I made a soup the other night in which the recipe called for white wine. Not a drinker, here, so I didn't have wine on hand. I used some rosemary vinegar and water in a 50/50 mix, to substitute for white wine.
Here's a list of alcohol-free substitutes for various wine flavors/types to use in cooking. Some of these suggestions were passed on to me by a medical professional, while others I have picked up along the way.
With any of the vinegars used as substitutes, you can add a pinch of sugar, for the natural sweetening you'd find in wine. Or not. Taste and see if it needs just a hint of sweetening. This will depend on the nature of the recipe.
white wine
--herb vinegar, such as tarragon, rosemary or thyme, use full strength or in a 50/50 blend with water. These can be easily and cheaply homemade with fresh herbs left to steep in white vinegar. (As a substitute, I use a half and half mixture of vinegar and water as a substitute for white wine in soups, sauces and stews)--apple juice or apple cider
--chicken stock, won't give a wine flavor but offers nice taste for savory dishes
--clam juice, especially nice in fish or other seafood dishes
red wine
--red wine vinegar in a half and half mixture vinegar and water (pinch of sugar can be added)--berry vinegars (sweetened or unsweetened), also in a half and half mixture water to vinegar
--red grape juice, cranberry juice or pomegranate juice can be substituted (I like thinned down versions of these juices, to cut the sweetness)
--any of the above blended 50/50 with beef broth
--25/75 blend of red wine vinegar to grape juice (no sugar added variety). This is a good alternative to burgundy wine in a dish like Boeuf Bourguignon. It won't taste exactly like a traditional Bourguignon, but it will be an acceptable version. If possible, add in a bit of mushroom stock or sodium-free beef stock. (I do sometimes have mushroom pieces, ends of stems that sort of thing, that I cook up into stock.)
Port wine
--Concord grape juice with lime zest added--cranberry juice with lemon juice added
--weak apple or orange juice can be substituted for lighter ports
Gewurztraminer
--white grape juice with lemon juice addedsweet white wine, like a dessert wine
--white grape juice with 1 tablespoon (per cup of grape juice) Karo syrupChampagne
--the obvious choice --Champagne vinegar--ginger ale mixed with soda water (for desserts that call for champagne)
--or a blend of either of the above with stock, in savory dishes
--sparkling apple cider
Grappa
--grape juicefor deglazing a pan
--red wine vinegar--balsamic vinegar
for marinading a piece of meat, poultry or fish
--any of the vinegars mentioned for particular meats/seafood, using half the amount called for of wine, in vinegar, then make up the other half with water, and add a spoonful of sugar. So, if your marinade recipe calls for 1/2 cup of wine, use 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and teaspoon of sugar.
My choice for most recipes is a vinegar and water blend, sometimes with a pinch of sugar added. I choose my vinegar flavor based on the dish and the overall flavor I want to impart. Right now, I have rosemary-thyme vinegar, which I use to replace white wine in recipes, and unsweetened blackberry vinegar, which I use to replace red wine in recipes. I always have flavored vinegars on hand. So this is sort of a no-brainer choice for me.
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