Is it possible to overmarinade a steak?

Question

I know it won't spoil; the spoil by date is next week. I'm cooking it in 48 hours (Friday Evening).

It'll rest in the lowest part of my fridge as well.

My marinade consists of vinegar and salt.

Thus the questions:

• Is it possible to over marinade (New York Strip) steaks?
• Is it possible for vinegar to chemically break down the steak too long?
• What is the optimal amount of time for vinegar to breakdown the steak?

Answer

Yes, the problem will be the vinegar.
Vinegar is acidic and you'll end up with mushy meat. 48 hours is almost certainly too long. For a vinegar base, I try not to push it over 8 hours and that's only if really necessary. A few hours is typically fine.

Right now, you've got to consider how to save the meat. I'd freeze the meat right now. Freeze the meat with the marinade (which seems like such a waste for 40'ish hours, but better that than mushy steak). When ready to cook, take it out and let the marinade do its business as it thaws. I'd thaw it in ziplock under running water (quicker than the fridge) and let it marinade a short time and go on the grill. If you let it sit in any unfrozen stage too long, you'll get mushy steak with a vinegar marinade.

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Can I cook Brussels sprouts in a pan?

Question

Can I cook Brussels sprouts in a pan, with olive oil or butter?

I bought them in a plastic bag. Should I chop them, or can I just wash them and put them in the pan?

Answer

You can, but the surface-to-mass ratio means that the outer layers will overcook well before the inside is cooked, so unless you're interested in that texture, your two main options are:

1. Steam them (add some liquid, then put a lid on it)
2. Cut them smaller. (halve or quarter before you saute)

I tend to halve smaller ones, and quarter larger ones, cutting through the stem each time so they don't fall completely apart while cooking (after trimming a little off the stem if it's showing signs of drying out). Then saute 'til the outside has browned a little bit, and hit with salt and whatever spices (or bacon ... dice up some bacon and render the fat while you cut up the sprouts, then use the fat for cooking the sprouts)

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Is sausage casing edible?

Question

I bought some pork sausage and baked them in my oven. The taste was good but the sausage casing were a bit hard to chew.

Should I remove casings before I bake sausages?

Answer

I also find them hard to chew when baked, but they are edible. To make them easier to eat, you want to finish them up using a different method to get a crunch on the outside. I find you can either:

• turn the heat up in your oven at the end, or broil them
• briefly pan-fry them after they're done cooking in a little bit of oil on a skillet (cast iron preferred)
• grill them after baking

I usually boil or bake them first, or simmer them in some water in a pan on the stove (not enough to cover them, just enough to kind of steam them) and then finish them on the grill for best flavor and texture. I'd recommend finishing on the grill over any other method.

You can also completely cook them on the grill if preferred, but that can be a bit tricky if they're raw sausage and not pre-cooked, so keep an eye on them and make sure they're done completely throughout.

You can definitely remove the casings, and depending on what dish you're making that may be preferred. However I have had success making an appetizing whole sausage using the above methods.

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for making sausages what are the benefits of using natural casing?

Question

I think the title says it all. I'm about to make some sausages and need a casing.

Answer

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 air out (in the fridge!) and they'll be fine.

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What should I do with too-dry vanilla beans?

Question

A few weeks ago, I bought a few vanilla beans to make mint ice cream. I only needed one, so I put the other bean back into the glass container it came in. Today, I was having a hard time using the vanilla bean while making a trifle.

When I took it out of the container, it was very dry and not pliable as I would have expected. I was still able to scrape the seeds, but the bean was broken into several pieces because it was so brittle.

Is there anything I can do to too-dry vanilla beans to make them easier to use?

Answer

I like the method of wrapping it in a damp paper towel and zapping it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. This should moisten it up just enough to allow you to split and scrape. This article mentions that method as well as soaking very briefly in hot water: http://bakingbites.com/2011/06/how-long-do-vanilla-beans-last/

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How should I prepare kola nuts for creating a soft drink?

Question

I have recently gotten into making my own soft drinks, and I would like to attempt making a cola. I found an online spice retailer that sells Kola Nut and bought some, but I have no real idea how to prepare them for use. I also don't know how much I should use for a liter or two of soda, but I can figure that out via experimentation if I have to.

But what should I do with the kola nuts? Do they need to be ground before I boil them in a simple syrup, or should the pieces just be dropped in as-is? How much time does it take to extract the flavor from them?

Edit: I have made my own ginger ale using fresh ginger and my own berry soda using a bag of frozen berries, and I am a homebrewer and have a kegging system and a carbonator cap for soda bottles. I really just want to know if there are special considerations for how to treat kola nuts.

Answer

There are several cola recipes on this site. Recipe 2.6 references a kola extract recipe from the following book: Food Flavourings, by Joseph Merory, AVI Publishing Company, 1960.

I'd assume that the kola nuts are added as in pieces, similar to how they are consumed - Kola nuts are consumed by breaking them open and into pieces.

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Salads that are made of tomatoes, onion, chilli, coriander, salt and lemon?

Question

Recently I've been making salads that are made of tomatoes, onion, chilli, coriander, salt and lemon. Then, I eat them with bread. I have no idea where this recipe is coming from. Any suggestions to make recipes with these ingredients?

How can I improve this recipe or make variations?

Answer

So, you're making a pico de gallo salad?

Throw some fresh garlic and fresh lime juice in there. It's delicious and will prevent salmonella poisoning, which is surprisingly common with uncooked salsas.

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Nutrient replacement for celery?

Question

I asked this question over at http://fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/3558/nutrient-replacement-for-celery, but have been told that that is not the correct site to ask questions about health, fitness, and nutrition... Kind of confusing. Anyhow:

I want to start drinking a "green drink" as part of my healthy life style. The green drink I have chosen is this:

2 celery sticks
1 cucumber (large)
2 large handfuls of spinach leaves
1 large handful of lettuce (dark)
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon

The problem I have with this are the celery sticks. I don't like the "aroma" of celery. So was wondering if anyone knows of a good replacement which I can used instead of the celery sticks? The replacement should have similar nutritional values to celery.

