The right way to use cooking wine: remove odors, boost freshness, and deepen the flavor

Cooking wine is a seasoning wine commonly used in Chinese cooking, generally made with yellow wine (huangjiu) as the base and blended with spices such as Sichuan peppercorn, star anise and cassia bark. Its alcohol content is moderate: it can dissolve the odor-causing compounds in ingredients while adding a subtle wine aroma, making it a common kitchen helper for removing fishy smells and boosting freshness.

The most common uses of cooking wine are marinating and deodorizing. When cooking fish, meat, organ meats and other ingredients with a strong fishy or gamey smell, you can rub them evenly with cooking wine before they go into the pot and let them sit for a moment, so the alcohol fully contacts and dissolves some of the odor-causing compounds. For braised and stewed dishes, you can drizzle a little cooking wine down the side of the pot after the broth comes to a boil; as the alcohol evaporates, the fishy smell disperses with it.

When using cooking wine, pay attention to the timing and the amount. For quick stir-fried dishes, it is best to add it when the temperature in the pot is at its highest, using the high heat to make the alcohol evaporate quickly so that only the aroma remains; if added too early or in too large an amount, the lingering alcohol taste will instead affect the flavor of the dish. In addition, cooking wine should not be casually replaced with baijiu or beer: baijiu has a higher alcohol content and a one-dimensional aroma, which easily overwhelms the natural taste of the ingredients.

It is also worth noting that cooking wine is a condiment, containing salt and spices, and is not suitable for drinking directly. After opening, it should be sealed and stored in a cool, dark place to prevent the aroma from dissipating and the product from spoiling. When buying, you can check the ingredient list; products with yellow wine as the main body and a reasonable blend of spices will give better results in home cooking.