february 2004

Cooking with Alcohol

If you have diabetes and you decide that you want to have an occasional alcoholic drink, it is important that you talk with your doctor first to determine if it is safe for you to do so. Alcohol in mixed drinks, wine, or beer can affect blood sugar levels differently, depending on whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the medications that you are taking, the level of your diabetes control, and so forth.
But, what about cooking with alcohol? This seems to be of concern to some of you as we occasionally call for alcohol in our cooking. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water so much of the alcohol used in cooking is burned off, leaving only the flavor of the wine, beer, or spirits used. This chart showing the percentage of alcohol remaining is based on the most recent research by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Our dietitian uses this information in determining the nutritional analysis and exchanges of any recipe in which we call for alcohol. You might find the results interesting and helpful in your cooking of other recipes which include alcohol.

Cooking Method Percentage of Alcohol Remaining
Alcohol added to boiling liquid and removed from the heat 85%
Flamed 75%
Stirred in and baked or simmered for:  
  15 minutes 40%
  30 minutes 35%
  45 minutes 30%
  1 hour 25%
  1 1/2 hours 20%
  2 hours 10%
  2 1/2 hours 5%

What if you and/or your doctor decide that you should not cook with alcohol -- what substitutions can you make in our recipes and that of others which call for wine, beer, and so forth?

To avoid using alcohol, here are some substitutions to consider:

For 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of wine or spirits, use:

  • An equal amount of nonalcoholic wine
  • 7/8 cup (7 fluid ounces) canned low-sodium chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth and 1/8 cup (1 fluid ounce) fresh lemon juice
  • 7/8 cup (7 fluid ounces) water and 1/8 cup (1 fluid ounce) white or red wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar, or tarragon vinegar
  • Water and similarly flavored extracts such as rum extract, brandy extract, and so forth
In desserts, substitute fruit juice for wine, adding a dash of balsamic vinegar to the juice. For orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier, use an equivalent amount of frozen orange juice concentrate plus some grated orange zest.

For coffee liqueur, use double-strength espresso or instant coffee made with 4 to 6 times the amount of coffee normally used. For brandy or rum, try a small amount of brandy or rum extract, or pure vanilla extract.

FTG

 

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