The best replacement I have come up with is 2 tomatos.

Answer

Iceberg Lettuce, as it is also very low in vitamins and minerals like celery and has a good crunch. According to the USDA's "MyPlate", 1 cup of iceberg is 1/2 serving vegetables, and 1 stalk of celery is 1/2 serving vegetables, so to get equivalent nutritional value for 2 stalks would take 2 cups shredded.

You could add more vitamins and minerals by replacing the celery with something more nutrient dense.

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Cooking sprouts in a pan ?

Question

Can I cook brussels sprouts in a pan with olive oil or butter ?

I bought them in a plastic bag, should I chop them, or can I just wash and put them in the pan ?

thanks

Answer

You can, but the surface-to-mass ratio means that the outer layers will overcook well before the inside is cooked, so unless you're interested in that texture, your two main options are:

1. Steam them (add some liquid, then put a lid on it)
2. Cut them smaller. (halve or quarter before you saute)

I tend to halve smaller ones, and quarter larger ones, cutting through the stem each time so they don't fall completely apart while cooking (after trimming a little off the stem if it's showing signs of drying out). Then saute 'til the outside has browned a little bit, and hit with salt and whatever spices (or bacon ... dice up some bacon and render the fat while you cut up the sprouts, then use the fat for cooking the sprouts)

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Why do scrambled/fried eggs stick less when cooked with butter instead of oil?

Question

Whenever I'm doing scrambled or fried eggs, I use butter and a regular frying pan (aluminium I think) without any special non-stick coating. They never stick to the pan, it's as if they're floating on top of the butter within the pan.

My wife usually uses oil, and whatever she does, the eggs always stick in the pan, and it's a pain to get them out, and fried eggs usually become a broken mess.

So, why would cooking eggs with oil make them stick to the pan, and doing it with butter wouldn't?

Answer

Technique is the key here. If she is using oil expect she is adding the eggs before the oil is hot, she is probably also rushing her attempt to turn/flip/scramble/move them. One of the hardest things to learn when frying eggs is to walk away immediately after adding the eggs to the hot pan.

I notice you are in Germany, I don't know what your access to the USA's "Food Network" is but this episode of a Alton Brown's "Good Eats" can show your wife "eggsellent" technique.

(pardon the pun, couldn't resist...)

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When basil gets brown spots, is it still usable?

Question

When I store basil in the fridge, sometimes it gets brown spots. Is this still usable? Including Thai basil. It seems such a waste to throw it all away after 2-3 days. Also, how can I prevent this from happening?

Answer

You can store it with the stems in a glass of water, like a bouquet, preferably not in the refrigerator. A few black spots that aren't moldy or slimy doesn't make it totally unusable, but it isn't very appealing to eat.

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Homemade Kahlua - something missing

Question

Basic recipe for homemade Kahlua on the Intertubes is lots of sugar, some coffee, high alcohol content something or other, and vanilla. Some minor variations on this theme is all I've found.

But real Kahlua is heavier than Irish Cream. The layered shot, "Duck Fart," is made of, from bottom to top, Kahlua, Irish Cream, and Whiskey. When I try to make this with homemade Kahlua though the cream sinks.

The amount of sugar in this stuff is huge, it's basically syrup. I doubt it needs more. I use brown sugar. What could be missing from the recipe that makes it heavier than cream?

Answer

Adding more sugar to a small amount did fix the issue. I think that boiling down the coffee/sugar mix would go a long way toward increasing the SG without making it sickeningly sweet. Next time I make a batch it's what I'll do.

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Do I always need to peel the avocado or I can just chop it?

Question

Do I always need to peel the avocado or I can just chop it ?

This is some additional text to meet the stackexchange.com standards.

Answer

I certainly wouldn't want to be chewing through avocado skin. Unless you plan on throwing it in a blender and liquifying it, it'd be pretty nasty.

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dry garlic in oil --> botulism risk?

Question

My girlfriend and I are thinking of preparing some flavored oils for Christmas presents this year (don't tell anyone!). We've read online that fresh garlic presents a health hazard when stored at room temperature, because the low-acidity, oxygen-free environment is perfect for the botulism-causing spore to develop.

In order to avoid this, we've used dried, minced garlic (bought at the store). However, I haven't found any substantial evidence that this mixture is safe for storage at room-temperature. One site mentioned that the lack of water in the garlic removes the "food" for the spore, and therefore the risk.

Do you know if dried garlic (or any other easily available garlic type) can be stored for longer periods at room temperature?

Answer

The most common data point seems to be that any moisture level below 35% will inhibit growth of the C. Botulinum spores that cause botulism. It's hard to point to true scientific sources because they tend to be protected, but if you spend a few minutes on Google (try this query) you'll see that it is in fact confirmed in several of the scientific journals.

I seem to be seeing snippets of references (which I can't view the full text of) that suggest possible growth at moisture levels as low as 16%, but most garlic flakes have 6% moisture or lower, which is way too low for botulism.

If you are seriously concerned - perhaps you live in a very humid climate and don't have air conditioning - then toss a desiccant into the container to be sure that the moisture level stays down. The most popular are those little packets of silica gel (don't open them!), but there are many more - see Wikipedia's list of desiccants.

Honestly though, chances are your flaked garlic is already free of C. Botulinum spores after the dehydrating process, and nothing's going to grow no matter how you store the dried stuff. The above paragraph is only included for the hyper-paranoid. Powdered/flaked garlic is safe to store at room temperature.

If you're actually storing this garlic in the oil (it's not entirely clear from your question) then that's another story, and theoretically you're making it possible for the spores to grow again. So it comes down to a question of whether or not the garlic flakes are already clean. That's extremely likely to be the case, but not a sure thing, and personally, I don't know if I'd chance it; best to follow the same precautions as those for fresh garlic and soak them in vinegar for 24 hours to kill any spores (although you might as well use fresh garlic in this case).

