The Complete Guide to Cooking with Rum: Everything to Know

Did you know that sugar is the primary building block in rum? Other additions include delicious spices, so it makes sense that you could use rum in your recipes. It's not much different than adding spices individually, except with an extra "kick."

Have you ever tried cooking with rum? 

We're here with a brief guide all about cooking with your favorite type of liquor. Read on to learn more.

Choose a Rum that Complements Your Dish

When a recipe calls for rum, or when you think rum would make a nice addition to a rum-less dish, you have to pick the right one. Different varieties of rum have different flavor profiles. It's no different than adding any other ingredient. 

You should also be careful with substitutions. A dark and spicy rum usually can't be replaced with white rum for most recipes because the flavor is so different. 

Keep in mind that if you're going to be cooking with rum, the alcohol is going to burn off. In most cases, you want to pick a flavorful type of rum, or else it won't do anything to the recipe as a result. 

You also want to choose a high-quality rum most of the time. A cheap rum could make the dish taste bitter. 

Rum in Standard Desserts

Rum in dessert is a classic. Rum cakes, bananas foster, bread pudding, and plenty of other tasty desserts all include rum.

You can also make a sauce from rum and add it to any other dish, or even make your own rum-based vanilla extract. Rum goes so well with sweet dishes.

Here are a few great dessert recipes that use rum.

Considerations for Rum in Frozen Desserts

Rum raisin ice cream is a popular flavor, but did you know that using rum in frozen recipes is actually trickier than you'd think? 

Alcohol has a lower freezing point than water. That means that while the rest of your recipe may be perfectly frozen, the rum may still be liquid. This could ruin the texture of your dish if you're not careful.

If you're making a frozen dish with rum that isn't a cold cocktail, consider making syrup or sauce with the rum first. This way, you can keep the flavor but cook the alcohol out. 

Rum in Savory Meals 

Rum definitely has a place in savory meals. Combining rum and dinner is more than just having a cocktail with your meal. 

It's best to use your rum in a glaze or marinade. This way, the flavor won't be overpowering and you'll be able to cook the alcohol off, but you'll still have a hint of that delightful rum flavor. 

Adding rum to a stew or soup can also be effective as long as the meal will be simmering for several hours so the alcohol can burn off.

Rums pair well with fruit, and this is true even in savory dishes. Consider using rum to make a compote, chutney, or fruit-based sauce. Pineapple in particular pairs well with dark rum. 

Cooking With Rum Is Fun

Have you tried cooking with rum? Improving your favorite recipes with rum is a fun experiment, and you'll be shocked at how many of your favorite meals can be improved with just a splash from your favorite bottle. 

Why not treat yourself to a new bottle of Pusser's rum for your favorite recipes and cocktails?