making cooking wines

[Algernon]

Hi all - never made wine before, and don't drink VERY much of it, however we do use it in food quite often. I was wondering how homebrewed wines would be in food and if anybody has any tried and tested recipes they could recommend?

 

[oldbloke]

Interesting question
The alcohol is I think largely irrelevant as it boils off, but maybe it affects the cooking processes a bit before it goes
So mainly it's flavours, I guess. Think of flavours that mesh well with the rest of the recipe and try to make a wine like that, I suppose.
The acidity is important for some of the cooking too, I think
What is it in wine that helps de-glaze pans?

 

[Devonhomebrew]

just do a wgj or a rgj wine and use it how you would use a white in cooking or a red in cooking

 

[bobsbeer]

If you are going to make wine for cooking I would avoid wines with strong flavours such as mango. But most WOW type wines would be fine. A budget kit red would also probably be fine. SWMBO is always nicking my red wine to put in sauces etc and they turn out good.

 

[Duncs]

I read somewhere that onion wine was good for cooking, doesn't sound like it would be very nice to drink, but could add an interesting flavour to food

 

[bobsbeer]

Someone is making Onion wine. Can't remember who now. Takes a year or so to mature though.

 

[oldbloke]

Someone is making Onion wine. Can't remember who now. Takes a year or so to mature though.

A year? Sure you didn't mean "century" ?

 

[Algernon]

Thanks folks. So, I could just go with a grape juice one, or even a wilko kit? Sounds like a cheaper option than £1.10 every time I want to slug a glass of vino plonko into a bolognese or stroganoff.
Onion wine sounds interesting, but I am more into making beer, so that experiment will have to wait a while.

 

[bobsbeer]

a cheaper option than £1.10 every time I want to slug a glass of vino plonko

Where are you buying your wine? £1.10 a bottle is cheap. :wha:

 

[Algernon]

Morrisons do small bottles of cooking wine - 250ml for 1.09 I think. It is in the section with vinegars etc, not with the drinky booze stuff.

 

[djcorbetto]

There's a saying that you should only use wine that's good enough to drink in your cooking

 

[Algernon]

That's why I wanted to make my own, DJCorb.