Ever since I started cooking professionally I've had a strong interest in cooking with alcohol. In fact I prefer to cook it than to drink it (though I enjoy that a great deal too). Over the years I've compiled a working knowledge of booze, what separates liquors from similar forms, what different nationalities and styles of liquor do to a spirit's taste and texture, as well as how they interact with other foods. Over the next several posts I'll be discussing what I've learned, and hope to condense it all into a useful, workable package to give you a working knowledge of your own, as well as spark some new recipe ideas too.
Spirits have an infinite number of variations, but they're all defined by 1 of 2 variable qualities.
To begin, it should be understood that every spirit goes through more or less the exact same process. It starts off as a fermented mash from a carb-rich plant. Exactly which plant this is makes up the different options of the first variable, and as most vegetables are fermentable given enough coaxing, this category is a lot larger than it may initially seem. Whatever plant matter was used is then heated to just below boiling, allowing the alcohol to evaporate without carrying the water in the solution along with it. From there impurities are extracted and the spirit is cut with water to reach the desired alcohol concentration.
From there the spirit may or may not be aged in wooden barrels, flavored, or otherwise tinkered with. These changes (if any) make up the spirit's second variable.
It's important to understand that most of the time, a spirit is denoted by one of these two variables, and rarely both. Any changes to the secondary variable usually will not affect the classification of the spirit. (Scotch is a notable exception)
As an example, rum is a spirit derived from fermented sugarcane. It may or may not be aged, spiced, or otherwise flavored; regardless, it is still rum.
On the flipside, whiskey can be made from just about any grain, but without years of aging in oak barrels it's just moonshine. In this case it's the processing after fermentation that defines the spirit, rather than it's composition (with the caveat that it be made from a grain of some kind)
In cooking, recognizing these two variables and how they play out in a food is almost as important as knowing their flavor profiles and what foods they work with. Composition-defined spirits are often much stronger than their counterparts and are therefore better suited to bring out the component flavors of ingredients already in the dish, rather than provide their own. (In fact vodka's only purpose in cooking is to do this). They're best for either flambe' or long soaking of ingredients to solute all the flavor they hold.
Likewise processing-defined spirits are already quite flavorful, and are well suited to dishes with strong flavors that can stand up to their punch, an excellent example would be the frequent use of whiskey as a component ingredient in barbecque, and some of the best brats I've ever had were braised in schnapps, of all things.
In gratitude for putting up with my constant ramblings, here's a few of my favorite booze-centric recipes:
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Bourbon Rice Pudding:
This recipe is technically a sweet congee, and not a rice pudding, since
it doesn't have any eggs, but it's an excellent dessert nevertheless.
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup milk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon (use the good stuff for this)
pinch nutmeg or clove
pinch allspice (preferably Jamaican)
Place milk, spices, and rice into a saucepan and simmer on medium heat. Once the milk is nearly absorbed (apx 8-10 minutes) add the brown sugar and stir until no more liquid runs around the pan. Add the bourbon and stir well until all is absorbed. Add additional sugar or seasonings to taste. Chocolate or blackberries/blueberries make an excellent garnish.
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The Gnome's Pulled Pork Braise:
This one is just for the braising liquid, adapt it to whatever size of pork shoulder you have and use whatever additional seasonings or veggies you like. It's an excellent base that works in infinite variations.
1 part apple cider (preferably hard but not required)
1 part Dr Pepper
1 part Jack Daniels
2 parts barbecue sauce (use something high quality, or better yet homemade) <this can be substituted for a rub on the pork if you prefer>
Braise until fork tender and it falls apart off the bone.
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Sour Pucker Brats: (by my good friend Jacob Lyman)
These are the brats mentioned above. They're seriously good despite their apparent clashing flavors.
Pack of bratwurst
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
Sour Apple schnapps to cover
Sear and braise as low as possible for 1 hour.
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This is going to be a many-visited topic for me, I can
tell. I hope that as I study I not only find more recipes to share with all of you, but learn more of the science behind this chemical cornerstone of cooking. Until next
time, fellow booze-lovers!
"Here we are as honored guests, treated to the finest beverages that make you blind."
-Gnome
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