Recipes

In the Science of Good Food, David and Andrew venture beyond the grill to present more than 1,800 explanations of physical and chemical activities that underlie our cooking, baking and even tasting practices.

We asked David and Andrew to tell us about two of their favorite food science effects and how we could take advantage of them to create great food. Their choice? Alcohol and Water....

Alcohol and Water: Two Routes to Better Taste

By  David Joachim and Andrew Schloss

Alcohol

Have you ever noticed that basting a roast with brandy makes it taste better? Or that spiking a fruit salad with a splash of liqueur heightens the fruit's flavor? You aren't hallucinating. Alcohol is a potent flavor enhancer.

The aromatic compounds in food are all fat soluble, but most ingredients consist primarily of water. Since fat and water don't mix, in order to transfer the flavor from seasonings into the fibers of meat or vegetables, it's necessary to include an ingredient that binds the two immiscible substances together. Alcohol does a remarkable job.

David Joachim

Open a bottle of brandy and you'll notice that alcohol molecules are also quite volatile. Even without heating they are constantly being released into the air, where they swiftly contact with our olfactory sensors. That's why adding a small amount of alcohol to a dessert sauce or to a bowl of macerating fruit enhances its flavor. Alcohol helps to carry the food's aromatic compounds to our nostrils. The effect is most pronounced at low concentrations of 1% alcohol or less. At higher levels (above 5% alcohol), the aroma of the alcohol itself dominates.

The big question is: how much alcohol burns off during cooking? It varies with the amount of alcohol used and the length of cooking time, but alcohol has a lower boiling point than water (172ºF) so it vaporizes more easily. When you brush a roast with an alcohol-based sauce, the roast retains only about 5% of the sauce's initial alcohol content, but it picks up loads more flavor than if it were basted with something water-based.

Water

Andrew Schloss

• - 80% of the time it takes to cook dried ingredients like beans, pasta and rice is spent on rehydrating the ingredient; only 20% is actually spent softening tough fibers or gelatinizing starches (the typical outcomes of cooking food). That's why pre-soaking dried ingredients in water cuts down on cooking time.
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• - Emulsions like mayonnaise and vinaigrette are dispersions of water and fat. If there isn't enough water (in the form of fruit juice, vinegar, or plain old water) present, the emulsifiers will have nothing to attach the fat to, and the mixture will split.
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• - The amount of gluten formed in bread dough is dependent on the amount of available water. Traditionally, kneading brings gluten molecules into alignment, which increases their opportunities for bonding to one another and produces a strong elastic structure. But a wet dough does the same thing (even without kneading) by making the gluten molecules more mobile, allowing them to move into alignment more easily.
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• - Salt cures work by breaking down protein and drawing moisture out of meat. The absence of water curbs spoilage but also improves flavor when the meat is smoked (as in smoked cured meat like chorizo). Smoke flavors are oil-based and excess water in the meat would reduce the absorption of smoked flavors.
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• - Moisture management is particularly important when cooking raw meat. To get a great crust on a steak or pork chop, you want to eliminate moisture from the surface by patting it dry. Otherwise, water on the surface will steam during cooking and prevent the surface-dehydration and intense browning needed for a thick crust. On the inside, however, you want to prevent dehydration for juicy-tasting steaks and chops. One way to do that is to increase the moisture content of the meat. On average, meats lose 20% moisture during cooking. To help prevent that water loss, soak the meat in a 5% salt brine (2 tablespoons salt per 2 1/2 cups liquid) for as little as a few hours before cooking. The salt opens up the muscle fibers and allows the meat to hang onto more water, cutting the net loss of juices to just 10%. Brines work wonders for low-moisture meats such as pork, which only contains about 52% water, especially when using dry-heat cooking methods like roasting and grilling.
  
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Cider-Brined Ribs Glazed with Cider Syrup

Excerpted with permission from The Science of Good Food by David Joachim and Andrew Schloss, Robert Rose, 2008

Pork ribs can come from the loin or the belly. The loin runs along the spine, and therefore loin ribs are called "baby back." Belly ribs (side ribs) are from the front of the rib cage. They are larger, less meaty, less expensive and tastier than back ribs. Their biggest problem is that they tend to dry out unless you boil or steam them first. That is unless you brine them.

• 1 quart (1 L) apple cider, divided
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) kosher salt, divided
• 1-1/2 tbsp (22 mL) dark brown sugar
• 1-1/4 tsp (6 mL) ground allspice, divided
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
• 2 racks pork ribs (about 4 lbs/2 kg), St. Louis-cut spare ribs or baby back ribs
• Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
• 1 tsp (5 mL) hot pepper sauce

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) apple cider, 1-1/2 tbsp (22 mL) kosher salt, brown sugar, 1 tsp (5 mL) allspice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper mixing and massaging until salt and sugar dissolve. Cut rib racks in half and place in bag. Seal bag, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) open; push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the bag completely. Massage the liquid gently into the meat and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.

2. Preheat grill for indirect heat. If using charcoal, set-up a split bed of charcoal, burning the coals until it is covered with a thin film of ash. If using a gas grill with 3- or 4-burners, turn the middle burner(s) off and set the outside burners to medium; if your grill has 2 burners, leave one side off.

3. Clean the grill grate with a wire brush and coat the grate with oil. Place ribs on the grill away from the heat, cover the grill and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ribs registers about 155°F (68°C), about 1 hour. If your grill has a temperature gauge it should stay between 325 and 350°F (160 and 180°C).

4. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, boil remaining 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) cider until lightly thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup (75 mL). Skim off any foam that rises to the surface periodically, and reduce the temperature near the end of cooking to keep the syrup from burning. Stir in remaining salt, allspice, honey, and hot pepper sauce.

5. When the ribs are cooked through, coat the meaty side with glaze, and cook for 6 minutes more, turning halfway through. Transfer the ribs to cutting board and cut into 1- or 2-rib sections.

Makes 4 servings

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