One question I hear from folks who are just getting into home cooking for the first time is, “Why do I need both Baking Powder and Baking Soda in my pantry?” Good question. And here are some equally good answers…
There are a few key reasons you need both Baking Soda and Baking Powder in your kitchen. And other parts of your home. But there are others that are less commonly known…
The obvious…
Baking Powder is a mix of Baking Soda and a dry acid – like tartaric acid (cream of tartar), according to Arm & Hammer. Other common dry acids used in store-bought baking powder include mono-calcium phosphate and sodium acid pyrophosphate.
These acids react with sodium bicar-bonate (baking soda) to produce carbon dioxide bubbles, which leaven baked goods when yeast is not an option. The process is also instant, which makes ‘quick breads’ quick. And it gives pan-cakes, cookies, and related treats their traditional textures.
Novice cooks who are on the ball often ask why, if there’s acid in it, Baking Powder doesn’t make foods taste bitter. It’s because the acid reacts with the Soda in the presence of water producing a neutral ‘precipitate’ which is white and flavourless.
The obscure
But baking Soda also fills other roles in the kitchen which even the most advanced and scientific ‘modern products’ can’t match…
Tenderizes Tough Meat
There are various ways you can tenderize tough cuts of meat. One is marinating in papaya and rela-ted enzymes. Another involves good old elbow grease and a meat hammer. But yet another – often used on thinly-sliced cuts of meat such as you’ll find in Fajitas (see photo, left) and a number of classic Asian stir-fried dishes – calls for dredging in Baking Soda.
Tossing thin meat in dry baking soda will produce subtle results in just 15 minutes. It’s a great option when enzymes or pounding might tear or mush the meat, senior Delish contributor Brooke Caison relates.
“Baking soda raises the PH level on the surface of the meat, inhibiting the proteins from binding together,” Caison explains. “This will help retain moisture and encouraging the surface to brown, resulting in a juicy, tender bite.”
Marinating thicker cuts of meat in Baking Soda and water can also help you attain the crispy finish you want. But marinating too long will cause the surface of the meat to go mushy or ‘slimy’, as some cooks call it. Disaster…
Caramelizes onions
Camelizing onions is a laborious chore. Especially when you have nothing else to occupy the 25 – 30 minutes it takes to get them just the way you want them. Faithful readers will already know that Natalie’s sugar method can reduce cooking time somewhat, while producing a deeper colour and umamier flavour. But but Baking Soda can cut cooking time in half. Just like with meat, baking soda raises the PH of the onions, speeding up the Maillard reaction (a series of chemical reactions that happen when amino acids and reducing sugars are heated), and encouraging quicker browning.
All you need is about a 1/4 tsp. of Soda per lb. / 455 g of onions, sprinkled on them after you add them to the pan. Continue to cook stirring gently until the onions are the colour and consistency you want.
This is a great option when you don’t want the onions to taste too sweet…
Softens beans
Tough, undercooked beans are the bane of some cooks’ existence. But yours – prepared from dry – will always be perfect if you add a little bit of baking soda to the soaking water, or while your beans cook. Again, this increases the pH of the water and disintegrates the pectin (a substance found in cell walls), allowing beans to soften quicker.
A little goes a long way! Add about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of water. The addition of Soda also helps loosen the skins on the beans if your recipe involves puréeing them somewhere down the road…
Balances the acidity of tomatoes
My go-to method for taking the acid edge off the flavour of tomato soups and sauces is to add 1/2 tsp. of plain white sugar to each litre of tomatoes while simmering. This I learned from the Italian lady who lived across the street when I was little. And the message was reinforced in culinary school by one of my beloved kitchen lab instructors. But it can result in a tomato flavour that’s too sweet.
Just add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to your pot. Be careful not to go overboard, Caison warns. If you add too much, the sauce will turn bitter.
Adds crispiness to fried favorites
There’s no point in frying anything if you don’t get that shatteringly crispy crunch in every bite, Cai-son teases. Baking soda added to flour dredge or batter will react with acidic ingredients (like eggs or buttermilk) and produce carbon dioxide bubbles, which create lightness and texture in the batter, resulting in a crisp and airy crust when fried. Add 1/2 teaspoon to your dry mix in just about any crispy-fried recipe.
This is no substitute for classic Japanese Panko crumb-coating. But it’s fast and reliable, and certainly does deliver the crunch!
My take
Now you know a ton more than most home cooks about how Baking Soda can make you look even more like the budding pro you are!
~ Maggie J.