The use of alcohol in cooking (12 photos)

Perhaps not everyone guess about the magical properties of alcoholic beverages is not only to raise the mood, but also to transform an ordinary meal special. Therefore, we combine business with pleasure and learn how to use alcohol to give the dish a unique and with nothing incomparable flavor and aroma.



1. Strengthening flavor food


Volatile alcohol molecule, i.e. they are easy to evaporate and carry the flavor of food by air directly to the nasal cavity, olfactory receptors teasing. If you add a little bit of alcohol, for example, in fruit salad, this will only exacerbate and accentuate its flavor. Smell plays a key role in the dish. Our perception of the taste of food depends more on smell than on taste receptors on the tongue.

2. beer batter


Brewer's yeast is rich in protein. And if you add a little bit of beer in the dough, you get a crisp beer batter and Crunchy.

3. Preservation of product moisture


Besides the beer will not allow burnt food inside, which makes it possible to fry, for example, the fish on a hot oil without fear of overexposing it.

4. Preparation of soft ice cream


Ice cream, home-cooked, it should not be peremorozhennym. Alcohol lowers the freezing point (which is why we cool drink in a freezer), making ice cream softer and without forming ice crystals at the same time. Remember, you need quite a bit of alcohol - three teaspoons per liter. If you do not want to change the taste of ice cream, add the vodka. Amaretto, Grand Marnier and other liqueurs flavored ice cream give a special flavor.

5. Soften meat


Alcohol par with vinegar is able to soften the meat, such as pickling, and give him a full-bodied taste. And contained in beer and wine acid and tannins digested protein, making even the most rigid meat is tender and melting in the mouth.

6. Crispy baked


Water contributes to the development of gluten in the flour, making the finished baked goods more dense and heavy. Vodka (or other alcohol) instead of water limits the production of gluten and makes the dough more fragile shortbread, crispy and tender.

7. Reduced carcinogens


It has been proven that the process of marinating the meat in a dark beer reduces the amount of polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates, which can cause cancer.

8. flaming dish to impart sophistication


As for this technology are constant debates: someone thinks that ignites alcohol cook food only for entertainment, and to surprise the audience. However, there is every reason to believe that the direct impact of fire promotes rapid browning and caramelization of sugar foods in sauces, while a dish not get overcooked. A dried and burnt edges will have a unique taste and aroma.

9. Effective deglazirovanie


During roasting pan or any other cookware meat pieces tend to adhere to the surface of which turns brown meat or plaque prizharenny precipitate. Deglazirovaniya technique helps to remove food debris from the bottom of the dishes that emerged there due process of caramelization, and then using these residues in sauces. The liquid can be applied to deglazirovaniya broth, water, and, of course, alcohol (eg, wine). Alcohol makes the process more efficient deglazirovaniya as ethanol creates a chemical bond with water molecules and fats.

10. Natural aromatic extracts


Alcohol is an ideal basis for the preparation of various extracts, tinctures and essential oils of nuts, vanilla beans and citrus fruits. Infusion with the addition of vodka kept approximately seven days. The same technology (only with added sugar) can be cooked Italian limoncello - Limoncello.

11. The amount of alcohol is important


The boiling point of alcohol is significantly lower than that of water, but completely out of food it does not evaporate. It is unlikely that one piece of rum cake you'll be drunk as a lord. The main error in the preparation of meals with the addition of alcohol - it's too big or too small the amount. So try to observe the necessary proportions of alcohol, and the result will surprise you.