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Alcohol in Cooking

Alcohol Content and Substitutions

Contrary to what most people believe, and that includes most professionals, when using beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages in recipes, a lot of alcohol is left after cooking.      
Here are the facts from the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA (1989).

Alcohol remaining after preparation:
100% Immediate consumption
70% Overnight storage
85% Boiling liquid, remove from hea
75% flamed

Alcohol remaining: baked or simmered:
40% 15 min.
35% 30 min.
25% 1 hour
20% 1.5 hour
10% 2 hours
5% 2.5 hours

Suggested substitutions for Alcoholic Beverages in Recipes
Choose the substitute considering the sweetness of the dish you are preparing.

White Wine substitutes in recipes
• Apple juice or carrot juice.
• Vegetable stock or Chicken stock straight or with a little white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon white grape juice.

Red Wine substitutes in recipes
• 1/2 cup of grape juice with 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar.
• 1/2 cup water and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.
• Beef stock or chicken stock straight or with a little red wine vinegar.

Champagne substitutes in recipes
• Ginger ale, sparkling grape juice.

Brandy substitutes in recipes
• Apple juice, peach juice, white grape juice, pear juice.

Marsala substitutes in recipies
• Orange, peach or pear juice.

Orange Liqueur substitutes in recipes
• Frozen orange juice concentrate.

Beer substitutes in recipes
• Chicken broth, beef broth, ginger ale.