Actually, that's a common misconception. I know it comes up in this column a lot.
It depends on the cooking method/time cooked...e.g., a dish simmered 30 minutes retains 35% of the alcohol. That's can be quite significant for someone who truly cannot have alcohol (whether an alcoholic in recovery, due to medication interactions, whatever.)
Here's a chart that shows cooking-alcohol retention: http://www.ochef.com/165.htm
HOWEVER, if you have some extra cash and want a more sophisticated option than just plain white grape juice...there are wineries that take grapes you would normally turn into wine (Riesling, Chardonnay, Muscat, etc...) and make flat or sparkling juices from them. They are great to serve at dinner parties for non-alcohol consuming guests...especially since they offer more depth of flavor more similar to the wines they would usually become. When I used to live in Seattle, i was very fond of Riesling grape juice (bottled in oregon) but you can't find them in stores...you have to order them online. My guess is that they would be able to provide a similar flavor to cooking without the alcohol. Below is a link to help you find varieties of both red and white grape juices from the different varietals...if you plan on cooking with non-alcoholic alternatives, it could be a more permanent solution.
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It depends on the cooking method/time cooked...e.g., a dish simmered 30 minutes retains 35% of the alcohol. That's can be quite significant for someone who truly cannot have alcohol (whether an alcoholic in recovery, due to medication interactions, whatever.)
Here's a chart that shows cooking-alcohol retention: http://www.ochef.com/165.htm
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Wine-and-Alcohol-644/alcohol-substitutes.aspx
HOWEVER, if you have some extra cash and want a more sophisticated option than just plain white grape juice...there are wineries that take grapes you would normally turn into wine (Riesling, Chardonnay, Muscat, etc...) and make flat or sparkling juices from them. They are great to serve at dinner parties for non-alcohol consuming guests...especially since they offer more depth of flavor more similar to the wines they would usually become. When I used to live in Seattle, i was very fond of Riesling grape juice (bottled in oregon) but you can't find them in stores...you have to order them online. My guess is that they would be able to provide a similar flavor to cooking without the alcohol. Below is a link to help you find varieties of both red and white grape juices from the different varietals...if you plan on cooking with non-alcoholic alternatives, it could be a more permanent solution.
http://www.sweetwatercellars.com/grape-juice.html
I really hope this helps! Happy Cooking!
Frenchy