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Does butter really penetrate a steak when allowing it to rest after cooking? I understand that when a steak rests after cooking, the muscle fibers relax, allowing the juices to reenter the meat as described here. I've heard that while the meat relaxes and the juices flow in, they can draw melted butter in as well. Is ...	I'm not sure the butter penetrates, but it tastes pretty good on the surface. ;) I think it's pretty obvious that marbling plays a huge role in juiciness, so it stands to reason that if you bard or lard the meat it would also make a difference in juiciness (and indeed, the standard filet mignon with the bacon barding w...
How should I use extra summer squash? My CSA delivers me a lot of summer squash, more than I can actually find the time to cook in a week. Can I freeze the remainder in some way? Is there a quick recipe I should be making that stores well? I'm not thinking primarily of meals here -- if I had the time to cook dinners m...	I feel your pain. If only I liked summer squash better... You definitely can freeze squash -- thick slice it, blanch it in salty water briefly until almost tender, transfer to an ice bath until it's chilled, bag it, and put in the freezer. Later, thaw and use with recipes that don't require ultra-crisp squash.
How do cooks prepare risotto in a restaurant? I'm not looking for a Risotto recipe. I make a pretty nice risotto, thank you very much. But, making a risotto takes about 20 minutes. It seems unreasonable to me that a cook would start from scratch in a restaurant. So how do they do it? There must be some pre-cookin...	It's actually hard to hold when it's almost all the way cooked - it'll start getting gluey if you let it cool off, but could start scorching on the bottom if it's not stirred, and get too runny if you keep adding stock. Mario Batali said that risotto isn't finicky in the middle - so you can cook it part way, cool it do...
Adding spices before or after frying? If I fry chicken strips for my salad, should I spice them before or after I fry them? I've heard contradicting opinions.	Do you mean sautee? Or deep fry? Typical deep fry recipe would be to incorporate spices into the flour: add your salt, pepper, paprika, etc to the batter, then fry. If you sautee, your chicken strips should be seasoned like follows: first, rub in a small to medium amount of kosher salt (not table salt). Let sit for 15+...
Should I let stock cool with the bones/veg still in it? I've just made some stock and its bed time now. Do I need to strain my stock before I go to bed, or can I leave it overnight with all the stuff in it and strain it in the morning? Is one preferable to the other? Why?	You need to strain the stock and cool it until it's 40 degrees F. or below before you refrigerate it. Leaving it to cool overnight on the stove is going to create a bacteria cesspool. The temperature danger zone is between 40 and 140 degrees. This is the range that is prime for the growth of bacteria. Food safety gu...
Are the leftovers from making stock good for anything? Having made stock and strained it, can the meat and vegetables boiled up in the stock be used for anything, or should they go in the bin?	The veggies aren't very palatable after such a long simmering (unless you like celery paste, I guess), but if you've thrown a whole chicken in the resulting meat is wonderfully tender and flavorful.
How can I avoid my knife from "dragging" across my unbaked bread when making slashes to let steam escape while baking? My slashes seem to be OK (not great) before I put the bread in the oven but never really open up during baking. I'm thinking the slashes aren't deep enough but since I use a no knead method, I'm relu...	Professional bakers use straight razors. Chances are they are sharper than your knife, and easier to keep that way (or cheaper to replace, at least). Also: wet the blade before making slashes. This helps lubricate the blade as it cuts, and keeps the cut bread from sticking.
What is a suitable Low carb rice alternative? For the first time since i started dieting, I'm making a stir fry dish for dinner. Usually, I include white rice with the finished product to absorb some of the sauce and provide that fluffy texture. What is a low carb, or even carb free, alternative I can use that provid...	Quinoa. I only recently discovered it as part of doing P90X, and man, it's so, so delicious. It's kind of a nutty flavour that goes really well with sauces. It's also pretty high in protein, which is good. Note that this isn't "no-carb", though it is lower in carbs than rice. It's important that you wash quinoa before ...
How to make edges on pancakes be crispy and the inside soft I want to make pancakes which have a slightly crispy outside ring but on the inside are soft like a pancake. How can I do this? Thanks.	There are two things at play here, and unfortunately it'll take you some trial and error to get this right. The first is heat control. You might want to try cooking at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This will cook the outsides very fast and the insides slightly more slowly. However, you don't want t...
How to tell when a turkey burger is fully cooked? I had a BBQ this weekend, and I've come to pride myself on my BBQ'ing skills... except turkey burgers. Cook them too short and you're endangering your guests. Cook them too long and they get really dry. I can visually tell when to flip a burger (because the juices com...	I use an instant-read thermometer. It's by far the simplest method. I use the Taylor 9842 Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer. As Darin states, you're shooting for 165℉ for turkey. My old Taylor died a few weeks ago. After reading rave reviews from Cooks Illustrated, and Alton Brown's recommendation, I splurged ...
What are other uses for a pizza stone? I recently acquired a pizza stone to use for baking bread. Other than pizza and bread, are there other uses for it in the kitchen?	A pizza stone can help an older or cheaper oven hold temperature as it will retain heat because of its mass, releasing it when the thermostat turns off the coil and reducing the variability in oven temperature. So, keep your pizza stone in the oven.
Does it matter what kind of sugar is used in baking? The baking recipes I use specify many kinds of sugar e.g. caster, raw, white, soft etc. Generally, I always just use raw sugar, mainly for convenience. Does it really make a difference?	Yes! Sugar is often used as a "wet" ingredient in baking. That means it needs to be dissolved in the water in order to prevent too much gluten from being produced (making the result fluffy/flaky, and not chewy). Different sugars hold different amounts of moisture (for example, brown sugar holds more than white) and u...
Stir fry rice clumps I love stir fried rice but can't get close to restaurant quality. Mine seems to clump or turn almost gummy. What can I do to improve the texture?	You want your rice to be fairly dry for stir frying. If you cook some rice specifically to fry, put in the minimum amount of water for whatever method you're using. As others have mentioned, it works well if you use leftover rice that's a day or two old. Then, when you're actually frying it, it helps if the rice isn'...
