When I put alcohol in a recipe, does it all cook off? Should I be concerned with how much alcohol is left?
Alcohol added to a recipe may cook off, but it depends on how long you cook it. People with alcoholism should be concerned with how much alcohol is left which will be inconsistent with a sober lifestyle. Rena Cutrufelli of the USDA prepared the following table of alcohol content in cooked foods. You can compare your recipe directions to the table below to determine how much alcohol is left.
| Preparation Method | Percent Retained |
| Alcohol added to boiling liquid & removed from heat | 85% |
| Flame | 75% |
| No heat; stored overnight | 70% |
| Baked, 25 minutes, alcohol not stirred into mixture | 45% |
| Baked/simmered, alcohol stirred into mixture: |  |
| 15 minutes | 40% |
| 30 minutes | 35% |
| 1 hour | 25% |
| 1.5 hours | 20% |
| 2 hours | 10% |
| 2.5 hours | 5% |
