Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Urgent. Cooking for recovering alcoholic. Substitute for white wine please!

148 replies

Reallyimeanreally2022 · 05/10/2021 13:41

Fright in middle of cooking a Ragu with pork and veal (it’s a blonde Ragu ie no tomato’s and uses milk)

Recipe call for 500 ml of white wine

What’s a brilliant substitute for this kind of meaty pasta sauce

Thanks so much

OP posts:
Redjumper1 · 05/10/2021 15:24

@AlternativePerspective two posters said it would burn off which crossed with the poster saying that she didn't want that to be considered as she had promised etc. The posts were written at the exact same time. It wasn't suggested after that and yet there are quite a number of posts referencing it fgs etc. I think saying fgs and going into discussion about how inconsiderate posters are when it clearly crossed with her post is rude. You think my post is rude. You are entitled to your opinion. I wouldn't personally seek help from people and if they said something I didn't agree with then proceed to attack them. I'm not going to contribute anymore. This is a bizarre thread.

AdoraBell · 05/10/2021 15:27

I was going to suggest mustard too. Hope it turns out well.

safariboot · 05/10/2021 15:30

www.google.com/search?q=alternatives+to+wine+in+cooking

Probably more useful than half the replies in the thread. But I see you've got it already, hope it came out well Smile.

I take it you started cooking without properly reading the recipe. Been there done that Grin. Now you know why to read everything first!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

ChloeCrocodile · 05/10/2021 15:32

Hope it turns out well OP. Tbh, I'm surprised at the lack of reading comprehension on this thread. The OP clearly states that the need for a substitute for white wine in a particular sauce. Not sure "it'll burn off" would be helpful even if it were true!

Unescorted · 05/10/2021 15:33

Water from soaked dried mushrooms (earthy), vinegar (tartness) and white grape juice/stock / water to make up the volume. My DH has a poor relationship with alcohol and that is what I use.

Alternatively Morrisons do a wine flavoured stock cube which is quite good ( use less salt to season)

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 05/10/2021 15:34

Just don't put any in. Christ. Drama llama.

motheroftwoboys · 05/10/2021 15:38

You don't need to replace wine in cooking for recovering alcies as the alcohol content cooks off. I have some experience. The DH has been in recovery for many years. I wouldn't serve a cold dessert like sherry trifle or berries soaked in creme cassis though.

SuperStarRose · 05/10/2021 15:38

Stock

TheWoleb · 05/10/2021 15:45

Why didnt you just google, "white wine substitute when cooking"?

Pippapet · 05/10/2021 15:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dixiechickonhols · 05/10/2021 15:49

You can get red and white wine flavoured stock pots in Tesco

cultkid · 05/10/2021 15:51

No balsamic xx the tomatoes will give acidity and a true bolognese should be a pale and interesting sauce not like a massive red wine sauce

How are you getting on? Ps I wish I had friends as amazing as you it's so nice that you care xxx

Zilla1 · 05/10/2021 15:58

@YetAnotherSpartacus am impressed with the verjuice.

MrsSkylerWhite · 05/10/2021 15:59

Today 13:42 Minibea

Surely the cooking will burn off the alcohol so just use wine?

No, it doesn’t, there’s always some remaining. OP made a promise.

knittingaddict · 05/10/2021 16:01

@Aquamarine1029

There won't be any alcohol left after it's cooked off.
I don't think it all cooks off and it will still taste of alcohol. Not a great idea.
TheWoleb · 05/10/2021 16:08

@cultkid

There are no tomatoes in it. It needs the acidity from the balsamic.

Phonelightmidnight · 05/10/2021 16:11

@Sylvvie
* Spot the sheltered life here! Hope you NEVER have to experience having a friend or family member who has an addiction*

Don’t be so fucking judgmental. My uncle was an alcoholic and died in in his 40s. Leaving behind 3 children. He was in hospital for months. My mothers father also an alcoholic died at 34. She was just a child. My eldest cousin has also had problems with alcohol. So don’t say I have a sheltered life! It’s absolutely ridiculous to use a recipe that uses 500ml of alcohol. If the op properly explained at the beginning rather than drip feed they would’ve had better responses. And judging by other replies, the op is being quite aggressive. There was no need for OP to be that triggered. They haven’t lost this friend to alcoholism, others have. A little more kindness and less judgement goes a long way.

sourcherie · 05/10/2021 16:36

I'd mix stock with a bit of apple juice.

Can I have the recipe please?!

SnugKnights · 05/10/2021 16:38

@Nat6999

Don't use Wine & expect all the alcohol to burn off especially if the person in recovery is taking antabuse tablets, the slightest trace of alcohol will start them throwing up like something in a horror movie.
This is what I was going to say. I ate chicken in a sauce with wine when I was taking antibiotics that are used as Antabuse in some countries. I was really, really I’ll for 24 hours.
WhenISnappedAndFarted · 05/10/2021 16:42

My DM is a recovering alcoholic and someone thought it would 'just burn off'. She could taste the red wine and it took months and months for her to stop getting cravings again.

Thank you for taking it seriously Flowers

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 05/10/2021 16:46

@motheroftwoboys

You don't need to replace wine in cooking for recovering alcies as the alcohol content cooks off. I have some experience. The DH has been in recovery for many years. I wouldn't serve a cold dessert like sherry trifle or berries soaked in creme cassis though.
Yes you do.

You're lucky with your DH but it isn't the case with all of them.

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 05/10/2021 16:46

@overnightangel

Instead of being rude as fuck when people are taking time out of their day to help you, maybe do a different dish Biscuit
This.

Regardless of your meaning a lot of people don’t have experience of alcoholism. A thank you but I don’t want to use alcohol would have sufficed instead of half a dozen frankly aggressive posts regarding your piety to the term recovery.

I would pick a different recipe of the same dish and really quite assess how you speak to people trying to help.

👆🏻 All written by someone whose immediate family member died as a result of alcoholism.

FOJN · 05/10/2021 16:56

*You can get red and white wine flavoured stock pots in Tesco"

I didn't know this but I've just investigated and found the OXO brand contains de-alcoholised wine concentrate which is excellent news.

I usually use apple juice if the volume of wine required is small but I wouldn't add 500mls.

It's not true that all the alcohol cooks off and whilst some alcoholics in recovery may be OK with that, others are not. I won't even drink fermented soft drinks which contain miniscule amounts of alcohol, I can feel the effect and I don't like it.

I usually stick to alcohol free recipes to be on the safe side. I wouldn't dream of slipping a dash of cream into a meal for a vegan friend or including a few nuts in a meal for a friend with a nut allergy.

Verbena87 · 05/10/2021 16:58

I reckon good quality chicken stock and a splash of white wine vinegar if you have it (judge quantity by taste/smell, start with a really small amount).

Rainbowshit · 05/10/2021 17:00

Jeez there are so many recipes that don't call for 2/3 of a bottle of wine. Why on earth would you pick that one?!? Subbing a small amount of wine might be ok with most recipes, but half a litre of wine seems like it's going to be pretty integral to the flavour. Cook something else FFS