We all know that vodka makes great cocktails. It enhances the flavor of mixed drinks.
But did you ever think of adding it to your favorite food? Seriously, have you ever thought of using vodka for cooking?
If not, start thinking about it right now! In this article, we’ve discussed everything you need to know about vodka in cooking. Read it out!
Can You Use Vodka For Cooking?
Did you just see an opened bottle of vodka in the fridge, and the idea of using it in your spaghetti sauce hit your mind? Haven’t you used vodka in your dishes before?
Okay! Relax guys. Don’t get nervous. The use of vodka in many recipes is pretty common.
You can use vodka in your spaghetti sauce or any other dish. Vodka takes your dish to another level in terms of flavors and aromas that no one can resist having a bite.
What Are The Benefits of Using Vodka In Your Recipes?
Now that you’ve decided to use vodka for cooking, do you know how it benefits your dishes? What magic does it do to your favorite food?
So, you don’t know? Okay, no problem. Just continue reading.
1. Gives Your Favorite Soup Gazpacho Aromas And Flavors
Undoubtedly, Gazpacho is everyone’s favorite. It’s a blend of a lot of tomatoes with some vegetables.
The dish originally came from the Iberian peninsula and is now famous all across the globe. In some restaurants, Gazpacho is a main course.
While others serve it as an appetizer, it also has a shot of oil or vinegar beside veggies.
But to give the dish a nice kick, you can add a short or two of vodka. The result?
Extraordinary flavors that you never had before in Gazpacho.
Adding a few teaspoons of ice-cold vodka to your favorite sauces gives you a finger-licking taste. So, add some vodka to the dish next time you are up for Gazpacho or spaghetti sauce.
2. Helps Meat Soaking Up the Flavors
Are you preparing steak for dinner? Or do you want crispier fried chicken this time?
Give vodka a try. Just a small amount is enough to have an outstanding taste.
Yes, add just a few teaspoons of vodka to your meat marinade. As vodka contains alcohol, it breaks down the collagen in the meat. The result? You get soft and tender meat.
Besides, it helps the meat soak up the flavors from the marinade.
Moreover, if you are up for fried chicken, the vodka-containing marinade makes it crispier and savory.
3. You Get Flaky Dough
This time you’ve shown up in the kitchen to try pies. Every time you make pies, the dough doesn’t turn out to be flaky.
You may be over kneading it. No? Then you need to add a surprising ingredient to your flour.
Yes! You guessed it right. Replace the water for making the dough with 80-proof vodkas.
It contains 60% water and 40% alcohol. And upon baking, the alcohol dissipates.
Hence, you get a dry and flaky crust.
Are you worried about the alcohol taste in the dough? Come on! You don’t need to.
Vodka is a neutral spirit. It doesn’t leave an alcoholic taste in the dough.
Instead, it just gives a boost to already present flavors.
4. Make Your Own Vanilla Extract
When baking, eggs, flour, baking powder, and vanilla extract are a must. What if you try making the extract at home?
The bottle you buy from a grocery store contains a lot of artificial flavoring agents. You know what’s inside the bottle when you make it at home.
You only need two ingredients for a homemade vanilla extract.
- Vanilla beans
- Vodka
Soak the beans in vodka, and use it as a vanilla extract for months to even years.
Things You Need to Know Before Using Vodka In Your Favorite Foods
As mentioned before, vodka is an amazing addition to your recipes. But there are a few necessary things to consider before using it.
1. Brand Matters
The quality of the vodka you’re using greatly influences the taste of your food. A brand that you can’t drink must not go into your foods.
Ensure you buy a good quality vodka brand to give your food a finger-licking taste.
2. Don’t Overload
Having a bottle of vodka in your hands doesn’t mean you add it all to your dish. Don’t overload it with vodka.
Instead of making the food more flavorful, it ruins the taste.
3. Consider The Flame
As you know, vodka contains alcohol, so high flame can cause the food to burn. Therefore, you need to keep the flame low to medium.
Can Vodka Containing Food Get You Drunk?
There’s no clear yes or no answer to this question. It depends on how much vodka goes in your food, the time required to cook the dish, the cooking temperature, and the method.
If the food still has alcohol, then definitely consuming vodka-containing food gets you drunk.
FAQs
Can I Use Vodka Instead of White Wine For Cooking?
Fortunately, the answer is yes. You can substitute vodka with wine.
But to give your dish the same balance of flavors, you need to reset the number of ingredients. Since vodka is a neutral spirit, you might need some extra ingredients too.
Also, you’ll have to keep its amount less. It’s stronger than wine and can spoil your dish if added too much.
Is It Safe to Feed Children Dishes Cooked With Alcohol?
No, you must not feed such dishes to your kids. Alcohol disturbs their sleep cycle and has a lot more harmful effects too.
If your children also eat the food, avoid using vodka or alcohol.
The Bottom Line
The good news for vodka lovers is that they can use it in cooking. Yes, vodka enhances the flavor of the food.
Add vodka to the dough to make it flakie if you are up for a pier. Likewise, adding it to meat marinade makes it more flavorful and tender.
Not only sweet and savory, but vodka also works well in soups and sauces. In short, it’s an all-rounder.
