Old lye and food?

[FlybyStardancer]

So I have some lye that just seems no longer good for soap... I used most of the bottle, but let it sit around while I couldn't soap for a few months, and when I came back it was pretty clumpy and the soaps I tried to make with it seem like they need to be rebatched because of too high a superfat.

It was originally food-grade, so could I still use it for dipping bagels/pretzels? Or would the impurities from the reactions to the air make it unsuitable for food?

 

[Susie]

It only absorbed moisture. The problem for soapmaking is determining how much water it absorbed. I, personally, would not hesitate to use it for bagels(which I have done with old NaOH). You mix so little of the lye with so much water already that I seriously doubt it could hurt.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Thanks for the reassurance! I mixed together a batch of Alton Brown's pretzel dough last night and stuck it in the fridge for a slow rise, so I can bake it off today for my friends' weekly game night. I can hardly wait to get off work to start it...

 

[IrishLass]

Oh my- yes- definitely use it for pretzels! Let us know how they came out!


IrishLass

 

[FlybyStardancer]

They are quickly disappearing! I took pictures earlier, but will have to wait to upload them.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

As promised, pictures!

 

[IrishLass]

They look yummily delicious!


IrishLass

 

[FlybyStardancer]

They were very delicious! And very pretzel-y. I don't know why I was so surprised when it tasted like pretzels. That was the intent. XD

 

[IrishLass]

They were very delicious! And very pretzel-y. I don't know why I was so surprised when it tasted like pretzels. That was the intent. XD

That's the beauty of the lye-dip. I used to make pretzels via the method of boiling the shaped pretzel dough in a baking soda solution, and although good, to my disappointment they never did come out with that very distinct pretzel-y taste. I learned the reason why is because baking soda is not alkaline enough to really get in there and react with the surface of the dough like lye can.

I've heard of people who either can't get lye or are just afraid of making pretzels using lye that heat their baking soda in the oven to make it more alkaline, but in the end, it still can't reach the high alkalinity of lye to be able give the final result that awesome, full-on, pretzel-y taste.

You know how we soap makers have the saying of 'No lye- no soap'? Well, I've got another one....'No lye- no pretzels'! lol :razz:


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

Those look so yummy! Some day I'll get around to trying your recipe IrishLass!

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Even before I got into soapmaking, I would watch the Good Eats episode and sigh in disappointment that they didn't actually go through with dipping them in lye.

Now I've got a bit of pretzel fever. If I can get a decent chunk of spare time, I might try that laugencroissant recipe, IrishLass! Or maybe try a cross with a different kind of dough... The possibilities are endless!

 

[Ellacho]

Wow those pretzels look so delicious!

 

[Susie]

Mouth....watering.

I would be willing to bet that Alton Brown and the attorneys at the Food Network had a discussion or four before that episode was made. He is such a stickler on doing things properly that I can't imagine him conceding to make pretzels with baking soda dips otherwise.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

I think he touched on the topic in his podcast... but I completely forget which podcast episode now! I do remember that he does use the lye dips when he makes pretzels at home... lol

 

[CaraBou]

I'm moving to the lower 48 soon where shipping will be reasonable again, and I can't wait to buy food grade lye so that I can make pretzels! Thanks for the reminder of some of the good things to come from this big move