Can you use old sherry for cooking?

Quick Answer

Yes, you can generally use old sherry that has been opened and stored for cooking. However, the flavor and quality of the sherry will deteriorate over time, so very old sherry may not provide the desired flavor. Using old sherry within 2-3 months is best.

How Long Does Sherry Last After Opening?

Once opened, sherry will start to slowly oxidize and lose its freshness. However, it lasts longer than many other wines. An opened bottle of sherry will usually last:

  • Dry sherries like Fino – 3-6 months
  • Medium sherries like Amontillado – 2-3 months
  • Sweet sherries like Pedro Ximénez – 1-2 months

Properly stored and sealed, unopened bottles of sherry have a very long shelf life. Dry sherries can last up to 8 years or more after bottling, while sweet sherries can last 4-6 years.

How to Tell if Sherry is Bad

There are a few signs that indicate sherry has gone bad and is no longer good for drinking or cooking:

  • Change in color – Sherry darkens as it oxidizes. Significantly darker color can indicate age and poor quality.
  • Loss of aroma – Fresh sherry has a distinct aroma and bouquet. Faded aroma points to oxidization.
  • Vinegar-like smell – Bad sherries take on a vinegar-like acetic aroma.
  • Unpleasant flavors – Deteriorated, bitter flavors.
  • Texture changes – Older sherry may be thicker, oilier, or syrupy.
  • Crystals/Sediment – Sherry naturally forms harmless tartrate crystals over time. Excess crystals can indicate old age.

Give the sherry a taste test if you notice any of these warning signs and evaluate if it has become unpalatable. Remember that lighter, drier sherries deteriorate faster than richer, sweeter styles.

What Causes Sherry to Go Bad?

There are a few factors that can cause opened bottles of sherry to spoil or develop off flavors and aromas over time:

  • Oxidation – When exposed to oxygen, the sherry oxidizes and the flavor profile changes. Aromas become weaker while flavors take on nutty, caramelized notes.
  • Temperature Fluctuations – Heat and temperature changes accelerate oxidation. Store opened sherry bottles in a cool, dark place.
  • Yeast Activity – Yeast can continue acting on sugars and producing off aromas reminiscent of vinegar or acetaldehyde.
  • Evaporation – As alcohol evaporates over time, the sherry loses freshness and aromatic compounds.

Keeping the bottle tightly sealed and minimizing oxygen exposure helps prolong freshness. However, deterioration is inevitable in an opened bottle over time.

Tips for Using Old Sherry for Cooking

You can use sherry for cooking within 2-3 months of opening, depending on the style. Follow these tips:

  • Use opened dry and medium sherries like Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado sooner rather than later. Their more delicate flavors dissipate quickly.
  • Prioritize cooking with sweeter, richer Pedro Ximénez or cream sherries. They maintain their intensity for a bit longer.
  • Taste the old sherry before using – if it has become too punchy, bitter, or vinegar-like, it’s best not to use it.
  • Use sherry generously in sauces, marinades, braises, and other cooked dishes where its flaws can be masked.
  • Avoid using as the star in fresh, uncooked applications like vinaigrettes or pouring over fruit, as flaws will be apparent.
  • Complement with other strong flavors like garlic, onions, smoked paprika, mustard, or herbs.
  • Consider reducing the sherry slightly to intensify the flavor if it seems tired or flat.

Checking for signs of spoilage and using proper discretion can help old sherry be successfully incorporated into cooked dishes. The key is tasting before adding.

Cooking Substitutions for Bad Sherry

If you take a taste and determine the old sherry is no longer usable, don’t pour it out. Here are some good substitutes:

  • Dry white wine or vermouth – Replace Fino or Manzanilla sherry 1:1 with a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a dry vermouth. Reduce dry wines slightly to mimic oxidized sherry flavors.
  • Sweet wine – For rich Pedro Ximénez, swap in an off-dry to sweet white wine like Riesling or Gewurztraminer.
  • Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar – Splash in a bit of vinegar to replace sherry’s acidic punch in savory dishes and sauces.
  • Fruit juice – For sweetness, use apple, pineapple, grape, or orange juice concentrates.
  • Broth or stock – Substitute chicken, beef, or vegetable broth to replicate the umami notes.
  • Worcestershire sauce – Adds savory depth similar to Amontillado.

The cook should taste as they go and adjust acidity, sweetness, and seasoning to match the original dish. Combining substitutes can help achieve the right sherry-like balance.

