Beer and Alcohol Burn-Off
The premise that all the alcohol cooks out of the dish during the cooking process is not necessarily a true one.Alcohol is indeed sensitive to heat, and the longer the dish cooks and the higher the cooking temperature, the less alcohol in the finished product. For example, take a look at this chart compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture using wine as an example. Keep in mind that wine has a higher alcohol content than beer, and the chart shows percentages of percentages.
So, although some alcohol may remain in the finished dish, the amount is most likely not worth worrying about to the general consumer. However, the considerate host should advise guests when cooking with beer since even a minute amount of alcohol could prove to be a problem for recovering alcoholics.
Standard commercial beers contain about 3% alcohol. For a listing of alcohol and calorie content of a large list of commercial brews, take a look at this chart.
Beer and Health
Believe it or not, taken in moderation, beer is actually a very healthy food. It's full of vitamins and minerals which are good for nerve production, help you concentrate, increase blood circulation, and stimulate the metabolism. The hops, low alcohol content, and carbonation help relax the body.A glass of beer has less calories than the equivalent amount of whole milk or apple juice, and much less than the empty calories contained in harder libations. Alcohol raises the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) thus benefiting the heart and circulatory system.
More About Cooking with Beer:
• Beer Cooking Tips• Does the alcohol cook out? Beer and Health
• Beer History
• Alcohol Substitution Chart
• Beer Recipes
Cooking with Beer Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
