I’ve always heard that all alcohol “burns off” during the cooking process but that is not completely true. The amount of alcohol that remains in a dish after cooking really depends on how the food was cooked and for how long.
Here’s a general guide to how alcohol burns off when cooked.
- High Heat and Short Cooking Time:
- If alcohol is added to a hot pan and immediately flambéed or simmered briefly, a significant portion of the alcohol can evaporate quickly. However, it’s unlikely that all the alcohol will be eliminated.
- Extended Cooking Time:
- If a dish is cooked for an extended period, especially with low heat, the alcohol will gradually evaporate. However, even after prolonged cooking, a small percentage may still remain.
- Baking and Roasting:
- In dishes that are baked or roasted, the alcohol evaporation process is slower and while the alcohol content will decrease over time, some may still be present in the final dish.
- Alcohol in Sauce and Gravy:
- Alcohol used in sauces, gravies, or soups might retain more of its content since these liquids are often not exposed to direct heat and may not evaporate as easily. While that might be the case in some sauces, in this recipe you are cooking for an extended amount of time purposely trying to reduce and thicken the sauce and force evaporate a lot of the liquid. But, you can safely assume some of the alcohol is retained in this recipe.
BOTTOM LINE: be aware that the “alcohol burns off completely” myth is not accurate. While a significant portion may evaporate during cooking, some alcohol can still be present in the final dish, even if in small amounts.