Should I use oil or water to make caramel?
Thread Content
For beginners, making caramel is a skill-based task; there aren’t many steps involved and it seems very simple at first glance, but only once you actually start doing it do you realize how challenging it really is. Generally, the brown sugar syrup that is cooked is used to color meat. The color of a dish depends greatly on the brown sugar syrup used; so how can one create a bright red color? Should I use oil or water to make caramel?
Old Fish, please solve it! The more detailed, the better. My daughter likes sweet and sour pork ribs, and every time I use oil and white sugar, it ends up looking black and messy. :L
Another daughter-obsessed person! ! ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I won’t do it either. I saw it online; beginners are advised to use oil to cook the sugar syrup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sugar syrup cooked with water: The ratio of sugar to water is 1:1. Put the sugar in a clean pot, add an appropriate amount of water (enough to dilute the sugar), and heat it over low heat. Stir continuously with a spoon in one direction. Since water has been added to the sugar, large bubbles will form at first, which is a sign of water evaporating. Afterwards, the sugar mixture will progress to a stage with small yellow bubbles, a stage with large golden bubbles indicating a syrupy consistency, and finally a stage with a blood-red color. When it comes to the choice of sugar, whether to use granulated sugar, brown sugar, or crushed rock sugar, it depends on personal preference; generally, crushed rock sugar results in a more attractive color for the sugar after frying. Sautéed brown sugar: The ratio of sugar to oil is 10:3. Heat the pot, add oil and sugar, and warm it gradually over low heat. Continuously stir with a spoon to melt the sugar. As the temperature rises, many large bubbles begin to form in the sugar solution; the color of the sugar then changes from light to light brown, and the bubbles shrink in size. When the temperature reaches 170°C–180°C, it’s time to remove the pot from the heat. For oils, salad oil is generally chosen; oils such as peanut oil, olive oil, and soybean oil are usually not selected. Since it’s difficult to control, it is recommended to use low heat throughout the process and take your time. Chef’s tips: When making brown sugar syrup, heat the oil over high heat first; once the sugar is added, the heat can be reduced slightly. As you gain more experience, you’ll be able to use high heat throughout the process. Be careful while doing this, as the high temperature of the oil can cause the syrup to splash, posing a risk of burns. The cooked caramel color should be brownish-red, and it should have a caramel flavor. If it tastes sweet, it means it was cooked for too short a time. A bitter taste indicates that it has been there for a long time.
Thank you for sharing! I guess I turned up the oil temperature and heat too much; I plan to use vinegar instead of water or add a bit more water, and try it on low heat.
Practice yields true knowledge; mastery determines the right degree
For home use, it is recommended to make it with water. If that can be done well, then dishes with pulled sugar effects can also be prepared; the color just needs to be lighter, which means the cooking time for the sugar syrup should be shorter. .
Newcomers are advised to use oil, as it’s easier to control. As for me personally, I’ve always just cooked it directly~