Is Coca Cola a good brine?

If you're not from the south, it may not have occurred to you that you can cook with Coca-Cola. But the king of sodas has been used in southern cooking for years — particularly in marinades and sauces for beef and pork. Its sweet acidity can help to tenderize meat, making it an ideal addition for a long slow brine.

Can you use soda in a brine?

Combine cola and seasonings well with a whisk to make sure it has mixed well. Next, add your meat to the brine; I recommend adding the rest of the pieces one at a time. Add to the container ice or more Coca-Cola if needed. Allow your meat to brine for at least 4 hours or longer in your large covered bowl or container.

Can you use Coca-Cola to tenderize meat?

Cola's high acidity and caramel flavor makes a surprisingly good meat tenderizer. Cola typically has a pH of about 2.7—for comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2—making it acidic enough to break down some proteins without dissolving your meat.

What does marinating in Coke do?

Marinating steaks in a cola-based marinade adds a touch of sweetness and will give your meat a nice caramelized char once it hits the grill.

How long can you leave meat in Coke?

We advise you max out your marinating time at eight hours. Simmering Coca-Cola evaporates all of the excess water in the soda to leave behind a thick, molasses-like syrup. At this stage, the concentrated Coke is practically begging to be used as a glaze on grilled or roasted meats, especially chicken wings.

Why Coca-Cola Still Dominates The Beverage Market

Is Coke good for marinade?

Aside from drinking for enjoyment, you can clean toilets with cola as well as using it as a meat marinade. The soda acts as a meat tenderizer and is a great cheap marinade substitute for any meat, such as chicken, steak, or beef.

Can you brine pork in soda?

Brining the pork chops not only adds flavor and seasoning to the chops, but it also breaks down meat proteins allowing it to retain more moisture when cooked. Baking soda in the brine tenderizes the meat and adds even more moisture to the chops. Scoring the fat on the chops gives you a wonderfully rendered result.

What does soaking meat in soda do?

Briefly soaking meat in a solution of baking soda and water raises the pH on the meat's surface, making it more difficult for the proteins to bond excessively, which keeps the meat tender and moist when it's cooked.

Why does soda tenderize meat?

Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.

Is it safe to use Coca-Cola for cooking?

If you're not from the south, it may not have occurred to you that you can cook with Coca-Cola. But the king of sodas has been used in southern cooking for years — particularly in marinades and sauces for beef and pork. Its sweet acidity can help to tenderize meat, making it an ideal addition for a long slow brine.

Does marinating steak in Coca-Cola make it tender?

The cola marinade tenderizes the steaks and adds a slightly sweet flavor, and the sugars caramelize beautifully in the pan to create a delicious crust.

Can I use Coke instead of Sprite for marinade?

Coke Pork Barbecue is just your regular barbecue. Just substitute Sprite or 7 Up if it's available. I decided to add calamansi juice since my mom is adding it in her barbecue sauce to add a nice fruity and tangy flavor.

Can bacteria survive in Coke?

Some of the pathogenic bacteria will have the potential to grow in carbonated and acidic drinks, not in packed products. A research study showed that Salmonella and Escherichia coli were found to survive in soft drinks of cola-type for about 48 hrs (Sheth et al., 1988).

Can bacteria live in Coke?

Colas and ginger ales generally have the lowest pH (between 2.5 and 3.1) while root beers and cream sodas have the highest pH. Most of them are carbonated. In the United States, they are usually not pasteurized. Due to the low pH, most bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria, die off rapidly in this type of beverages.

How do restaurants make their steaks so tender?

Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.

How long do you soak things in Coke?

Leave it for 30 minutes to an hour, then remove from heat. Use a scouring pad to scrub away the grime. This method can be used to remove foods which have stuck during cooking, such as rice, pasta or eggs, but it will still require a little elbow grease with a scouring pad to lift the worst of the stains.

Does 7UP tenderize meat?

The acid in the 7UP helps tenderize the meat and the sugar in the soda creates a little caramelization when it is grilled. It turns out 7UP is the perfect way to infuse a little flavor into a chicken breast.

What happens when Coca-Cola is boiled?

When the soda is boiled, the water evaporates, leaving behind copious amounts of sugar that turn into this: Yup, it looks like tar. And while that's just gross, it also quickly makes the point that cola is just sugar water, evidenced by how it boils down to what's essentially caramel.

Why put Sprite in marinade?

Sprite: Adds sweetness and helps to tenderize the meat. 7-up would also work well.

How can I tenderize meat quickly?

Pounding

Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound it prior to cooking. If you don't have a meat mallet, you can also use a heavy kitchen tool such as a skillet, saucepan or rolling pin.

How do Chinese make their meat so tender?

Velveting is a Chinese method of marinating which keeps delicate meat and seafood moist and tender during cooking. The velveting technique is very easy and gives amazing results.

What happens if you replace water with soda?

Soda doesn't replace any of the water you lose—in fact, because it increases your body's production of urine, it makes dehydration worse. One 12 ounce soda contains 45 milligrams of caffeine—that's double the amount of caffeine in a standard cup of coffee.

Do you need sugar in a brine?

Along with salt, sugar (either brown or white granulated) is a dry-brine must-have, essential both for its browning capabilities and flavor-enhancing properties.

Is it bad to marinate meat with baking soda?

Meat only has to sit in a baking soda solution for 15 to 20 minutes, but a brine solution can take at least 30 minutes to start working. Plus, letting the meat sit longer in baking soda will not harm it, whereas over-brining meat can make it stringy and mushy.