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Which type of onion causes the least eye irritation

Question

I am willing to forgo a little taste if I don't have to take 3 breaks while dicing an onion. Should I use red, white or yellow to minimize eye irritation. I have a small fridge/freezer so freezing them isn't an option.

Answer

The onions that cause the least tears are those with lower sulfur content. But it turns out that it's not just the variety of the onion that's a factor, but the sulfur content of the soil they're grown in (eg, areas of Georgia, where Vidalia onions are grown). Of course, this means they don't have the same 'bite' as you'd get from other onions.

In the U.S., at least, they're typically sold as 'Sweet' onions. They may go under names such as Vidalia, Maiu Sweet, Mayan Sweet, Walla Walla, etc. They tend to be yellow varieties, but they're fairly obvious in their shape-- they're not round, they tend to wider than the length from the ends. They also tend to be more wet than regular onions, so they don't store as well, and thus have a shorter season (or they're flown in from South America, for those of us in the U.S.)

If I were to rank them, from least to most tear-causing, I'd say:

• sweet onions
• green onions / scallions
• red onions
• other yellow onions
• white onions

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Where can I find a quality comparison for Zwilling Knives?

Question

I'm trying to find comparisons between various knives from Zwilling. I know the difference between the lines: JA Henckels International tends to be of different build quality as compared to Zwilling.

However, I'm having trouble differentiating between the different knives from within the Zwilling brand. For instance, sets are named things like Cuisine, Gourmet, Signature, Four Star, and Professional S.

Even the Zwilling website doesn't really offer too much information about the specific lines. In fact, it doesn't even list some of the lines I've seen for sale, such as Gourmet. Can anyone provide info about these knives, or a link to further descriptions and comparisons?

Answer

There's a serious dearth of information about the differences between the Henckels product lines, but from what I can tell:

• The biggest difference is the handle design, which impacts the balance. You'll want to hold the knives to find which is right for you.
• Stamped blades are used in the following lines: Twin Signature, Twin Gourmet, International Everedge, International Everedge Plus, International Fine Edge Pro, International Fine Edge Synergy, International Eversharp. Source: Henckels Site.
• Forged blades are used for the following lines: Twin Profection, Twin Four Star and Four Star II, Twin Cuisine, Twin Professional S, Twin Select, International Classic, International Forged Premio, and International Forged Synergy. Sources: Henckels site, Squidoo, Amazon
• Microserrated blades are used in the following product lines: Eversharp Pro, Everedge, Everedge Plus (Source: Henckels International website)
• All but the Twin Cermax line are X50CrMoV15 steel, hardened to 54-56 HRC (some reports say up to 57 Rockwell C). This means they're slightly softer than Wusthof (which now hardens many of their products to 58 HRC), but less brittle.
• Twin Cermax uses special, superhard (66 HRC) MC66 steel, meaning they take a sharper edge and hold it MUCH longer than the other lines. This is probably a clone of the ZDP-189 supersteel. (source)

The microserrated blades aid in slicing, but hurt the ability to chop and mince. They WILL help retain a cutting edge longer, but also cannot be sharpened normally.

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Cooking on the stove: what is "too hot" for a pan?

Question

I'm a novice cook and often hear about "learning one's stove". Obviously manufacturers, cooking methods, and appliance types vary and so "high" on one stove isn't comparable to another.

That said, many of the posts here suggest to heat a pan before adding oil, and the commentary that follows always has the sage advice, "...but not too hot!"

My question is thus:

How do you know you've gotten a pan too hot?

Answer

Flick water on the pan. If it just sits there, it's not hot enough. If it combines into balls and skates around on the pan, it's either too hot or just right for a wok or blackening something. If it sizzles and evaporates within a couple of seconds, it should be good for a normal sautee or sweat.

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pork fillet cooking time

Question

I have a pork fillet which I've cut in half and marinated in some honey and soy. I heated a pan, and seared it on all sides, then put the pan in the oven at 180 deg C. The question is, how long to leave it in the oven until it's cooked through? I suspect it's about 20 minutes for the average fillet (3-4cm in diameter). Any suggestions?

Answer

Every Kitchen needs a meat thermometer. Little too late in this case but it would have saved you here. I never used one at home until after I started working in a restaurant that only had a flat top and a convection oven with burgers on the menu. I got a relatively cheap one for $5-10 at Wal-mart and it does the job. Another option for next time is to check your meat often and poke it with a spoon, once it feels firm throughout, like the skin on the back of your hand when you make a fist, it's done.

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Flavoring popcorn without using fat

Question

I have a popcorn machine that produces popcorn without using fat. It basically blows hot air over corn cores, and after 2 minutes they start popping. You're not supposed to add any flavoring agent (salt, sugar, ...) in the machines as it's not made for that. So when I want to add flavor, I spray water onto the popcorn right after it has popped, and then scatter the flavoring agent. This works relatively well

The downside:

• the corns can become damp (I solve this by leaving the machine on, which blows hot air over the popcorn)
• you can waste some flavoring agent (not all of it sticks to the popcorn, some of it falls on the bottom of the bowl

The upside:

• no fat used, healthier and your fingers will be less "greasy"

Any other ideas how to flavor your popcorn using no or a minimal amount of fat?

Answer

Don't spray with water with a standard squirt bottle. Get an olive oil spritzer. It's pressurized, so you get an almost aerosol-fine mist, which prevents the kernels from getting soggy. It also adds flavor, in addition to the powdered seasonings you add with it. Or you could use an infused oil and skip the powdered seasoning altogether.

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What distinguishes pork sausage from ground pork?

Question

Let me preface this by saying that I am basically a complete novice when it comes to cooking. So I apologize if this is a silly question.

I sometimes like to cook things using ground pork sausage, but much of the time it's nearly impossible to find in the local grocery stores. However, they always seem to have ground pork, which I've considered using as a substitute. I know it wouldn't cause my kitchen to explode or anything like that ;-) but I'm curious, what's the difference? What exactly am I putting in my food by using the sausage that I'd miss out on if I used regular ground pork?

