The use of alcohol in cooking: recipes, tips, little tricks

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The use of alcohol in cooking has long been popular. Alcoholic drinks are often used in the preparation of various dishes. They use small amounts of alcohol such as vermouth, liquor, wine, cognac, vodka and rum and others.

Why do we need alcohol?

For novice cooks, the use of alcohol in cooking is bewildering. But it is no coincidence that these drinks are added to dishes. Why did the use of alcohol in cooking become popular? It gives the dishes a unique aroma that emphasizes the taste of all components.

Alcohol also has denaturing properties, which softens the meat protein. Therefore, alcoholic beverages are often used as the basis for the marinade.

The use of alcohol in cooking

Alcohol makes the dough tender, crumbly and brittle. A couple of drops of alcohol added to homemade ice cream keep it creamy, which means it won't freeze.

Also, for example, a homeopathic dose of brandy or cognac will enrich the taste of the pate. If you add a couple of drops of liquor to a pastry cream, then it will turn out to be especially seductive, butwhile not getting drunk.

To make sure once again that alcohol in very small doses gives dishes a special taste and aroma, I would like to recall the rum baba, which we have known since childhood.

Flaming

Fruits and flambé meat look very impressive. Before serving such dishes, they are doused with (very little) strong alcohol, and then set on fire.

The spectacle is truly unforgettable. The taste does change. Alcohol evaporates, but its aroma remains. Also, alcohol completely soaks the dish. Another advantage of flaming is that after the burning process, an appetizing crust is formed.

Before setting fire to fruits, they should be sprinkled with powdered sugar. The result is caramel with a strong cognac or rum aroma.

Alcohol and dough

Do not add alcohol to yeast dough. Since it worsens its properties. Sometimes the dough is prepared with vodka. Alcohol is also added to shortbread cookies and muffins. Then they become crumbly, melting in the mouth. In fried sweet products, such as, for example, brushwood, alcoholic beverages are also added. Thanks to this component, the products become crispy.

Beer is also added to the dough. On the basis of this drink, cookies, pies and donuts are prepared. By the way, it is also added to the batter in a small amount.

Cookies on beer

How to make beer cookies? A simple recipe that will appeal to those wholoves simple baked goods. It contains only four components. But, despite the simplicity, the products are incredibly tasty.

For cooking you will need:

• pack of margarine (this is 250 grams);
• glass of beer;
• two cups of flour;
• sugar (to your taste, but not too much).

Before baking, if desired, you can sprinkle products with cumin, coriander or poppy seeds. But this is not a requirement.

Beer biscuits - a simple recipe:

1. Pour flour into a deep bowl. Next, add finely chopped margarine, mix until the mixture resembles small crumbs in consistency. It is convenient to grind with a knife.
2. Next, add beer, knead the dough. Put it in the fridge for an hour.
3. Then roll out the dough thinly. Take the molds, cut them out of the layer of different figures. You can also use a regular glass for these purposes.
4. Next, dip each cookie in sugar. Then put on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown. Then take out the products, let them cool. Serve cookies with fragrant hot tea or cocoa.

Banana ice cream

Now we will look at another interesting dish with a little alcohol. It's called banana ice cream.

Such a dessert will interest many people who love cold treats. Ice cream with liqueur is fragrant and tender. For cooking you will need:

• tablespoon of vanilla sugar, liquor;
• two tablespoons of cottage cheese;
• 2 teaspoons of orange juice;
• three bananas.

Making homemade ice cream with bananas and liqueur:

1. First of all, peel the bananas, cut them. Then put in the freezer for one hour.
2. Next, keep the bananas at room temperature for a couple of minutes. Then grind in a blender, adding a spoonful of low-fat cottage cheese, juice, vanilla sugar and Baileys liquor.
3. Next, put the resulting mass into a mold, put in the freezer until it hardens. Many will like this ice cream.

Sauces and marinades with spirits

There is a long tradition of stewing meat in red wine or red wine sauce. They are especially popular in regions with developed winemaking. There is an opportunity to experiment with varieties. It was thanks to them that such dishes as Flemish beef, rooster in wine and others appeared.

Extinguishing lasts several hours. During this period, the meat becomes soft. During the quenching process, the alcohol is removed from the wine. And the rest of the liquid boils down, becomes thick.

Wine, by the way, is also used to create sauces. For cooking, you should take only good, high-quality drinks. The only exception is marinade with wine. For the preparation of such compositions, it is not necessary to use expensive drinks, for example, ordinary table drinks are suitable. But, no doubt, the wine must be natural, without dyes and alcohol surrogates.

Marinade for meat with whitedry wine

How to make marinade from wine? Just. For this you will need:

• a bottle of dry wine;
• garlic;
• a little cooking oil;
• a handful of spices (choose spicy ones, then the marinade will be spicier).

Mix these ingredients. Place the meat in the marinade. Leave for a few hours. After that, you can fry the marinated meat.

Sauce

Universal is sauce with wine. It can be served with poultry, fish, vegetables, pasta and meat. The sauce is easy to prepare. Store in the refrigerator.

Required for cooking:

• garlic clove;
• ch. a spoonful of s alt, dried parsley;
• two art. spoons of flour;
• glass of heavy cream;
• ground pepper (black);
• 180 ml white wine.

Cooking wine sauce at home:

1. In a saucepan or small saucepan, mix white wine, heavy cream, flour, s alt, garlic (passed through a press), ground black pepper (half a teaspoon), parsley.
2. Next mix until smooth.
3. Then bring the sauce to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, simmer until thickened. Stir occasionally.
5. The finished mixture and pour into a gravy boat. Then serve.

Pork stewed in red wine

Now let's look at how meat is cooked in red wine. It turns out such tender, juicy and fragrant pork.

To prepare this dish you need:

• garlic clove;
• half a kilo ripetomato;
• 500 grams pork tenderloin;
• one bulb;
• 100 ml dry red wine;
• vegetable oil (for frying).

Cooking meat in aromatic dry red wine sauce:

1. Prepare the food first. Rinse the meat under running water, then pat dry with paper towels or napkins.
2. Next, cut the pork into portions, sprinkle with s alt, spices, pepper. If necessary, beat the meat.
3. Next, scald the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the skin. Then cut into small pieces.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Then fry the pork pieces on both sides until golden brown.
5. Next, peel the onion, cut it. After chop the garlic, fry in the fat from under the meat. When everything is fried, add wine. Let it boil down half way.
6. After lay out the tomatoes. Extinguish for six minutes.
7. Next, put the pork into the prepared sauce. Simmer for another forty minutes over low heat. Then you can serve a delicious meat dish on the table.

Small conclusion

Now it is clear that the use of alcohol in cooking is the right decision. Thanks to this, familiar dishes acquire a new original taste. Don't be afraid to experiment.