Cool Tip: Never Put Alcohol in Food That You Wouldn't Put in Your Glass...
- Jun 24, 2015
Alton Brown has two rules when it comes to cooking with wine: Rule 1: Never cook with cooking wine. Rule 2: NEVER COOK WITH COOKING WINE.
These are necessary, but insufficient rules. The Colbrook Kitchen rule is: Never put any alcohol in your food that you wouldn't be willing to consume from a glass.
Alcohol brings out the flavor in food in at least two important ways: by evaporation (the volatility of alcohol as it evaporates carries the aromas of your food to your nose) and by molecular bonding (allowing fat-soluble flavors to bond with liquid), and it adds a flavor element of its own. And it's that extra flavor element that is as important as any of your other ingredients.
So think of the alcohol in your food as an ingredient, and make sure that you choose one that has an excellent flavor to compliment your dish.