Answer

Ground pork is simply that, pork. Pork sausage is ground pork that has been seasoned.

You can substitute, but you'll have to bring your own seasoning.

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Which spice gives brown colour to Indian curry?

Question

Many of the premixed curry pastes and curry dishes I have eaten have a brownish / reddish colour to them.

I have a nice collection of spices that I cook with, but my curries seem to always look and taste quite similar. Most of these are a yellowy colour, dominated by turmeric.

Thinking of butter chicken and also a goat masala that is available at a local restaurant; what dominant coloured spice am I missing that would give my curries a red or brown colour?

I am assuming that these would introduce me to some new flavours that I can mix and match with.

Note: I already have paprika.

Answer

I've seen a lot of different curry recipes with varying levels of authenticity, but the most common ingredients I see in curries that might impart that colour are:

• Garam masala (brown)
• Chili powder (red)
• Cumin (brown)
• Paprika (red)
• Tandoori powder (usually a mix of masala, cumin, ground red pepper, fenugreek, and others - very red)
• Saffron (red)

Still, it's all kind of a moot point, because, in Indian restaurants the most common source of red is actually red food colouring. Don't kid yourself; Indian restaurants use plenty of "artificial" ingredients - they also usually use food colouring in the saffron rice, which is how they get those few vibrant red grains to mix in with the yellowish rice.

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How can you prevent lettuce from becoming bitter?

Question

I've been buying good lettuce recently and have been storing them in the fridge in a water bath. This way the lettuce stays in good shape and I prepare some salads. After about a week, however, the lettuce becomes inedible because of the bitter taste.

Do you know why this happens or any way to prevent the bitterness?

Answer

I think the key here is that you've been buying oversized lettuces. Bitterness of lettuce plants is not something under your control. When the lettuce matures (on the plant), it eventually starts flowering (called "bolting") as a way to perpetuate its genes. Once this sets in, the leaves turn bitter due to the production of certain chemicals, and acts as a defense mechanism against insects.

The process of bolting is irreversible and if it has commenced in the plant, it will continue on in the cut lettuce head (perhaps at a diminished rate). Big lettuce heads are invariably more mature than the smaller ones, which is why you experience a higher occurrence of them turning bitter. You could try the other suggestions here, but I cannot say for/against any of them as I haven't heard of any of them being used to control bitterness.

My advice would be to buy small to medium sized lettuces. Young leaves are tender and less likely to turn bitter. One might be tempted to buy the biggest lettuce on the shelf so as to "maximize" the leaves/dollar, but in the end, you have to decide whether the bitterness is really worth it.

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Can brussels sprouts be eaten raw?

Question

Not sure if this is a too lame question but: can brussels-sprouts be eaten raw ? Or do I need to boil them for 20 minutes ? (or use some other form of cooking)

thanks

Answer

I think you mean "Can brussels sprouts be eaten raw?", as in without cooking? Short answer is yes, though they will be a lot like little cabbages. You don't need to boil them, either. I like to saute' them in butter in a skillet, then cover them and let them steam a bit, and serve them with salt and pepper. Cook them until they are bright green, but not so long that they get grayish green.

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How long is it safe to drink coffee after brewed?

Question

How many hours/days would you recommend to drink coffee (after brewed) and consider it safe? (For example if you don't want to waste it). What is the difference if it is refrigerated or not?

The question is not about flavor since (I think) it is probably ruined after at most a couple of hours.

Answer

If it's refrigerated, it'll last for at least a week, as long as you didn't pre-dairy it.

Unrefrigerated, I wouldn't trust it for more than a day. Coffee is a crappy growth medium and it should start out the next best thing to sterile, but, even covered, its going to start to get moldy.

Obviously if you add dairy, then you're dealing with that dairy shelf-life, and that isn't very long at all.

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What vegetable for sauteed zucchini could I use instead of tomatoes?

Question

I like to fry or sautee onions, garlic, chilis, spices (for flavor) and zucchini (the main ingredient); then stir them in a can of chopped tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes. The tomatoes are a way to add a sauce with some thickness that brings all the ingredients together. I want to get close to the texture and consistency, but I'm looking for something else so the dish does not always taste the same.

Is there another vegetable or fruit I could use instead of the tomatoes?

Answer

Cottage cheese will keep it consistent and match very well with the zucchini & spices.

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Wondering if the bottle of wine I have is still good or not?

Question

During my move to a new place, I found a bottle of wine that I had kept in my refrigerator that was dated 2004. It was still sealed, didnt' look like anything was floating around inside, and for all intensive purposes looked to be an average bottle of red wine that you'd find at your typical liquor store. However I'm wondering if it's still any good or not, and if there was a way to check outside of opening it and taking a swig.

Answer

That's the thing about wine. You never know until you taste it. It might be a pleasant surprise or it might be swill. That's actually part of the fun of trying wine.

But generally speaking, if it was nothing special 2004 it won't be better now. Wines that are worth "waiting for" are noticeably outstanding even when they're new (they might need more decanting early in their life).

Just try it... but have a back-up bottle!

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Should you avoid cooling a frying pan with water?

Question

Sometimes after I fry something, I wash it immediately in water because it's a bit easier to wash (before the remains stick to the pan).

Does this damage the pan in any way?

Answer

This would depend on the kind of pan, the heat level of the pan, and the coldness of the water, if any of these are at real extremes, but I'm guessing that in most cases, you will not have a big problem with pan damage. Make sure there is not a lot of hot fat in the pan when you add the water (which would cause spatters ), but that's more of a personal safety issue than a pan damage issue. There are other things in a kitchen that I'd worry about much more than pan damage (dull knives, for example)

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Should you avoid cooling a frying pane with water?

Question

Sometimes after I fry something, I wash it immediately in water because it's a bit easier to wash (before the remains stick to the pane). Does this damage the pane in any way?

