The quest for the ultimate ingredients needed to create the crunchiest, most flavorful batter continues, ranging from adding fish sauce to mimicking how Koreans achieve added crunch in their corn dogs. Although using beer in batter isn’t a novel concept, there are undeniable reasons why it remains popular in enhancing the taste of deep-fried dishes. Despite its occasional less-than-perfect application in cooking, as indicated here, scientific studies highlight the natural properties of beer batter in providing a satisfying crunch and flavor to the food it covers.

Primarily, the carbonization of beer coupled with its foaming agents and alcohol content make it an ideal base for batter. When beer is introduced into searing-hot oil, its trapped air bubbles expand and escape, resulting in a batter that forms a crust with a delicate, lace-like texture that easily snaps when bitten. The beer’s foaming agents, including natural proteins, prevent these bubbles from instantaneously bursting in the fryer by creating a thin protective film around them. These agents are also efficient heat absorbers, allowing the batter to become golden and crisp even when the oil exceeds temperatures of 266 F.

Simultaneously, the food inside continues to cook at a consistent rate without the risk of burning or drying out. Aided by the fact that alcohol evaporates at a faster rate than water, beer batter cooks quickly, not only reducing cooking time but also mitigating the risk of overcooking the dish.

For further reading: 8 Optimal Choices Of Meat To Deep Fry

It’s important to note that carbonation makes beer acidic. When it gets combined with flour, the acidity helps prevent the formation of gluten, which is what makes batter tough when fried. (This also applies to any carbonated drink, including non-alcoholic beer and seltzer.) Combine this lightness with the lace-like patterns that the bubbles form, and you basically have your ideal deep-fried crust. The sugars in beer also contribute a lot to how beer batter becomes golden brown and richer-tasting compared to a water-based one.

All these factors combine to create the Maillard reaction, a process where applying heat to sugar and amino acids brings out the different tastes, textures, and aromas of a dish’s ingredients, causing them to interact with each other and create a wholly different flavor. This chemical reaction serves as a signal to our senses that a dish is safe to eat. It’s also an aspect of how we enjoy food not just with our taste buds but also with our sight, hearing, and sense of smell.

Still, as mentioned, there are risks involved when using beer to make batter. For one, don’t rely on it alone for flavor. Season the food itself properly. Avoid preparing your beer batter ahead of time, too, since its oils disintegrate pretty quickly. Otherwise, you’ll still end up with a soggy crust. Do a second flour dredging after coating food with beer batter as well to ensure maximum crispness.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.