When a recipe calls for wine and you do not have any, use grape juice with a little vinegar in place of red wine, or apple juice or white grape juice with lemon juice in place of white wine.
What can replace red wine? In stews and recipes with red meat, wine adds acidity and depth. To replace these 2 functions together, use this ratio: for every one 200 ml measure of wine, mix 3/4 of a 200 ml measure of grape juice with two 15 ml measures of red vinegar. Since grape juice is sweeter than wine, slightly reduce any sugar in the recipe.
What can replace white wine? In sauces for fish or chicken, apple juice with a few drops of lemon juice can replace white wine, balancing its acidity and mild sweetness. White grape juice can also work, but it is sweeter than apple juice, so you may need to use a little less.
What can replace wine for deglazing a pan? To loosen the browned bits left in the pan after cooking meat, use stock with a few drops of vinegar instead of wine. Pour the liquid into the hot pan to release the flavorful bits. Do not add too much vinegar, or its sharp sourness may dominate the sauce.
What can replace wine in desserts such as tiramisu and fruit compotes? In recipes such as tiramisu, espresso mixed with a few drops of vanilla extract can replace sweet liqueur or wine as a practical option for an alcohol-free version. In fruit compotes, grape juice or pomegranate molasses can provide much of the sweet-and-sour balance that wine adds. Whichever substitute you choose, it cannot fully reproduce the complex aroma left by wine as its alcohol evaporates during cooking. Grape juice and vinegar together come closest to providing a similar balance of acidity and sweetness.
Is wine used in cooking only because its alcohol evaporates? Contrary to a common belief, not all of the alcohol in wine evaporates, even during long cooking. A noticeable amount can remain in sauces cooked for only a short time. If you want an alcohol-free dish, use a completely alcohol-free substitute such as the grape juice and vinegar mixture above; do not assume that a small amount of wine simply evaporates.
Opened wine starts to spoil. For cooking, an opened bottle kept tightly sealed in the refrigerator stays in good condition for no more than 1 week. After that, its flavor becomes noticeably sour and can add an unwanted sharpness to a dish. Using substitute ingredients also avoids having to track how long an opened bottle of wine has been stored or keeping an unnecessary bottle in the kitchen cupboard. For people who buy wine only occasionally for cooking, this can be both practical and economical.