[joe5150]

"When you’re watching your favorite Food Network show and Coca-Cola is used as an ingredient, do you know that Coke is paying the chef? It never occurred to me."

Why wouldn't it occur to someone that a brand-name product used on television has been paid for? Especially when every other product used has been conspicuously genericized, labels covered up and whatnot.

Also Coca-Cola as a glaze for food doesn't strike me as particularly better or worse than using barbecue sauce or ketchup or anything of the other sugary things we eat every day.

[batbomb]

The striking thing is this:

    virginia willis and 9 others recommended

The author actually misspelled the name in the article (it's Willis, not Wills, as it appears in the article)

Also, Coke has been around as an ingredient for a long time in BBQ because BBQ sauce has to have... sugar.

[snappy173]

"Also, Coke has been around as an ingredient for a long time in BBQ because BBQ sauce has to have... sugar."

and acidity. it's kind of perfect.

[wonkaWonka]

From now on, I shall think of coca-cola forever as a BBQ precursor substance.

[zappo2938]

They have been marinating ribs in coke overnight in places like the Caribbean now for decades. We were doing it in the mid nineties and I always thought it was a traditional recipe. One night in coke, then another night in a Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, makes for some good ribs.

[btgeekboy]

I wonder, does the acid in the soda help tenderize the meat? Or is it purely for the flavor.

[ssharp]

"Why wouldn't it occur to someone that a brand-name product used on television has been paid for? Especially when every other product used has been conspicuously genericized, labels covered up and whatnot."

You're correct on labels but there isn't really a generic version of Coke that tastes the same. It's not unreasonable to think a professional chef would specifically want Coke over another cola.