How to Literally Beat the Heat: The Secret to Why Wings Pair Well with Ranch
and Beer
by Amanda Rogers
It’s that time of year again – time for the Super Bowl. We all know what that means: a football game
that will keep you on the edge of your seat, some of the best commercials of
the year, Animal Planet’s classic Puppy Bowl, and, most importantly, food. There is no other day of the year as
acceptable as the Super Bowl to totally pig out on everything that is
greasy. In particular, there is one
perfect Super Bowl food trifecta that I simply cannot do without: hot wings,
ranch, and beer. What is it about these
game day staples that makes them pair so well?
Believe it or not, there is a scientific reason why!
When you eat
food, the chemical components within the foods, and the sensations you feel
while eating them are complex. Some food
pairings seem like a match made in heaven, while others do not. There are many theories as to what makes a
successful pairing, but the number one principle of what makes a good pairing
is balance of flavor intensity. “Harmony” and “complexity” are two terms often
used to describe the overall perception of food pairings in relation to how
well the flavors and tastes go together, and how much sensory variation there
is in the pair. This means that we
prefer foods with a high complexity while still maintaining maximum
harmony. As anyone who has tried hot
wings knows, hot wings by themselves can be anywhere from mildly to unbearably
spicy, but with a little help from a beer and a side of ranch dressing, the
heat is suddenly much easier to handle, making this trio a perfect
combination. But, why?
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Most spicy foods, like hot wings,
contain a flavor compound found in red peppers called capsaicin. Capsaicin is responsible for the intense,
lingering burning feeling felt on your tongue.
Like a key in a hole, capsaicin binds with heat receptors on your taste
buds that unlock a sensation of warmth.
The binding of capsaicin to its receptor allows calcium ions to flow into your cells, which
triggers a pain signal. When high concentrations
of capsaicin are consumed, this sensation of heat can increase to intolerable
pain. Because capsaicin is hydrophobic
(fat loving/water hating), it can pass through fatty cell membranes and stay
there, causing the spicy flavor to be long-lasting and persistent. As a result of capsaicin being hydrophobic, a
glass of water simply will not help remove the spicy capsaicin that is bound in
your mouth.
This is where beer and ranch dressing
comes in. Although capsaicin is not
soluble in water, it is highly soluble
in fats and ethanol. This
means that when you drink a beer, the capsaicin will dissolve and be washed out
of your mouth, relieving you of the relentless burn. However, a Coors Light® contains only 4.2%
alcohol which might not be enough in some seriously spicy situations. One option might be to drink a stronger beer,
but for relief in extra hot situations, dairy products, like ranch dressing,
will definitely do the trick. Dairy
products contain high levels of fat and a protein called casein. Casein,
like capsaicin, is also a fat-loving substance, and when you smother your hot
wing in ranch, the casein surrounds and binds the capsaicin, washing it away
just like soap washes away grease.
While hot wings provide intense and complex flavor in the
form of spiciness, ranch and beer help that flavor find a better balance and
harmony so we are not overwhelmed by our favorite game day snack. So this year during the Super Bowl, if you’re
going to order some extra spicy wings like Man
v. Food’s Adam Richman, make sure you buy yourself an extra six pack
and don’t hold the ranch. Your taste
buds won’t regret it!