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How do I encourage funnel cake cohesion?
I tried making funnel cakes this weekend.
The recipes I looked at were all very similar, basically pancake batter that is deep fried. I used this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/funnel-cakes-recipe-1947494
Instead of AP flour I used whole wheat.
I expected... | The whole wheat may be your issue. Try adding at least half AP flour or bread flour, which are both better at forming glutinous strands that will keep everything sticking together. If you want to stick to 100% whole wheat flour you could try adding an extra egg to help bing everything together. |
How to infuse flavors into steamed vegetables?
Tried to put 5 smashed garlic cloves in boiling water in a hope to get the spanich flavoured but failed. Spanich was being steamed in that vessel.
I intend to steam cook mushrooms, spanich, green onions, and cauliflower.
What is the way to infuse strong garlic, ginger, an... | To set expectations here, you aren't going to infuse flavors into the middle of steamed vegetables and fungi, you may get some flavor penetration on the outside, but the best bet for flavored vegetables is to coat the outside with the flavor.
When you put flavorings into water for steaming food most of the flavor stay... |
Is it safe to cook in a grill\oven that is rarely cleaned?
I don't grill or oven often and there always seems to be dirt and crumbs left over from long ago. it's a mammoth task to clean so i dont clean it. i just think provided the food sits on foil paper and doesnt make contact with any of the previous food and i d... | The build up on the oven walls is likely grease.
Food contamination risk is low to none if they don't touch.
The bigger risk is a grease fire. |
Vinegar choice for pickling
I just tried my first batch of vinegar pickles and chose what is supposedly a high-quality, accurately diluted apple cider vinegar with an acidity of 5%. I followed a very basic recipe which called to dilute that with an equal amount of water when making the brine, which I did. According to... | While you could certainly use plain white vinegar, there's not all that much difference between that and cider vinegar if "vinegar" is the taste you're objecting to.
If you are canning the pickles, changing the recipe could kill you. The vinegar helps to produce an acid environment where botulism does not grow.
So, if ... |
Do I wash off the "silicone" before using my meat grinder
I have a Lem Big Bite meat grinder which I always thoroughly clean and spray with food-safe silicone lubricant after each use.
My question is, do I "wash or rinse" the parts that I've sprayed BEFORE I use it?
I seem to lose a few ounces of meat around the aug... | This breaks down to two separate questions. Should I clean silicone lubricant off my grinder before use? and Am I loosing meat around the auger because of improper lubrication?
I should not say it is 'required' to 'wash or rinse' before use, depending on how long it has been since you last used it and how and where it ... |
Dough blender vs dough cutter?
I'm regularly baking pies again and I might want to get into pastry a bit more and looking for tools to help me out.
I have seen about a dozen videos about creating the perfect pastry dough and I cannot decide between the Dough Blender and the Dough Cutter/Scraper. The dough cutter seems... | It's really a matter of personal preference. I like using a pastry blender, but not all pastry blenders are worth using. It needs to be sturdy. And you really don't want a handle that might rotate when you push down on the dough, so pay attention to how the handle is fastened to the blender. When the dough starts t... |
What can you add to water to make it hard enough for tea?
I was living in southern California where the water is one of the hardest in the country, but once passed through a Brita filter it was perfect for tea.
Now I am living in a country where the water is soft. All the sources of water are surface sources and this ... | You are going to need Epsom salts, baking soda and Calcium chloride to make a run of the mill hard water. You can easily find these in food grade and small quantities at your local homebrewing store. I live in Seattle and we have notoriously soft water, but I don't mind it for my tea. But for brewing, I use these miner... |
Substitute for a Standing Mixer using a paddle
Many times I'll find a great-looking recipe that calls for a standing mixer. I haven't made buying one a priority yet. Usually I will make it anyway, using my hand mixer with beaters.
I found one where I would be mixing cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise with a padd... | A paddle mixes denser ingredients vs a wisk attachment that will aerate light ingredients. Things mixed with a paddle are always intended to be completely mixed- as opposed to folding or cutting which aren't done with a mixer.
This means that you can use whatever you want to thoroughly mix those ingredients (as long as... |
English term to describe "kompot", an Eastern European beverage made from berries
I am trying to find an English word for a special drink. This is the recipe:
5 liters of water
1 cup of sugar
500 grams of berries
Mix sugar and water, bring mixture to a boil. Add berries, bring to a boil one more time, boil for 5 minut... | UK English would call it a cordial. Though typically strained as below:
Place 300g mixed fresh or frozen berries, 1½ cups white sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Strain cordial through a sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon, into a large h... |
What does"relax on the way forward" mean in relation to knife sharpening?
When the person says: "you relax on the way forward", when sharpening a knife, what does he mean?
Here's a video where I heard that term https://youtu.be/0TPDgdo7jfM?t=2m54s | This will generally mean to not apply pressure (press the blade to the stone by either leaning/twisting the edge firmly into the stone, or keeping your fingers close to the edge) while you are in any edge leading phase of the sharpening motion. Edge leading and edge trailing abrasion have slightly different effects (re... |
Is it safer to wrap or cover your food when warming them in the microwave?
I heard from a friend that if nothing covers the bowl or plate of food, there is a direct radiation affect on the food you eat. Is that true? | Many plastics used in the kitchen are unsuitable for use in contact with hot food, whether wrapping it or sagging onto it when used as a cover. Freezer bags are a relevant example. These may melt, or leach into the food. I don't worry about this as much as I probably should; some people are very cautious.
A sealed wra... |
Oil in marinades
I see olive oil in marinade recipes. My question is -- are oils really able to penetrate (A) vegetables such as mushrooms, brocolli, and eggplant or (B) meats? Or should marinades only contain polar substances such as water, vinegar, salt, sugar? | Marinades are exclusively a 'surface treatment'. A penetrating treatment is a brine, and you will not use oils, but rather ingredients like salt, sugar, vinegar etc. which do produce a 'polarity' allowing it to penetrate deeply into the meat. (polarity, if I take your meaning correctly in this context, refers to the io... |
what is the appropriate cook time for cumin before it turns into a smoky flavor?