What are some good ways to Roast Peppers I'm looking for a safe method to remove the skin.	If you have a gas range, just fire up a burner. Make sure to have some tongs ready if you can't rest the pepper at a good height above the flame. (You'll probably want them to turn the pepper anyways.) Once sufficiently blackened (and not on fire mind you) toss in a paper bag and close it. Let it rest and the residual ...
When multiplying in baking, should I follow directions all-at-once or batches? If I am making pie dough, for instance, is there a reason to prefer doing things in batches, besides it being more manageable for my tools/hands? This would help answer this question (two good answers which differ on this point). Obviously,...	When making pie crust, you want to a) keep your fat(s) cold and b) avoid over-working the dough, both of which are difficult to do when working in large batches. Cold fat, evenly distributed throughout the dough, will steam and melt away during baking; that leaves the air pockets in the crust that cause flakiness. Deve...
Does active dry yeast really expire? I was cleaning out my spice cabinet and deep in the back I found two packages (e.g., six envelopes) of active dry Red Star yeast that expired in March 2009, 15 months ago as of writing this question. With the thought that dry yeast is basically freeze-dried and should have a decent...	I've used yeast that was even older than yours and although the taste of the resulting bread was fine, and it foamed up properly when tested, I found I had to use about 50% more of it to get the same density of the bread. In the end, I threw it out because it was too much trouble to experiment with it every time.
Can I make my chips crunchy again after they have gone soggy? Sometimes I forget that bag of salsa chips open and with the summer weather they go soggy. How do I get them crunchy again before the guacamole is all gone?	Try spreading them out on a cookie sheet and baking them at low heat for 15 minutes or so.
If I make a big batch of blueberry buttermilk pancakes and freeze them, how long will they stay fresh for before getting freezer-burnt? I love buttermilk pancakes. Being able to make them on the weekends for breakfast at a later date is just a bonus (like Eggo without the preservatives). I'm just not sure how long the...	Its going to depend on the type of packaging and also the freezer. Lightly wrapped in plastic wrap (or worse, paper) will freezer burn fairly quickly. Vacuum-sealed will last much longer. A self-defrost freezer with wide temperature swings will burn quicker. A manual defrost chest freezer much slower. Worst case is pro...
How to look after non-stick cookware so it lasts? Over the course of the last 4 years I think I seem to have been working my way through non-stick pans at a ridiculous rate, I think I'm on my 3rd frying pan and 4th wok - or something of that nature. Admittedly the first couple I had were very cheap, and I've been stea...	I'm still happily using a non-stick frying pan that I've had for almost 4 years. I only use Teflon utensils. I never use harsh abrasives. After cooking, I fill it with boiling water, let it soak for a while and then wipe out with paper towels. Most of the time I just give it a quick rinse and it's ready for the next ti...
What's a good vegetarian substitute for Worcestershire sauce? The only thing I really miss since I started the whole rampant vegetarian thing is the taste of Worcester sauce in all sorts of dishes. Is there a way to get close to the flavour without doing anything rude to any anchovies?	I have found a few recipes on the web: Vegan Worcestershire sauce Vegetarian oyster sauce There are also a few hard to find ready-made vegan Worcestershire sauces on the market, such as Annie's. When I read these recipes (which I have never made) I can tell that their flavor profile is missing some key aromas present...
Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta? What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?	The salt adds flavor, but it also helps reduce the gelatinization of the starch in the pasta. The starch in food is the form of microscopic grains. When these grains come into contact with water, they will trap some of it (think cornstarch in cold water), but when the water is hot they swell up like balloons and merg...
How do you make Yorkshire Puddings rise reliably? Has anyone got a foolproof method for Yorkshire Puddings? With the recipe I have they never seem to rise properly.	While using a hot oven and keeping the tin hot while filling are both critical elements, equal concern needs to be taken with making sure that your batter is at room temperature. If the eggs and milk aren't room temp to even slightly warm, then it will take a significant amount of heat to simply warm the batter in the ...
What is the proper way to cool sushi rice after cooking? I've heard a couple of suggestions for cooling the rice prior to making rolls and both seem to contradict each other. What works for you guys (and gals)? What I do is just remove the liner from the steamer, add rice vinegar solution and fold the rice while fanni...	It looks like your process is the accepted one around the web. If you put a cool, damp (not wet), clean kitchen towel on your counter and fold the rice on top of it in front of a fan may help to cool it more quickly. Otherwise, cooling it to room temperature just seems to take a bit of time.
Substitute for onions and garlic I love the taste of onions and garlic and it seems lots of other people do too. But they upset my stomach so much that I can't really cook with them. What can I use in their place to give my food a similar flavour?	Many South Asian recipes use a (fairly weird) spice called "hing" or asafoetida powder. It's got a vaguely similar aroma. Generally you add a pinch to hot oil before beginning a dish. A half-teaspoon is usually enough for a four- to six-serving preparation. You can find it quite easily at South Asian grocery stores and...
What is coriander root and where can you get it? I mentioned the book Thai Food in an answer to another question. This reminded me of one of my longest running quandaries with it. Many of the recipes mention “coriander root”. I am aware of being able to buy the seeds (whole or ground) or the leaves, but I have never s...	It is just the root of the coriander plant. Certainly at least here (UK) you can buy living coriander plants in the supermarket; you could pull one out of the pot and use the root from that. Apparently you can also subsitute 2 stems of coriander for every piece of root called for in the recipe, but I've never tried thi...
What is the best way to pop popcorn on the stove? I have a kettle-corn popcorn recipe that I have to pop on the stove as I don't have a popcorn maker and I wouldn't want to add the sugar to the popcorn maker. This makes me wonder what the best way to pop popcorn, in a pot with a lid, over the stove is?	Use a large heavy-bottomed pot (idealy 3-4 quart size) and place it over medium to medium-high heat until you can hold your hand about 6 inches above the bottom surface and feel the heat radiating off it. At that point add about 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Drop in a...