Answer

This would depend on the kind of pan, the heat level of the pan, and the coldness of the water, if any of these are at real extremes, but I'm guessing that in most cases, you will not have a big problem with pan damage. Make sure there is not a lot of hot fat in the pan when you add the water (which would cause spatters ), but that's more of a personal safety issue than a pan damage issue. There are other things in a kitchen that I'd worry about much more than pan damage (dull knives, for example)

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How can I dice vegetables on a small cutting board?

Question

I have a fairly small cutting board - about 8.5" x 12.5" (22cm x 32cm), and I am finding it difficult to dice vegetables, especially the onions, without stuff going all over the place.

Is it my technique that's sloppy or should I just get a bigger cutting board?

Answer

If you can't get a bigger cutting board, here are a couple pointers to getting the most done CLEANLY in a small space (mostly tricks from my kitchen manager):

• Use a sharp knife. It's easier to control, and when you chop, pieces don't move as much. Hone it at least daily to keep the edge aligned.
• Organize your work on the board. If you're right-handed, keep raw ingredients on the left side, and finished, cut product on the other.
• Keep the spot you're using to cut clear. It may only be 4-6 square inches, but it should n't have anything to get in the way. I like to use the bottom middle for cutting and the corners to organize stuff in various stages of cutting.
• Remove trash (trimmings, ends, unusable vegetable scraps) from the board. Either keep a trashcan next to the counter, or use a bowl to collect garbage. This frees up space on your cutting board.
• You can use additional bowls to store uncut material, and finished results. This frees up more cutting board area.

All of these tips help, but I'll tell you what my chef told me: the bigger your cutting board, the more room you have to work, and the faster you can go. As your knife skills improve, you will be able to work in a smaller space without problems. But first, start off with plenty of room. As you you gain experience, your cuts become more precise, you organize your space, and work faster and cleaner.

With this advice in mind, you should move to a larger cutting board. The extra space to work make it much easier to develop proper knife skills, because you're not trying to cramp yourself in. I suggest the largest board that you can comfortably fit in your sink for cleanup. With professional knife skills, I can handle prepping multiple items on an 8.5" x 9.5" cutting board; however, I find that my 11" x 14" board provides a lot more room to organize my work, and is more comfortable to use. At work, I use the biggest board I can fit on my station.

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Roasting Bell Peppers

Question

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for roasting bell peppers so that they get a nice blacked skin. I live in an apartment, and if I were to put the peppers directly on the burners, it would not go over too well. (I did start to do that, but when it started to heat, the pepper started to stick to the burner.) I tried to use my George Foreman grill, but wasn't able to get the char on the skin that I was looking for in order to take the skin off. (Note: the flavor did turn out well for what I was making, but I know it would be even better if they were charred.)

Thank you for your suggestions.

Answer

Assuming by your wording, you don't have a bbq on a balcony. Another alternative to the broiler, is a blow torch to get the nice charing. :-)

http://www.open2.net/everwonderedfood/peppers_roastedpeppers.html

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Are smoked pork chops from the butcher safe to eat without any further cooking?

Question

I bought a smoked pork chop from the butcher yesterday, and assumed I would cook it like any other pork chop, but after looking at it, it seems like it may be edible as is. The appearance is close to that of a cooked ham.

I saw some suggestions online about using it in soups or as breakfast meat, but nothing mentioned just eating it fresh from butcher.

Answer

It is "probably safe" but (IMHO) not worth the risk.

The chief "scare" for pork is a condition called trichinosis (or trichinellosis). There has not been a case of this disease reported to the Center for Disease Control from commercial pork since 2001. Assuming your butcher received the chops from a reputable commercial source then you it should be 'ok'. If the source was wild hog then there is some risk.

Personally I would just as soon grill it up than take the chance, but you should know that smoking is not considered an adequate safeguard.

(your profile does not say where you are, so if you are outside the US, your mileage may vary)

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What does gluten "do" in baking?

Question

I saw many questions regarding converting baking recipes towards gluten-free, and it seems it's not an easy process. But none of the questions I came across helped me understanding what gluten actually "does" in baking.

The background of this question is that I've got friends visiting in October, one of them is a celiac, and there's a few baking recipes I'd like to try while they're here. Knowing what gluten actually "does" would help me to evaluate if it's even worth trying to convert the recipes ...

Answer

I went into some detail with this in my answer to What are the factors that affect the chewiness, softness, moisture of bread based desserts like cinnamon rolls?

To summarize my points there and add some more (simplified) detail on the chemistry:

• Gluten is responsible for elasticity of dough, which is perceived as chewiness. The difference between bread, quickbread (muffins/scones), and cake is largely due to the difference in gluten formation, with cake having the lowest amount and bread having the highest.

• It does not directly cause rising - the leavening agent (yeast, baking powder, etc.) is responsible for that. What it does do is form a protein network by cross-linking, which not only results in the elasticity above but also traps gas and prevents it from escaping during the baking process. The "rising" in baked goods is essentially just stretching of the gluten network. This is why hydrocolloids such as xanthan and guar gum can mimic some of the effects in gluten-free recipes; although the mechanism is completely different - in essence, they're creating a very thin gel.

• Gluten is also exceptionally good at both absorbing and retaining moisture; it can absorb up to 150% (1.5 times its own weight) in water. One thing you'll notice about typical wheat products vs. their gluten-free equivalents is that latter don't last too long and have to be frozen or consumed quickly. Part of this is due to preservatives in commercial baked goods, but much of it is also simply due to the gluten retarding moisture loss. You can think of it as a kind of natural preservative.

• It's activated by water and heat and is (relatively) slow-acting, which gives it a high tolerance with respect to time and temperature. This is why many people will tell you that bread is "forgiving" while cake and other low-gluten/gluten-free products are not. When baking without gluten, you will have to be very precise about all of your measurements.

• Its coagulation action is actually very similar to that of egg whites, and pure gluten (AKA vital wheat gluten) is sometimes actually used as a replacement for egg whites. A meringue is just heavily aerated egg whites and specifically protein; gluten is basically doing the same thing inside of whatever you're baking.

