CAN A CHRISTIAN USE COOKING WINES TO USE FOR COOKING ONLY?
Well, this is beginning to become a big topic. There are beer brats. Some of the frozen meals you buy have been dipped in some sort of alcohol and most of the time, we may buy those frozen meals and not give it a single thought at looking at the ingredients. And in almost every case, you can buy cooking wines that do not ask for an I.D. So, from a state and federal point of view, they do not necessary compare it to the same alcohol for the purpose of drinking, nor do they see one getting drunk on this. But, what about Christians?
Well again, there seems to be a lot of confusion. Some believe that alcohol is acceptable because it is marketed and sold in the food isles around vinegar. Second, some believe that it is acceptable to have it in the home because it is so full of salt and other spices, no one in their right mind would try to drink it outright. Third, some do not believe that it would influence one in a negative way because of the differences between cooking wine and drinking wine. Fourth, some do not believe that it is a big deal claiming that the alcohol that is in it, burns off when cooked.
Now, there are others who claim that the alcohol never entirely burns off in cooking. For example: if alcohol is added to boiling water and taken from heat, 85% remains. Alcohol when just flamed: 75% remains. When it is baked for 25 minutes: 45% remains (U.S. Department of Agriculture). However, there are a couple of problems with this study. First, it is years old and needs updating. Secondly, it was not done by those who use wines on a daily basis. Third, it does not use cooking wines, only drinking wines in their comparison which have a much higher content of wine than cooking wines. Fourth, the majority of cookbooks suggest adding wine to bake with or to flame, not to boil. Fifth, in baking, the majority of recipes used with wines calls for 1-2 hours of cooking instead of 25 minutes. So, when wine is used in this type of cooking for this long, there is 0% alcohol left. Sixth, it is true that 75% alcohol remains when just flamed, but what they do not tell you is that chefs flame for 3-5 minutes, which again leaves no alcohol in the food. So, we can see why a better study needs to be done.
Now, on a different note, cooking with cooking wines is a very poor wine and given the fact that all the alcohol would be burned off, it leaves you with salt and other spices along with a poor taste from the wine. Therefore, as the old saying goes in the culinary profession, “If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t add it.”
As for the Bible, we are warned that wine is a mocker or makes one arrogant (Prov. 20:1), Hab. 2:15 tells us to not give it to our neighbor, that is “Reya” (our friend or companion). Also, people make mistakes through drinking wine (Isa. 28:7) and Gal. 5:21 commands us to stay away from getting drunk and then uses the words “TOUTOIS HOMOIOS” (such like), meaning stay away from that which would lead one to drunkeness, no matter what amount of consumption it is. True, if cooked properly, there is no alcohol which would be fine. However, in order to make the recipe the right way, going to buy the wine and going through the wine section, standing in the checkout buying the wine, walking out of the store with it, leaves an awful bad impression on others who do not know what we would be using it for.
Besides, I think there are some recipes we could just do without. Personally, I think we should just not cook dishes with alcohol in them. I mean, even if you would buy drinking alcohol for cooking only, what if a child gets a hold of it in your home and gets drunk from it? What would others think to come to a Christian’s home and find a big bottle of Chardonnay. It would certainly tarnish the influence the child of God has.
But, most people have had wine whether they know it or not. Most meat marinades from restaurants have wine in it. Shrimp scampi from Red Lobster has a small dose of sherry in it. However, they test in their kitchens the recipes to ensure the alcohol is completely burned off because parents are known for giving their children a bite of their food. I think that is a good practice.