I am cooking a salsa that requires cumin in a large industrial kettle. It takes at least 2 hours to cook it down. When cooled off, it has a smoky flavor. So far, I don't want to use a substitution. I have thought about adding the cumi... | Cumin always has a earthy flavour, tending towards smoky especially if fried or toasted. So if you currently fry the cumin at the beginning you may get some benefit from not doing so and adding it to the salsa when you add the water-based liquids, but the chances are the best thing to do is omit it, or reduce it signi... |
Why can't I put food on the pan while the stove is heating up?
I see a lot of cooks and chefs heat up the pan first, then add oil/butter, then add the ingredients into the pan. Is there a particular reason why they don't put stuff on the pan and then turn on the stove?
I find it particularly more convenient to put it ... | There is a simple fact which many intermediate cooks don't seem to realize:
The rate at which you pump heat into your food has a huge influence on what the end result tastes like.
So, if you put food into a cold pan, and it gets heated slowly, you end up with a different result than if you throw it into a hot pan tha... |
How many wash cycles should I aim for when washing brown rice?
I was told that I'm supposed to keep washing the brown rice with water, empty the pot out, and repeat until the water doesn't become foggy anymore to get rid of the arsenic. For each cycle, I pat, squeeze, and swirl the rice around for roughly 1 minute. I... | The cloudiness you see in your rinse water is starch, not arsenic.
The amount of arsenic still present after rinsing off the starch and cooking the rice is safe according to the FDA.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/arsenic-in-rice_us_589cc1ffe4b09bd304c0b04c |
Kickstart Kimchi with sourdough starter
I'm making my first batch of homemade Kimchi today using a recipe from Jamie Oliver. As I also have a mature sourdough starter in the fridge, I'm thinking about adding a bit of sourdough (a few grams) to the Kimchi in order to start fermentation.
Is this a good idea, or useless,... | It is not dangerous, but it is not necessary.
Sourdough starter is not going to ruin it, but it is not going to be REAL kimchi. Kimchi is really easy to make plus it tastes better when naturally fermented. Some people even prefer to ferment it in the fridge. It is going to take longer, but it's going to taste differe... |
What is a sour additive for boiled potatoes that looks like a bean?
I recently tried boiled potatoes that had something added that looked like some sort of beans-like vegetables and tasted like green marinated olives. What is this vegetable? | It sounds like you mean capers. They're salty and sour.
They come in a variety of sizes, with the smaller ones pretty round, and the larger perhaps sometimes a bit more oblong.
See Google image search to see if they look right! |
Wet-heat cooking intensity vs. time
Dry-heat recipes have a variety of options for low-slow vs. high-fast cooking. Techniques like searing, caramelization, smoking, etc. all contribute special characteristics to the end result.
For wet-heat recipes (steaming, poaching, boiling), would there be any such differences? As... | Not sure I understood your question correctly.
Yes there are differences.
1)soups and stocks. If you boil a chicken soup in will end up cloudy. If you simmer it will be clear.
2)rice. The proper way to make rice is to get it up to heat then cook covered on low heat. If you were to boil, the outsides would be destroye... |
Dry rub baby back ribs
My daughter likes dry...dry rub ribs.They come out too moist or wet when slow cooked in foil.Can I just put the rubbed ribs on a rack and cook at 200 for 5 or 6 hours? | Use foil when you want to retain moisture. Cook uncovered when you want to lose moisture. Depending on the rib you are using, you'll want to monitor timing for desired result. |
Does shaking carbonated water before use increase the carbonation?
I'm trying to make the perfect Egg Cream, which requires maximum carbonation. Should I shake the bottle before opening it? | No. Shaking will create a lot of small bubbles which will act as nucleation points to release the dissolved gas when the container is opened and the pressure released. |
How do you freeze blueberries so that there are ice crystals inside?
I eat frozen blueberries straight out of the freezer multiple times a day, and sometimes I buy a bag and the blueberries inside are frozen perfectly so that the core of the blueberry has crunchy ice crystals, and the outside doesn't, resulting in a m... | Normally freezing processes try to avoid forming large ice crystals by freezing rapidly and maintaining a temperature well below the freezing point of the liquid in the product (not simply 0°C due to sugar and other solutes, which concentrate as some liquid freezes).
I suspect that the ones you are aiming to imitate ha... |
What are professional methods for preventing pantry moths?
For about a month I have been fighting with a pantry moth infestation and that got me thinking... Professional businesses (bakeries, restaurants, factories that produce milkbars or cornflakes) take in much more food than I ever will. Therefore the probability ... | Honestly, the top reason is going through stock quickly.
My apprenticeship bakery took delivery 1X week for most grains. Milled daily.
The second strategy was tightly sealed plastic tubs.
Third, deal with infestation in early stages. isolate and destroy.
It was an organic bakery so, yes, occasional uninvited nibblers. |
Is this splotchy purple pattern on short ribs ok?
We’re making some short ribs, and noticed this weird pattern on the bone side of some of the ribs. What is this, and is it safe to eat?
As a side note, there is some silver skin on the other side of some of these ribs, but this pattern is distinct. | Its ink from a USDA meat inspection mark. The ink is non-toxic so it's safe to eat, just ugly. |
What is a good substitute for Barramundi fish?
I am cooking a recipe that uses Barramundi fish:
https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/honey-butter-barramundi-with-za-atar-roasted-vegetables
Unfortunately I have never seen this species of fish in a grocery store and so I need some help. What is a good substitute for Barram... | Barramundi is an Asian fish also commonly eaten in Australia deep fried in dishes like fish and chips. It is very similar not only in shape but also in consistency and taste to perch.
Any type of perch like Egyptian Nile Perch which can be easily found in most markets (depending on your location) is a good substitute.
... |
Are soft root vegetables edible?
I bought some parsnips two days ago. Today they are slightly soft. Are they safe to use? (The goal is a mashed root dish, so unless there's a safety issue the softness shouldn't matter.) | Yes. If they're not mouldy, rotting, or unpleasant-smelling, carrots, parsnips etc. are safe even quite floppy. When parsnips go bad you often get very soft brown areas that grow quite fast - avoid.
Mashing or stewing root veg that's past its best texture is a good way to use it up. |
If a recipe calls for 'ready-prepared potato wedges', what exactly does that mean
Does it mean the frozen potato wedges you can find in supermarkets, or does it mean fresh potatoes that I've cut into wedges (if so, does that include/exclude the skin, or is that optional?) | "Ready-Prepared" typically means a packaged product. Many 'ready-prepared' potato products are par cooked and coated lightly in oil before freezing, so cutting your own may be a problem.
