There are certain factors in wine that make it great as a cooking recipe. Many chefs worldwide use wine as one of their secret ingredients why their food tastes so good. Numerous cooking shows proudly use wine as their primary method on the screen.
Let’s take a look at these main factors of wine that greatly affect the quality of the food. Let’s find out why these components are vital in both tables and in the kitchen. Using your mind, give your evaluation afterward on how great wine is.
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This article also provides some famous recipes where wine is an essential ingredient. Ready yourself because for sure after reading this, you will go to the kitchen and cook some.
Acidity
Have you ever tried pairing the tomato sauce with red wine? If you are and noticed that the taste of both perfectly blend inside your mouth, that is because of the acidity. The acid level of the red wine can compete with the tomatoes, giving you an unforgettable taste.
Aside from tannins and alcohol, acids are also the primary factor of wine. Acids give the wine its sour and tart taste. Acids like malic, tartaric, and citric are the most prevalent acids found in wine.
Make sure to use non-reactive pans and skillets when cooking with wine. This is a great help to avoid discoloration when the wine’s acid hits the pan.
Alcohol
The role of alcohol in wine not just lies in the table, but also in the kitchen. This component brings out the flavor in food the same with the salt.
Contrary to the popular belief, alcohol does not burn off when you add it to the dish during cooking.
The alcohol releases the natural flavor in the food, making it tastier. It helps dissolve fats which allow food to reveal its unique and hidden flavors.
Adding wine to a sauce is also a great way to enjoy wine. In doing so, make sure you allow most of the alcohol to cook-off. If the alcohol cannot dissolve properly, the sauce may have a harsh and bad taste.
How will you know if the wine properly dissolves? After adding the wine, covered it well. When it reduces about half, this is now your hint. The alcohol burns while making the sauce more delicious.
Flavors and Aromas
Wondering why most restaurants’ delicacies smell and taste so good? This is because of the wine they add. Chefs are experts on what would be the perfect wine that they can add in a certain food. It may be a bottle of red or white wine, as long as it will match the texture and other ingredients.
The flavors and aroma of the wine will merge with other ingredients. Some people recommend deglazing wine rather than water because wine can dissolve oil, a soluble compound.
There are chefs who use often use wine as one of their main ingredients, making the dish more delicious.
Let’s take an example of Pinot Noir. The wine is famous for its flavors and aroma of mushrooms. It is often used to add the flavor of fresh dishes as a finishing flash.
Preserve Your Wine
This is not just about the main qualities of wine why it is good for any recipes. We will also talk about how to preserve your purchased wine. Who would want their money and effort will just put into waste after purchasing an expensive bottle?
Once you uncork the bottle of wine, the oxygen will begin to deteriorate. Red or white wine will just turn to vinegar no matter how expensive it is. Hence, make sure to taste re-corked wine before pouring it into the pan.
Cooking with a vinegary-type of wine will just make your dish or sauce tastes sour. Preserving them is the only way to avoid this undesirable taste.
One of the effective ways on how to preserve your wine is to refrigerate it. The temperature inside the refrigerator will slow the chemical changes including the process of oxidation.
Wine stored inside the refrigerator with cork will stay fresh for up to 3-5 days without changing the temperature.
Also, make sure to always re-cork the bottle after opening it or after ever glass pour. Keep the opened bottle out from the light.
When you have leftover wine, transfer it to a smaller bottle, allowing the wine to not be exposed to too much air.
Takeaway
Basically, wine is an alcoholic drink that not just made for drinking. It also uses for cooking purposes. Whether in restaurants or at home, wine is often present as drinking or cooking wine.
The pleasure extends from the table to the kitchen. Together with its alcohol level, acidity, tannins, and other components, the wine will always be a big part in the pan.
The versatility of the wine is not just about its health benefits. Red or white, whatever you may have will always bring out the hidden flavor and aroma of the dish. Happy cooking!
Author’s Bio:
Scarlett Wells is a full-time writer and wine expert. She is an active critique examining all levels of wine types so she can produce reviews and articles that will help guide every consumer in selecting the right kind of wine to drink. Aside from that, she wrote a lot of blogs maximizing the real usage of wines.