Shaoxing wine
绍兴酒 · Shàoxīng jiǔ (pinyin)
A Chinese rice wine from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, used in marinades, braises and sauces; bottles sold for cooking often contain added salt.
What it means
Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒, Shàoxīng jiǔ) is a kind of huangjiu, or 'yellow wine', made by fermenting glutinous rice, water and wheat-based yeast. It is produced in Shaoxing, in Zhejiang province. The Woks of Life describes it as dark amber, mildly sweet and fragrant, at roughly 14 to 15 percent alcohol.
It is both a drink and a cooking ingredient. In the kitchen it goes into marinades, stir-fries, braises, dumpling fillings and sauces, and it is especially associated with red-cooked dishes such as braised pork belly.
Bottles sold overseas are generally meant for cooking. Wikipedia says they can contain spices and extra salt, and The Woks of Life adds that cooking-grade bottles are inexpensive and that you do not need an expensive drinking-grade bottle to cook with.
A common mix-up
Cooking-grade Shaoxing wine is salted and is not a substitute for a drinking bottle; its salt has to be counted when seasoning the dish.
Questions people ask
What can replace Shaoxing wine?
The Woks of Life recommends dry cooking sherry first, then clear rice wine, dry white wine, sake or soju. For small amounts it also lists stock or water as non-alcoholic options.
Is Shaoxing wine the same as sake?
No. Shaoxing wine is a Chinese huangjiu from Zhejiang made with glutinous rice and wheat-based yeast. The Woks of Life lists sake only as a possible substitute.
Sources & further reading
Background and preparation references. Our descriptions are editorial summaries, not restaurant reviews.