The Basics Of Cooking With Alcohol
These days, many amateur and weekend chefs are discovering what professional chefs have known for years: cooking with alcohol such as beer, wine and liqueur can truly add and enhance the flavor of many popular dishes. If you eat at a restaurant, you may be surprised by the amount of alcohol used in cooking, but it is an absolute necessity and many cooks swear by it. In this article we will explore the process of cooking with beer, wine and liqueurs, providing examples and some rules to follow for each.
Cooking with beer has been done for many, many years and is still very popular today in many restaurants and kitchens. Beer adds a wonderful taste to chili, stews and briskets and can be used to fry up your favorite fish or shrimp dish as well. When cooking with beer, look to make sure that the beer is fresh. Nothing is worse than unknowingly adding stale beer to your favorite dishes.
If you're thinking about cooking with wine, keep in mind that any wine you drink is appropriate to cook with, provided you match it with the right dish. Experts seem to agree that wines which are white or perhaps a very light red seem to go well with dishes such as chicken and vegetables. If you're making a heavy red sauce or you want to marinade a steak or brisket, a hearty red wine is recommended.
Cooking with liqueurs affords you a number of tasty options, in fact, many companies now include liqueurs and other hard liquors right in their sauces. Liqueur is the perfect additive for sweet and tasty treats like pies and breads, adding a little kick to these already sweet delights. If you're going to cook with liqueur, though, carefully monitor how much you use. Too much liqueur can quickly overpower a dish.
The practice of cooking with beer, wine and liqueurs can help you create a number of new recipes along with adding flavor and boldness to your existing ones. Start by adding just a few tablespoons to each dish and continue until you've got just the right flavor. There is no limit to the amount of alcohol you can add to your dishes, but keep in mind that too much of anything is rarely a good thing.
Cooking with beer has been done for many, many years and is still very popular today in many restaurants and kitchens. Beer adds a wonderful taste to chili, stews and briskets and can be used to fry up your favorite fish or shrimp dish as well. When cooking with beer, look to make sure that the beer is fresh. Nothing is worse than unknowingly adding stale beer to your favorite dishes.
If you're thinking about cooking with wine, keep in mind that any wine you drink is appropriate to cook with, provided you match it with the right dish. Experts seem to agree that wines which are white or perhaps a very light red seem to go well with dishes such as chicken and vegetables. If you're making a heavy red sauce or you want to marinade a steak or brisket, a hearty red wine is recommended.
Cooking with liqueurs affords you a number of tasty options, in fact, many companies now include liqueurs and other hard liquors right in their sauces. Liqueur is the perfect additive for sweet and tasty treats like pies and breads, adding a little kick to these already sweet delights. If you're going to cook with liqueur, though, carefully monitor how much you use. Too much liqueur can quickly overpower a dish.
The practice of cooking with beer, wine and liqueurs can help you create a number of new recipes along with adding flavor and boldness to your existing ones. Start by adding just a few tablespoons to each dish and continue until you've got just the right flavor. There is no limit to the amount of alcohol you can add to your dishes, but keep in mind that too much of anything is rarely a good thing.
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