Baking soda hacks | Food Features

Our little house has a smallish kitchen, but thankfully it has a door that opens to a staircase leading to a dry basement, which I’ve turned into a giant pantry. My wife recently questioned why I keep the baking soda in the cabinet next to the stove instead of in the basement pantry with the other baking supplies. I explained that, just like the kosher salt, I keep it handy because I use it so often in my cooking.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a multipurpose product used for both cleaning and cooking. It not only cleans stovetops and removes tarnish from silver and copper, but it can also improve the color and texture of many foods.

Sodium bicarbonate became known as baking soda because of its use as a leavening agent in batters. When baking soda is combined with an acidic ingredient such as buttermilk, carbon dioxide is released, forming bubbles within the batter that expand in the oven and create a light, fluffy texture.

Baking soda can be a useful addition to cooking water for vegetables, enhancing both their color and texture. For instance, it helps green beans retain their bright green color because chlorophyll is more stable in alkaline water. When sautéing onions, a pinch of baking soda can help accelerate caramelization. However, it’s important to note that baking soda weakens cell walls and breaks down pectin, which can potentially result in a mushy texture. Therefore, it’s best used in dishes where crunchiness is not desired, such as purees and mashed vegetables. Since baking soda can impart a soapy aftertaste, it is advisable to use it in recipes featuring strong flavors that can effectively mask this taste.

For smooth, creamy hummus, soak 1/2 pound of dried chickpeas overnight in six cups of water with one teaspoon of baking soda. The next day, drain and rinse. Simmer in six cups of fresh water with another teaspoon of baking soda, skimming off the skins. Cook until very tender, then drain, reserving some cooking liquid. While warm, blend the chickpeas, adding the reserved liquid as needed for the desired consistency.

For more tender and juicy hamburgers, incorporate baking soda into the ground beef. Use approximately 1/4 teaspoon per 12 ounces of meat. After mixing, let the hamburger patties rest for about 15 minutes before cooking. This step aids in moisture retention. To tenderize thin beef and pork cutlets and prevent them from drying out, soak them for 15 minutes in a mild baking soda solution (two teaspoons per cup of water).

For plump and juicy shrimp, use a dry brine of 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon baking soda per pound of shrimp. Baking soda elevates the pH level in shellfish muscle, changing the electrical charge of its proteins. Consequently, muscle fibers remain slightly separated rather than contracting tightly, allowing moisture to be retained.

Vietnamese-style rice noodles with grilled pork and shrimp

The heat of a grill can make thin pork chops and shrimp tough and chewy. Pre-treating with baking soda helps keep them plump and juicy.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the pork:
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 thin-cut pork chops

For the shrimp:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left attached
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon (3 grams) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Wooden skewers, soaked

For the marinade:
3 stalks of lemon grass, white part only, bruised, coarsely chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
5 garlic cloves, smashed
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil, plus more for the grill grates

For the dipping sauce:
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 medium garlic clove, grated with a microplane
1 Thai bird chili, thinly sliced

For the carrot daikon pickle:
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
½ large daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¾ cup boiling water
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup distilled white vinegar

For serving:
Cooked thin rice noodles
Chopped roasted peanuts
Sliced cucumber
Cilantro sprigs
Mint leaves
Thai basil leaves
Lime wedges

Preparation

To prepare the pork chops, first dissolve baking soda in one cup of cold water in a resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops to the solution and let them sit for 15 minutes. Then, take the pork chops out of the bag, rinse them with cold water, and pat them dry using paper towels.

To prepare the shrimp, pat dry with paper towels. Combine baking soda and salt in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in the mixture until evenly coated. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to rest.

To make the marinade, combine lemon grass, shallot, garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and oil in a food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms. Transfer the pork chops and shrimp to a resealable bag, pour the marinade over them, and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for one hour.

To make the dipping sauce, combine the lime juice, sugar, and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then, add the fish sauce, garlic and chili.

To make the carrot and daikon pickle, combine the carrot and daikon in a bowl and sprinkle with one tablespoon of salt, then toss to coat. After 15 minutes, rinse and squeeze out the moisture. Dissolve the sugar in the hot water and add the vinegar. Pour the warm liquid over the vegetables.

When you’re ready to cook, take the pork and shrimp out of the bag and wipe off the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto two parallel skewers, alternating the direction of the heads and tails, and push them close together. Put the shrimp skewers on top of a baking dish so that they’re suspended over the bottom. Place the pork chops on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Put the shrimp and pork in the refrigerator for one hour.

Prepare a grill for two-zone cooking and oil the grates. Place the pork chops and shrimp skewers on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, turning them until they are cooked through and have light char marks on both sides. In case of a flare-up, move the items to the cooler side of the grill.

Spread the rice noodles over a platter or divide them into individual bowls. Top with the grilled pork and shrimp, and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Place a small mound of carrot daikon pickle, cucumber slices, herbs and lime wedges around the rim of the platter or in the bowls. Serve with the dipping sauce to the side.