How to adjust for humidity when making rice? Years ago, I ate at Sushi Yasuda in New York. After I went, I was reading up on the chef, and an article about him mentioned that he accounted for air humidity while making his sushi rice. Wow! My kind of guy! There is a 'how much water with your rice' conversation on this ...	Dry rice will have more or less water content dependant on the ambient humidity. If you want to test how much you have to account for this, take some rice during a humid day, weight, dry in a 200F oven for a few hours and then weigh again.
Beef Broth - What Went Wrong? Home-cooked Phở is my white whale. Anyway, before I can cook Phở, I need to be able to make beef broth, and so far I've failed completely. My broth is greenish-gray in color, mostly flavorless, and smells like a swamp. Here is what I did. Keep in mind, this happened TWICE: I purchased a...	Some of your 'shortcuts' are not good ideas. Definitely start with cold water. Definitely bring up the temp slowly. Definitely do not boil. Do add aromatics upfront to the broth, but remove them as they get mushy so they don't cloud it. Standard ratio for beef broth would be: 8 pounds of bones to 6 quarts of water to 1...
How do you make homemade sausage without meat grinder/sausage stuffer? I have no desire to spend hundreds of dollars on this specialized equipment to make sausage, which I may only use a few times a year. There must be some other alternatives! edit: no Kitchen Aid mixer (yes I know it makes this even more difficult...	Well, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars, but you might need to put in more elbow grease. You can get a hand-crank meat grinder for about $30 or so and a manual sausage stuffer for about the same. You could save on the grinder if you have a food processor or blender that can have its way with the meat.
How best to pan-fry tofu? I love fried tofu, but I don't want to have a deep fryer in my home (I'll use it too much!). I've tried a few different techniques for pan-frying tofu, but it always comes out unsatisfying - too dry, too thin, too wet; I'll admit, I'm not a genius when it comes to tofu, but I'd imagine there ...	For pan frying you probably want to start with a firm tofu. It's a good idea to press the tofu to remove excess water: wrap the tofu in a cloth and place it between two cutting boards, weighting the top cutting board with a heavy book or other similar object. Wait at least twenty minutes (you can prepare the rest of th...
What do I need to know about temperature and food safety? What general rules do I need to follow to keep my food safe? How do I know what temperature to cook something to, or whether my food is safe at room temperature?	Storing food: the danger zone When food is between 38°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C) it's considered in the danger zone, and bacteria are growing on it quickly. USDA guidelines say that no longer than two hours in the danger zone is acceptable. This applies to anything that should be refrigerated, including raw meat and co...
Why is there a watery run-off after cooking my bolognese? It's a fairly standard recipe with passata and wine, simmering on a low heat for a couple of hours. After stirring and putting the bolognese onto the pasta, after a couple of minutes the sauce separates a watery run off onto the bottom of the plate. The pasta...	A few things that can help, if it's not an issue with fat like @Aaronut suggested: Tomato paste. Yes, I know it's a sacrelige, but it'll act as a thickener. Take the pasta out before it's gotten to al dente, and finish cooking it in the sauce; the pasta will absorb any extra liquid, and help to thicken the sauce. Do ...
storing homemade potato chips I am working on developing a new dish for our bar menu at work--pulled pork sandwich, with homemade potato chips. Frying chips to order seems like a silly idea, especially since chips (or crisps if you prefer) can have such a long shelf life. Assuming a lack of preservative chemicals (we ...	Anything susceptible to moisture will go stale if exposed to air long enough. Storage will only get you so far, depending on the temperature and humidity in the storage area. In a restaurant kitchen, I don't have to tell you that both are rather high. I'd suggest blanching them after cutting. You could basically cook t...
How to brownies from a box/mix with a flaky top? I buy and make box brownies all the time, but the top crust always ends up looking more like the topping of a cake, rather than the flaky top shown in the picture on the box. It's pretty easy to follow the 4 steps on the box; is there something I am missing?	To get a shiny, flaky, crackly, light-colored crust on the top of your brownies, there are two effective changes you can make: Beat the brownie batter for longer after adding the eggs. Doing this increases the crust, which is actually meringue. This is what you should try with your box mix, since the sugar is already...
How does food cook differently on an open top grill than a covered one? The title pretty much says it all, how does food cook differently on an open top grill than a covered one?	I believe it is kind of like the difference between broiling and baking. "Open top grill" only cooks from underneath (kind of like broiling but not from above). Baked or "covered" grill will distribute the heat more evenly. For more information see: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/primers/grilling_li...
What are the benefits of using natural casing when making sausages? I'm about to make some sausages and need a casing. What are the benefits of using natural casing when making sausages?	If you're planning to smoke your sausages, natural casings will allow for greater smoke penetration than many non-natural casings, and they won't impart any odd flavors of their own to the meat. That said, when you first open a container of natural casings, they may have a strong smell because of gas build-up; let them...
Order of combining wet and dry ingredients when baking I've always learnt that you add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Looking at some recipes: "Combine the dry ingredients, the flour ... Add the other wet ingredients, melted butter ..." "Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined" "Mix dry ingredi...	The dry ingredients are lighter, less dense, and less viscous than the wet, which means they'll have a tendency to float on top of the wet. The dry ingredients that come in contact with the wet will form a sort-of skin, preventing the wet from distributing throughout the dry. You end up with clumps of dry, unmixed, and...
Small black specks on wok food When I bake vegetables in my wok, I see small black specks appear on the vegetables. Does this mean that the fire is too high, or that my wok is not well enough prepared? How do I find out?	This could be either just soot - but assuming you clean your wok well between uses, it might be that the anti-sticking layer is coming off. If it's the latter, replace the wok - this stuff is pretty toxic when ingested.