A specific recipe would be useful, so that we can give recommendations on how to deal with freshly cut potatoes (par cook vs. adjust... |
Sour cream peach pecan pie
In this recipe it says to use 2 tablespoons of peach preserves what can I use in place of the preserve? My supermarket does not have it. | 'Preserve' suggests jam - peach jam would be my substitution, at 2tbsp the purpose is most likely to accentuate the peach flavour and potentially add to consistency. Hard to know without recipe context. |
Homemade sauerkraut liquid level below cabbage. Should I add brine?
Preamble:
Okay, so I know that this has been sort of answered before to some degree, but I'd really like to avoid throwing it out. After reading one of the links posted in that answer (specifically mistake 2), it leads me to believe I can salvage it b... | As you know, the salt in the brine keeps bad things from growing. The cabbage above the brine is at risk of mold or undesirable bacteria growing.
When your cabbage is actively fermenting it generates a good amount of CO2. Your lid is designed to bleed off the extra pressure without letting any O2 leak back in. Addition... |
how to unstick dried pineapple chunks that are stuck together
I have a jar of dried pineapple chunks which are stuck together. How do I get them apart?
Thank you for your kind assistance! | If you want to separate while retaining shape of individual pieces, freeze then pry.
May cause small change in texture upon thawing |
Yellow bell pepper with brown spots inside
I bought an organic yellow bell pepper today. When I cut it open I found small brown spots inside. The outside looks fine. Is it safe to eat? | Same texture as the rest of the pepper? ie not raised slimy etc? My guess is sunburn from it's earliest stages of development if from desert or frost if from temperate climes.
At any rate, I have eaten imperfect peppers all my life. |
What to look for when purchasing a honing steel?
I currently don't have a honing steel.
Since I have just started experimenting with cooking I bought a cheap IKEA santoku to learn to care about it. I am planning to buy a better knife (not necessarily santoku) after some time and experience.
I currently don't have any... | Magnetizing can cause other problems, especially since you can also end up magnetizing knives which will then be MORE difficult to clean from metal debris.
There are smooth steels which really only set the edge straight; there are properly abrasive ones (diamond, ruby, ceramic), and there is the cheap in-between the ri... |
Visual standard for gas flame levels
Is there a generally accepted notion of high/medium/low flame that can be expressed visually?
I ask before concocting my own guidelines for peewee chefs, 8yrs+. Because there is wide variation in stove tops (Esp internationally), I want clear direction easy to remember.
For example... | An issue you'll have to deal with is diameter. A high flame on a smaller ring may put out more or less heat than a low flame on a bigger ring. While you might think the pan size would cancel that out, a big pan may need to go on a small ring for a gentle simmer. The height between the burner and the pan rest isn't exac... |
Why do people put Coke on their ham?
Why do people put Coke on their ham? What purpose does it serve? Is there another more specific and specialized ingredient that does the same thing?
This recipe is an example, but it isn't the only recipe that lists Coke as an ingredient. What's the point? | sugar. With all the effects it has in a marinade.
caramel coloring. Well, it colors and caramels.
acid. Both the (volatile) carbonation and the phosphoric acid (not that much of it - undiluted phosphoric acid is a potent corrosive!). Possible tenderizing effect, taste enhancer, and will influence browning reactions on ... |
What is the purpose of washing pork?
I've read in a few recipes, especially ones using gelatinous parts of pork like the head and trotters, that long rinsing under running water, and several changes of water soaking is called for.
Why is this?
Why does this practice seem to be unique to pork?
Thanks | A book I have (Thai Food by David Thompson - a fantastic book, by the way) suggests washing pork and even blanching in boiling water for any dishes involving boiling/stewing/poaching, as it creates a clearer broth with a clearer flavour (author's words, not mine).
I have found I am less likely to get scum and surface i... |
What can I do with cilantro stems?
I often buy cilantro from Trader Joe's in a big bunch. I love using the leaves, especially in Indian cooking, but always end up tossing out the stems, which make up half the bunch. Is there something I can do with them that I'm unaware of? | The stems are edible too. They look nicer in the food though if you chop them up a little, instead of leaving the long stems intact.
If you are in the habit of making any kind of brothy soup (chicken or other) you can dump a bunch of whole cilantro stems in and then remove after they have imparted their flavor contribu... |
What are Omaha Steaks "Potatoes Au Gratin" actually?
Over the holidays my uncle sent my parents steaks from a website called Omaha Steaks. Included with the steaks were, among other things, some potato appetizers, that the packaging called "Potatoes Au Gratin". Now I've had Potatoes Au Gratin before and these things... | These are very similar to potato croquettes, for which there are tons of recipes. Those are usually made with mashed potatoes instead of shredded, but otherwise pretty much the same deal. You can find recipes with varying amounts of creamy things and cheese; I'm guessing the Omaha Steaks ones are on the higher end of t... |
Why does the broccoli at Chinese take-out restaurants have a crunchier texture than those bought at supermarket and grocery store salad bars?
I've been eating at Chinese take-out restaurants lately, mostly to save money and still get a big portion of food. When I get the beef and broccoli and lo mein, I notice that t... | Raw broccoli is crunchy, and cooking softens it. Usually it's cooked until somewhat softer but still with a bit of crunchiness or at least firmness. Most likely the very soft broccoli you describe is just more cooked, probably overcooked by a lot of people's standards.
You can't easily tell that much about the quality... |
Dried fruit and calcium levels
My daughter suffers from lactose intolerance and/or milk protein allergy (this has yet to be confirmed by a paediatrician due to the way the NHS works in the UK).
I tend to bake fruit cakes and mix dried fruit in my cereal. My little lass likes dried fruit, too, including dates, raisins;... | The only thing of note I've ever taken from commercially available dried fruit is that sulphur dioxide is almost universally used as a preservative. Some people are sensitive to this. There are various limits on how much you are allowed to use, but no outright bans in preservation.
