Box Wine for Cooking

[budrichard]

There are a few brands of box wine now on the market at very reasonable prices. Has anyone used this type of wine for cooking and what has your actual experience been? I am interested in what you used the wine for, results and the brand and variety.

If you have an opinion and don't have actual experience, I would prefer not to hear your opinion on whether these wines are suitable.

Thanks for any responses.-Dick

Edited November 20, 2006 by budrichard (log)

[sheetz]

When guests are over I spring for the better wines, but for everyday cooking I use box wine and the food police hasn't knocked on my door yet! It's true that you don't get the same complexity and depth of flavor with the cheap wines, but since I'm not complaining there's no harm done, is there? Even the late, great Julia Child recommended using dry white vermouth as a substitute for white wine. You can try the same recipe using the box wine and then a better wine and taste the difference. If you don't mind the difference in taste then who is anyone else to tell you otherwise?

[snowangel]

I use it for cooking frequently, and depending on the guests, good wine just might be wasted!

[dockhl]

I've not only used them in cooking but , on occasion, have actually DRUNK Black Box Wines

gasp and shudder...............

[jbonne]

any of the ones recommended to drink are generally great for cooking -- Black Box, Hardys, Banrock Station, &c.

personally, i remain partial to the Three Thieves 1-liter Tetra Prismas, especially the whites, since the smaller format is quite conducive to the kitchen.

[Daniel Rogov]

Simple rule: If you'll drink it, you can cook with it. If you wouldn't drink it, don't put it in the cooking pot because all that will happen is that the negative flavors and aromas of the wine will be concentrated.

[suzilightning]

my mil just gifted me with a year of cooks illustrated ( through a filled out card) but in this issue(11-12/2006) issue is a note on The Ultimate Cooking Wine. they found that overall boxed wines did better than bottles over the long run because of the bladder system they used as opposed to corking.

hmmmmmm may have to pick up some red for the kitchen

[Lore]

Sound advice

Simple rule: If you'll drink it, you can cook with it. If you wouldn't drink it, don't put it in the cooking pot

and this worked wonderfully

Dtour wine

I don't know how available it is outside of New York, but it's decent wine. Best of all, the vacuum bag means that it stays perfectly fresh no matter how often you tap half a glass from the box.

[bobferdon]

Simple rule:  If you'll drink it, you can cook with it.  If you wouldn't drink it, don't put it in the cooking pot because all that will happen is that the negative flavors and aromas of the wine will be concentrated.

←

This is a good rule to go by. Remember also to read the box completely. If it is not a varietal wine and it says "with natural flavors" it might not be really wine at all. Just a wine flavored product. Wine, Water, Sugar and natural flavors...

[ckruse]

There are a few brands of box wine now on the market at very reasonable prices. Has anyone used this type of wine for cooking and what has your actual experience been? I am interested in what you used the wine for, results and the brand and variety.

If you have an opinion and don't have actual experience, I would prefer not to hear your opinion on whether these wines are suitable.

Thanks for any responses.-Dick

←

It works fine and it allows you to have some on hand all the time, besides the box aversion is slightly overdone, the french dont get all bent out of shape when they drink "en vrac". The key point to remember is bad wine into the box = bad wine out of the box.