Do you love serving up scrumptious meals with deep flavors and rich sauces? Are you keen to broaden your cooking and spice things up in the kitchen? Then you should absolutely be cooking with red wine.
Red wine adds delectable flavor to a number of dishes and its acidity comes in handy too. If you want to know the deal about cooking with red wine, read our simple guide here.
Cook With Red Wine, But Which One?
Not all red wines are not all made equal. While many people choose the cheapest bottle to splash in the pan, if you really want to enhance the flavor profile, choose the right red wine for different meals and ingredients.
Red wine helps to break down and tenderize the meat while helping to retain the moisture in fish.
If you’re cooking a hearty lamb or beef stew, opt for Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. For the rest of your common meats, such as chicken, pork, and duck, a smooth Merlot is the best choice.
Don’t grab your white wine just yet, a lovely Pinot Noir will work wonders with seafood dishes. For vegetable cookery or to enrich sauces, choose a lighter Chianti or Merlot.
Remember That Cooking Wine and Regular Are Not the Same
The best advice is to avoid cooking wine and stick to the simple wine guide above.
If you’re concerned about the alcohol content, don’t be. The heat will evaporate the alcohol, leaving only the tasty flavor profiles behind. Cooking wine doesn’t have complex flavors or dependable acidity and is more akin to vinegar than wine.
Don’t Use Fancy Wines
Cooking with wine doesn’t require your top-shelf, anniversary present bottle.
It’s actually a bit of a waste as the cooking process will burn off all the complexities that make it delicious to drink. Focus on style more than price.
Avoid Full-Bodied Reds
Full-bodied reds, such as Shiraz, are loaded with tannins which can turn your food bitter. If it’s the only thing you have, use it in rich dishes, such as a lamb stew.
Red Wine Cooking Is a Marathon, Not a Race
Flash frying red wine in a piping hot pan is going to give you a sour taste most of the time.
Whenever you decide to add wine to a dish, have the patience to simmer and slowly reduce it to leave you with a dish thick with flavor and richness. Why don’t you give it a go with this mouthwatering red wine braised chicken dish?
Experiment Cooking With Red Wine
The sky is the limit when cooking with red wine. When you get comfortable using it in your staple dishes, start to explore different types of wines and different cooking methods. Remember, if you like to drink it, it will probably taste great in your food!
Are you looking for more inspiration to spice up your life just like this post? Keep exploring our site for more!
Infographic provided by Iron Mountain, a provider of commercial fridges
