Ginger Ale Is The Powerhouse Liquid That Gives Braised Ribs A Punch Of Zesty Flavor

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Braising is a powerful, age-old cooking technique that can take a tough cut of meat and transform it into a culinary masterpiece. With a little moisture, heat, and time, a rich, heady gelatin develops that thickens stews and sauces, and nourishes in that hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of way. While almost any liquid can be used for braising, ginger ale is a gastronomic dynamo guaranteed to give short ribs a piquant flavor and fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Like beef shank and hanger steak, short ribs come from one of the least expensive parts of the cow: The short plate primal. You don't want to use high-end cuts for a delicious braise, as the characteristics that make other cuts less prized and more affordable, such as cartilage, collagen, excess fat, and connective tissue, are what make a good braise taste so good. Ginger ale aids the breakdown of these chewy components, particularly collagen, due to a protease in raw ginger called zingibain. 

Some cooks criticize using raw ginger in marinades because if left too long, it can turn meat to mush. However, ginger ale lacks that extra kick because the raw ginger used to make the soda is cooked in a sugar syrup, which dulls the power of the protease zingibain. 

In Chowhound's ranking of ginger ales, first place goes to Boylan Ginger Ale for its perfect balance of carbonation, real ginger kick, and sweetness, making it a great option for a braise. While a regular can of Canada Dry Ginger Ale will lend a tangy, slightly spicy flavor, you can always try something with a little more heat, such as Blenheim's Old #3 Hot Red Cap Ginger Ale, an old school, South Carolina staple that some might call the spiciest ginger ale money can buy. That extra ginger zing will go a long way toward heating up your next batch of braised short ribs.

Be aware that some ginger ales don't contain real raw ginger, but rather artificial ginger flavorings. That said, you can still use it in your braise because the carbonation and sugar in soda are helpful for tenderizing meat, but you might not get as much flavor from these sodas. 

Although it seems like the soda one always finds in grandma's fridge, ginger ale's uses go above and beyond a powerful braising liquid for short ribs. If you buy a six-pack of ginger ale and use one can for braising, there are plenty of other uses for the rest. Break one open for an unexpected tasty pork marinade, to jazz up your Sunday morning crepes, or to make a no-fuss brunch mocktail.