Praise be to Allaah.

 

The fact that alcohol is forbidden in Islam is a well established fact and no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing it. It is one of the major sins that doom a person to Hell. This prohibition is mentioned in the Holy Book, where Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): 

 

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al‑Ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc), and Al‑Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”

 

[al-Maa’idah 5:90]  

 

This prohibition is general and applies to all manners of using alcohol, whether in food or in drink. It is not permissible to use it in food or drink in any way whatsoever. 

 

Al-Sarkhasi said in al-Mabsoot (24/25), which is a Hanafi book: 

 

If he makes dough with flour and alcohol, then bakes it, it is makrooh (i.e., haraam) to eat it, because the flour becomes impure from the alcohol and the impure dough cannot be purified by baking, so it is not permissible to eat it. end quote. 

 

He also said (24/32): 

 

If he puts alcohol in the sauce then cooks it, it is not permissible to eat it. This action is not permissible because it is using alcohol like vinegar, and we have explained that this is not allowed. End quote. 

 

This is very similar to what is mentioned in the question, that alcohol is being used like vinegar. 

 

So it is not permissible to marinade meat in alcohol or to soak it in it, and it is not permissible to cook with it at all. In that which is permissible there is sufficient and we have no need of that which is forbidden. The Muslim is enjoined to avoid alcohol completely, so we should boycott restaurants that use alcohol as an ingredient in their food and in preparing and cooking food, rather we should advise them and exhort them and warn people against them. 

 

Therefore, it is not permissible to eat dishes cooked with alcohol, as ALL the alcohol is not evaporated with cooking or heat. Refer to the following, quoted from the famous Mayo Clinic:

 

[Begin quote]

 

Many people believe that because alcohol is sensitive to heat, it is eliminated with cooking. However, not all the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks is removed with heat; it depends on the type and time of cooking. For instance if you add beer or wine to boiling liquid, then immediately remove it from the heat, 85 per cent of the alcohol content will remain. If you light the alcohol, as in flambé dishes, 75 per cent will remain. Even after simmering the dish for one and a half hours, it will still have 20 per cent of the original alcohol content.

 

It is only if you simmer the mixture for two or more hours, (as you would with a wine-based beef casserole), that as little as five to 10 per cent of the original alcohol content remains. Mayo Clinic Health Oasis http://www.mayohealth.org

[End quote]

 

And Allaah knows best.

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