Cooking question

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I am trying..well sorta...to cook more. I watch the TV cooking shows a lot but most of them use wine in the process. I dont drink for two reasons. One is Im not a real party gal and also I take medications. I get drug tested monthly too. What I want to know is if I do use wine will it show up in a urine test, and if the answer to that is yes, what can I use instead of wine?
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
The alcohol is supposed to cook off leaving the flavor. Maybe you could use flavored vinegars or fruit juices. I usually just leave the wine out. I don't know if it would show up or not.
 

svengandhi

Well-Known Member
Janet -

My H cooks often and very well. He often uses wine in his cooking and has fed this food to our children from earliest ages. He's very conscious of alcohol issues because his dad died of alcoholism related medical issues so he would never give the kids food cooked with wine or alcohol or even eat it himself if the wine/alcohol didn't burn out. If you're still concerned, I suggest asking a nutritionist or even emailing one of the food network shows with your question. I'd be curious as to what they tell you.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I think I will email someone on FoodNetwork. I have a feeling that the alcohol does cook out but I dont wanna get caught off guard if it may possibly show up. Of course I could simply make sure not to cook with wine a week or so before my doctor appts too..lol.

I am also trying to figure out how to make some virgin drinks...I watch all these shows and darned if the mixed drinks dont look so good!
 
S

Signorina

Guest
You can always use broth to substitute for wine - chicken broth or apple juice works well in most poultry or pork dishes, chicken broth works in most pasta dishes in lieu of white wine. Beef broth can be a decent substitute for red wine - add a little bit of Worcestershire to deepen the flavor and color. Non alcoholic wine and non alcoholic beer are also available for purchase. Extracts plus liquid can work in baked goods instead of spirits - almond or vanilla extract mixed into coffee can work in place of rum or brandy, orange extract and water in place of Grand Mariner, etc.

While 100% of the alcohol content will not cook off - a cup or 2 of wine or a bottle of beer will have a minute effect on your blood alcohol level because you are combining it/metabolizing it with food and fat and because it's 1 serving of alcohol in relationship to a recipe that serves 4 people - so even if it didn't break down at all (and it will breakdown quite a bit when cooked) - it's still only 1/4 of an alcohol serving which would be out of your system in less than an hour. It wouldn't show up on a BA test. hth
 
C

Confused

Guest
As far as the food, Im far from a chef but I agree with the fruit juices, vinegars and broths. I heard some people using ciders and even soda! I miss eating beer battered chicken! ( I gave up drinking 14 years ago so erased the foods with alcohol even if it cooked out) As far as the mixed drinks, many taste great without the alcohol and can taste the same! In fact, my aunt has a recipe for one that I will write on here tomorrow if you want :)
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Just use chicken broth or veg. broth instead, or just leave it out. I made mushroom and radicchio risotto today and left out the wine it was so good and I never use the wine. The wine usually cooks off anyway, don't use it if it will stress you out. I never use it in recipes only because I always drink red wine and am not buying an entire bottle for a small amount. Whatever you make will be fine without it, trust me.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Some vinyards bottle everyday wines in little one serving bottles. They come four bottles to a package.

I buy cooking wine like this. Wine gives me vicious headaches. Never had a problem from alcohol in foods.

Buying the little bottles means that I'm not stuck with most of a bottle of something I can't drink.

My preferred beer (Hacker-Pschorr Brau wheat beer) is sold in individual bottles.

So, that way I get a fresh product and only what I want. Once in a while I get a taste for a good beer.

Now, If I'm making bratwurst, I find the absolute cheapest beer in the 24 oz cans.

At least then I don't feel bad about pouring what isn't used down the kitchen sink.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
You shouldn't have to worry about the alcohol showing up in a BAC. Cooking with it does remove most of the alcohol, and it takes no time at all for a few glasses of wine to leave your system. I know this from breastfeeding! You should be fine.

Now, that said, I love to cook with wine, but it's kind of expensive. They sell cooking wine at Kroger - some of it is quite nice! I used to get the Sherry because it goes well with mushrooms, chicken, beef... I quit buying it because of Belle, but now I guess I can again!
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
You could buy cooking wine, which is not something you want to drink. It gives the flavor to the food, but you wouldn't pour yourself a glass. You find it with vinegars. Ask where the Madeira is.

One of the cheapo wineries used to put out little 4 oz box wines. I could buy one in red and one in white and keep it on hand for a recipe.

Alcohol will dissipate when you cook it, but if you are concerned you should probably look for alternatives like light vinegars.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone! I will try all these things. I know I am over worrying about things. I absolutely dont have an issue with drinking, ask those who were at Cleveland. I was supposed to have my bi-decade drink there and completely forgot! Since I forgot to have that drink I think its been at least 10 years since I have drank anything.

I did find some yummy sounding mocktails online. Once I get a blender I am going to try one that is a almond joy type thing with ice cream! Sounds heavenly.

Also on one of those sites it mentioned non-alcoholic wines but I looked in my store yesterday and didnt see any. I probably have to go to a larger store or maybe even the liquor store. They even said something about "children's wines" but I didnt see them either. Well unless they call Boone's Farm a children's wine...lol.
 

helpangel

Active Member
No Janet just because some of us drank Boone's farm or mad dog 20/20 as children doesn't make either of them a children's wine...
ROFL thank you I needed a laugh.

Nancy

PS I would just leave it out or use broth or fruit juice
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Be very careful if you buy the wine sold as cooking wine from the grocery store. It is rendered "safe" to sell outside of liquor departments, stores, by the addition of one helluva lot of SALT!

I found this out the hardway after making a beef stew using red cooking wine.

Luckily, husband was able to salvage the stew by adding a quartered potato to it. Remove the tater once it's done soaking up the excess salt. From that time on, I've used regular wines/sherries/madeira for cooking. Note that you don't need the good stuff to cook with. Just watch the sherry and for cooking purposes, make sure you get a dry sherry.

I went to using the little single serve bottles after husband crossed over. Before he got sick,he would help out with the used bottles of cooking liquor, either by making another dish or two with them, or, in the case of the sherry, drinking it as a dessert wine.

I like good sherry as well, and madeira is wonderful IN desserts, but I cannot drink it without the migraine. Cooked into something, it doesn't bother me. "Raw" in fruit salad is tasty but not worth it.
 

ThreeShadows

Quid me anxia?
Well, I come from a long line of french cooks. There is a saying that your dish is only as good as the quality of the wine used to prepare it. Most of the alcohol is boiled off.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
True that about the salt. I'd forgotten, it's been so long!

I do mostly use whatever I have on hand... If it is open.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Im probably gonna get a bottle of red and white wine but I will go to the liquor store since I have never drank wine...well except for that lovely Boone's Farm LOL
 
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