Using wine in your cooking can be an awesome idea. However, if you’re just about to use any leftover wine you have lying in your fridge, there are some things you need to know first.
One common mistake people tend to make is using low-quality wine in cooking, which can poorly impact the flavor of dishes (as the wine’s taste will be intensified during cooking). Another common error is using a wine with flavors that don’t complement your dish. So, how do you make sure you get optimal results when cooking with wine? Here are a few handy tips.
Follow Your Drinking Taste
Choose a wine that you would also enjoy drinking. If you wouldn’t enjoy drinking it, it’s likely not suitable for cooking, either.
Dry for Savory, Sweet for Dessert
Generally, dry wines are better for savory dishes and sweet wines are better for desserts. It’s not a total must-follow rule and there are exceptions, but it can help avoid strange taste combinations.
Cooking Wine – Out
As counterintuitive as it may sound, try not to use wine that’s labeled as “cooking wine”. These wines often contain additives and preservatives that can change the taste of your dish in unexpected ways, and that’s not always a fun surprise.
