Cooking with coffee: What you need to know

Coffee is a morning must-have for many people because of its energy boosting effects. However, you might want to consider having some coffee handy in your kitchen to use in your meals. This beverage can enhance the flavor of anything from meats to desserts. Imagine indulging in coffee-marinated short ribs or chowing down on homemade coffee crunch bars. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when cooking with the popular morning beverage:

Know which form to use
You can use both brewed and ground coffee in your cooking, but it’s important to know which one to use for your dishes. For example, if you’re whipping up a stew or a sauce, you can opt for brewed coffee, while marinades and rubs would benefit from the bold flavors of ground coffee. The ground variety is especially perfect for the grill, because it complements the smokiness of the meats perfectly. Keep in mind that if you’re using ground coffee, use it sparingly. As a rule of thumb, think of it as a spice and use it just like you would cinnamon, red pepper or chili powder.

Use coffee sooner rather than later
When cooking with coffee, you’ll want to add it at the beginning of your recipe, rather than right at the end. When you incorporate coffee early on, you allow it to blend with the other flavor profiles of the dish to create a flavorful meal.

Be careful about what you pair it with
Coffee has a certain boldness to it, so you don’t want to combine it with a dish that’s very light. Instead, use coffee in recipes with other strong flavors so that the taste of the beverage doesn’t overpower the entire meal.

Be picky about beans
Different coffee beans can create various flavors, so it’s important to pay attention to the type of beans you’re using in your cooking. If you don’t like a certain kind of bean for drinking coffee, then chances are you won’t enjoy it in a meal either. Arabica beans are great for integrating into dishes because of its complex flavors. They tend to produce a more sophisticated taste than other common varieties like the robusta bean.

Get creative
Coffee can be used for much more than marinades and rubs. Experiment with this ingredient to enhance anything from appetizers to desserts. Make candied espresso walnuts for a delicious crunchy snack or use coffee to intensify the flavor of a chocolate cake. Enroll in culinary training online to discover all that you can do with this tasty ingredient.