Good Red Wine For Cooking

What is it?

Delicious for drinking with food, dry red wines (dry meaning they have less sugar) are also useful in cooking. As with white wines, the acidity in red wine will punch up other flavors in the dish, provided there's not too much tannin (that bitter flavor that makes your mouth pucker) or oak (that toasty vanilla flavor from aging in oak barrels) to overshadow the food. Red wine is delicious as part of the liquid for braising or stewing (think beef Burgundy or coq au vin). It's also wonderful for deglazing pans to make a pan sauce for seared lamb, duck, pork, or beef. You can even use red wine for flavoring desserts.

Don't have it?

Port can often be used in place of red wine in pan sauces, but it usually comes with a higher price tag.

How to choose:

Avoid at all cost the "cooking wine" at the supermarket; instead, choose something you wouldn't mind drinking—ideally, a wine you'd pair with whatever you're cooking. The best red wines for cooking are those with moderate tannins: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese (the main grape in Chianti), and lighter-style Cabernets. Heat won't improve the undesirable qualities of bad wine: it will accentuate them. Conversely, heat kills the subtle nuances in a complex wine, so save the really good stuff for drinking. In general, go for young wines with lively fruit notes for the best flavor in the pot or pan.

How to prep:

Because wine also contains alcohol, you usually add it at the start of cooking so the alcohol has a chance to burn off. Splashing wine into a dish at the end of cooking usually results in an unpleasant raw-wine taste.

How to store:

Store unopened bottles in a dark, cool, place. Once opened, wine will begin to oxidize, which adversely affects flavor. Recork opened bottles and refrigerate them to slow down the process; try to finish off an opened bottle within a few days.

Recipes

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Moussaka Nistisimo (Vegan Moussaka)

This meatless, dairy-free version of the Greek mainstay tastes as rich as the classic version, and it holds together well when sliced and served.
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Red-Wine Braised Brisket with Pearl Onions and Star Anise

The sweet, subtle flavor of star anise gives this comforting braise an exotic twist. I like to season the brisket with a fragrant spice rub a day before braising so…
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Quick Beef Stew with Red Wine and Rosemary

Long-cooked stews coax flavor from tough cuts of meat but require time. This weeknight-friendly dish features rib-eye, which adds deep flavor after only a short time in the stew pot.…
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Seared Filet Mignon with Red-Wine Mushroom Sauce

The sauce for this dish is simple and flavorful, and the sear-roasting technique means you'll have a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home. Serve with a medley…
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Parchment-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Leek, Bacon, and Parmesan Stuffing

Beef tenderloin is popular at Christmas, but few guests will have had it served this way, with a savory, smoky bread stuffing, baked to just the right amount of crisp…
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Sangria

This is more of a formula than a specific recipe: it starts with a base of simple syrup, orange juice, brandy, and a dash of bitters. To that you can…
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Greek-Inspired Grilled Cornish Game Hens

Oregano, lemon, garlic, and red wine give these grilled birds a sun-kissed Mediterranean flavor.
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Porcini-Rubbed Red-Wine-Braised Beef

The deep, dark spice rub can make the meat look like it's burned, but it's most definitely not. A special-occasion dinner on its own, the beef is also delicious shredded,…
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Red-Wine Braised Duck Legs with Dried Fruit, Capers, and Lemon

The rich, sweet sauce created by braising the duck with dried fruit and a whole head of garlic gets brightened just before serving with a dose of capers, lemon juice,…
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Red Wine-Poached Pear & Almond Tart

Poaching pears in red wine gives them a gorgeous ruby hue for topping this ultimate fall tart. For best results, chill the filled tart before topping it with the fruit;…

Comments

andre99 | 12/24/2014

Can I use a rose of Pinot Noir in place of a Pinot Noir to cook Standing Rib roast? I'm not sure if the rose of pinot noir is sweeter?

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