Next Time You Make Pot Roast, Add One Fizzy Ingredient Right To The Pot

There are plenty of bold ingredients that will upgrade your pot roast, but few are as cheap and accessible as a can of Coca-Cola. Food Republic spoke to Chef Chuck Hayworth, Medical Meal Specialist, PhD candidate, and COO of Thankfully Local Corp, to discuss how cola goes beyond just flavor and can even improve the texture of your pot roast.

Hayworth says it's not just Coke's sweetness that makes it a great pot roast ingredient, but also its acidity. "That's because the acidity helps make the meat tender," he says. "In the meantime, the sugars caramelize pretty well, giving depth to the flavor." Coca-Cola has a pH balance of around 2.37, about the same as some lemons and apple cider vinegars. However, unlike those other powerful tenderizers, its sugars pair perfectly with the hardiness of richly marbled meat, creating a dynamite combination of tenderness and flavor that takes next to no effort.

Hayworth says Coke is best used in braising liquids for chuck roast or short ribs, two relatively fatty meats that take considerable time to break down into tender strands. This cooking method gives Coke the chance to work its magic, infusing the meat with sweet acidity while still guaranteeing a melt in your mouth texture. But since Coke is such a versatile ingredient for red meat, you have a couple different options on how and when you add it, depending on your end goal.

From making all the difference in homemade barbecue sauce to using Coca-Cola in your chicken brine, the same thing that makes this soda great also poses some risks: sugar. You want the sugars to caramelize without burning, so controlling heat and moisture is key no matter what method you pick for cooking your pot roast.

If you like a no-fuss meal that's fall-apart tender, add Coke at the beginning of the cooking process. Just like wine, spices, or onion, this lets the soda mingle with the broth and other ingredients to form a single, comprehensive flavor profile. Plus, your slow cooker or Dutch oven likely sits at a fairly low temperature, so it'll need plenty of time to caramelize its sugars properly. Use a cup and a half of soda (about a 12-ounce can) for a four-pound roast.

If, however, you like a tender roast you can slice and serve, Chuck Hayworth recommends a Coca-Cola bone broth demi-glace. Demi-glace is a thick brown sauce full of meaty flavor and booze, making it a rich accompaniment to any red meat. However, by adding Coke, you also impart plenty of sweetness that cuts through your wine's acidity. Just simmer your soda, broth, and wine until reduced by half, and you'll have a sticky rich sauce that's half fine French cuisine, half teriyaki, but surprisingly all American.