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Alcohol holds a special place in both the realms of drinking and cooking. Liquor adds richness, complexity, and excitement to your taste buds when enjoyed responsibly as a beverage. Using alcohol for cooking allows you to unlock a new world of culinary possibilities and enhance flavours. As such, you can create dishes that you and your fellow diners will love. Whether you’re savouring a well-crafted cocktail or experimenting with liquor-infused recipes in the kitchen, alcohol can excite your taste buds and elevate your senses.
As such, when shopping at your favourite liquor store in Abu Dhabi, make sure you stock up on wines and spirits you can enjoy as beverages and use to elevate your cooking.
How to Incorporate Alcohol Into Your Cooking
As mentioned, alcohol can add a delightful twist to your culinary creations. With this ingredient, you can create rich sauces and marinades and elevate the flavours of your desserts.
If you want to start incorporating booze in some of your dishes or refine your techniques, here are some tips to help you make the most of cooking with alcohol:
1.Choose the right alcohol.
The first step to incorporating alcohol successfully in your cooking is selecting the right one for each dish.
Alcohol brings distinct flavours and characteristics to your dishes. For instance, red wine gives a robust, earthy flavour to stews and braises. On the other hand, white wine adds a light, acidic touch to seafood and chicken dishes. Whiskey, brandy and other liquors work wonders in sweets, desserts and rich sauces.
If you’re new to the world of alcohol-infused cooking, experiment with different options to find the perfect match for your desired flavour profile.
2.Mind the alcohol content.
While alcohol adds and enhances flavour, you need to be mindful of its potency. This is because too much alcohol can overpower your dish, giving it an unpleasant, harsh taste. To avoid this, use one with a lower alcohol content for cooking, such as wine or beer.
However, if you want to use higher-proof spirits, make sure you cook the dish enough to ensure the alcohol evaporates to reduce its intensity.
3.Learn how to pair flavours harmoniously.
To create alcohol-infused culinary masterpieces, you have to ensure the dish has the right flavour balance. Choose alcohol that complements the other ingredients in your dish to enhance their natural flavours. For instance, pair red wine with hearty meats, like beef or lamb, and white wine with delicate fish or poultry.
When making desserts, choose flavours that work well with each other, such as rum with caramel or bourbon with chocolate.
4.Follow the right techniques for adding alcohol to dishes.
When and how you add alcohol to the dish you’re preparing or cooking can enhance its flavour and make it more appetising and tastier.
Below are some of highly recommended cooking tips:
Sauces
- After sautéing your aromatics, such as onions, garlic and herbs, deglaze the pan by pouring in a splash of wine, vermouth or whiskey.
- Allow the sauce to cook for a minute or two to allow the flavours to meld.
- Add the other sauce ingredients, such as broth, tomatoes, cream, or spices, and simmer until the mixture thickens and the flavour mellows.
Marinades
- Make your marinade by combining alcohol with an acidic element, such as vinegar, citrus juice, tomato sauce, herbs, spices, and other ingredients. If you want to give the meat a smoky flavour, use beer.
- Place meat, poultry, or seafood in a sealable bag or container and pour the marinade over it.
- Close the bag or container securely and give it a little shake to ensure the marinade coats and penetrates the meat completely.
- Refrigerate the marinated produce based on the suggested marinating time (usually a few hours or overnight).
Braises and soups
- Add red or white wine, brandy or bourbon after sautéing some meat and aromatics.
- Deglaze the pan for a few seconds to remove the alcohol’s strong flavour.
- Add the remaining liquid ingredients after at least 30 seconds and continue braising or cooking the soup based on the recipe.
Flambés
- Before you flambé (a cooking method wherein you ignite alcohol in a dish to create a dramatic burst of flavour and aroma), make sure your pan and ingredients are off the heat. Do this before adding brandy, cognac, rum or your choice of high-alcohol spirit.
- Pour the liquor into the pan.
- Use a long match or a long-handled lighter to ignite the alcohol carefully. Stand back to avoid getting hurt by any potential flare-ups.
- Let the small fire burn off naturally or carefully cover the pan with a lid to extinguish the flames.
- Once the flames are dowsed, return the pan to the heat and continue cooking the dish according to the recipe.
5.Experiment with flavours.
Cooking with alcohol gives you an excellent opportunity to think outside the box and be creative. As such, don’t be afraid to try new combinations and techniques.
When cooking, taste the dish constantly and adjust the flavours when necessary. Take note of which alcohol works best with certain ingredients and don’t be discouraged by the occasional mishap.
With practice, you’ll understand how different alcoholic beverages interact with various ingredients and you’ll become a master of cooking up boozy culinary delights.
Cooking with wines and spirits can be a thrilling and rewarding experience. With these tips, you can create culinary masterpieces successfully and safely.