Alcohol/Wine in Slow Cookers (2024)

FAQs

Alcohol/Wine in Slow Cookers? ›

When using a slow cooker the internal temperature may only just get to this important temperature, and because of the lid any alcohol that does evaporate will return back into the cooker. This will result in an overly powerful flavour of the original wine or other alcohol and bitterness.

As mentioned before, slow cookers don't evaporate much liquid, so putting large glugs of wine or beer straight into to your crockpot is not a great idea.

Sorry to spoil the party, but here's the real deal: Simply heating alcohol, or any other cooking liquid, does not make it evaporate as quickly as a child's allowance in a candy store. The longer you cook, the more alcohol cooks out, but you have to cook food for about 3 hours to fully erase all traces of alcohol.

It usually takes around 2 to 3 hours for the alcohol to evaporate completely when added to a dish that is cooking on a low heat. When cooking at high heat, e.g. frying or sautéing, it can take as little as 30 seconds for the alcohol to evaporate.

And if you are concerned that the alcohol will not “cook off” or evaporate in the Instant Pot, you are correct. If that is a concern, add the wine when using the Sauté function and allow the liquid to boil with the lid off for a minute or two before closing the lid and using the pressure cook function.

The short answer is yes. Wine is often described as adding depth to a dish. I would agree with that sentiment, since wine really does accentuate the flavour of your dish as well as bringing on taste sensations of its own. Luckily, you don't have to miss out on that certain something if you'd rather avoid alcohol.

Let's start at the beginning, wine is used in cooking for flavour. But its big advantage is natural acidity which tenderizes foods and keeps them moist. Not to get all science-y about it, but essentially the alcohol in wine, which eventually cooks off, helps the flavour molecules of the other ingredients open up.

Raw alcohol will evaporate at 78 C, importantly even with conventional cooking techniques, not all the alcohol will burn off. When using a slow cooker the internal temperature may only just get to this important temperature, and because of the lid any alcohol that does evaporate will return back into the cooker.

So, for recipes that use alcoholic ingredients, it's important to avoid over-pouring, as the alcohol will not burn off in the pot like it would in other cooking vessels. A slow cooker's lid will trap in that condensed alcohol and simply drop it back into the pot.

The choice is up to you. You may choose to use cooking methods that help to reduce the alcohol content and use less alcohol in a dish to make it safer for your child. Otherwise the safer option is to choose to leave out alcoholic drinks when preparing food for babies and children.

How to tell if wine has cooked off? ›

Heat Damaged (or, 'Maderized') Wine

The wine has been stored at too high a temperature (probably in transit somewhere on the supply chain), and has essentially been 'cooked'. It may smell/taste slightly 'jammy' or may have a brown sugar, cola, or soy sauce taste.

Alcohol added to food during cooking does evaporate, but some alcohol will still be left. So, if you are eating dishes cooked in alcohol, for example, red wine chicken, you may wish to refrain from breastfeeding your baby for the next 1-2 hours.

If you are finding it difficult to stop drinking, it is important to ask for support from your midwife or GP. Cooking with alcohol is unlikely to affect your baby if the alcohol is added early in the cooking process and the food is cooked thoroughly. This will ensure most of the alcohol will be burnt off.

Combine wine, brandy, maple syrup, cloves, star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel in a slow cooker. Heat on LOW until hot. It will take about an hour for the mulled wine to get hot. Do not set the slow cooker HIGH as this can boil the alcohol away and won't give the spices time to infuse the wine.

It's widely believed that dishes made with alcohol are rendered non-alcoholic in the process of, say, simmering a beurre blanc sauce or baking a bourbon pecan pie. In reality, no matter how long it is sauteed, broiled or boiled, a recipe can never be fully rid of its alcohol.

The science: Alcohol does partially evaporate during cooking, but not as much as you might think. Depending on the cooking method and how much alcohol is used, anywhere from 4 to 85 percent of the alcohol may remain. After 15 minutes of cooking, about 40 percent of the alcohol remains.

So, for recipes that use alcoholic ingredients, it's important to avoid over-pouring, as the alcohol will not burn off in the pot like it would in other cooking vessels. A slow cooker's lid will trap in that condensed alcohol and simply drop it back into the pot.

If you find yourself with leftover wine, don't let it go to waste! Rich stews, amazing sauces, and even desserts can be enhanced with a bit of Pinot Noir, Burgundy, or whatever red wine you have on hand. To deglaze a pan, tenderize meat, or build flavor and depth into a dish, any standard red wine can do the trick.