about cooking with it…

….it seemed like such a difficult thing to handle…

something that only professionals would dare try.

I couldn’t comprehend how my entire world could change…

until I ordered beef short ribs at a restaurant. I had never eaten anything…

….so delicious in my life. The short rib was so succulent and full of flavor.

In that moment, my love of cooking with wine was born.

Adding wine is a fun way to build new flavors and nuances into your recipe; many cooks especially enjoy using dry white wine, which is ideal for cooking with seafood.

Southernliving.com

What is a Dry White Wine?

(what we recommend you👇)

Simply put, a dry white wine is one that is not sweet….

Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc…

…and dry sparkling wines are ideal for cooking. Whites with oaky flavors…

…like some Chardonnays, don’t work well for cooking because…

…they have lower acidity and don’t pack as much punch as crisper beverages.

During food preparation, oaky, buttery flavors turn bitter…

…and make a dish less pleasant.


Why Dry White Wine for Cooking?

Dry white wine
Credit: oola.com

In general, dry white wines (wines without sweetness) are preferred…

…for cooking lighter dishes, such as chicken, pork, veal, soup…

…seafood, shellfish, and vegetables.

Below are some examples of these dishes paired…

…with widely available styles of wine.


How to Pick

Using bad wine while cooking will only accentuate its undesirable qualities…

…so don’t bother using it if you would never serve it to your guests.

Likewise, heat destroys the subtle nuances of a complex wine…

…so save the really good wine for sipping.


How to Cook

Normally you add wine to the cooking process at the beginning…

…so the alcohol has a chance to burn off.

The taste of raw wine is usually unpleasant when wine…

,,,is splashed into the tail end of a dish.


White Meat, Cream Sauces, and Gravies

A rich, dry white wine is a great choice

Chardonnay

Viognier

Chenin Blanc

Viura

When making cream sauces, gravy, or serving chicken…

…use a thick and intensely flavored dry white wine, like Chardonnay.

Many white wines are rich and creamy…

…but Chardonnay is probably the most widely available.

It is more difficult to balance acidity or monitor how much wine…

…has reduced when cooking with wine in a cream sauce or gravy.

You should reduce your wine before blending it with the cream….

Dry white wine
Credit: myfoodandfamily.com

Seafood and Shellfish

Crisp, dry white wines are the best

Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio)

Vinho Verde

Colombard

Verdicchio

Picpoul de Pinet

Dry white wines, such as Pinot Grigio, have a fruity…

…mineral flavor that pairs well with seafood.

It can help to cut through fattier fish with a little acidity…

…but be careful not to make it too acidic as it is easy to over-extract when cooking.

There are a number of wine varieties that fit this taste profile…

…if you’re feeling adventurous.

Check out the best white wines for cooking list for more ideas…

Dry white wine
Credit: bettycrocker.com

Vegetables

You can try herbal dry white wines

Sauvignon Blanc

Grüner Veltliner

Verdejo

A sauvignon blanc is a classic light wine with fruity, herbal…

…and floral flavors that enhance vegetable dishes.

It’s one of the easiest wines to cook with…

…just splash it in the sauté pan to deglaze.

You can pair these wines with artichokes, Mediterranean-style tomato dishes…

…Swiss chard, eggplant, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms.

Adding butter and lemon adds extra deliciousness…

…and the perfect balance of acid.


Tips for Cooking with White Wine

  • When making cream sauces, cook the wine separately and reduce it to half. Once it has been cooked down, add the cream. In most recipes, 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of wine is required.
  • Deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of wine after sautéing vegetables.
  • To steam or poach shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters), add wine to the broth.
  • Marinating meat in wine will help tenderize it and enhance the caramelization of the meat.
  • The longer you cook the wine, the less alcohol you will find in the dish. The alcohol can be completely removed after 2.5 hours of simmering.
  • The white wine left open in the refrigerator can be enjoyed for up to two weeks, while it can be used in cooking as well.

How to Substitute

Vermouth can usually be substituted for white wine in most cases….

In a pinch, you can substitute lemon juice or even white wine vinegar…

…but make sure you use just a few drops.

Adding white grape juice to your recipe as a sweetener…

…or as a deglazing agent will work nicely.

If you want to add depth of flavor to a dish….

…you can also use chicken or vegetable stock instead of wine.


How to Store

Unopened bottles of wine should be stored in a dark, cool place….

After opening, wine begins to oxidize, which negatively affects its flavor…

Recork and refrigerate opened white wine bottles…

…and drink them within a few days.


The Uses of Wine in Cooking

The culinary arts are so versatile when it comes to wine….

The acidity in the wine makes it useful in marinades to tenderize meat….

Adding wine to your dish can also enhance its flavor….

Use it to deglaze a pan, reduce a sauce, or even create a steaming liquid….

Cooking with wine will remove that harsh alcohol flavor…

which leaves us with a sweet, aromatic, slightly acidic taste…

…that pairs so well with certain foods.

Now let’s move on…


Important Things to Note

However, when cooking with wine, there are a few things to keep in mind…

When cooking with wine, make sure you don’t use wine that you would not drink…

This does not mean don’t use the inexpensive $8 bottle of wine…

…just don’t use wine meant for cooking.

The process of cooking wine is, to put it simply, disgusting….

They are packed with salt, which is added to increase their shelf life…

However, when they are cooked down, the salt concentration…

…becomes even greater, which leads to a disgusting and unappetizing taste.

In general, sweet wines should not be used….

It’s true that sweet wines have their place, such as in desserts or baking…

…but dry wines are better for cooking. We increase the sweetness…

…of the food when we cook off the alcohol…

…since the sugar concentration is increased.

Acidity is another factor to consider…

Cooking increases acidity as well as sugar concentration.

Consequently, when cooking with wine, it is best to reduce other acids…

…in your dish to make room for the wine, and to only use wine…

..when extra tartness is desired.


Sum Up

There are so many dry white wine you can choose for cooking…

One important thing to note is, don’t use…

..dry white wine that you wouldn’t drink.


Conclusion

That’s it for dry white wine options you can choose…

Hope this article will help you to cook with dry white wine.

Or, do you have any strory about dry white wine you want to share?

Or you have more questions about dry white wine?

Feel free to leave a comment or contact us!


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https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/best-white-wine-substitutes-you-should-try/
https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/best-white-wine-for-cooking-2021/
https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/why-cook-with-white-wine-2021/

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