Can You Drink Sherry Cooking Wine?

Can You Drink Sherry Cooking Wine?

Whether or not sherry cooking wine can be drunk is a question most people ask, because who doesn’t want to have a shot or two while cooking? No one. Sherry cooking wine is originally from Spain and is a type of grape wine that has been fortified and is used majorly in the kitchen.

The cooking sherry is not intended to be consumed directly, but it is majorly used for culinary purposes and yes, you can drink sherry cooking wine. Sherry cooking wine contains preservatives and sodium, which makes it unsafe for drinking. It causes adverse health problems and affects especially the liver and the heart.

Cooking sherry as it is otherwise called can be found in groceries. It has a salty taste, which makes it different from other types of wine. It is used in stir fry recipes, meat sauces, steaks, skillets and so many more.

The sherry cooking wine used in both baking and savory dishes can be stored in either refrigerator or the shelf, but preferably on the shelf because of the high salt content.

It contains alcohol in high volumes and is fortified, like port wines. It has an alcohol content of about 17%, which is higher than regular wines. It also contains sodium and only needs to be added in small quantities to the food

Sherry Cooking Wine Uses

Cooking shery
Source: MasterClass

The uses of cooking sherry in the kitchen are enormous. It is a perfect addition to many dishes and helps to enhance the texture, flavor, and appearance of your dishes and make them as attractive and moist as ever. Here are some basic uses of sherry cooking wine.

  • Braising: Due to the acidity contained in the cooking sherry, it braises the food and adds moisture to the dish.
  • De-glazing: Sherry wine is a great choice for deglazing the pan after searing the meats or seasonings.
  • Brightening: Splashing the sherry cooking wine on your food will boost the brightness of the creams and sauces.
  • Flavoring: The amazing flavor that is contained in the cooking sherry gives the food a nice and appetizing savor. 

How to Use Cooking Sherry

The sherry cooking wine is enjoyable in your dishes and gives the food an irresistible aroma.

You however should be wary of adding much salt to the food because of the high salt content of the cooking sherry. We have outlined two ways of using the sherry cooking wine, but the wine is not limited to these two methods.

1. When Splashing Over Steaks or Creams

  • Simply place add half a measuring cup of the cooking sherry into your pot and let it boil.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the wine and stir well.
  • Let it boil for about 3 minutes.

Splash this amazing flavor on the dish or cream to give that sweet and sour taste.

2. When Adding Vegetables

  • Finely chop your vegetables and pour them into a bowl.
  • Add the sherry cooking wine to the sides of the bowl.
  • Gently stir the vegetables and arrange them on the plate.

You can add a little more salt and chili but must be mindful of the salt because of the high sodium content of the sherry cooking wine.

Risks of Drinking Sherry Cooking Wine

Drinking sherry cooking wine is not the same as adding a moderate amount to your dish. It can cause serious adverse effects to the body if consumed regularly. Some risks attached to drinking sherry cooking wine have been outlined.

1. Heart Issues

Because of the high sodium content of the cooking sherry, ingesting it can affect the heart and cause high blood pressure either temporarily or permanently. Taking the sherry cooking wine is not safe for the heart and frequent misuse of the cooking wine can cause heart failure.

2. Liver Problems

Generally, alcohol is unsafe for the liver. Because of the higher alcohol content of the sherry cooking wine, it causes a greater adverse effect when taken regularly. 

3. Addiction

It has been reported that teens who do not have the license to buy alcohol and people who cannot afford to buy drinking alcohol resort to cooking wine and when taken over time, it can cause addiction, and even when they are aware of the risks attached to taking the wine, they cannot stop.

4. Alcohol Poisoning

This can occur when too much alcohol is taken at a time. When cooking sherry is consumed, it can lead to alcohol poisoning which will cause vomiting, loss of consciousness, and many others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sherry cooking wine safe to drink?

No, sherry cooking wine is not safe to drink. Sherry cooking wine, as the name suggests is not intended for direct consumption, as it is very high in sodium content and alcohol. Drinking cooking sherry will cause serious adverse effects on the body.

Can you get drunk off of cooking wine?

Yes, cooking wine can get you drunk when consumed directly, but cooking with it will not get you drunk. Cooking wine contains certain percentages of alcohol, and though it has been mixed with other ingredients like preservatives and sodium, it retains its alcohol content.

Is cooking sherry different from drinking sherry?

Yes, cooking sherry is different from drinking sherry. Although they are both fortified, drinking sherry does not contain sodium and preservatives, and it is edible. Taking drinking sherry has to be done moderately because you can get drunk even a very small amount of it.

Can you get drunk from sherry? 

You can get drunk from cooking sherry. It is however not safe, because of the terrible hangover experience people have from consuming drinking sherry. Asides from this, it affects the liver adversely, like with other cooking wines. We recommend you try out other edible wines that are safe for drinking and use cooking wines for their main purpose, which is to cook.

In Summary

The fact that you can drink sherry cooking wine is not equivalent to the fact that you should drink it.

Cooking sherry is not healthy for the body. We have outlined some risk factors attached to drinking the cooking sherry and for you, we also discussed how it can be used.

The sherry cooking wine can indeed cause drunkenness but is always accompanied by a dreadful hangover experience. Cooking wine should be used for its purpose, which is culinary purposes. 

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