Cooking With Wines

by Amanda
(Chandler, AZ)

Question: I am a novice when it comes to cooking with wines. I was wondering if all of the alcohol is removed from a wine when it is cooked slowly over time as in the Estouffade Provençale recipe?

Thank you!

Answer: Hi Amanda. Thanks for visiting EFF and writing in with your question.

Assuming that all alcohol burns off with cooking is a common culinary error. The amount that burns off is proportional to the intensity of the heat as well as the length of time the dish cooks.

In a stew recipe such as the Estouffade Provençale, which calls for a long, slow cooking, most of the alcohol will be burnt off. However, more than likely, traces will remain, which may be of concern for people on a restricted diet.

For more information, have a look at the chart provided with this article on OChef: Does Alcohol Really Burn Off With Cooking?.

Hope that helps. Happy cooking!

Kind Regards,

Kim