Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Cooking Wine

Cooking with wine can be a fraught business for the uninitiated. Choosing the correct varietal, using the right amount, and cooking it properly as to not leave an alcoholic plume over your dinner are all challenges the home cook must face. One seemingly simple way to avoid at least a little of this complication (on which wine to use) is to pick up a handy bottle of cooking wine from your grocery store. After all, these bottles are particularly curated for use in food. So, why not just use the bottle of cooking sherry or broadly labeled "cooking white wine" to deglaze your pan or toss your shrimp scampi pasta? As with many cooking shortcuts, this is one that you might want to avoid, as it contains many added ingredients that can ruin the flavor profile of whatever you are cooking. 

You might have noticed, while perusing the aisles of your local market, that the cooking wine is not shelved with the other wine varietals. This is because cooking wine is not sold as a drinkable beverage. It contains large amounts of salt which make it unsuitable for drinking, but perfect for keeping handy on your shelf for months on end. And while these high levels of salt (plus extra sugar and other preservatives) keep your cooking wine good for long periods of time even after opening, they can also imbue your dish with an overly salty, too sweet, or just plain off-putting taste. 

When it comes to cooking with wine, many cooks follow the general guidance that you should probably only cook with a wine that you would want to drink on its own. After all, one of the main uses for wine in cooking is to add flavor to your dish, so why add a taste that you don't like? You can still use cooking wine if you prefer it, but you might want to make some recipe adjustments to account for the saltiness. This can be helpful for those who prefer to avoid keeping alcohol, or who simply don't drink wine, but would still like to use recipes that include it. 

Wine is also used to deglaze pans during the cooking process. Taste is less important here, as you aren't using large amounts. It simply gives a hint of flavor and is mostly used to clear up the fond (little chunks of browned food) on your pan. This is perhaps the best use case for cooking wine, as it calls for smaller amounts. But, as in the world of theater, there are no small parts in cooking, so you might want to reach for a better bottle.

If you've been reaching for cooking wine out of simple habit, it might be time to explore some other options. The alternative depends on specific needs. If you are making a pot roast, you should probably go for a tannin-rich red wine that can cut through the fattiness of your meat. Cream based pastas and seafoods (think scampi), on the other hand, would benefit from the acidic brightness of white wine. In terms of specific varietal, it might be best to avoid cooking with oaked wines, as their strong flavor can eclipse whatever dish you are making. It might be helpful to consider what wine might be paired with your dish and use that as a guide. But don't force yourself to use a wine that you wouldn't enjoy on its own. Choose what fits your tastes and the dish.