You can buy fruit that has no added s... |
Salmonella in eggs that been used in mousses and other desserts in their raw state
The following text is from the FDA site:
What is Salmonella? Salmonella, the name of a group of bacteria, is a
common cause of food poisoning in the United States. Most people
infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, abdom... | One alternative is to use pasteurized eggs. |
My hotpot has a stand attached to it
So my dad bought a hot pot. I know what you cook in a hot pot. It says in the bottom "Hot Pot." But the bottom isn't what I expected. Normally, a hotpot is in a bowl shape. But this one has somewhat a stand. It's like a small inverted bowl attached to the bottom and it keeps the ho... | You say you know what to cook in a Hot Pot and confirm that this product is identified on the body as a 'Hot Pot', but I think the issue may be that 'Hot Pot' means different things in different cuisines.
Where I come from a Hot pot is a lamb, potato and onion dish which is slow cooked in an oven. In East Asia it is a ... |
How much dried whole black pepper would fit into 1 cubic meter?
How much (weight in kilograms) dried whole black pepper would fit into 1 cubic meter at 12% maximum moisture? | USDA nutrition facts say it's 2.9 grams per teaspoon, which gives 588kg/m^3. |
What does pelican taste like?
Has anyone tried Pelican before? Or know what it tastes like? I had a look around on other sites but couldn't find anything.
Oddly curious as to the answer - thought about it once and can't get it out of my head. | I've never had pelican, but I have eaten a number of fish-eating birds, like loon/duck. There is a sameness in taste in fish eating birds: oily meat, dark, with bad fish flavor. Not advised unless closest store to buy food is more than 3 days walk away. |
What's the key to making thick soups?
I looove soups, but I mainly eat vegetables and I do not use any store-bought spice mixes or "stocks". I also do not eat dairy for other reasons. And I also do not fry things.
I remember my grandma making nice, thick soups, ones that are not so watery... But I really don't know ho... | Make your favorite vegetable soup. Remove 1/4 and puree in blender. Return to the rest of the soup. If it is not yet think enough, increase the amount you remove and puree until you find the consistency you are looking for. If you don't have a blender, you can use an immersion "stick" blender, or even a hand cranke... |
Difference between demi-glace and beef stock. Can I use a demi-glace instead of a beef stock?
Making of demi-glace is well defined for me as a product of veal bones and vegetables reduced to gelly concentrate in temperature 5-10C.
Here is my demi-glace which I refer to:
Beef stock, on the other hand, has ingredient ... | demi glace is beef stock seriously reduced. So yes you can use it just need to add a lil extra water. What proportion no idea depends on how strong a flavor your wanting really. Just put some demi glace in a sauce pan (low heat) let it melt, add water till you get the right consistency/flavor your looking for. |
Can sour cream be whipped?
Will whipping sour cream result in something with a texture similar to whipped cream? How about a mix of whipping cream and sweet cream? I want a pie topping with a sour taste. | Sour cream will not whip like whipping cream. I would use a combination for your application. Whip your cream. Fold in sour cream as desired. |
Frying donuts split along the sides
So, I rolled out some lovely old-fashioned donuts and cut them out... got my oil to 340... and proceeded to fry them. Instead of lovely “blistering” at the top of the donut, mine seemed to split along the sides... looking like 2 halves of a donut held together in the middle.
What co... | I'd guess your doughnut dough was too dry.
I've seen doughnuts with a pale ring around the sides, I'd guess it came from either less contact with oil (if floating fairly high) or from the sides stretching as the heat made the dough puff up, which meant less direct oil contact for the newly stretched dough surface.
Fo... |
How much smoke to expect from making a roux?
I live in an apartment and am considering making a roux for a gumbo. I've seen methods for using an oven to make the roux, but I've noticed that there's a high possibility of getting a lot of smoke with a roux.
Even if I use a relatively high smoke-point oil (e.g. peanut or... | Creating a roux is all about cooking the flour to the desired color. It can take from 3 to 15 minutes. Do this over medium heat. Stir constantly. You should not experience any smoking when making a roux. If you are experiencing smoke, turn the heat down. |
Microwave steaming - venting/holes optional?
I see a lot of cooking videos where vegetables like carrots are steamed in the microwave, and the bowl is covered with what looks like a pretty tight lid without any vents/holes. For instance this one. I have always been afraid of doing this because I think that the pressur... | It won't explode. If you don't have a lid, try it with tightly secured cling wrap. Just don't put a ton of water in there, follow the instructions. It's a nice way to quickly steam veggies. Even if it does explode, the worst that will happen is steam will escape into your microwave and your veggies might dry out. Nothi... |
Nutritional value of brown particles settled at the bottom of chicken bone broth
If you get rid of the brown particles in the chicken bone broth, are you getting rid of a nutritious part? If so, how much of the broth's nutrition is in them? | The brown bits in a broth are the pieces of meat and skin that underwent some nice changes, the maillard reaction, during roasting or pieces from the marrow of the bone.
The broth has been simmered for some time, so most of the nutritious and delicious compounds are in the liquid. Most, that is, but not all. Some small... |
Why are vegetables often left unrefrigerated at the grocery store?
At the large superstore, Real Canadian Superstore, closest to me, many of the perishables such as broccoli, carrots, etc. are stored just in bins without refrigeration. It is also the same for many stores of course, but I have chosen this store as one ... | Oh, you haven’t read the food safety guidelines correctly. Not all foods are susceptible to quick bacterial or fungal growth and therefore need refrigeration to get them out of the danger zone. The fresh fruit and vegetables at the store are perfectly shelf stable for some time.
The reason why the cooked vegetables fa... |
Multiple layer toasting in Microwave
I want to toast some peanuts in a microwave (just a microwave - it does not have a grill (broiler) or convection mode). Can I put multiple layers of peanut in a container and toast it? I am not sure as many places I read, they say to toast single layer. But why should that matter? | Microwaves don't toast.
The pass high energy microwaves through food. These waves struggle to penetrate high density materials, causing them to heat. It's (mostly) the water within the microwaved food that is heated up, and that cooks (or defrosts) your stuff.
Toasting is an external application of usually radiated (bu... |
What is the place called where cheese is aged?
When cheddar cheese is made, it is kept on shelves in a climate controlled place and each wheel is turned over once per week. What is the place called where the cheese is kept during this aging process? | I don't think there's a specific name for it.
I found a book that simply refers to it as an "aging space/room".
