IOAA2

I recently saw these figures regarding the retention of alcohol in cooked food.

Alcohol Burn-off Chart

Preparation Method Percent Retained

alcohol added to boiling liquid & removed from heat 85%
alcohol flamed 75%
no heat, stored overnight 70%
baked, 25 minutes, alcohol not stirred into mixture 45%

Baked/simmered dishes with alcohol stirred into mixture:
15 minutes cooking time 40%
30 minutes cooking time 35%
1 hour cooking time 25%
1.5 hours cooking time 20%
2 hours cooking time 10%
2.5 hours cooking time 5%

I never thought it being this bad.

soberhawk

Thanks for these numbers.

I have not used alcohol in food since I stopped drinking, but I have a couple of recipes I do miss a little. It is mostly winter food where beer is part of the recipe, I will probably find alternatives this winter though.

pinkdog

Hi IOAA, that is interesting. I find it best to avoid alcohol completely. That is 100%. Best wishes to you. Someone gave me some vodka spaghetti sauce. Couldn't risk it. Threw it out.

LadyBlue0527

I think that everyone is different but as long as I get no buzz alcohol in food doesn't bother me. For me it's not the alcohol it's the feeling.

wiscsober

Thanks for the numbers...

I avoid food dishes/desserts/candies with alcohol.

My body doesn't discern how the alcohol is taken in so as to process it differently.

For me any introduction of alcohol into my body is cause for great concern...

suki44883

Here is a helpful list of replacement ingredients for alcohols commonly found in recipes:

Beer or ale: for light ale use chicken broth or white grape juice, for darker ales use beef broth or mushroom stock. Non-alcoholic beer can also be used. In a batter recipe replace beer with soda water.

Red wine: chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar diluted with water, grape juice mixed with a little red wine vinegar, water or tomato juice. Use 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar to 1-cup liquid for diluting. Add a tablespoon of sugar for sweet wine.
Amaretto: almond extract

Brandy: use fruit juice with corresponding flavor, for example apricot juice for apricot brandy.

Orange liquor: Frozen orange juice concentrate

Sake: white grape juice with lemon zest or rice vinegar diluted with water

Sherry: orange or pineapple juice

Dry vermouth: white grape juice or white wine vinegar

Sweet vermouth: apple or grape juice or balsamic vinegar

White wine: chicken broth, white wine vinegar diluted with water, ginger ale or white grape juice mixed with a little lemon juice. Use 1 TBSP vinegar or lemon juice to one-cup water or grape juice. Add a tablespoon of sugar for sweet wine.

Kahlua: chocolate extract mixed with espresso powder, coffee syrup or coffee extract

Bourbon: vanilla extract

Rum: rum flavoring or pineapple juice

Frangelico: hazelnut or almond extract

Hard cider: apple juice, sparkling apple juice or cider

Champagne: Sparkling grape juice or ginger ale

freshstart57

Even a cup of wine, added to braising liquid, cooked for an hour and a half or more, only leaves the equivalent of an ounce and a half of wine left in the whole dish of delicious short ribs or chicken breasts. Across 6 servings, that is a tablespoon of wine per serving, if you serve all the braising liquid with the chicken.

I was always more concerned with buying another handle of vodka, than enjoying some sauce with my noodles.

IOAA2

I used to make my chicken Marcella recipe but don't use it much now as I started making it more than once a week, I figured my body had a feeling it was there and sending out a want list. My 1st sponsor had about 20 years and would not use mouth wash, after shave lotion, sleep aids or anything without reading the ingredients, which is not a bad idea. BE WELL

orieme

I was going to ask about this the other day, strangely enough.

I haven't made anything that contains for alcohol yet but a few recipes call for a white wine sauce or some red wine. I don't plan on leaving alcohol out of cooking, nor will begin shaking at the sight of Tiramisu, as the amounts are so small and are there purely to enhance flavour.

Sobersunshine

I've talked to two people in AA who both said they telapsed after consuming a dessert with alcohol in it. So not worth it for me.

wiscsober

Sorry for going off OP here but see this has been brought up:

I don't ingest anything at all with alcohol no matter how small the content...even some chewing gums and toothpastes have alcohol...

Though necessary for injections and IVs I'm not that big with alcohol wipes either'

I avoid hand sanitizer...

this is what I'm comfortable with...I would have the same concerns with narcotics and nicotine. I think my body isn't capable knowing the difference....and I abused mouthwashes and cough syrups too.

DoubleBarrel

Your body doesn't know the difference between eating alcohol and drinking it.

Frankly I find a dismissive attitude about it kind of insulting.

Would you drink a sip of beer or wine?

Thats basically what you are doing if you consume a meal cooked in alcohol.
This ALONE CAN trigger cravings.

I avoid it, and I personally feel there is no SAFE amount of alcohol.

Dee74

I started off pretty cavalier - but the more my recovery came to mean to me, the more I felt uncomfortable with eating foods cooked in alcohol - it seemed if not wrong, decidedly odd to me, so I stopped.

It works for me

Fandy

I worry more about what I drink in a glass than 4 ounces of red wine in 6 quarts of red gravy/pasta sauce when I cook sausage and meatballs.

i'm not really a big marsala fan, but that is a stronger wine dish.

wiscsober

many of the extract flavorings are very high in alcohol content. I've know several people who drank them like some drank mouthwashes.

suki44883

Yes, but there are also non-alcoholic flavorings. You just need to read the labels.

wiscsober

absolutely...

Db1105

I find it best not to kick the monster in the cage.

MattM316

Yeah same here.
I never drank because I liked the taste of alcohol, I drank because I wanted the feeling of having it inside me.
I only ever drank to get drunk or get that feeling, otherwise I didn't see the point in drinking at all. I could never go out and just have a pint, i'd have to cram in as much as possible.

pinkdog

Yes. I agree with wiscsober. I did drink the vanilla extract. Make sure you get the imitation extracts, they do not have alcohol. The extracts that are "pure" do have alcohol.