Cooking tips

[alexo]

1. Eggs - bring the water to boil and turn off the heat. Leave it for 60 to 100 seconds to get a perfect soft egg without the risk of breaking the shell.

2.a. Pressure cooker is my preferred cooking tool. It needs to be stainless and again - build up pressure and turn the heat off. It will save you energy and the cooking results will be quite similar to cooling for hours on low heat.

2.b. A pressure cooker will let you use cheaper meat cuts that require cooking for several hours in a regular pot. In general, I start with tough meat and bones in the first cycle, add softer meat and spices before the second cycle and add the vegetables before the third. Parsley and other leaves are added after cooking, cut to small pieces and just let it sit for about 3 minutes before serving. This is a similar technique to Pho.

3. Spicy Popcorn - heat a little oil in a pot, add the popcorn, mix and add about a flat teaspoon of ground chilli pepper, a flat teaspoon of dry Rosemary and/or Thyme, salt, mix, cover, set the heat to between low and medium.

 

[ScottJH]

Tips for making roux: oil smoking hot, a clean pan, a good whisk. Very important - have your beer(s) in a cooler near you. If you step away to the fridge, it's going to burn... Etoufee's and lighter dishes are one beer roux's. Gumbo, which needs a really dark roux, is at least a 2 beer roux.

Also, wear pants when making roux.

 

[Rushman2112]

A decent knife that feels right to you.

Butter.

Something that I usually get wrong - don't use too many ingredients.

 

[craig87c]

Don't be afraid to learn and screw something up. Even a total failure can teach you a lot.

 

[saf]

Make your own salad dressing 3 parts oil 1 part vinegar and then change things up from there. Mustard is a good binder for mixing these. Salt and pepper and boom much better than store bought. As always buy the best ingredients you can.

 

[Alacrity59]

When I cut iceberg lettuce in mass quantities (think 64 heads for one batch of salad mix) I did basically the same thing accept I smacked the head, stem down, on the cutting board. Often the stem fell out, otherwise I pulled it out.

You got it. It hurts my eyes to watch someone peel off one leaf at a time. And for burger season iceberg lettuce, field tomatoes, and Valida onions are the way to go.

 

[Alacrity59]

Never ever ever try a new recipe when you have company coming over.

 

[miamimoe]

Never salt beans or any legumes during the cooking phase. Cook first, salt later.
Bring eggs, meats, poultry and fish to room temperature before cooking.
Invest in a quality chef knife. One great knife is worth a lot more than a bunch of cheap ones for the same price.
Use fresh herbs whenever possible.
Buy quality ingredients, you will never cook a meal better than the quality of what you buy.
If you meet or become acquainted with a great chef/cook, don't be afraid to pick their brains.

 

[kingfisher]

totally agree with low and slow for eggs. Scrambled eggs are amazing if you cook them over very low heat and take your time

do not put salt in until near the end. Pepper can go in at the very beginning, but salt put into the eggs before they are almost cooked will make them firmer and less creamy

 

[saf]

Paprika gets bitter if you cook it too long, add it close to the end of cooking for maximum flavor.

 

[Mredison]

My cooking life improved immensely when I got a meat thermometer that dings when you hit the target temp. You'll almost never overcook meat again (unless your batteries die mid-cook--in that case . . . Lol, you learn to replace them from time to time)

 

[dpm802]

My cooking life improved immensely when I got a meat thermometer that dings when you hit the target temp. You'll almost never overcook meat again (unless your batteries die mid-cook--in that case . . . Lol, you learn to replace them from time to time)

+1 ... I left behind 2 of them when I vacated my last place I lived, and I miss them already. (and I need to add it to my Renter's Insurance claim ... note to self.)

Those things are terrific for hitting the "doneness" right on. Mine was a Pyrex that you could program for Beef, Chicken, Pork, etc ... and it was adjustable for rare / med / well / etc.

It didn't always get it right, but if it was wrong, it was usually my fault ... I set the grill too high or did not thaw fully or put the probe in wrong.

Any recommendations on a Top-Shelf replacement(s)? I think I spent a grand total of $12 on these two, one was a Pyrex and the other was a Radio$hack ... but they both served me well until 3 weeks ago, but they had to take one for the team and while we can mourn them in their passing, their mortal remains will be considered permanently MIA. I hope my ex-landlord gets as much use out of them as I did the last 15 years, because they will probably last just as long if he takes care of them ... he won't.

BTW, I can go up to $50 for new kitchen temps and timers, I'll be needing several, and a good old-fashioned egg-timer with the fine sand is always cute to have on your desk. My vendor of choice is Amazon Prime.

 

[saf]

I picked my thermometer up for cheap as well. No need to drop much on them, just be sure to calibrate if its not digital.

Learn to test the temp your self. Thermometers are great, but when it gets to the doneness you want just poke the meat with your finger, for smaller pieces. This way you get a feel for when its done. If you break or run out of batteries you can get pretty close.

 

[Sterling Cooper]

For the bread makers who don't want to waste money on a bread lame, a double edged blade (we all have those lying around) on the end of an instant read thermometer makes a perfect duplicate.

 

[Mredison]

I wish I had a top shelf recommendation, dpm802, but I'm still using the Taylor probe thermometer we got as a wedding gift. Your vender of choice does carry the newer version of the one I have:http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-1470-Digital-Cooking-Thermometer/dp/B00004XSC5

It's inexpensive and gets the job done. Two things that I would change, if I had my druthers: 1) I wish the probe cable didn't tend to fray where the cable coating meets the probe metal--it's replaceable, but you risk overcooking while you wait (although you can develop the touch technique saf suggested); 2) from time to time, I druther have a wireless lanyard alarm so I could roam throughout the compound and estate and not be tethered to the grill or oven.

Folks on the Weber grill forums seem to like polder thermometers as well. I've never used one, but you could check those out too.

 

[Topgumby]

Don't fry bacon nekkid.

 

[Talal]

There in NO equivalent for BUTTER!

There is NO equivalent for GRASS FED BUTTER . *Fixed*

 

[kzoo1]

Learn to prepare simple foods well.

Complex dishes will be easier to make if you build a good foundation of being able to prepare even the simplest dishes well.

 

[Rushman2112]

Steak - take it out of the fridge at least an hour before you want to cook it. Salt and pepper it now, more than you think is enough: it won't be. Steak loves salt and pepper. Then, make sure you rest it before serving.

 

[Rushman2112]

There is NO equivalent for GRASS FED BUTTER . *Fixed*

I always buy Aussie butter for cooking and French butter for spreading. Both are grass fed, and both are splendid.