Cooking with soda (pop, coke, etc.)

[Alex]

Despite its silly title, I enjoyed this article in today's NYT Magazine by Sam Sifton. I'm now curious to read about eG'ers' use of a carbonated soft drink as an ingredient.

 

Quote

I love a clandestine soda in the preparation of food, a flash of carbonation where the French might use wine or brandy. It may be transgressive to say so, but I’m hardly alone, for all those who cringe at the thought or snort in disgust.

 

(Here's a fun map of the regional variations in the US of what soft drinks are called.)

Edited October 5, 2019 by Alex (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not long ago I made carnitas braised in Coke.  Burned-on Coke is not a happy thing.

 

[Darienne]

(No access to the NYT )  Will add that Ed was taking a French course many years ago ...good heavens, about 57 years...in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and his prof gave the class a recipe for Tortière which we have used ever since.   And the pastry calls for 7-Up.

[kayb]

My late mother-in-law used 7 Up in her fruit sherbet, which was marvelous. And I've had 7 Up pound cake, which isn't bad at all. I sometimes use Coke when cooking brisket, in baked beads, and in sauce for meat loaf. Have also used it in ham glaze.

[ElsieD]

I read an article somewhere recently (Serious Eats?) which claimed that the addition of club soda in pancake batter produced fluffier pancakes.

[heidih]

Oh 7-up is a thing in Korean marinade for those cross cut beef ribs. I am a  shameless romcom fan ( in good company with Michelle Obama ;))and one of them uses cherry-coke in a petit four to present to the incoming prince of Belgium   Like other flavorings the sodas can bring an unexpected but vibrating note. Yes and coke in long cooked pork/beef is classic.  Flavor is its own presenter -  if it works it works. So sugar + fake flavor. No judgment. Heck most vanilla used is "fake". 

Edited October 5, 2019 by heidih (log)

[Alex]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

(No access to the NYT )  Will add that Ed was taking a French course many years ago ...good heavens, about 57 years...in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and his prof gave the class a recipe for Tortière which we have used ever since.   And the pastry calls for 7-Up.

 

1 hour ago, kayb said:

My late mother-in-law used 7 Up in her fruit sherbet, which was marvelous. And I've had 7 Up pound cake, which isn't bad at all. I sometimes use Coke when cooking brisket, in baked beads, and in sauce for meat loaf. Have also used it in ham glaze.

 

Yes, that's the premise for the article: pound cake with 7 Up.

[Tri2Cook]

I like using root beer or Dr. Pepper as an ingredient in bbq sauce. I also use root beer as part of the base liquid in a slow cooker with pork or beef roast... I like that one with a healthy dose of habaneros in the mix. I've also used the Root Beer/habanero combination in a marinade for beef jerky. I've played around with colas, ginger ale and clear citrus stuff like 7-Up but didn't find they added much flavor-wise in the things I used them in. A good ginger beer with a serious ginger punch might be interesting, haven't tried it for cooking.

*for the bbq sauce and jerky marinade, I'm able to get root beer and Dr. Pepper fountain syrups through work that make the job easier. No need to reduce, it's already a 5:1 water to syrup concentration. Just have to adjust for the sugar concentration which is easy enough. But I have used the out-of-the-bottle pop in both situations before, just have to do some reduction.

[Kim Shook]

All of those sound great.  I have no qualms about cooking with soda.  I wouldn't dream of cooking a ham without a good puddle of Coke in the bottom of the pan.  

[liuzhou]

Here is a recipe written by a Chinese teenager for cola chicken wings.

[blue_dolphin]

Via Googlebooks, I found Chris Shepherd's recipe for cola-pickled red onions from his book, “Cook Like a Local” that was cited in the article and a similar but slightly different version here.   I'll give them a try. 

[Anna N]

I have used club soda to make tempura batter. 

[heidih]

6 hours ago, Anna N said:

I have used club soda to make tempura batter. 

 

Yup I've used for the zucchini flower coating. Often see it in matzah ball recipes.

[kayb]

Re: 7-Up pound cake:

 

(Clickety)

 

And the recipe for same:

 

(Another clickety)

 

The humor's a tad cheesy, but amusing. The cake is pretty dang good.