The Freezer Hack That'll Save That Leftover Wine From Going To Waste
It's an age-old dilemma; once you open a bottle of wine, it begins to oxidize, meaning it will transform in taste and quality over the next several days. While a bottle of wine may be easily finished by some consumers or by couples or groups, many times, this isn't the case. Whether you're single, your partner doesn't drink, or you simply opened a bottle to use a small amount in a recipe, having a bottle of wine you can't finish within a few days creates a dilemma because you don't want the wine (and hence your money) to go to waste. There are gadgets out there to help keep wine fresh, but they can only extend its useful life for so long; they don't create a solution for longer-term storage of wine. Luckily, there's a hack for storing wine longer than a few days.
Contrary to popular belief, however, wine can be frozen. While freezing and thawing wine alters its flavor, thawed wine is still suitable for culinary use. To freeze leftover wine, portion it out into an ice tray. These wine cubes can be used later when needed for cooking.
How to freeze wine
Before freezing wine, you'll want to know the liquid measurement of each cube in your ice tray. This will tell you how many cubes to use when a recipe calls for a specific measurement of wine. To measure, pour water into one cube, then pour it out into a liquid measuring cup. Make note of this measurement for later when it's time to remove the wine.
Pour the wine into each section of an ice cube tray, then stick the tray in the freezer until set. Once the cubes are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. According to Taste of Home, they can be stored for three to six months this way before freezer burn impacts the taste.
Note that this method doesn't work for all types of wine. Food & Wine advises that sparkling wine doesn't freeze well due to carbonation. In addition, the freeze and thaw cycle alters the taste of the wine, making it unsuitable for drinking straight. However, this trick is a great way to preserve still wines for culinary uses.
Ways to use frozen wine cubes
The typical use for frozen wine cubes is cooking. Because they melt quickly when added to hot pans, they can be used straight from the freezer without needing to thaw. Add one to deglaze a pan and transform it into a homemade pan sauce. As an alternative, you can toss in a few to a soup or a pasta sauce to add depth of flavor, or keep them on hand for whenever a recipe calls for a splash of wine.
Frozen wine cubes aren't just good for cooking, however. They can also be used for drinks. Though you won't want to drink previously-frozen wine on its own, the cubes can be used in wine slushies, coolers, or sangrias. The addition of other ingredients will mask the off-taste of the wine, making it a suitable component for various frozen cocktails or drinks.
This hack is a great way to store extra wine and prevent it from going to waste. In addition, it will ensure you have this ingredient on hand and won't need a wine substitute when cooking. The ability to save and store wine can therefore save you money by preventing you from buying a new bottle every time you need it for a recipe.