Current Events > Chefs and chemists: does cooking alcohol break down alcohol...

(+) Yeah! (+)

...so that acetaldehyde doesn't form in your body?

After learning how carcinogenic the stuff is, I want to know just how safe it is to cook with wine in the long run; I'm already barely drinking alcohol at all anyway (my drug of choice is weed), but I do happen to cook with it very often.

Chefs cook with it all the time

Depends how long you cook it for. It never completely evaporates.

That said, a splash of wine here and there that you mostly cook out? I don't think alcohol toxicity is going to be a life concern for you, my dude.

If you're really that worried, just substitute another acid. Vinegar, tomatoes, citrus.

alcohol also helps soften the meat so it's not just for flavor.

TetsuoS2 posted...

alcohol also helps soften the meat so it's not just for flavor.

There's a dozen ways to do that that don't involve alcohol, though.

pinky0926 posted...

Depends how long you cook it for. It never completely evaporates.

That said, a splash of wine here and there that you mostly cook out? I don't think alcohol toxicity is going to be a life concern for you, my dude.

If you're really that worried, just substitute another acid. Vinegar, tomatoes, citrus.

Dont you have to cook for a long time to mostly cook it out. The whole point of adding alcohol is to draw out the alcohol soluble flavors anyways.

pinky0926 posted...

There's a dozen ways to do that that don't involve alcohol, though.

yes but it all depends on what flavor you're looking for and how much time you have.

cooking alcohol isnt always acidic in flavor either.

pinky0926 posted...

Depends how long you cook it for. It never completely evaporates.

That said, a splash of wine here and there that you mostly cook out? I don't think alcohol toxicity is going to be a life concern for you, my dude.

If you're really that worried, just substitute another acid. Vinegar, tomatoes, citrus.

I've tried those other acidic substitutes, but they simply do not carry the same awesome flavor that alcohol does, particularly wine.

It really depends on the cooking method and temperature, along with how you use it. Even pan size matters.

itachi15243 posted...

It really depends on the cooking method and temperature, along with how you use it. Even pan size matters.

Can you elaborate? Especially on pan size, that one doesn't make sense to me.

You cook most of the alcohol out during the process, if Im not mistaken.

I watch a lot of cooking shows and contestants get reamed if they dont cook the alcohol out properly. No one wants straight bourbon on their proteins.

Xenogears15 posted...

Can you elaborate? Especially on pan size, that one doesn't make sense to me.

I assume larger surface area allows for faster evaporation of the alcohol.

LonelyStoner posted...

You cook most of the alcohol out during the process, if Im not mistaken.

I watch a lot of cooking shows and contestants get reamed if they dont cook the alcohol out properly. No one wants straight bourbon on their proteins.

Only if the cooking process is long enough. There are charts you can google for how you are cooking and how long to get rid of most of the alcohol and it is usually over an hour to get below 10%, or whatever you want to call most.