Coca-Cola Is The Zingy Upgrade For Homemade BBQ Sauce
Coca-Cola isn't only for sipping straight out of a can. From tenderizing meat to sweetening chicken dishes, the caramel-colored beverage can turn up the flavor in a variety of food and drink recipes. Similarly, Coca-Cola splashed into homemade barbecue sauce isn't an accidental mishap due to overzealous party guests. The intentional move can help you create a better-tasting sauce for your next backyard party, and your sauce will have a zippier finish that will have revelers asking for your culinary secrets.
Consider adding a bit of soda to your next 3-ingredient sauce by simply stirring Coca-Cola and the other ingredients over low heat. While you can experiment with ratios, begin by mixing 2 cups of soda with 2 cups of ketchup and a half cup of sweetened Worcestershire. Cooking this sauce low and slow will help the soda's sweetness amplify some of the other flavors you have included in your sauce. Choose the flavor of Coca-Cola strategically to play off the rest of your planned meal: Cherry or Vanilla can lend interesting depth to both hotter and sweeter recipes.
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If you like the zingy effect of soda-enhanced sauce, you can try spicing up the Coke with various seasonings and spices before adding it to your simmering recipes. Splashing masala power into the drink, or adding cumin, fresh cilantro, and black salt to the beverage will bring even more flavor to your barbecue sauce. Add sriracha, red pepper flakes, mustard, or Scotch bonnet chiles for a bit more kick.
Though simmering cups of soda and seasoned ingredients like ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar may require around 15 minutes of your attention, the end result will be worth it. Make more sauce than what you think you'll need so you can store leftovers for tomorrow's dinner, and you'll have an easy glaze to brush over salmon filets, dump into a pot of chili beans, or enhance a homemade pizza. With a sauce this good, you may find yourself reluctant to buy any more pre-made bottles from the store.