Kitchen

[Deadeye Daisy]

Because we often have guests who are AA, I keep non-alcoholic beer concentrate in the fridge for cooking. I make a bottle of 'beer' by adding 5 parts carbonated water to 1 part concentrate, just as you would when making 'soda' with a DrinkMaker. When using in chili instead of Guinness Stout, I add some dark molasses to the chili.

[MargieRJ]

On 3/1/2014 Deadeye Daisy said:

Because we often have guests who are AA, I keep non-alcoholic beer concentrate in the fridge for cooking. I make a bottle of 'beer' by adding 5 parts carbonated water to 1 part concentrate, just as you would when making 'soda' with a DrinkMaker. When using in chili instead of Guinness Stout, I add some dark molasses to the chili.

Those are great substitutions.

For those who are AA members I can understand not having non-alcoholic beers or wines in the home though. They can be so similar to the real thing. I'd imagine they could cause an issue.

[stilltamn8r]

Unless someone is a recovering alcoholic, or on medication which precludes alcohol consumption, why would a little alcohol left in a dish even matter?

[Deadeye Daisy]

It's not the 'taste' that's a problem. It's the actual chemical (alcohol) that's the issue. In an alcoholic, the body reacts to the slightest amount of alcohol just as a tiny amount of narcotic causes a reaction in a drug addict.

Alcoholics have to watch consuming items with flavoring extracts like vanilla. Many have a higher percentage of alcohol than most wines, and almost 3X as much as most beer. Good vanilla is 35% alcohol. Alcoholics have been known to drink up bottles of flavoring extracts when nothing else was around.

[stilltamn8r]

Right, so if we are not cooking for alcoholics or folks on medication, why worry about residual alcohol content?

[MargieRJ]

On 3/1/2014 stilltamn8r said:

Right, so if we are not cooking for alcoholics or folks on medication, why worry about residual alcohol content?

There's no issue then.

[house cat]

On 3/1/2014 MargieRJ said:

On 3/1/2014 house cat said:

On 3/1/2014 lolakimono said:

HC,

Can DH have non-alc like O'Doul's?

Nope.

That seems odd that he can't have O'Doul's even in a recipe. In cooking it will be a flavoring ingredient.

My beef stew recipe calls for a bottle of beer. Someone told me that the alcohol is what tenderizes the meat. I would think non-alcoholic beer wouldn't have the same effect. Is this correct?

[DiAnne]

I have never cooked with beer (because I can't stand the taste) but often cook with wine. I would not think the alcohol would burn off just pouring beer into chili or stew but it seems like most of it would evaporate when deglazing a pan with wine (it sure disappears).

[cairnlover]

My son takes medication that would react with alcohol. Due to this, I would never use any in cooking.

[house cat]

On 3/1/2014 DiAnne said:

I have never cooked with beer (because I can't stand the taste) but often cook with wine. I would not think the alcohol would burn off just pouring beer into chili or stew but it seems like most of it would evaporate when deglazing a pan with wine (it sure disappears).

I did a little research (a.k.a. Googling) and it seems that it matters how long you cook it. For instance, if I'm cooking stew for three hours, it will be pretty much gone. The estimates were from about 5% residual to 25%. If you're not cooking the food very long the residual percentage could be much higher.