The Aging Room: The "Big Three" Design Issues
When designing an aging space, there are three main factors to consider: temperature, humidity, and air (both air exchange and movement). Each of these factors w... |
what cooking oil(s) produce the crispiest and least greasy fried foods
Which cooking oils can be used for frying to produce the crispiest and least greasy foods. Do different foods require different oils? If so, what is best for battered foods, and which is best for non battered foods *potatoes, chicken wings, etc.) | The desired texture of 'crispness' is the result of many factors, and oil choice is generally not the biggest factor. Consider a french fry. The generally accepted best practice for fries is a blanch and finish method. This allows the fry to be cooked throughout and have a crisp surface, without being overdone and leat... |
Crepe vs Pancake
What is the difference in the mixture for crepes vs pancakes.
Every recipe I can find on an english language website, suggests a very similar ratio of flour/eggs/milk, but then end result is something that tastes like a pancake. Perhaps there is a specific technique required? | Crepes and pancakes are very similar in ingredients, crepe batter is thinner (i.e. runnier). American pancake batter spreads some then stops so you get thicker pancakes, crepe (by the way in many parts of the english speaking world crepes are called pancakes) batter spreads more. It doesn't take that much more liquid t... |
Simple Puff Pastry Dough
So I have a recipe for simple pastry dough that takes four cups of flour, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup vinegar and water little by little - after combining, we open the dough up and spread margarine on every layer, fold - once done we cool for it to harden the repeat.
My question is regarding the fa... | The 'puff' effect in puff pastry is produced by an alternation of fat/dough layers. When heated, the water in the dough will become steam and try to scape (hot air go up). Since steam and fat don't mix, this effectively creates pockets of trapped air in between the fat layers. The steam eventually manages his way out l... |
Achieve butter-like aroma in a vegan recipe
I am planning to cook a French bœuf bourguignon, but a vegan version. Apart from the wine and the herbs, I recall that the butter had quite an impact on the vegetarian version that I previously made.
When reading about vegan butters online the goal is usually to aim for a ce... | Many of the modern "vegan butter-like spreads for cooking" have a passable butter flavor, not like the margarines of yore. You do want to get one that mentions it can be used in cooking/baking, rather than the "light" versions that are nearly half water. That's a fairly simple substitution. I'm knee-jerking away from s... |
Why are brick ovens used to make pizza?
Why are brick ovens used to make pizza? I have seen restaurants advertising "brick oven" pizza as though it was better than pizza made in a deck oven. Is there any basis to this?
One caterer I talked to said it was because the brick oven is hotter, but as far as I can tell pizza... | This is partly about temperature, as brick ovens can get to the 600 degrees F that you cited...and beyond...so, yes, potentially much hotter. It is also about heat retention. Further, the low ceiling is a factor. "Best" is certainly subjective because there are a variety of pizza styles, but the advantage of a brick... |
Hamburger in the oven
Can you bake hamburger in the oven? Is it safe? I am trying to make tater tot casserole and always have baked my hamburger in the oven with it is that not a good thing to do? | As long as the hamburger is actually getting cooked through, you're safe.
But in a casserole-style bake, that may be a bit tricky, so you want to be certain that you're checking the temperature of it before you serve. You want the beef to reach the safe temperature of 160F. Think of something like a meatloaf... they're... |
How to know when a recipe shouldn't contain onion/garlic?
When travelling at a campsite, our resident cook made a Bolognese, and for fun I asked the Italian campers what they thought about it (playing on the stereotype that they are serious about their food) not expecting them to actually be serious about their food! ... | Bolognese is (to Italians) a specific dish with a precise ingredient list. You wouldn't put garlic in a chocolate cake, but that's because it probably wouldn't taste nice. Imagine a chocolate cake to which you added coffee. Some people might enjoy the cake, some might not, but assuming it was a cake and had plenty of c... |
Why do my shallots keep turning blue?
Title sums it up, every now and then I'll notice that shallots sometimes take on a pronounced blue (or purple) tinge after cooking. I've noticed it when they're sauteed or roasted, seemingly independent of other ingredients. I'm aware of a similar, more common phenomenon with garl... | Vegetables with a naturally blueish-red color - red cabbage, beets, red onions, shallots, blueberries, red grapes (wine too) - usually have that color due to anthocyanin content.
Anthocyanin behaves like litmus paper, and takes on a different hue depending on pH value. If food containing it turns blue, it is too alkali... |
Does peeling potatoes before boiling them actually increase the amount of water they absorb?
I've read the argument in several articles and recipes (I don't have the references in front of me right now) that peeling potatoes before boiling them increases the amount of water they absorb, which in turn hurts their flavo... | Cook's Illustrated "New Best Recipe" Book in their dissertation on making Mashed Potatoes used several methods: peel & dice, peel & whole, etc.. and the 'best and most consistent' results achieved was by boiling them whole then shocking them to cool (put in an ice bath) and then peeling by hand (grip in two hands and t... |
Why is a Gruyère sweet when it contains 0 carbohydrates?
I have read on packaging that a Gruyère appears to be around 0 g, maybe 0.4 g carbohydrates per 100g. How come it tastes sweet? | Cheese is a complex variety of chemical compounds some of which can taste sweet. I don't know the exact make up of Gruyère but according to this article there are a couple of compounds that are known to lend a sweet flavor. Including: butyric acid, Alanine, glycine, serine, threonine, ethanol, etc.
Wikipedia says that... |
What is this beanlike thing?
I had a meal today with beanlike things I was unable to identify. They tasted something like a hard green bean, and it was about 1cm long. | This is very likely Samphire, at least an image search for samphire gives a perfect visual match. |
How does one go about marking food in an oven?
One member of our household has some specific food allergies. Her food is often prepared differently, but not usually in a way where it is visually different from the rest of the food. Let’s say we’re cooking chicken thighs on a baking sheet for the whole family. My sugge... | I have spent decades cooking for people who can't have gluten, and I and several other people can't have shrimp. The simplest thing to do is to make everyone's food meet the needs of the allergic person. So for example don't bread anyone's chicken, or make a single gluten-free gravy.
That's the simplest, but it may no... |
How can I fix my caramel sauce?
I just made caramel sauce using 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, and 1/2 cup milk. I was supposed to use 1/4 cup milk but i poured in extra by accident so I doubled the other ingredients. But my caramel sauce came out grainy and buttery, it also crystallizes as soon as it cools. W... | Okay. Yes you can save your sauce if it's crystallized without seriously impacting flavor. You can always start over with sugar, so to speak. Unless you burn the whole dang pot, candy can always be saved.
