Using alcohol in cooking

[Morning Glory]

Do you use alcohol when you cook? To my mind it is one of those ingredients which adds a deeper dimension to a dish. Oddly enough (I always think) vegan and vegetarian dishes use alcohol far less than meaty cooking. Maybe this is a legacy of the puritanical health conscious vegetarian movement back in the early part of the 20th century? Yet there are so many meatless dishes which can 'sing' if they have a little alcohol added.

I reckon that all manner of dishes can be enhanced and improved by a splash of beer, wine or spirits. Tell us which alcohols you use in cooking. And if you don't use alcohol in cooking, why not?

 

[medtran49]

We use wines, liqueurs, hard spirits and beer, just depends on what we are making.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I like to use red or white wine when I cook, especially in spaghetti sauce or marinara!!

 

[rascal]

Lager in beer battered fish, Cointreau in my pate, it does enhance the flavour. Red wine in casseroles etc.
I use it often.

Russ

 

[Yorky]

Lager in beer battered fish, Cointreau in my pate, it does enhance the flavour. Red wine in casseroles etc.
I use it often.

I also use cheap lager in batter for fish or chicken (not for pakoras). I suppose that I could use carbonated water but we never have any. We always have lager.

 

[rascal]

I also use cheap lager in batter for fish or chicken (not for pakoras). I suppose that I could use carbonated water but we never have any. We always have lager.

We have lager here, lots of lager!!

Russ

 

[Yorky]

We have lager here, lots of lager!!

We keep a small stock in reserve. Only for me, of course, my wife doesn't drink.

 

[Morning Glory]

I like to use red or white wine when I cook, especially in spaghetti sauce or marinara!!

Good point - a splash of red in a tomato based sauce always improves flavour.

 

[rascal]

We keep a small stock in reserve. Only for me, of course, my wife doesn't drink.

View attachment 29231

Nice stash,lol.

Russ

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Maybe this is a legacy of the puritanical health conscious vegetarian movement back in the early part of the 20th century?

Or more likely tho do with the fact that wines in particular were not vegetarian (let alone vegan). It is much better now than 30 years ago but you still have to double check to see if the wine had been filtered through fish bladders or bone char. Sherry, port are likewise.
Spirits aren't too much of a problem.

There's an website now that allows you to check to see if it is vegetarian/vegan. http://www.barnivore.com

Sadly most wines are still not vegetarian/vegan despite most fining agents being so.

 

[Morning Glory]

Sadly most wines are still not vegetarian/vegan despite most fining agents being so.

According to wine app Vivino, all you have to do is look out for the words ‘unfined’ or ‘unfiltered’ on the wine label and you’ll know that it doesn’t contain any animal products. ‘The hack comes as more and more Brits are adopting a vegan-friendly diet,’ says Aaron Maughan from Vivino.

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2017/04/28/buyi...checking-for-unfiltered-on-the-label-6603200/

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2017/04/28/buyi...checking-for-unfiltered-on-the-label-6603200/

Yep. Bits in the bottom are a good clue.
Unfiltered beers are my main stay. Pretty much all I drink.

 

[rascal]

I can drink and eat pretty much anything. Might be my poor upbringing.?

Russ

 

[Mewmew]

I haven't, no.

 

[Morning Glory]

I haven't, no.

No? You should! It adds such a great dimension to lots of dishes.