Root Beer Is The Key To A More Satisfying Ham Glaze
While soda is usually reserved for drinking, it isn't uncommon to see the beverage used in cooking. There are many pulled pork recipes that call for a can of Coke; in the South, there's something called Sprite Pie; and in Filipino cooking, 7 Up is often used in marinades (via Hungry Huy). In its savory applications, which usually involve meat, soda is used for its acidic and sweet properties, Livestrong explains. Because it contains phosphoric acid, citric acid, and carbon dioxide, soda can act as a tenderizer in the same way that lemon juice or vinegar can. The sugar content also aids in caramelization without overpowering the meat with sweetness the way granulated sugar would.
When cooking pulled pork with soda, Coca-Cola is the most common, but if you're cooking pork in the form of ham, root beer is actually the better choice. While both have similar concentrations of sugar (via BlackTail NYC), the flavors are completely different, with the ones in root beer pairing better with ham.
Why does root beer go well with ham?
Check the nutrition label on the back of a bottle of root beer, and along with high fructose corn syrup and carbonated water, you'll also see "root beer extract" or "natural and artificial flavor." But what ingredients exactly are responsible for this flavor? According to McGill University, root beer often gets its unique flavor from a medley of different spices including sassafras, sarsaparilla, ginger, licorice, and dandelion. Some extracts also include molasses, allspice berries, mint, cloves, and cinnamon. Nelson's Tea even makes a root beer-inspired blend of some of these ingredients.
If any combination of these spices sounds familiar to you, it's likely because you've previously used them on your holiday ham. Ham glaze is typically made up of brown sugar, one of the key ingredients of which is in molasses — as well as many of the same warm spices used in root beer. But what makes root beer better than a traditional ham glaze, according to the New York Times Magazine, is the sarsaparilla. Sarsaparilla, per Eat Delights, tastes sweet yet sharp, similar to licorice, and when added to a ham glaze, New York Times Magazine shares, it adds a unique layer of flavor that also highlights both the meat and any aromatics you add to it.
What happens when you use root beer as a ham glaze?
Flavor is a main part of why root beer works as a ham glaze, but it's not the only reason it's effective. When you cook down soda, it reduces into a thick sugary syrup, Red House Spice shares. Being that it's a combination of acid and sugar, it's a lot like when you use pineapple juice and brown sugar for your ham glaze. But since soda isn't straight-up sugar, it has a different, some might say more balanced sweetness, Red House Spice points out, and at the same time lends itself to a glossier glaze
When using root beer as a ham glaze, you can simply pour a can of it over the top of your ham, per Dinner at the Zoo, but the New York Times Magazine recommends first using it as a braising liquid, then heating it in a skillet until it's completely reduced, before pouring it over the cooked ham. Whichever approach you decide to go with, you can count on your ham glaze being fully upgraded when root beer is a main ingredient.