• Finally, it provides nutritive protein when eaten. Wheat gluten is about 75% protein and all-purpose flour is about 10% gluten. That means 7.5% of the flour you consume is actually protein. Of course that's nowhere near what you get from meat, but it's still a significant contribution to one's diet.

In short: Gluten does a lot of things. Keep in mind when doing gluten-free baking that a lot of the substitutes only replicate one or two of the effects.

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Culinary uses for honeycomb?

Question

On a whim, I bought real honeycomb (not the cookie type dessert) from a local shop. I tried eating it plain, but the wax makes it unpleasant and chewy.

What can I do with it?

Answer

The comb, which is beeswax, holds the honey. Honeycomb is used for decorative desserts, placed on or along side nicely arranged fruit, is used as a spread on toast or bread or crackers and is served with cheese platters.

As a child I loved honeycomb, would pop a hunk in my mouth and chew like gum until all that was left was the wax, and either spit the wax out or swallow it.

You say the wax is unpleasant and chewy. The wax will remain chewy, the melting point of beeswax is somewhere around 60 C/140 F. If the wax has a bad flavour, would suggest tossing the whole thing and trying again.

Don't know of any use other than eating it raw. Was in the US capital a while back eating across from the bar association national headquarters and had an excellent appetizer platter which had bits of meat, cheese, preserved and fresh fruit, olives, different breads and honeycomb; it was very good.

Bottom line is if you eat it plain, you wind up with hunks of wax in your mouth that you have to do something with. If you eat it with other foods, the wax isn't really noticeable, kind of like eating the rind on cheese; it just gets ate up.

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Is there an official standard vegan packaging symbol designating that a product is vegan?

Question

I'm trying to eat vegan and having a hard time determining (by the packaging) which products are appropriate for me.

Are there symbols or certifications I can look for, preferably something backed by a federal or state government?

If there isn't such a thing in widespread use, then what is the reason for its non-existence or lack of general adoption?

Answer

There are two common symbols; the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and Vegan Action.

In my experience, you will see the EVU on packaging and on restaurant menus. I've only ever seen the Vegan Action symbol on packaged products.

The EVU is not exclusively vegan so you'll still need to read the packaging or ask about ingredients if in a restaurant. The Vegan Action symbol is exclusively vegan and is becoming very popular in the United States.

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A vegan alternative to Quorn?

Question

It seems that almost all meat replacements in the UK have eggs. Are there any good vegan alternatives?

Answer

Also see @Pulse's answer. Check out the China town for 'vegetarian food', they have all sort of fake meat from chicken to beef, from abalone to fish, all made of modified tofu fibres.

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Why is my Pizza Dough always too sticky to knead?

Question

I have tried to make pizza dough by hand a couple of times now but every time after mixing the ingredients the dough is far too sticky to knead, it is more like a batter than dough. I have watched videos on youtube of people making it and it is nothing like how mine turns out.

The ingredients I am using are:

• 225g Bread Flour
• 140ml Water
• 1 tsp Dried Active Yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil

I have tried just mixing everything together at once, and I have also tried mixing the water, yeast and sugar together first then adding.

Can anyone see anything wrong with the quantities I am using in this recipe or is there something else that I should be doing to actually get dough that I can knead? As I said, it is so sticky that it will just stick to everything it touches unless I constantly add flour (on my hands and board).

Answer

I am an Indian and we make dough for everyday bread at home. It's easy to knead dough; you just have to take care while adding water. Do not add all the water you have, and add water slowly and steadily. For pizza dough I follow these steps:

• Mix yeast in warm water, add sugar to this water. Observe this mixture - as soon as you see bubbles, it is ready to be used for kneading dough.
• Add oil and salt to flour along with the yeast you have prepared.
• I use a spoon to keep mixing the flour and add spoonfuls of water, I keep some flour handy in case I have accidentally added too much water.

I keep kneading the dough gently and add water or flour as needed. This does require some practice.

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Does sesame seed oil taste like toasted sesame seeds?

Question

When you have sesame seeds on a toasted bun, is that what sesame seed oil tastes like?

Answer

There are two types of sesame oil you can normally buy.

Pure sesame oil (or just sesame oil) has a mild sesame taste. Refined sesame oil is used as a cooking oil and only has a hint of sesame flavour.

Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds (and therefore tastes like toasted sesame seeds). Aside from the labeling, you can easily tell it apart from pure sesame oil by its much darker colour and stronger aroma. It is not a cooking oil, it's more of a condiment and used frequently in Asian cooking.

Neither of these taste exactly like sesame seeds on a bun, obviously, but the sesame flavour in toasted sesame oil in particular is very noticeable.

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What kind of cooling garnish is like ice cream but doesn't melt?

Question

In a related question, I asked about plating with bread for sampling chili. Here I need to find a cooling, as in take the heat off the capsaicin with fats, garnish.

For this question I would like to know how to garnish. I am making a bacon and pulled pork chili, and need a smooth, subtle garnish to take the edge off the peppers. First off, I will be dusting the top with a mixture of nutritional yeast and a smidge of dround coffee and ground, dried orange rind.

Initially I was inspired by the idea of a bacon flavored ice cream, served to the side of the bread with a hal strip of maple-smoked bacon candied in the oven with light brown sugar. The idea of being able to have a whole spoon of chili and then a nibble of the garnish is very appealing.

I pitched the idea at a friend and added, "but I don't want it to be frozen, or to melt." The cold would be impossible with the heavy texture of the chili, and melting would disturb the dusted topping.

We came up with a mixture of sour cream and cream cheese, with a bit of arrow root as a coagulant (since it will be semi-cold, I want it to retain some stiffness on the surface of the chili). Basically, blend it all up with some of the bits of candied bacon and some spices, then chill it over night in the fridge to marry the flavors until competition time.