How should I clean anodized cookware? I'd been bought an anodised wok as a birthday present a couple of years back, but recently, when using a honey/mustard marinade, I managed to burn some of the excess marinade, and now can't seem to get the wok clean, not even when putting it through the dishwasher (it is dishwashe...	We love to using Baking Soda and water to gently clean cookware. A little bit of hot water seems to work best.
How can I make a chocolate cup that looks like the seaweed on a sushi roll? I want to make a dessert that simulates a salmon roe sushi (like this) using rice pudding and spherified melon juice with a chocolate "seaweed" wrapping. But I can't figure out how to make the seaweed convincing. How do I do this?	"Plastic chocolate" is a form of chocolate used for modeling and shaping decorative elements such as chocolate roses, ribbons and other elements for cakes and desserts. Take about 1 lb. of bittersweet chocolate and melt over a double boiler. When chocolate is melted, stir in 2/3 cup of light corn syrup. Mix until even...
Do you heat the pan first, then add oil? Or put the oil in and heat up with the pan? As the title says... I personally heat up the pan first, then put the oil in and after it's heated up add the ingredients. I go with the line of reasoning that doing it this way gives the oil less time to burn, thinking that if you d...	The typical rule of thumb is that if it's a non-stick pan you do add a little oil to the pan first before heating. Most manufacturers usually recommend this to extend the life of the non-stick coating. For regular pans (those without non-stick coating) you should heat them dry until you can feel the heat radiating fro...
How to rest meat but not let it get too cold? Having read this question I am persuaded that resting meat is good for its flavour. But if the meat has a good temperature straight after it's been cooked, it seems as though it will be too cold after resting it for a few minutes. How do you rest meat in such a way that it...	Straight after it comes out of the pan it will usually be too hot to eat. Regardless of resting or not, you can't fully taste things which are too hot, they need to come down to a comfortable temperature before you eat them. Some things you can do to stop the meat being too cold when you serve it: You can rest the m...
Making "long(er)-life" homemade mayonnaise Most recipes I've seen for mayonnaise suggest that homemade mayo should be kept in the fridge for no longer than between 3 and 5 days. What techniques or ingredients can be used to increase the shelf-life of homemade mayo? It's probably worth mentioning that I'm not after a s...	I make a pretty large quantity of homemade mayo and have never had a problem keeping it longer than that -- Good Eats uses a week for their recipe and for me it lives a month, easy, with no detectable reduction in quality. There really is enough acid and salt to deter most bugs if you like it strongly flavored (and let...
Vinegar Alternatives and rice combinations in making sushi rice What are some of the alternatives in vinegar for making sushi rice? I know it's best to use rice vinegar, but has anyone ever tried it with white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar for example? Follow up on that question, would you put or more less vine...	I have never made, but I have eaten Arborio sushi, with Italian flavors and here in DC I have had latin-flavored sushi. It was all great. The Arborio sushi seemed like plain Arborio rice to me. The rice vinegar is sweet and less acid (4% versus 6%), so if you try different vinegars you may want to dilute it a bit fi...
Can I convert jam into chutney? I made a rhubarb jam a little while ago, basically rhubarb, sugar and grated ginger. Its quite gingery. I've now made some duck terrine and fancy serving it with some chutney. I have some chutney, but I wouldn't mind trying to convert some of my rhubarb jam into a rhubarb chutney, t...	Perfect idea and great multi-use of your jam! Your plan is perfect...just create a nice sweet tart balance to your liking. If you want a little more texture you could plump up some golden or dark raisins by nuking them in the microwave before adding. Coriander seed is often used and provides a little texture contras...
Using charcoal in kettle grill I learned that in kettle grill the coal should be placed on one side of the grill and meat on the other side. What is the advantage of this method against grilling on direct fire? Adding a water pan is recommended. Does it really make a difference? When should I cover the grill and wh...	Well, the answer in each case is really "it depends." Indirect grilling is a way to reduce the radiant heat from the coals reaching your food, slowing cooking. It's useful for cooking thick, dense foods where the radiant heat might overcook the outside before the inside is cooked through. This isn't desirable for thin ...
How should I add wine to the sauce for my duck? I have some chicken stock that I've made, that I want to use as a base for a sauce for some duck. I am roasting the duck bones at the moment and will simmer them in the chicken stock for a while. If I want to add red wine to this should I reduce the red wine first the...	Your question makes me think of demi-glace. From your question, I would say that you're trying to get a nice shiny thick sauce for your duck, one that tastes of red wine. If that's your goal, I would recommend you Reduce your stock down until it's about the total volume of liquid that you're going to want. The stock ...
Secrets of Gumbo I like the idea of Gumbo, but I have had limited success in making it. . It seems to be a very varied dish and two recipes which call themselves gumbo can seem to have little in common. So I am wondering what is Gumbo and what is the secret to making it good?	Gumbo is a creolized (blending of different cultures) dish that was really a way of making use of many whatever might be on hand. The word "Gumbo" itself comes from the African Bantu tribal language which uses the word "Ngambo" for okra. In the plantation culture of the south "ngambo" became "gumbo" and eventually ca...
Shiny side or not for foil? Does it make any difference when you wrap food with aluminum foil for grilling or baking or making a steam pouch whether you put the shiny side in or the shiny side out? I've seen at least one answer to a questiong about grilling that made mention of this.	I've been told that the shiny side should go on the inside for cooking, and the outside for freezing. In other words, do you want to reflect the heat into the food, or away from the food? However, common sense (which fails very often) tells me that with the temperature ranges involved, any benefit is marginal, if it e...
Timing cooking: methods / workflow I'm looking for methods to improve timing or workflow during cooking. How to multi-task effectively, getting the maximal amount of differing dishes on the table, for each course, etc. A multitasking / scheduling problem. Of course, practise makes perfect (and I've been practising: ce...	I came up with a technique one Thanksgiving that I've used for complex meals ever since. I have three Digital Cooking Thermometer/Timers and a dry-erase board on my refrigerator. On my dry erase board I draw a table something like this (I don't use the actual headings, they're here for clarity): Task 1 \| Ta...
