Amaretto
- Thread starter Allan
- Start date
Allan, just make sure you leave it on the smoker long enough for the alcohol to burn off. Some people,eventhough they like the amaretto flavor, don't care for the taste of alcohol. I remember once tasting some ribs basted in bourbon. Couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for hours afterwards.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">. I remember once tasting some ribs basted in bourbon. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Paul,
It's all a matter of taste preferences. I would love the flavor of bourbon in my meats.
Ray
Paul,
It's all a matter of taste preferences. I would love the flavor of bourbon in my meats.
Ray
Be careful, amaretto has a high sugar content and too much could burn. But I would think you would be fine with much more apple juice than amaretto in your baste. I always thought amaretto was a nutty "almond" liqueur? With that said how about a cherry and/or orange liqueur?. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Amaretto is indeed an almond liqueur. It is Kirschwasser, often simply called Kirsch, that is made with cherries.
Reducing the alcohol is a good idea and best done, imo, before the baste is made. I do this with wine for fowl bastes and for use in sausages, and for whiskies and liqueurs used in bastes for beef, pork and duck. For high alcohol products the item can be warmed in a pan and the alcohol (carefully) ignited or, for this type of product or items of lower proofs, simply brought to a simmer then reduced, uncovered, for several minutes, till much of the alcohol cooks off.
Note that reduction will concentrate flavors (often a good thing). Removing much of the alcohol first, before you mix the baste, allows you to get a better sense of how the baste will taste at finish (so taste it!). Of course you need to factor in the further evaporation and cooking of the baste when it is used, but this is easier to do when starting with a mix in which the alcohol was removed first.
Reducing the alcohol is a good idea and best done, imo, before the baste is made. I do this with wine for fowl bastes and for use in sausages, and for whiskies and liqueurs used in bastes for beef, pork and duck. For high alcohol products the item can be warmed in a pan and the alcohol (carefully) ignited or, for this type of product or items of lower proofs, simply brought to a simmer then reduced, uncovered, for several minutes, till much of the alcohol cooks off.
Note that reduction will concentrate flavors (often a good thing). Removing much of the alcohol first, before you mix the baste, allows you to get a better sense of how the baste will taste at finish (so taste it!). Of course you need to factor in the further evaporation and cooking of the baste when it is used, but this is easier to do when starting with a mix in which the alcohol was removed first.
Thanks for the input guys. I didn't think about the high sugar content and the risk of burning.
Stu, you are right as Kevin has pointed out, it is an almond liquer. I just think cherry because I often think of the old Cherry Blossom chocolate bar when I have a glass. Then again, that's chocolate, cherry and ALMONDS, I sorta forgot about that part
I think I'll take a crack at it. I'll let you know how it goes.
Stu, you are right as Kevin has pointed out, it is an almond liquer. I just think cherry because I often think of the old Cherry Blossom chocolate bar when I have a glass. Then again, that's chocolate, cherry and ALMONDS, I sorta forgot about that part
I think I'll take a crack at it. I'll let you know how it goes.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
There is no risk of burning at low/slow temps--sugar caramelizes at 338 and burns above 350--however there will be evaporation at low/slow temps and, hence, the concentration of sugars in the mix. The concentrated sugars can and do color during low/slow cooking and, while technically not caramelization, do undergo chemical changes which can alter their color and flavor profile (usually in a good way).
Because the act of evaporation is cooling, the surface on which you apply the baste becomes cooler during basting and this can be used to your advantage. Basting can slow cooking if the baste is water-based (via water, juice, wine, etc.). It also allows you to cook at or near burn temps if you baste frequently, as the evaporative nature of frequent water-based basting cools the surface enough to prevent the burning of the sugars.
Because the act of evaporation is cooling, the surface on which you apply the baste becomes cooler during basting and this can be used to your advantage. Basting can slow cooking if the baste is water-based (via water, juice, wine, etc.). It also allows you to cook at or near burn temps if you baste frequently, as the evaporative nature of frequent water-based basting cools the surface enough to prevent the burning of the sugars.