We recently spotlighted a special application for Baking Soda (BS), as a kitchen cleaning ‘solution’. Today, a selection of edible Baking Soda apps, some of which, at least, will probably be new to you!
Slow-Cooker Baked Beans: Soak the beans overnight in Baking Soda
solution before cooking, to both tenderize the beans and loosen
their skins for easy removal, before ‘potting’…
Talking about the myriad uses of Baking Soda the other day, Sister Erin and I decided to list as many as we could recall in under 60 seconds. We ended up with a surprisingly long list, many of them ap-plications we’ve mentioned, briefly, in this space previously…
‘Best of the Best’
Though I usually avoid labeling any ‘listicle’ I incorporate in posts featured in this space ‘Best Of’ or ‘Top 10’ this or that, I want to stress the versatility of Baking Soda as a kitchen must-have. As well, some qualify as Chef Secrets. And, as such, deserve special exposure…
All of today’s featured BS apps share one special attribute: They’re little-known to many – especially newbie home cooks – and should, as such, be revealed to said tyro chefs ASAP in furtherance of their budding ‘careers’!
Here we go…
Tenderize Tough Meat
“Don’t waste your days pounding tough cuts of steak. Toss that meat in baking soda instead, and mir-acles will happen in just 15 minutes,” suggests the source story for the background info on this BS hack. Baking soda raises the PH level on the surface of the meat, inhibiting the proteins from binding together. This will help retain interior moisture and en-couraging the surface to brown, resulting in a juicy, tender bite.
Generally, sprinkling the meat all over with a ½ tsp. of baking soda mixed with 2 teaspoons of water per pound of meat. Let ‘soak’ for 10-15 minutes. Season the meat (i.e.- add salt and pepper) and cook as you typically would.
Add Crispiness To Your Fried Favorites
The ultimate ‘chef’s secret’ to producing authentic, crispy-fried Asian meats and veggies.
First, add a little baking soda to your frying batters to optimize the crispy-crunchiness of coated foods. One trusted source suggests starting with Adding 1/2 tsp. to your dry mix like they did in this waffle batter fried chicken recipe. The result is like the difference between Panko-breaded and plain-crumb-breaded fried faves of any kind.
In general, add 1 full tsp. of BS to each 1/2 tsp. called for (total 1.5 tsp.) to any crispy batter coating recipe…
Soften Beans
Add some BS to the water bath when soaking dry beans to swathe them in tenderizing comfort overnight before cooking. As a bonus, a shot of BS will also loosen the skins on almost any kind of dried bean or grain during soaking.
Veteran corn tortilla makers know this. That’s why they add a good shot of high-PH chemistry to their hominy when pre-soaking it, before grinding it into classic masa.
“As the beans break down, they become super tender and creamy. A little goes a long way! Add about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of soaking water.”
Caramelize Onions
As faithful readers will know, we recommend ‘Natalie’s Method’ for hastening and deepening the ‘fin-ish’ on caramelized onions, whether you’re going to take them further as an ingredient in some other recipe (say, French Onion Soup), or serving them by themselves as a side (for, say, steak). BS is a great option, though, when you don’t want too sweet a finish on your onions.
Baking soda uses another chemical process for speeding up the Maillard (browning) reaction, encour-aging quicker browning. A little goes a long way: You only need about a 1/4 teaspoon per pound (500 g) of onions. This method can cut browning time in half!
Balance The Acidity Of Tomatoes
“If you notice that your tomato sauce is a little too acidic, baking soda can swoop in to save the day.” Again, a little is all you need to balance of the bite: about 1/4 tsp. of BS per litre of tomato product. As with onions, this is a great option if you don’t want too sweet a finish on the overall flavour profile of your dish.
Note: Take special care and attention to what you’re doing, to be sure you don’t add too much BS. Try adding just a pinch or two at a time. Excess BS will give your tomato dish bitter edge.
My take
These are just Erin’s and my suggested front-line applications for using baking soda in cleaning or non-baking roles. But together, they constitute more than sufficient justification for ensuring you always have a box of blessed BS at hand in your kitchen!
~ Maggie J.