The only alcohol I've ever found had a slightly bitter taste was the Guinness in Guinness stew, but I don't mind it there. Maybe my tastebuds are lacking (quite possible as many years of sinus infections have played merry hell with my sense of smell), but I don't get any bitter undertaste from the slosh of red wine I'll put into a stew or the slosh of vermouth I'll often put in when cooking fish.

Steve, how do you get your sirloin flat? I went to the butcher's today and got him to flatten it, which he did, saying any further flattening would wreck the fibres of the meat. But do you flatten it yourself, for instance by beating the tripes out of it with a rolling pin while invoking the name of your favourite government minister?