First of all, take your caramel (assuming you've tasted it and it tastes okay) and put it back in a pot with a fai... |
How to ensure fat stays in meat/fish?
I'm looking for a cooking method which retains fat and oil. When I grill, boil, simmer etc I notice most of the oil leaves the meat.
Which method is best to ensure fats and oils are retained during cooking?
I heard that if you marinade in olive oil before grilling that will prev... | Fat will melt at high temperature (temperature depends on the type of fat); there is not real way to get away from that.
If you pan fry a steak, the fat will melt into the pan; that is why most people suggest a good "marbling" of fat in the meat so not all of it will melt away.
One cooking method, that I think will hel... |
My son has scratched my wok. Now it's rusting. Can it be restored or should I throw it away?
It says Made in Japan. It's heavy and matte black. Can't post the pic due to size limitations. | Yes, you can restore it.
Clean the whole wok. Wash with soap and dry it. Apply a small coat of oil and put it on high. Let it burn (ventilate the kitchen).
Repeat the process of applying a small coat of oil and putting it on high another two or three times.
Done.
Edit: As noted by @GdD, this method cannot be applied to... |
Can I "fill" a chicken pot pie 24 hours before cooking it?
I have made chicken pot pie filling. I was hoping to lay the pie pastry in the pie pan, fill it with the filling, lay the second pie pastry on top, and then refrigerate the raw pir in the fridge for a day. I want to do this so I can just pop it in the oven the... | Absolutely not. As the other poster said but I will say with no "I think", I will say I know it will ruin the pastry. You will end up with a gummy crust that will never give you the flaky texture that pie doughs are famous for. It would probably also leave you with a somewhat dry filling as much of the liquid would th... |
Ways to displace liquids while cooking
I want to cook some beef in the slow cooker and I want it to be completely submerged in the sauce. To do this I will need considerably more sauce than I require. Since the ingredients are expensive, I don't want to waste it. I was thinking I could put something into the slow cook... | There are many kitchen utensils which will work. My favorite will be canning jars, filled with some water so they don't float, and sealed. Food safe, can withstand the temperature, easily cleaned. One may be enough, if you find the perfect size.
If you don't have them and want to try it with something else first, look... |
Way to Differentiate between Necessary vs Additional Ingredients in Recipes
I'm mostly cooking for myself and I'm inexperienced with cooking, so when I go onto any recipe website, I can't tell the difference between the ingredients & steps that are necessary to make a dish, and the ingredients and steps which are addi... | Get a stack of 10 or 20 trustworthy recipes for a dish - and compare.
Also take advantage of ingredient slots that seem optional in one dish - sometimes they are a way to use up something that you bought for another recipe where it is not optional.
Classify ingredients by the role they play in the dish:
What do they d... |
Is there a known 'lifehack' to facilitate the picking back up of the bay leaves after cooking with them?
I'm about to do a Spaghetti sauce batch this afternoon, and I can't seem to remember a life hack that I read that made it so you didn't have to go through you sauce and pick the bay leaves one by one.
I can't remem... | In Germany there is a „Spickzwiebel“ especially for red cabbage. You put your bayleave on the onion and attach it with cloves. For other dishes I use onions the same way but substitute the cloves with a sprig of rosemary or some other hard herb. Works best if herb bags are too small for lager sprigs that don‘t fit the ... |
How can I fix hollow cream puffs?
I'm very proud of how my cream puffs turned out. I followed this recipe although I did NOT use any xanthan gum at all. I also substituted Earth Balance for butter.
They rise beautifully and they're only half hollow. They're soft on the inside, possibly slightly undercooked. I'm concer... | This recipe uses a substitution for a key structural ingredient (gluten), which is always likely to lead to compromises. If you omit the xanthan, it is even less likely to work, basically it has nothing to hold the structure. Some bakers are happy with the results of such substitutions, but for you the final structure ... |
What is this in the beef stew?
To make beef stew, I start by simmering a chopped onion, add cut up top round beef, add water, and bring to a boil.
In about 15 minutes, millions of bits of horrible looking gunk appear in the water. Picture below. What am I doing wrong? | This is protein that is coagulating in the water simmer environment.
Most beef stew and braises in general start with a high heat sear of the meat, often dusted with flour or starch to begin a thickener.
Simmering any animal protein in water will produce this curd like gunk. If you continue, and add other ingredients, ... |
Is sour cream in super markets made in the traditional way?
Is sour cream in super markets made in the traditional whey? (Ha ha, just kidding.)
The traditional method of making sour cream is easy to describe: milk is spun using a centrifuge so as to extract a heavy cream, which is 1 part cream, 9 parts milk. (Cream fo... | Years ago I worked for Daisy Brand Sour Cream, and during the tour of their facility, it was mentioned several times that they used the original method of making their sour cream that they've used for 100 years. I saw the cream loaded from the trucks and into various large containers for making the sour cream.
Indeed,... |
How do I find / buy "pastry bars"?
In Moderist cuisine, they repeatedly refer to "pastry bars" for a number of techniques. However, when I try to search / find these things on the internet, my search engine results are hundreds of thousands of snack bars and other Kellog's "boxed products".
I've tried "baking bars", ... | "Pastry bars metal" seems to work. The results I got were for "caramel ruler bars" or "ganache ruler bars". Other terms are "confectionery rulers" which gave me a forum that recommended getting them cut for you at a metal shop from stainless steel at whatever lengths you want for less than buying purpose made ones.
Tha... |
Black spots in the kitchen sink
I just moved into a new flat and there seems to be some black spots in the kitchen sink(image attached).Is this black mold?How can I get rid of them safely?
