Substitute for cooking with wine
 

Has anyone found a good substitute for cooking with white wine? My wife is a very normal drinker. She could have a bottle of wine in the fridge that would last literally months. I could never quite figure that out.

Anyway, I was never a wine drinker, but I would periodically use some of her white wine in cooking, particularly Brussels sprouts (and other things, too). After returning from detox, my wife and I agreed that we'll have an alcohol free home and all alcohol is now out of the house.

I'm wondering if white grape juice or sparkling grape juice would be a good substitute for cooking? Or, are there any other good options? I love my Brussels sprouts and want the taste to remain as close as possible to how they tasted when I cooked with wine.

Please note that I don't want this to be a discussion of if one should cook with alcohol or not. I've seen those discussions on here multiple times and understand both sides. I simply want to know about a good substitute, because I won't be cooking with wine any longer.

You could try using some stock with some wine vinegar to up the acid level. But I think I would pick a different sprouts recipe. I like them roasted or sautéed with garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Add some slivered almonds for some crunch. And bacon. I almost forgot the bacon.

I pan fry them with a lid to keep in the moisture. I use lots of minced garlic, olive oil, butter, rendered bacon fat, lemon juice, (previously) white wine, crumbled bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes I'll throw in diced onion and jalapeños for a little change. I can't see myself changing to a different recipe, so I'll just have to experiment with a wine substitute.

Have you tried non-alcoholic wine? I've never cooked with it but I think it would work. Most grocery and liquor stores have it. Good luck.

Verjuice, I am not sure if it is available where you are, it is made with the juice of unfermented grapes...lovely....I love muscles in white wine...and because I would use a significant amount of white wine I stopped cooking it, until verjuice..not quite but almost as good.

Another vote for non-alcoholic wine, works just as well; just dont get them mixed up (the packaging for 0% alc is often quite subtle and once poured they look identical).

You guys are making me actually want brussels sprouts with those recipes it sounds so good:)

Broth or stock. I use chicken, mainly. Search places like Cooking Light site or mags for suggestions.

Google has a lot of different suggestions depending upon what you are trying to do. Depth of flavor? Stock. Acidity, white grape juice with lemon or a small amount of vinegar etc.

Brussels are also really good roasted with bacon. No liquid necessary.

I totally agree having booze in the house for my normie wife is a trigger.

I haven't had an irreversible crave yet.

I cooked w wine last week. It did cause a strong crave as I poured it into the pot.

I thought about drinking it, but I didn't.

I must be on guard if I want to remain in this amazing state of grace.

Sobriety, for me, is a significant desire bordering on a survival instinct.

Hey SoberLifeforMe -- good job on the booze-free house!

Maybe this information would be helpful?

Best Non-Alcoholic Substitutes for Red & White Wine | The Kitchn

P.s. I tried to modify my post but I was too slow.

I totally agree a booze free house is a great defense against drinking.

I Googled it and the info is out there like meso listed etc.

Stay clean my friends.

Thanks.

For deglazing the pan, I usually just go straight in with vinegar or citrus (lemon/lime). I keep several types of vinegar on hand:
- red wine vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- white wine vinegar
- apple cider vinegar
- champagne vinegar
- rice wine vinegar

For stewing/simmering, I dilute the vinegar in chicken or beef stock to control the acidity level. Start out with a high level of stock to acid and add in more vinegar to taste.

For brussel sprouts, try a dash apple cider vinegar once you have a nice crust from searing. Actually, I'd mix together 1 part apple cider vinegar and one part whole grain mustard in a bowl, and stir in at the end after you've added the bacon but before the parmesan cheese. Just trust me on this. :wink3:

You can get cooking wine at any grocery store that doesn't contain alcohol.

To succeed at my recovery, I had to make major changes in my life. My willingness to make those changes account for the years I've had without alcohol. But those big changes were built on little changes...

You are just days after a major binge and your big concern is finding a wine substititue for your brussel sprout recipe? And you don't want to change it. If you wont make a change there, at what is a tiny fraction of one's life, how are you going to change the big things?

Finding a wine substitute for Brussels sprouts isn't my "big concern," Carl. Just a little thing that popped into my head while thinking of things to make for meals. Thanks for the comment, though. I understand your point, even though I find it a little over the top.