# Cast iron and wine



## dledmo (Apr 7, 2006)

If I were making a pan sauce using red wine reduced in a skillet, would it be ok to use a cast iron skillet? Would the acid of the red wine damage the skillet, would the cast iron skillet leave a funny taste to the sauce?


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

Yes to your last sentence. Cast iron is great for searing, terrible for sauce. Acidity ruins both your sauce and your pan.


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## dledmo (Apr 7, 2006)

Thanks for the quick help! I think I'll just sear the steaks. Or maybe I'll use the stainless steel and do the sauce. Decisions, decisions. :lol: Once again thanks for the help, great board here.


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## grumio (Apr 16, 2006)

According to the Cook's Illustrated gang, well-seasoned cast iron can take acid ingredients for fairly brief periods (such as making a pan sauce or a quick tomato sauce). The tannins in red wine, though, react with cast iron & create off flavors, so red wine, they say, is a cast iron no-no.


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

I've learned the hard way to take Cooks Illustrated's advice with a grain of salt. I can assure you that even a white wine reduction would probably pick up all kinds of nasty flavours from my cast iron. (And my pans are super clean...) I still recommend sticking to stainless for saucemaking. Why mess with a good thing?


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## grumio (Apr 16, 2006)

I agree; I'd use stainless (or enamel) too. Not everyone has both kinds. 

I've found CI pretty solid, but they're not perfect...


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