PS: There is some black mold lining on the wall in the outer edge of the sink.And I am allergic to bleach
Update : I tried scrubbi... | If you zoom in and take a look at some of the striation marks running through the suspect stuff:
... you can see that something was able to scratch through it easily, probably flatware or a knife. I personally use the same chainmail scrubbers that I use on cast iron to clean that sort of stuff off of stainless. It won... |
What vessel to use for baking cheesecake
I am wanting to bake my go to cheesecake. It is baked in a 9" springform pan but I want to half the recipe. (Well, I don't really WANT to, but my waistline says I should!!!) Anyways, what type of vessel would work best for this? I am wondering if a large pie plate would work... | A 9" pan has a surface area* of 81π/4 square inches. A 6" pan is 36π/4, or just under half, so the depth will be similar (~10% deeper). 6" springform pans are easy to get. If your existing pan is dead-on 9", you might like a 6 that comes up a little big, as many pans do. Or you could make a 2/3 quantity in a 7" pan, ... |
Kroger Sell-By Dates
I have a box (actually, 6 boxes) of Kroger brand lime gelatin dessert with sell-by date stamped:
SELL BY JUN 05 09B KA
Is this June 5, 2009,
June 9, 2005 or
June 2005 (with "09B" of no consequence)? | This is standard dating and would be June 5, 2009. In the US it's pretty standard for open dating to be formatted as month-day-year.
Also from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service:
Does Federal Law Require Dating?
Except for infant formula, product dating is not required by Federal regulations.
For meat, poultr... |
Boring soup with no flavour
I have just made a vegetable soup with ham pieces in a beef stock. It doesn't taste right, it is very bland and I don't know what else to add to give it flavour. The veges are root veges like swede, parsnip, pumpkin ect. I have seasoned with celery salt and pepper but it is still very borin... | Almost any soup begins with a sweat of strongly flavored vegetables, especially onion, and then uses a flavorful broth made by boiling the life out of meat and/or vegetables.
I would recommend mixing in a diced, sweated, onion.
The other flavor that make soup interesting is umami. Easy soup additions that will give you... |
What are the secrets to a good fond?
A lot of western recipes call for developing a generous, nicely browned fond on a cooking surface after browning meat. Sometimes I get none, sometimes i can tear the surface of the meat off altogether.
What are the factors behind reliably achieving a great fond? | Avoid non-stick pans. Heat the pan before you place the meat or fat in the pan. Use medium to medium high heat. Add fat (oil, butter, for example). Add the meat (pat dry), but don't crowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary, but too many (more than 2 or 3?) will mean that the fond will burn, so you may need a bi... |
How is this machine used? (for, I think, peeling the skin from the tomatoes)
I received as a gift this machine, which I am told is used to make spaghetti sauce. I believe that its purpose is to remove the skin of the tomatoes, but it simply looks like a grater....
Can someone explain to me how to use it and when I sho... | That's a manually operated Food Mill/Ricer/Puree-Maker.
The Wikipedia Article for Food Mill shows a pic of the same model you have and from that article:
Uses of a food mill include removing the seeds from cooked tomatoes,
removing pulp or larger pieces from foods (creating apple jelly or any
type of purée), and ... |
I dont have refrigrator what are ways to keep milk without that?
What are old ways to store milk without refrigerator.
I boiled twice a day still it spoils. | You really just have to find a way to keep it cold. The only way to keep perishable food from spoiling is to keep it below 40F/4C. If you can't do that, you'll have to use it fresh. UHT milk may help with that, because it's shelf-stable before opening, so you may be able to get a larger number of smaller size ones that... |
Making homemade pasta
In making homemade pasta some recipes call for semolina flour. There are two types of semolina that I know of one is the course grind and one is the fine grind which they call durum flour. Both are from semolina wheat. So the question is when they call for semolina flour which one do you use ? | There is not one correct answer to your question. I've seen recipes with, and have used, both. So, it depends on the type of pasta. A recipe for capunti (a hand rolled pasta from Puglia) that I enjoy, uses 1/2 semolina and 1/2 durum... while an extruded pasta noodle might use all semolina. You might be guided by ide... |
Stewing with Apple Cider Vinegar
I'm working on making a long cooked version of a stew which uses apple cider vinegar as part of the flavor.
I was wondering what happens to the flavor of the vinegar when it's cooked for a long time. I have technical constraints and it needs to cook for about 24 hours, and I was wonder... | An acid in a stew serves much the same purpose it would in a marinade. It aids in the tenderizing (typical 'stew meat' is cut from inferior cuts of the beef and can be tough) and balances the flavors. (As such I would disagree with @lspare about adding it "at the end", it needs time to do it's work)
Browning is a sepa... |
How to make coconut oil without any food processor?
How can I make coconut oil without having access to any food processors? I do not own any blenders, juicers, coffee grinders or anything like that and I am not looking to buy one, so I want to know if that's possible.
I would also like to know how efficient the metho... | This is not something I have done, so I don't have all the answers you're looking for. This is, however, something my mother in law (Sri Lankan) does with old coconuts. It's something that's been done in Sri Lanka and other tropical countries for hundreds if not thousands of years.
She'll split the coconuts open and p... |
Do spice containers need to be hermetic?
Spice containers purchase
I'm planning on upgrading my spice storage. Reading some advice online (e.g. article 1, and article 2) I came to the conclusion that spice containers should:
Not be exposed to direct sunlight and high temperatures
Be airtight
Which means that either ... | Based on my understanding of physics I would say: Opaque over airtight.
Things you don't want in a spice container are:
convection. An open container is essentially an invitation for the spices to diffuse into the whole room. Even a simple cap will already greatly reduce this effect. The amount of air that's going to ... |
Should I always run the exhaust / hood fan when cooking?
A question over on DIY.SE about sizing a range hood exhaust got me thinking about whether I should be running the exhaust fan every time I cook. Is it supposed to be more of a proactive or reactive piece of equipment - i.e., should I only turn it on in response ... | As you call it an "exhaust" I assume it's an extracting type rather than a filtered recirculating type.
It's a good idea to run it:
Whenever you're frying (it handles grease droplets in the air as well as smoke)
When you have the potential to produce smoke (so not generally when cooking in the oven, but sometimes, i... |
How does this kebab products ensure fat stays inside meat while maintaining a safe temp?
The product in question is this: https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/humza-meat-charcoal-kebab-x8-400g It contains 17g of fat per 100 grams.
The fat content suggests it hasn't been cooked to well done since most of the... | Fat doesn't just leave meat when it's cooked; plenty of it stays in the meat. Sure, some amount of water and fat comes out of meat during cooking. But it's by no means all, or even most of it! So there's nothing weird with cooking temperature or food safety going on here, and nothing special has to be done to keep that... |
How long will a Thai dressing keep in the fridge?
