Craft & Cork >> Wine

It’s that time of year where you will be hosting and serving wine, and may even have bottles that have left over wine. Now you might be wondering “How can anyone have left over wine”? While we don’t understand either, we have a great hack to help anyone get the most out of this situation.

Hack: Freeze it to use in cooking sauces!

The average bottle of wine lasts 1-3 days, but you can prolong its usage by using it in cooking sauces. Once you’ve decided you won’t be able to drink your leftover wine within the recommended stored time, that’s where you can freeze it!  We don’t mean literally freeze the bottle, but simply pour the extra wine into an ice tray.  Freeze it over night, and it should be ready to go by the next day. When preparing your cooking sauce, add a wine ice cube to your pan for that extra zest!  Try it in a seafood sauce, marinara or even butter sauces!

Here is a delicious sauce idea for some inspiration:

Red Wine Ice Cube Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 red wine ice cubes
• 1/2 cinnamon stick (1 1/2 inches)
• 1 package fresh or frozen cranberries (about 12 oz.)
• 1 tablespoon slivered tangerine, clementine or orange zest, or more to taste

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over moderate heat, combine the sugar, red wine ice cubes and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the wine is reduced slightly.
3. Add the cranberries and zest.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and the sauce has thickened.
5. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Source: https://alexandracooks.com/2011/11/23/red-wine-cranberry-sauce/