Recipes that use your leftover wine

I am trying to wrap my head around ‘leftover wine,’ how is that a thing? When the cork flies off here, it’s bottoms up till the bottle is empty (don’t judge me).

Or perhaps you recently threw a party and ordered more wine than necessary, or you’re experimenting and trying new recipes. Whatever your reason might be, I have found incredible ways to put your leftover wine to good use. 

There are tonnes of different recipes out there. Many look good, and a few others taste good, but very few can make your mouth water and your tongue dance in excitement. 

Finding recipes that combined both worlds meant experimenting for myself, and I needed to get myself a bottle of wine (I had emptied my bottle at home ;). So I checked out a popular wine merchant Enoteca online and ordered a Masseto wine for my culinary experiment. 

But first, we need to figure out if you can still use your leftover wine or you, like me, would need to get another bottle.

How do you store leftover wine?

If you open a bottle of wine and do not drink it all while sitting, the leftover wine in the bottle would be exposed to air which would oxidize the wine after a few days, making it taste burnt or even stale. One way you can keep your wine fresh for longer and slow down the oxidation process is to pop the cork back on and keep it refrigerated. 

Rosé and white wines can stay refrigerated for 2-3 days, while red wine lasts longer refrigerated at 3-5 days. 

If you have correctly stored your wine, let’s look at the amazing recipes we can make.

Juice up dried fruits

Salads are best enjoyed with the sweetness and crunch of dried fruits. So one way to spice up your spinach salad or arugula is to introduce dried figs, cherries, or raisins. But before you toss’ em in the mix, ensure you submerge your dried fruits in white wine for at least one hour and could be as long as a whole day. The result is unlocking a juicy level of deliciousness as you enjoy your summer salad. 

Enhance your BBQ sauce

Of the many things to do with wine, this is probably my favorite. One way you can put your leftover wine to good use is in your barbecue sauce. First, I recommend using a bold, punchy red wine to complement your sweet, sumptuous barbecue sauce. Then, when making the sauce, add glugs of red wine for extra flavor, but not so much that it drowns the other seasoning. 

Make fruity jam

If life gives you leftover wine and leftover fruits, make a fruity jam. I have personally experimented with plums, peaches, and berries, and it is so good I’m thinking of launching my fruity jam brand. 

The secret is mixing equal parts wine and sugar in a pan over medium heat and gently mix until all the sugar dissolves. Doing this reduces the wine and cooks out the alcohol as the sauce gently thickens. All that’s left is to add two parts fresh berries to the mixture and watch it caramelize for the next 5-10 minutes under medium heat. 

And voila, you have made your fruity jam to be enjoyed with waffles or on hot toast. 

Conclusion

I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to finish any more bottles of wine. But, these recipes have unlocked a new brand of flavor for my tongue to savor. You don’t have to worry about your white or red wine going bad. Remember when life hands you leftover wine, you add it to your BBQ sauce.