Originally Posted by
bensyd
Ahh thanks. So the alcohol does something beyond just adding depth. I do love what beer does to a chicken brine. I just thought it was adding a beery flavour.
Won't that add quite a different flavour profile to the dish? If I'm making a ragu or similar adding sake or Chinese cooking wine will have a distinctly different flavour to red or white wine wouldn't it? I have some Chinese cooking wine in the pantry that I use when marinating fish.
We have actually gone through this conversation before. Don't use cooking wine. Both port and sherry are fortified wines and can keep for a long time if you think you will just need a little now and then. Also, there are lots of other liquids you can use--broth, juice, water. Is wine really that pricey? If it is a major part of a dish ( I braise short ribs in a lot of red wine), then just splurge & buy a bottle...there must be some decent ones under $10. If it is just a splash use something else or freeze the leftover. It doesn't freeze very solid and you wouldn't drink it after but if you just need an ice cube size, then freeze some and just throw it in to whatever you are making. I would not add sake to a ragu.