• What ratio would the above mixture need to be relative to arrow root (I haven't used it before)? By the teaspoon, tablespoon, fraction of a cup per cup of dairy?
  • Is there a better coagulant for the purpose
  • Are there any flavor/textural issues with arrow root that I should be aware of to begin with, and specifically in the context of sour cream / cream cheese?
• Is there a better solution to fit the problem; that is, what other kind of ice cream like garnish could I use that would resist melting for a bit of time and would have a smooth texture and be able to nibble on with little scoops from the spoon?

Answer

I'd avoid a coagulant if you can, it will likely keep this dense on whats already a rather dense sounding dish.

Personally, I'd beat loads of air into your sour cream/cream cheese mixture and serve a small whipped dollop of it. It will keep it light and still offset your spiciness a little. If the pork chili is the star, keep it complimented but not complicated.

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What Sampling Bread to use for Pulled Pork, open faced?

Question

I'm making a bacon based chili with smoked pulled pork (orange juice marinade by injection, smoked dried pusilla/ancho/guajillo rub) where I reserve all the liquid at the end of the process, roux it up into a gravy and fold it back in.

I am entering this stuff into a bacon recipe comp and am looking for a good bread suggestion. I am considering a monterey sourdough loaf wedge for each of the six judges bowl-plates (i.e. heel up and out for effective scooping).

• The texture and fit of the bread is great and it is very available, I am somewhat concerned about the flavor though. For my palette it is great, but I am looking for additional suggestions on what style of bread might have that bite of sourdough but maybe match the other dominant flavors more effectively.
• Also, should I back off of the sour, or push it even further?

Additional dominant flavors will include mustard, honey, brown sugar, jalapeno, tien tsin pepper, chocolate, coffee, malty beer, carrot puree and shreds.

Answer

It may be a little soft for that compared to most sourdough (but I like a softer bread for something like pulled pork, it competes less for texture), but I'd try a potato based bread. It's a classic flavor pairing with many of those other flavors (especially bacon!).

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Could coconut cream be used to create a non-dairy ganache for whipping?

Question

A few days ago I made a batch of profiteroles and éclairs, with a minor twist: For half the profiteroles, instead of chantilly cream I used a whipped ganache made from about 2 parts dark or bittersweet chocolate to 1 part each butter and whipping cream, then whipped it to a medium-brown consistency for piping into the cream puffs. Needless to say, these ones turned out to be everybody's favourite and disappeared within seconds.

Then I got asked if I could make a non-dairy version, for various dietary reasons which I won't get into here. At first I laughed, but after some further thought, it seems like it might be possible. The choux paste uses only shortening for fat, so it would just be a matter of imitating the chocolate ganache.

I've seen various "substitutions" using soy or rice milk. In my humble opinion, they taste wretchedly awful. I also found a tip saying to use coconut cream, which sounds much more promising, but I haven't worked with coconut cream very much and have some concerns:

• Does coconut cream actually whip, or would I have better luck whipping coconut milk?

• Given that cartons of whipping cream are already loaded up with carrageenan, and the recipe linked above suggests the incorporation of starch - will I need to add emulsifiers/stabilizers? Any ideas as to which ones would work best for this and in what quantity?^* I don't need it to be stable for days, but it should keep for at least a few hours at room or refrigerator temperature.

• Are there relative perceived differences in sweetness between coconut cream and whipping cream? Will I need to incorporate sugar to make up for the mild natural sweetness of whipping cream, or, alternatively, is the coconut milk/cream going to be too sweet?

• If I do need to incorporate sugar, would it make any sense to use icing sugar to act as a (partial) stabilizer, or should I stick to superfine and handle the stabilization aspect with dedicated additives?

• Can I rely on the coconut cream (or milk) whipping with the chocolate, or would I get better (airier/stabler) results whipping it separately (perhaps using an iSi?) and then folding it into melted chocolate (presumably adulterated with some water or butter substitute to prevent seizing)? Or could I get even better results by doing both - whipping it separately, then blending and whipping the entire mixture again to full volume?

• Finally, I am pretty sure that I can substitute cocoa butter for the regular (dairy) butter, but is there any reason why this part of the substitution would cause problems?

_{* My instinct says lecithin and xanthan gum, but that's only because I know it works for a dairy chocolate/cream whip, I have no idea about coconut.}

Answer

Abstract: Ganache is delicious, but not everyone eats dairy. We examined whether coconut milk can be used for the creation of a non-dairy ganache. We ran a series of experiments. The answer is that, with some creative techniques, you can use it, but it does not come anywhere near to the real thing.

Introduction. Someone wrote a question on Seasoned advice about coconut based ganache and we got curious.

Background. We love ganache even more than pure chocolate, and make it often ourselves, so we think we have all the prerequisites needed to create and judge a coconut based ganache recipe. Our favorite ganache recipe 1 (which we used as a starting point) is: 100 g chocolate, 72% cocoa (only made from cocoa, sugar, and cocoa butter, no vegetable fat or emulsifiers); 100 g cream, at least 30% (non-UHT), 25 g butter.

Method. We prepared the base mix as follows: 25 g coconut milk were heated until boiling. They were removed from the heat. 25 g chocolate (72%) and 6g cocoa butter were added. Everything was left to dissolve. After 5 minutes, the mixture was whipped with a handheld mixer at the second-to-highest setting. This was Version 0. It was divided in two batches. Different versions were made from each batch by gradually adding guar (a knife-point-ful), egg yolk (1, in lieu of lecithine) and sugar (8g per batch). Each version was whipped for at least 3 minutes. The final versions (1c and 2b) where put for 30 min in the refrigerator, then taken out and whipped again. As there were no observable changes after the cold whipping, we do not treat them as a different version. We also made a small portion of dairy ganache for comparison purposes.

Results. These are listed in Table 1. The numbers in the ingredients columns of the table represent the order of adding the ingredients to the mixtures. Table 1. Experiment results.

The final consistency of version 1c is documented in Figure 1. Note that the peaks do not drip and you can rotate the bowl at 180° without anything falling out. The piece of chocolate was added for color comparison.

Figure 2 shows a zoom of the blue bordered area in Figure 1.

