Pairing red wine with meals helps draw out the flavors of the main dish. Cooking with red wine serves the same purpose. While red-wine recipes may seem intimidating to a beginner cook, they're not too difficult and can help you create an outstanding main dish.
When used on the stovetop (as opposed to in a marinade), the most common way of using red wine is in sauce recipes. A good red wine sauce can make a huge difference in the flavor or texture of food, depending on what type of wine you choose. For example, fortified wines like port or marsala wine usually result in a sauce that's rich, thick and sweet. On the other hand, sauces made with dry red wines add earthy flavor to beef and lamb recipes.
Red-wine recipes often don't give specifics for the type of wine. Often, they'll just suggest using a "dry red wine." If you're not sure what kind of wine to use, let your entrée be your guide. For hearty beef dishes, stews and pot roasts, choose a full-bodied red wine like cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel. Medium-bodied reds like merlot and pinot noir are more suitable for lighter fare.
Don't use a wine that you wouldn't actually drink. The wine's flavors become concentrated during the cooking process, so if a wine tastes cheap or vinegary to you before cooking, it'll taste just as bad in the finished dish. Never use anything labeled "cooking wine." These are low-quality wines with artificial coloring and salt added to them. You're better off using the good stuff in your red-wine recipes.
Ingredients:
Sauté the meat for your main dish in a skillet; remove it from the stovetop and keep it warm. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and red wine. Turn the heat to high and boil, whisking occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add in the butter, thyme and Dijon mustard and whisk to combine.