Flavour combinations - structural analysis Without neccesarily going into molecular cooking (although we could): does any literature / website / theory provide information on flavor / flavour combinations that go well together? (ignoring texture at this time: I'm sure it's a contributing factor) The palate 'likes' cer...	I picked up The Flavour Thesaurus at the weekend. It is organised much like Roget's Thesaurus, and for each flavour has entries for several flavours that work well with it. Many entries have either recipes or suggestions. There is an ample index for cross-referencing. One thing to note is that the entries are writt...
What are good resources to learn food chemistry? Does anyone know of some good resources to start learning about food chemistry? I am thinking specifically about a description of the chemical processes involved e.g. in cooking/preparing the different foods and their relation with changes in flavor etc. Also: do you kn...	McGee on Food and Cooking: An Encyclopedia of Kitchen Science, History and Culture will answer most questions on what the chemistry is behind most cooking processes, without being too academic.
How can I keep hot food hot when transporting it? How can I keep hot food hot when transporting it, e.g. to a friend's house or a potluck? I usually just give up and take cold food, but I'd like to have more options.	Depending on what it is I am transporting I use different methods, and I use the same methods for both hot and cold transport. The easiest is the towels in a box; lay four towels down in a shallow box, hanging the other ends of the towels out each side of the box, then put your dish or bread or pot or whatever in the b...
Why does my steak turn out well done when the temperature probe says it's only rare? Is it because I used a poor cut of meat? Did I not cook it fast enough? Should I have removed it from the heat sooner? Is my cut too thick? Is my temperature probe too conservative?	This question is a little vague, but probably your temperature probe is lying to you, or you're not accounting for resting your meat. I would suggest a legit thermometer rather than one that gives you hints about the meat -- you'll have more control over the final product. Temperature Guide: Medium Rare Beef has an in...
What are the ranges of Pork Temperature that are flavorful and safe? USDA guidelines for Pork state that you should cook it to 160F. I have heard over the years that you can undercook from that, which seems desirable, as 160F is going to be pretty dry. I know the general temperature safety rules, but I'm curious abou...	The main goal with temperature is to kill anything nasty. Those nasties die based on temperature and exposure. Much like a human could live forever at 95 degrees, for a long while at 110, shorter while at 150, and would die instantly at 750, so for all the stuff in Pork. 160 is considered a safe temperature because at ...
Can you purée without a food processor? I'd like to experiment with making purées (particularly carrot and parsnip, if it matters), but I don't have a food processor or any other mechanical mixing/blending tool. Is there anything I can do or is a processor necessary?	I think some sort of mechanical aid to macerate the food is necessary for your project. Depending on what dish you attempt, there are few options. A ricer (or food mill, depending on who you buy from) is a manual device (non-electric) that you might run cooked potatoes or parsnips through. Many people do mashed potato...
Alternative to Marsala? Is there a good alternative to Marsala wine? particularly in this recipe	Consider using: 1/4 c. white wine + 1 tsp brandy ... or go as high as a 2:1 wine to brandy ratio. I like this substitution best personally. 1/4 c. white grape juice + 1 tsp brandy Madeira wine - I've heard you can use this, but I never have Port - again, I've heard it but not used it Brandy alone, though I find this t...
Which types of apples are considered to be "quick-cooking" apples? In my great-grandmother's recipe for Open-Face Apple Pie, she writes, "Cut apples in eighths if they are not quick-cooking." I assume that this means some apples will cook more quickly than others, but I can't find a list of such apples anywhere.	One of my favorite topics, having grown up close to two apple orchards... Most likely, by "quick-cooking," the recipe intends you to use a pie or sauce apple, i.e. one that softens readily with heat. Sauce apples. Use these for a pie if you like VERY soft pie contents. Personally, I prefer applesauce that has some chu...
Are Chives and Green Onions the same thing? Is it OK to substitute one for the other?	They're not the same thing, as they're a different plant, but they're part of the same family. You might be able to substitute the tops of green onions (scallion, spring onion) in place of chives in small quanities. Chives tend to be smaller and more tender, typically used raw, and only the green portion is used. Gree...
Is there any way to sous-vide without a machine I live in an apartment and have limited space to store kitchen gadgets. I don't really like the idea of having a machine that is dedicated to one specific task. I particularly want to get into using sous-vide as a cooking technique, but I don't really want to buy a machi...	I have succeeded using this beer cooler method described by Serious Eats.
How to store homemade granola? I enjoy homemade granola, but my recipe makes quite a bit. Sometimes I use it all quickly, but sometimes not. What is a reliable storage method? Should it be frozen? Can it just be refrigerated?	Although ours rarely lasts for more than a week, we typically just store it in an airtight container with the rest of the cereal. I would imagine the fat could eventually go rancid, so if you need to store it for weeks or months, either refrigeration or freezing should work. You'll still want the airtight container, ...
How do I impart "extra" flavor with Sous Vide cooking? I've been cooking Sous Vide 2-3 times a week for about 10 months now, and I absolutely love it. The control of temperature and time makes for some really interesting possibilities. But, one of the touted benefits of the method is better imparting of flavors during...	Sous vide not only keeps the proteins (main component) at a lower temperature, but also the spices/oils/flavorings. Heat helps release the taste and aroma of all the ingredients, and the sous vide might not be hot enough to do that. So, while it kind of kills the simplicity, you could always sautee the seasonings in oi...
What flavor should you highlight from an oyster? I've noticed some seafood restaurants put so much stuff on baked oysters, it completely overpowers the oyster. You could have baked a napkin, and it would have tasted just as good. And then it can go the other way with raw oysters. I never understood the oysters when ...	An oyster has three key components that you want to be aware of when accenting their flavor: salinity, texture, and finish. Oysters are naturally salty since their blood is basically seawater. Depending on where the oysters are from they can vary rather significantly in salinity, from 12 to 36 parts per thousand. Oyste...
