Most of us have a dish we enjoy adding a splash of alcohol to. Things like rum in bananas foster or whiskey in our barbeque sauce are both common. Beyond those tried-and-true classics, let’s see if we can surprise you with these creative ideas for cooking with alcohol. After tasting a few of these dishes with your favorite spirit, wine, or beer, you may have to be bribed out of the kitchen.
Aromatic Sauces
As alcohol cooks down over a low simmer, what’s left are sauces that tantalize the senses with amazing aromas and rich flavors.
A creamy tomato sauce with a splash of vodka takes the sauce from traditional to gourmet with a uniqueness from all other tomato sauces.
Try rum in your favorite pork sauce for added sweetness that’s much more flavorful than sugar or apple juice. As a matter of fact, rum is an underrated liquor with many uses, so please dust off that bottle and put it to work.
May we suggest you never make chili again without pouring a bottle of your favorite beer into the pot? You’ll thank us as you eat the best chili dog of your life.
Bread and Butter
Bread is just bread, but bread buttered with alcohol-infused butter is a delicacy worth the extra calories.
If you haven’t tried these simple tricks, please do at your next dinner. Cognac, rum, or brandy whipped into a stick of softened butter (real butter, please—no margarine) and spread onto a fresh, hot roll is nothing less than divine. Prepare for endless praise and plenty of requests for seconds.
These same butters also easily top a steak; watch it slowly melt and infuse flavor into every bite. Hungry yet?
Keep Pie Dough Rolling
Cold water is the secret to a good pie dough, but did you know vodka (our Russian friend) will keep pie dough moist and workable without making it tough? Yes, yes it can. Just add a tablespoon to your favorite pie crust recipe and keep on rolling.
Fruit Desserts
There truly may not be an easier dessert that makes friends say, “wow.”
Simply marinate your chosen fruit in your ideal alcohol, and voila! Tasty fruits appear and can be eaten alone or atop ice cream.
Peaches with rum and apples with brandy also work very well.
Summertime Fun
Don’t let the kids have all the fun with summertime treats. Your freezer deserves a section with adult popsicles.
Use any juice along with your homemade popsicle-making kit; add a splash of alcohol, then freeze.
Watermelon or orange juice with vodka or pineapple juice with rum work fabulously and pair well with flip flops, friends, and sunshine.
We hope you enjoy these creative ideas for cooking with alcohol and use them to help you come up with more fun ideas in the kitchen.