I use a dressing made from:
60ml fish sauce
juice of 1 or 2 limes
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 clove of garlic
3 fresh red chillis
How long will this keep safely in the fridge?
I have reviewed the answer to How long will homemade salad dressing stay good in the fridge? but ... | This particular dressing, unlike others that carry a botulism risk, only contains water soluble components. Oxygen will always be able to dissolve in here and prevent the botulism conditions, unless there is a TON of garlic at the bottom.
Garlic botulism risk comes from creating an anaerobic environment, where the bact... |
How long would a homemade pancake mix keep?
I am planning on gifting someone a "pancake mix in a jar" by mixing together ingredients for a vegan pancake, putting them in a jar, and gifting them, so that they can make pancakes in the morning quickly. The dry ingredients are oat flour, all-purpose flour, almond flour, c... | A dry mix should keep essentially indefinitely if well sealed, and these are all dry, shelf-stable ingredients. We used to mix the flour, baking powder and sugar for pancakes when camping, then add an egg and measure the milk to the top of the handle on a mug. This simpler mix kept from one year to the next in a sealed... |
Liquid glucose stuck furniture
Since I was trying to make some marshmallows for the first time, I bought liquid glucose as was mentioned in the recipe. But, because of mishandling, the cap off the plastic container was not closed properly by me, and I kept it in a storage cupboard as it was. Now somehow it fell inside... | Glucose is water soluble, so you can use water to make it return to liquid phase. You can also probably use some penetrating oil / water displacing spray like WD40, which can also help a lot if some of it ended up on the cabinet door hinges. |
Stained Knife Blade
My wife recently bought a new Japanese knife. The first time she used it was to cut chinese preserved vegetable. She put the knife to one side while doing something else and forgot to wash it for about 10 minutes. The result was staining as on the attached photos. Does anyone know how to remove the... | Carbon steel (and I assume this knife is carbon steel) is supposed to do that. The surface staining changes with every exposure to acidic ingredients, and will eventually stabilize. This so called patina will actually keep the blade from rusting properly and/or transferring metallic tastes to food.
That said, there are... |
Can soap be put it in the water used for Sous Vide?
This is a bit of a strange question, but may a small amount of soap or detergent be placed in the water when cooking with sous vide? Is the vacuum effective enough to prevent any taste of soap from entering the food contents? Thank you | I'd be concerned with two things here.
First of all, I'd be concerned that some soap might contaminate the food product without you knowing about it. If it's a low enough concentration of soap that it would not cause significant harm to ingest, this isn't a big concern; on the other hand, I might be inclined to use so... |
Storing Whole Wheat and Unbleached Flour
Can whole wheat and unbleached flours be stored in the same container instead of storing them separately?
I'd like to pre-mix my flours for all of my baking and store it that way. Since my diet consists mainly of whole wheat, whole grains, natural & organic foods....I don't us... | Whole wheat flour has a lot of fat in it and will go rancid relatively quickly. It should be used promptly after it is ground or frozen for long term storage. Even if it will be used soon, keeping it cool and sealed from air and light is helpful.
There is no adverse effect from mixing flour types. Keep in mind that sep... |
Is it normal that cooking time of my pizza is 1 hour in oven with 230 degrees?
I know its wired but i need to keep my pizza for one hour in oven with 230 Celsius degrees to properly cook it
but everyone says 20 minutes or less is enough
i don't know why it takes so long for me
sorry for bad English its not my native l... | One hour sounds like a long time for a 1.5 to 2 cm thick pizza at that temperature, regardless of the style of pizza. I would begin by locating an oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven. |
Is it possible to replace the sugar in Tapioca Meringue pudding with stevia?
I'd like to know if powdered stevia can be used to make the meringue in the pudding. I'm trying to get away from sugar, but not sure how to use stevia. I've seen a recipe for stevia in the pudding, but I like the fluffy form of tapioca made... | In meringues sugar is important mainly for the final texture, much more so than for it's sweetening effect.
Since Stevia is much sweeter than sugar, one would have to use far less in order to not ruin the taste. ("collectively, they give stevia 100 to 300 times the sweetness of sucrose")
Yet even taking half as much ... |
What can be done with accidentaly oversalted beef?
I mistakenly marinated some thin beef with regular salt for one day before barbecuing it, turns out you're not supposed to do that! Even after washing it, it is unbearable to eat it by itself.
I'm using brazilian "Coxão Mole" which I tink translates to topside.
I was ... | Oversalting is best dealt with by serious dilution.
I'd make a large, not very meaty dish from it, with lots of vegetables, cooked for a while. Fry onions and other veg, add liquid, and stir in the cooked beef. But soaking the meat should help as well. Either soak in plain water and discard the water, or soak in somet... |
What can I use in Thai curries instead of cilantro or coriander root? (Allergy)
I'm trying to make panang curry from scratch for my sister, who is allergic to cilantro (AKA coriander outside of the US). This is not the gene that causes it to taste bad - she cannot eat any part of the plant even in small amounts.
Many ... | Just leaving it out is unlikely to result in a disappointing curry - some commercially sold panang pastes omit the coriander root too. What they do not usually omit, though, is the ground coriander seed that is common in all except gaeng kua paste (which is the simplest form of red curry paste, has no dry spices at all... |
How can I ensure that my pizza is properly cooked?
I occasionally make homemade pizza using pre-made dough (similar to this), however I can never seem to get the dough cooked properly all the way through. It ends up with nicely done edges but an underdone middle, or a properly cooked middle but overdone edges (occasio... | Get a pizza stone. It is important to preheat the stone with the oven. Put it in the oven before you begin to preheat, if your not in a hurry...let the stone and the oven hold at temperature for a while before you put the pizza on it. The stone will radiate heat into your dough evenly. Stones are 'better' than metal (l... |
Getting rid of raw onion taste without the frying process?
I'm trying to find a reliable way to make a good base gravy for British Indian Restaurant (BIR) curry -- for those that don't know, this is essentially the adapted form of Indian curry cooking used in Indian takeaways in the Western world (I know, glamorous!).... | I used to cook in a school kitchen that had a lot of problems so I had to figure out untraditional ways of doing things. About once a week I would chop 4 full size pans worth of onions and bake them on 400. Took quite a long time but you can walk away and check and stir them once an hour after 2 hours. I always mixed i... |
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