Are garlic butter and garlic oil interchangeable? When eating something like crab, garlic butter seems to be a Western thing while garlic oil is Asian. Is it just a personal preference thing, or does it matter which one you use? Note: Garlic butter is just melted butter with garlic, while garlic oil is oil heated to a...	I agree that they're similar, but I don't think I'd personally call them "interchangeable" in a culinary sense, just like butter and oil aren't really interchangeable in all cases. Now, it's not like the ingredients police will arrest you for using one in a recipe instead of another. Note that melted butter is about 20...
Is it possible to extract the allergens from shellfish? What exactly is it in shellfish that people are allergic to, and is it possible to extract those chemicals from them?	Allergic reaction to shellfish is typically caused by the protein tropomyosin. Since it is present in basically all of the muscle tissue of shellfish, extraction is not possible outside of a chemistry lab. Said lab extraction would destroy the food and likely render it inedible. Update Just found this recent article w...
Should you add some salt to flour when baking? I was always taught to add a pinch of salt to flour when baking (mainly cakes / muffins and puddings). I have recipes that specifically mention adding salt and others that don't. Is there a scientific reason to add salt?	Salt serves two primary purposes in baking: To regulate yeast Salt kills yeast. The addition of salt to a yeast leavened dough prevents the little beasties from growing completely out of control. To enhance and mask specific flavors Salt is almost a universal flavor enhancer. Virtually anything that tastes good, wi...
How can I get my puff pastry to rise? When I made chicken pot pie, the filling was fine but the puff pastry on top didn't puff up though it did cook through. How can I remedy this? The pastry was the store-bought frozen variety. The temperature was 375 °F and I used and egg wash for the glaze.	Did at any point you crimp the puff pastry? If you press the layers together too hard you will cause the dough not to puff. I don't think temperature was the issue here if you said it cooked all the way through.
Is it cost effective to make your own roast beef sandwich? Seeing how expensive deli meat is it sure seems like roast beef sandwiches would be cheaper to make if you did your own roast and sliced it thin. Are there any cons to this method? I imagine it would not last as long as the deli meat.	You've got a few things to consider -- cost of the ingredients shrinkage energy costs time costs wastage So, in our decision making tree, we have to consider the real costs of each option. Say for instance that whole roasts are on sale, so the cost of a roast is 1/2 the cost of buying the deli meat. The roast is go...
What vegetables hold up well for making vegetarian pot pie? I am trying to make a vegetarian pot pie, but so far I was not successful. I tried with carrots, peas, and cauliflower, but the pot pie was not that good.	What do you mean by hold up well? Structurally? Carrots and peas are rather common in a traditional chicken pot pie. Cauliflower is probably way too delicate to hold up well, also it's too mildly flavored to serve as a primary flavor. I would suggest trying some heartier root vegetables or starches. Potatoes, squash, ...
How do the various methods of roasting beef compare? I can think of 3 ways to roast beef: Rotisserie Oven Regular Oven BBQ What are the pros and cons of each?	A roast is a roast is a roast. Roasting is a method of cooking that involves the aplication of a lot of dry heat to a peice of meat. You can obtain a great roast from all the above the cooking methods as long as you take into account the various ways they work. A rotisserie offers all around even heat and will remain j...
Do bananas ripen better in rice sacks? Okay, I know the title is a little ridiculous, but I swear I am not making this up. When I was a kid, my parents bought a lot of rice and a lot of bananas (among other things). They would get the big 25# sacks of rice, which seem to be made of several layers of kraft paper, and...	Yeah, I would agree with the people in the comments, and make the assumption that it had to do with concentrating the ethylene gas from the bananas. After a bit of googling, it looks like the rice bag trick might be popular because it apparently results in a nearly ideal, stable environment for ripening. I imagine tha...
How can brown stains be removed from pots and pans? I haven't been cooking for long — recent college grad — so I'm doing a lot of experimentation and making a lot of rookie mistakes. One of them is shown here for your viewing pleasure: My mom gifted me this pan less than a year ago. She used it for over 15 years an...	Bar Keeper's Friend in powdered form and some elbow grease will solve this problem. The first time you tackle it, it can be a real pain to get the pan cleaned up, but if you keep up with it regularly after that, it's not to bad. Great cleaning supply.
The difference between green, red and yellow bell peppers Is there any difference between green, red and yellow bell peppers, barring the color? Normally when I buy a pack of 3 I always leave the yellow till last. It's normally due the coloring looking less appealing in the dish.	http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodtip&dbid=68 Same plant species, different cultivar, different maturity, different tastes, different nutritional value. To summarize from the link, green are harvested earliest and contain the least vitamins, yellows are next and contain more vitamin C and less vitamin A and ...
Cups v. weighing scales - is there an historical explanation? Broadly speaking UK recipes will specify amounts by weight (lbs/ounces or metric), whereas American recipes will specify amounts by volume (cups). Is there an explanation for how the two different approaches arose in the first place? I'm not talking about w...	I'm no authority, but I have a hypothesis. Measuring weight is more complex than measuring volume. Before the invention of the digital scale (recent history), or the spring scale (1770, by a Brit) things were weighed with a balance scale and a set of weights. Materials alone makes this more expensive than a simple cup...
How should I clean my propane grill? My propane grill needs to be cleaned, how should I go about doing so?	The method I use is to leave on high for a few minutes to burn off the worst of the food residue. Then I scrub it with a wire grill brush and , while still warm, I then re-oil with cooking oil. There are proprietary products you can use and I've seen people using oven cleaner but I steer well away from those!
