Yes, You Can Cook With Boxed Wine. Here's Why It Works

Boxed wine doesn't always have an especially favorable reputation. Maybe it's an unpleasant reminder of our younger years when this was the cheapest option, or the assumption that it still tastes as terrible as it once used to. But believe it or not, in terms of quality, freshness, and eco-friendliness.

So, yes, you can definitely cook with it — and you really should. Patrick Ochs, corporate executive chef at , chatted with The Takeout to explain why it's such a good option in the kitchen. "The air-tight bladder and economical portions of boxed wine make it ideal for cooking frequently, as it stays fresh longer," Ochs told us.



This "allows you to use wine in smaller quantities without waste or spoilage." Boxed wine can actually retain its quality for six to eight weeks once opened, compared to bottled wine, which starts degrading from a few days to a week. And there's no pressure to finish a bottle, or wonder .

So maybe it's time to consider buying a box next time you're looking for . Just choose one that will complement the majority of your recipes. Which boxed wine works best for cooking? If you're stuck on which boxed wine to buy, professional chef Patrick Ochs shared some recommendations.

Try going for a "versatile option like Bota Box Cabernet Sauvignon," he told us. "This is a great choice for home cooks because it offers bold flavors, good acidity, and a consistent quality, making it ideal for everything from hearty stews to sauces and marinades." And if you're cooking with meat like pork, beef, or lamb but want a slightly lighter flavor, a boxed Pinot Noir is a great choice, too.

For seafood, poultry, and risotto dishes, a boxed white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay could work well. You can use it for flavorful gravies, or make a white wine sauce to add brightness and acidity to your dish. And when you consider that , it's a more versatile option for sauces than you might initially assume.

Just remember when using boxed wine in your cooking that the length of time a dish is cooked for will affect how much alcohol evaporates, or burns off. If you're using the wine as one of the , you can reduce it first so that the flavors are more concentrated. And if you're opening a boxed wine to cook with, rather than a bottle, its long-lasting freshness means you can use exactly what you need without wasting a drop.

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