I Love Cooking With Wine, Sometimes I Even Add It to the Food

Many enjoy drinking wine to complement a good meal. Wine can also elevate food as an ingredient used during cooking. The addition of wine enhances both flavors and textures. Several components of wine have important effects on food. In addition to alcohol, wine contains natural acids, tannins, anthocyanins (red pigments) and many different flavor and aroma compounds.

Wine tenderizes meat when it is added to a marinade. Both the alcohol and the wine’s natural acids contribute to this effect by accelerating the unwinding of fibers that make meat chewy. Those fibers are made of a protein called collagen. High acidity and alcohol destabilize the collagen fibers leading to their breakdown resulting in a softer, more tender meat.

Wine as well as spirits are added to deglaze caramelized food during cooking. Many flavor compounds are more soluble in alcohol than in water. The alcohol present in wine and spirits facilitates more efficient extraction of those flavor compounds into the sauce. It is noteworthy that most of the alcohol added will evaporate during cooking because of its low boiling temperature. Alcohol will be barely noticeable in dishes that are cooked for significant amount of time.

Unlike alcohol, natural acids and many other flavor compounds present in wine are not lost during cooking. Acids, found in wine naturally, balance and brighten savory and fatty food. A great example is French onion soup which traditionally includes white wine to balance the savory flavors provided by the caramelized onions and cheese, as well as to contribute to a more complex aroma. At our bistro we use Dream, our estate wine made from Chardonel grapes for our French onion soup. This crisp, fruity, white wine, brightens and adds fresh aromas to our French onion soup.

Red wines are rich with berry aromas and are high in tannins. They add flavor to meat dishes as well as sauces with a tomato base. Our signature hamburger, the Evansburger, is topped with bacon jam. We use our full-bodied red wine Bliss to deglaze the pan-fried bacon, spices, and vegetables and then thicken the mixture on a low flame for a flavorful topping that complements the burger and the crispy bacon perfectly.

Adding wine to your portfolio of cooking tools is a great way to elevate your food. The quality and the characteristics of the wine matter. Match the wine to the flavors you wish to add to the food. Typically, white wine to add acidity and citrus flavors, red wine to enrich meat or other savory dishes. Wines sold as cooking wines should be avoided as they contain high salt and preservatives that generate harsh flavors. Instead, always use wine you would want to drink on its own.