What is the difference between Greek yogurt and plain yogurt? One of the ingredients of a recipe is Greek yogurt. May I replace it with plain yogurt? If I do it, what is the difference that I would immediately note?	Greek yogurt is thicker. You can turn not-so-greek yogurt into it by letting it strain. Put cheesecloth into a colander, dump yogurt in, and allow to sit. Not too long, or you'll accidentally achieve paneer instead.
How does one begin to create salsa? Let me start by saying that I am not a cook by any means. Now, I love salsa and I always have, but mostly I just get store brands. I've had homemade salsa before and it tends to be a lot more flavorful, and for that reason I'd like to try my hand at making some. What exactly is "sal...	Recipes As far as salsa recipes go, they're all over the web. Check sites like allrecipes.com or epicurious.com - - or justrightmenus.com! Shelf Life Refrigerator. With regard to shelf life, according to stilltasty.com, you're only going to get 5-7 days out of fresh salsa in the refrigerator. Freezer. The same sourc...
Is frozen crabmeat OK to use for crab cakes? I have some frozen precooked crab meat that I was going to use in a sauce for pasta but thought maybe crab cakes would be a nice change of pace. Does the fact that it has been frozen make it unsuitable because of texture change?	Most crabmeat is pasteurized, so the texture has already suffered a bit. Crab cakes are basically a binder, crab meat, and seasoning. The binder can add all sorts of interesting textures. There are recipes with Panko, bread flour, flour, eggs, ... If you are worried about it being dry, add mayo as @Darin suggested ...
Does grenadine need to be refrigerated? I've been looking for a bottle of Rose's Grenadine for quite a while without luck, so when I saw a big ol' liter of Llord's at the liquor store, I grabbed it. I'm not sure I want to allocate that much fridge space to it though. Can I keep it behind the bar instead? Sugar is a pr...	I'm not sure about other types of grenadine, but assuming they're the same as Rose's, they do not need to be refrigerated. It's not just that they contain sugar - they're practically nothing but sugar, water, and a couple of "chemicals." There's really nothing in there that can spoil, unless you put something else int...
Achieve crosshatch on grilled pork chop? I know that putting a crosshatch on a pork chop won't increase its flavor but I like the presentation. Generally, I either rotate my chops too early or too late, resulting in torn meat or no crosshatch. How can I tell when is the right time to rotate the chop to achieve the cro...	First, make sure your grill grates are brushed well to remove debris so that the food has complete contact with the grates. After preheating the grill use a clean old towel to wipe the grates with a light coating of oil. Additionally, a thin coating of oil on your pork chops or other protein item will be beneficial. ...
Standard weight conversions for converting cups of flour to grams of flour? I hate the idea of measuring flour using something as imprecise as measuring scoop. What numbers do you treat as definitive/authoritative/canonical for doing weight conversions for different types of flour?	There is no official standard. The USDA uses 125g/cup, but labels on packages claim different weights for one cup: Gold Medal brand: 130g King Arthur brand: 120g (updated 2016) wolframalph
Is it safe to eat raw fish? Raw chicken is generally considered not safe to eat. A lot of people eat sushi/sashimi though, and they are made from raw fish. So, how come that's safe (if it is)?	I discussed a similar subject in this question: What exactly is "Sushi Grade" fish? Raw fish isn't safe to eat if it's just been sitting around. However, the raw fish used in sushi/sashimi has been frozen (typically flash-frozen) in order to kill any parasites, making it as safe as any other food. Most distributors of...
Is there a way to prep mutton in order to ease its strong flavor? Mutton has a slightly "gamey" flavor, is there a way to prep it before cooking which reduces this "gamey" flavour?	The flavor will vary greatly depending on the cut of meat and the preparation. Different cuts (eg: chops and legs) taste very differently from one another (legs and tougher meat taste more gamey) Ground lamb has almost no gamey flavor Well done meat will taste less gamey than medium (Edit: regarding "done-ness" this h...
What are ways to extract the juice from a pomegranate? Is there an efficient way to extract the juice from a fresh pomegranate?	Luckily you asked for an efficient way and not a clean way! My brother in California has numerous mature pomegranate trees on his property and squeezes the majority of the fruit each year to use for jelly. He uses a manual Hamilton Beach Orange juicer which he says does the best job of anything he's tried. He usually...
What are the differences between various types of paprika, and which have the most flavor? I've tried various different brands of paprika but none seem to have any flavor. Can anyone recommend a kind of paprika that is less bland? For example, I've seen certain "special" varieties such as Hungarian Paprika... how do ...	I don't know about brands, but there are six different types. Hot, Hungarian, Plain, Smoked, Spanish, Sweet. Paprika releases its flavor with heat, but burns easily. So mix it in with liquid, and make sure it gets hot. Sprinkled onto a cold dish (like deviled eggs), it remains quite bland. Add it to browned hamburger m...
How can I freeze excess peas from my garden? Would you recommend blanching them first or freezing them raw?	According to the Ball Blue Book of Canning & Freezing: Scalding is a critical step in preparing vegetables for freezing and must be done carefully. (This is a "must" for all vegetables to be stored frozen for more than four weeks, except those used exlusively for their flavor such as green onions, hot peppers and her...
How do I make Crispy Gnocchi This is turning out to be harder than I expected. I had gnocchi at a restaurant which had a crispy outside. I fail to consistently achieve this. I have tried shallow frying — gnocchi just absorbs all the oil. Pan frying — gnocchi seems to cook through before getting crispy. Any help?	If the exterior of the gnocchi you had at the restaurant was crispy in the sense that it had a crunch to it, then they probably dropped it in a deep fryer for a minute or so to crisp it up. I usually saute mine in clarified butter to brown the exterior and form a crust but it's not necessarily "crispy". Regardless of w...
How should I store raw steaks in the freezer? What's the best method for storing steaks in the freezer? How should I wrap them? Should they be stored individually?	Yes, store them individually. First, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, preferably one that says it's specifically for freezer use. Then wrap this tightly in aluminum foil. They'll keep for months without freezer burn this way.
