Quote:
Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 
The rule of not cooking with something that isn't drinkable has some flexibility. Like most cooks I cook with inexpensive but drinkable wines. However, the wines I drink are at least a step or two up from those I use for cooking. $5 a bottle is pretty close to max for cooking. $2/bottle Charles Schaw ("Two Buck Chuck") from Trader Joes' is the usual. |
I'm glad I saw this thread - I was about to ask the question about cheap wine versus drinking wine for cooking. There seem to be 2 schools of thought on this. Either its only cook with what you would drink with the meal, or any wine (within reason) is ok.
I agree with you BDL, I would rather cook with an ok wine, then save my money on a better wine to drink with the meal. After all, isn't the use of wine mainly for tenderising the meat with slow cooking/marinading, or to flavour a sauce? Consider the use of vinegars for the same effect. Some cheaper wines do taste pretty acidic, like vinegar, and I assume they have the same effect on meats for tenderising. Citrus juices too. Red wine is often paired with red wine vinegar in the same dish - I wouldn't drink a glass of red wine vinegar
, but I'll cook with it.
And I'll be darned if I'll use a Barolo or a Grange Hermitage for cooking! Though it would be nice.....