Why we cook with vodka
How does vodka enhance the frying process? The explanation lies in the fundamentals of frying chicken (though vodka can also be used in pie crusts, onion rings, and many other dishes). When frying chicken that has been soaked in buttermilk, the water in the marinade or batter evaporates, triggering the crisping and browning process. Since vodka is composed of 60 percent water, it evaporates significantly faster than regular water. This quick evaporation leads to a more intense crispiness in the batter, creating larger air pockets that increase its surface area.
Additionally, vodka has enough acidity to prevent gluten formation (the proteins that develop from wheat products, such as flour), which typically occurs more frequently when water is present in the batter. Excess gluten results in a chewier texture, while reducing it yields a lighter crunch. Furthermore, vodka's strong yet neutral flavor profile helps to enhance the flavors of other ingredients in the batter, including any herbs and spices you choose to incorporate.
Experimenting with liquor and chicken
For your batter, it's perfectly acceptable to use a standard 80 proof vodka without any added flavors. If you're considering purchasing inexpensive vodka for cooking, it might be better to stick with the brand you usually prefer, as quality can impact the outcome, even with neutral flavors.
You can achieve similar crispiness with bourbon or any other whiskey, which contains 60 percent water like vodka. However, using whiskey will introduce additional flavors that might overshadow or interfere with your spices. If that appeals to you, crispy bourbon fried chicken is a legitimate recipe, and you might think about incorporating hot sauce into the marinade. On the other hand, vodka is an excellent option if you're preparing an ultra-crispy fried chicken style like karaage, which is a Japanese dish that uses potato starch instead of a traditional batter. Korean fried chicken is also renowned for its exceptional crispiness and is a great candidate for vodka in the batter—plus, it's referred to in South Korea as an anju, or a dish meant to accompany alcohol. This typically involves a bottle of beer on the side, but cooking with vodka (which will evaporate during the process) certainly complements the idea.
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