Coca Cola as a Marinade

David, Coke, Dr. Pepper and even Orange Crush have been used in cooking but I have little faith the carbonization has much to do with successful tenderizing, flavor or cooks. The sugar might be a key! Sugar is a great tenderizer used for centuries but often overlooked. The next time you are at the store look at the meat tenderizers and look at their components and who made them. My guess would be it was made by C&H or another major sugar manufacturer as well as its contents are mainly sugar with a few compounds you cannot pronounce as stabilizers. I am not a chemist but this is my thought.

I've tried pop in my injections...heck I've tried different juices, broth, in fact I've wasted too much time looking for secret injection juices. I've decided that bottled water works fine for me, the ratio of the injection mix is probably a more important area to do tests.

Just for a shigger....cooking the brisket correctly will leave it tender or that has been what I've come to spend my time practicing.

At least 40 yrs ago folks were using D.P.,pepsi,etc.
Easy trick had been cut the tip off the cryovac,pour in a can of cola,and duct tape it back tight.Let set overnight.

I go with the experienced cooks/judges, like cal, that cooks focused on cooking the packers correctly seem to have the best results and could replicate them.

Lot of Okies been cooking cases at a time and turning out great product with KISS.

Just my $0.02.

I have used a Coca Cola based marinade with chicken before wigh good results. I will use it again. JT

quote:

Originally posted by David Qualls:

I'm curious about the carbonated properties in the soda that would maybe enhance the breakdown of meat...

It's not the carbonationbut the ingredients. I remember back in 6th grade science class, we put a penny into a vial of Coca Cola. Two weeks later the penny was almost gone

Thanks Guys. I think I'm not so much looking for the tender/done crutch as much as a missing link to the Umami Factor......