How to Store Sherry Properly

To get the longest possible lifespan out of opened sherry bottles, be sure to:

  • Re-cork or cap the bottle tightly.
  • Refrigerate – Cooler temps slow oxidation.
  • Minimize air exposure by keeping bottles upright and filled to the neck.
  • Use wine preserver spray if refrigerating over 2 weeks.
  • Store in a cool, dark place away from light if not refrigerating.
  • Finish within 2-3 months.

Unopened sherry bottles can be stored upright in a dark cabinet or wine cellar at room temperature for years. Once opened, treat them like regular wine. Refrigeration extends the shelf life for a few extra weeks or months.

Sherry Uses in Cooking

Thanks to its intense and balanced flavors, sherry is a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory recipes. Here are some of the most popular uses for cooking:

  • Sauces – Splash into rich pan sauces, gravies, and reduction sauces.
  • Marinades – Soak meats in a sherry marinade before roasting or grilling.
  • Deglazing – Scrape up cooked food bits when making pan sauces.
  • Stews & Braises – Add big flavor to slowly simmered meats and veggies.
  • Risotto – Use as the flavorful cooking liquid.
  • Dressings & Glazes – Whisk with oil and acid for vinaigrettes.
  • Poaching Liquid – Infuse richness into poached fruit.
  • Desserts – Splash into custards, ice cream, cakes, and flans.

Both dry and sweet styles work in either sweet or savory recipes. Fino or Manzanilla add light nuttiness to seafood, chicken, and veggies. Amontillado provides caramel and nutty complexity for rich meats. PX sherry gives a jammy sweetness to fruit desserts and glazes.

Sherry Cooking Tips

Follow these tips when cooking with sherry:

  • Look for “cooking sherry” which works well in recipes, or use an inexpensive drinking sherry.
  • Reduce any leftover sherry in an opened bottle to concentrate flavors.
  • Add at the end of cooking for fresher flavor. Bring just to a simmer.
  • When using as the braising or poaching liquid, add spices, herbs, citrus, or fruit.
  • Combine with stocks, broths, vinegars, and wines for extra dimension.
  • Try sweet styles like PX in desserts and cocktails. They add ripe fruit notes.
  • Stir a splash into pan gravies or mushroom sauces at the last minute.

With a wide spectrum from bone dry to syrupy sweet, sherry makes a versatile, flavor-packed addition to savory and sweet recipes alike. Embrace sherries in your home cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about using old sherry for cooking:

Can old sherry make you sick?

Sherry that has only been opened for a few months is unlikely to make you sick, even if the quality has declined. However, very old sherry that has turned to vinegar with potential mold growth could cause illness if consumed directly in large quantities. Exercising caution is advised.

Does cooking destroy alcohol in sherry?

No, the alcohol does not fully cook off. Only about 5-10% of the alcohol will evaporate during 15-30 minutes of stovetop cooking. For dishes cooked longer than 2 hours, about 40% of the alcohol cooks off.

Can you freeze leftover sherry?

Freezing is not recommended. The sherry’s taste and aroma will degrade quickly once thawed. Refrigeration prolongs freshness better than freezing. Or re-cook it into a pan sauce.

What’s the difference between cooking sherry and drinking sherry?

Cooking sherry is a lower grade, inexpensive sherry made from lesser quality grapes. Drinking sherry is produced with winemaking standards for sipping. Either can be used successfully in recipes, but fine sherry would be a waste.

Does sherry go bad once opened?

Yes, oxidation causes opened sherry to slowly deteriorate in quality and develop off flavors over weeks or months. It does not necessarily “go bad” from a food safety standpoint, but the taste profile declines.

Key Takeaways

  • Use opened sherry for cooking within 2-3 months for best flavor.
  • Check old sherry for signs it has turned like vinegar aromas, bitterness, separation, etc.
  • Replace bad sherry with dry white wine, sweet wine, vinegar, broth, or juice.
  • Store opened sherry bottles refrigerated and tightly sealed.
  • Add old sherry at the end of cooking dishes to avoid overheating.
  • Prioritize using sweet PX sherry over drier styles that deteriorate faster.

Conclusion

While sherry lasts longer than other wines, its flavor does decline within months after opening. Checking for spoilage and using older sherry promptly in cooked applications allows you to maximize its use in the kitchen. With proper storage and substitutions, leftover sherry can continue providing its signature flavor and character to both sweet and savory recipes.

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