Wine in Shepherd's Pie

I recently made slow cooked beef short ribs with wine and beef stock in the sauce. It certainly tasted 'winey' when it was served. I was always given to understand that the alcohol was burned off in the cooking, but I can't be certain, except to say that there was half a bottle in my casserole and no-one seemed to suffer any inebriating effects! It was b****y delicious! If you deglaze the pan the meat is cooked in with the wine and let it bubble fiercely, that is supposed to boil off all the alcohol.

My 5lb of mince was slow cooked on the hob for about 3 hours after frying with onions, carrot and celery and tinned toms, tomato puree, redcurrant jelly, Yorkshire relish and thyme, bay leaves and anything else that seemed worth while throwing in by that stage. It also had stock and red wine. I think I'll play safe!!

It sounds delidious - what time are you serving it?

(posse of hungry Gnetters at the door)

delicious even

DiL read up on this when she was pregnant and later when breastfeeding and refused anything with alcohol in as she said it does not all cook off.

I know a recovering alcoholic and I would never give them anything with any alcohol in and think it a small matter to make up another one. I go out of my way to find non-alcoholic alternative drinks to serve too. M & S has a fizzy one in a champagne type bottle.

I think so Kitty - there can never be a guarantee that the alcohol is completely gone and in any case it may just not be what they would like to have in their meal. I bet your cooking is delicious without it.

Looks like I'm going to have to 'rustle one up' then! I'm a woman - I can do it!! . Serves me right for trying to be organised!!

You will feel a lot more relaxed if you do Kitty then you won't be at all worried that you might be doing harm. Good for your soul!

If you have a slow cooker you could throw it all in together, then just mash some potatoes (they'll never know that the other ones were made with such lavish care and attention)

Ok, I have a dreadful confession here! I lavished huge care on slow cooking the mince but they are topped with bought mash!!

Or you could just serve them savoury mince and potatoes and call it a Deconstructed Shepherd's Pie.

If I don't get off GNet the DGDs will be having deconstructed jerseys for Christmas.

Nothing wrong with bought mash, kitty. Tesco's Maris Piper mash with cornish butter is delicious!

You could even buy an individual MS shepherds pie kitty, give yourself a bit of a break. But, as you said, you're a woman, you can do this!

Here is a re-hab web site that discusses this very problem. In short, a dish cooked with wine will retain 75% > 85% of the original alcohol, enough to upset a recovering alcoholic.

alcoholrehab.com/alcoholism/food-and-alcohol/

Just wonder why you are putting red wine in? Don"t think it really adds a lot !

For Ummph I put in Lea and Perrins !!

Mushroom ketchup is a good alternative, too!

Yes that is also good, had forgotten that.

4 sleeps , whey hey !!

Mushroom ketchup has gluten in as does Lee and Perrins. Yorkshire relish is the gf alternative. Redcurrant jelly and wine add an awful lot - try it!!