Is it safe to eat raw eggs? I have a friend that is training for a marathon and he drinks 6 raw eggs before running (Yes, like Rocky) - is this safe?	Food safety experts and government organizations target their recommendations to what's safest for everyone, and would recommend against this. However, "safe" is a subjective term. It's all about managing risk levels. The odds of a given egg containing salmonella or other food-borne illness are pretty low. A healthy ad...
How do you make paneer? I've seen the ingredient list of a brand of paneer with an ingredient list of: Milk, Citric Acid. Ok, so what is the process from there? I have a few specific questions: What kind of milk do you need? Can you use pasteurized & homogenized vitamin D milk (whole milk)? Where do you get citric ...	This is a recipe that we used for the concierge lounge when I was a chef in the main kitchen of the Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Sp
Use any part of an animal for making stock/broth? I got a whole leg of lamb, removed all the big parts of meat for another dish, then scraped down the remaining pieces around the bones and the fat. Should I use all of it for stock or does the pure fat parts for instance make the stock too greasy?	Stock is made from bones only and broth is the liquid that meat has been simmered in. A well made stock should be clear without particles or cloudiness. Broth will usually be somewhat cloudy due to containing more dissolved proteins. Bones for lamb stock (and any brown stock - veal can be made white or brown but lam...
Can heavy cream be frozen? Sometimes, I want to try a recipe that calls for a small amount of heavy cream. Can the remainder be frozen and then used to make whipped cream? If so, how long will it keep in the freezer?	Heavy cream can be frozen but only if intended to be used in its liquid form (soups, sauces, etc.) It will not whip properly once frozen. I agree with Pointy that there's really no point in freezing it because it's usually dated about 2 months out from the time I'm purchasing it. Additionally, if kept cold and not lef...
How long will Duck Fat last before going bad I've drained the fat from a roasted duck, placed it in a closed container, saved it in the 'fridge, not quite sure how long it will last??	The main concern is keeping it from going rancid which is due to oxidation and heat. If you keep it at the back of the fridge in a container that minimizes the amount of open space on top it will keep a long time. You can also freeze it if you don't intend to use in the near future and don't want it taking up space in...
'Lighter' version of American breakfast (I'm neither English nor American so I might mix some things up.) At home we usually have cereal or bread for breakfast. I really like English/American breakfast with eggs, beans and bacon, though. Do you have any suggestions about how to make a lighter version of that kind of b...	But...that's how we got to be Americans =). Some suggestions: Turkey bacon is (comparatively) light and very little grease. Use one egg and mix in some water/milk, use a non-stick pan so you don't have any excuse to add in butter. Substitute beans/whatever else with some fruit
Stock vs Broth - What's the difference in usage? I've now learned (from this site) that broth and stock are not the same product (see this great answer). So, in any given scenario, why should one use stock rather than broth, or vice versa? i.e. What's the practical difference? EDIT: I'm mostly looking for when to us...	Classification and use of Stocks vs. Broth: Broths are the result of cooking meat, not just bones. They're generally the result of preparing another item and usually not prepared specifically on their own. The juices poured off from a roasted turkey (after being degreased) would be considered broth. Whole chickens bei...
How can I make a panna cotta based on Jelly bellys? I want to make popcorn panna cotta. I had a couple of ideas for this, either steeping milk in popped corn or (my preferred option) melting butter popcorn Jelly Belly beans into the milk and then making a panna cotta from that. These were to be served as petit four...	Grant Achatz does quite a lot with popcorn at Alinea. One of his recipes is available as part of the preview of his book on Google Books and is just about readable. Looks like he goes with the steeping method (although he's using water). I ate at Alinea recently and there was a popcorn soup on the menu that tasted exac...
Can agave nectar be substituted for honey in baking? The only sweetener called for in the bread recipe I want to use is honey; can I substitute 1/3 a cup of agave nectar for 1/3 a cup of honey without throwing off the proportions of the recipe? When using agave nectar as a substitute for honey in salad dressing recipe...	You can use agave nectar instead of honey or sugar if you modify your recipe a bit by lowering the amount of liquids. Agave nectar has more water than honey and is sweeter than honey (about 50% sweeter). Honey Fructose: 41%, Glucose: 36%, Water: 18% Agave nectar Fructose: 53%, Glucose: 15%, Water: 25% As a starting ...
Solutions for when heating chocolate and butter doesn't mix well Yesterday I tried to make brownies that started out with me having to melt unsweetened chocolate with butter in a frying pan on the stove. This did not work well. The chocolate kindof mixed with the melted butter, but parts of it remained solid. I then h...	I am sorry, but the accepted answer is incorrect in many details. When chocolate seizes, it is due to a small amount of moisture. Imagine a cup of sugar. It will pour freely. If you add a small amount of water, clumps of the sugar will stick together and stop flowing. Add enough water, and the combination of sugar ...
what is a good liquid to replace tequila with? I'm looking to try a marinade recipe I found recently that calls for tequila. However one of my friends is unable to consume alcohol. What would be a good flavorful liquid to use? I'm looking for a flavor that is fairly similar or at least somewhat close. Here's the recip...	The tequila probably plays two roles in the recipe: as flavor and as a solvent. The alcohol in the tequila will dissolve certain components in spices that water or oil do not. On the flavor side, tequila is basically a floral smell, so (and sniff together before you say no) why not try rose essence and honey with mayb...
Frying Oil Reuse What are some guidelines or rules with regard to filtering and reusing (vegetable/canola/sunflower) oil that has been used for deep frying? Is it safe and acceptable under some circumstances to filter and keep oil? If so, does it depend on which foods were fried? How long can the filtered oil for be k...	It is absolutely OK to filter and reuse deep-fry oil. It's not uncommon at some short-order restaurants for them to filter the oil daily and only change it once a week. Of course, it does start to taste a little "off" when you reuse it that many times. There's also the matter of impurities lowering the smoke point; ev...

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