Discussion. It is possible to make a profiterole filling with coconut milk based ganache, but it isn't quite like the real deal. Also, it resembles non-whipped ganache more closely than whipped ganache.

The basic ganache recipe can be done with coconut milk instead of cream and cocoa butter instead of butter. However, it tastes fattier than real ganache, and it is runnier. Unlike dairy ganache, whipping does not result in aeration.

We think that eliminating the cocoa butter altogether will somewhat alleviate the fatiness problem, but we did not test this proposal yet.

A thickening and or emulsifying agent can improve the ganache texture. Even though egg yolk improves aeration, is not a good choice, as it results in a slimy feel. Guar is a better solution.

The addition of sugar ruins the chocolateness of the taste. If bitterness is not desired, a sweeter chocolate (50%) should be used. Only dedicated sugar lovers or Americans should resort to adding sugar. In that case, it should be added before the guar (we would suggest dissolving it in the coconut milk before boiling it) as not to interfere with the texture of the final product.

Threats to validity. First, there was a single tester (the quasi-royal we). Second, this tester is already biased in favor of dairy products in general and specifically for dairy based ganache. Third, many interesting combinations (including xanthan gum and corn starch) could not be tested due to lack of resources.

Conclusion and outlook. We found the experiment very inspirating. It was also yummy. But we'd like to issue an warning: This experiment is dangerous. In the preparation phase, we discovered a penchant for guared coconut water deep fried in coconut fat we'd rather not have known about. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to offering the results for peer preview to a chocolate-loving lactose intolerant co worker.

References: 1 My own recipe book

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How can tuna/bonito be tested for histamine?

Question

I think I suffered scombroid food poisoning, together with some other people. I actually got the worst of it. The others experienced pain in the mouth. I had facial flushing and tachycardia as well.

This is not the first time this happens as we've experienced pain from both tuna and bonito. Both cooked and raw (tartar).

According to the Wikipedia, this can be due to inappropriate handling of the fish. I bought this last bonito from a fish shop five minutes walking away. I guess it's hardly likely that the error was on me, but I won't rule it out neither. My handling of the bonito was to cut it up, put it into a vacuum bag and freeze. The batch that made us ill was vacuum and unfrozen. I've got more tuna from the same batch in the freezer, so I'll have to throw that out. That's one shop where I'm not buying anymore.

Is there a way of testing for histamine to prevent future problems?

Answer

If you say that your handling of the fish was a 5 minute walk and to cut it up and freeze it, it is more than likely that the contamination occurred during the supply chain. Once the enzyme histidine decarboxylase has been formed, it can continue to produce histamine in the fish even if the bacteria are not active.

There are test kits available for checking histamine levels but they are intended for commercial use. http://www.noackgroup.com/Live/ProductCatalog_en.YoCms?GROUP=%24D_FAA_07_01#_1NEO9505 is one of the places that has them.

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What are the main styles of pizza that are popular in America?

Question

Background: Here in Italy I found a pizza that was sold as American pizza, and that used bell peppers, corn, and hot salami as topping. Is there also in USA a pizza that is called American pizza?

Are there well-defined regional styles of pizza in America? If so, what are they called and what distinguishes them?

Answer

No.

Those are not common pizza toppings in America at all.

In America there are these (rather well known) pizza styles:

Chicago style

Chicago style pizza is a deep-dish pizza that is baked in a thick heavy cornmeal based crust. The toppings are also added in reverse order of a traditional pizza. First the cheese is added, then a pound or more of sausage is added in a dense patty layer, finally it is topped with sauce. You eat it with a fork and knife.

New York style

New York style pizza is wide thin-crust pizza. The crust is made with a very high gluten bread flour and hand-tossed. Some say that it gets a lot of it's flavor from the NYC water. It is typically cut into only 8 slices for a large pie. You fold the piece in half to eat.

New Haven style

New Haven style pizza is a bit lesser known, and originates from New Haven, Connecticut. There it is commonly called "apizza". It is similar to a New York style pizza in that it has a thin crust, but it is always brick oven fired until crispy. You should not be able to fold a New Haven slice of pizza in half without cracking it. It should also be crispy enough to stand up to it's own weight when held by the crust.

In a New Haven pizza a "plain" does not have mozzarella. A plain pizza consists solely of sauce, oregano, and a bit of parmesan and romano grated on top. Mozzarella is considered a separate topping.

They are most known for their white pizzas. These have no tomatoes at all, the "sauce" consists of olive oil, oregano, chopped garlic, and grated parmesan. The most well known is the clam pie which has fresh clams as a topping. It is generally frowned upon to order this with mozarella.

Verace pizza napoletana style

Although this is the original Neapolitan pizza, it has become very popular in the Pacific Northwest (and maybe elsewhere?). There is a certifying organization, which has stringent requirements for the crust ingredients, oven and so forth. The pies are very thin in the interior, with a slightly puffy edge, and are typically lightly charred in spots, which contributes a lot of flavor. Toppings tend to be minimalist.

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What is fat tripe?

Question

I was just in Santiago, Chile and had a mixed grill. One of the tasty items was "Tripa gorda" or fat tripe. But, I wasn't able to get a clear answer about exactly what fat tripe is.

Does anyone know what fat tripe is specifically?

Answer

In the US the closest thing you could (easily) get would be "Chitterlings" though this isn't quite correct since chitterlings are the small intestine, and tripa gorda is the large intestine.

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What Kind of Frosting Doesn't Need To Be Refrigerated?

Question

I'm looking for a frosting that I can leave on the counter (under a cover of some kind) for a few days. What kind of frosting (for a cake or cupcakes) would stand up to this?

Update: Ideally, I would like this to be something that I could make from scratch.

Answer

Whipped vegetable shortening with powdered sugar. I can make it up a week in advance, probably even longer, and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. And it has the advantage that it's pure white (if you use imitation vanilla extract, or lemon extract), so you can get vibrant colors on whatever you're decorating.

If you make too much, you can then make flowers and let them dry out, then store those for a year or more.

Here's the recipe I use, that I got from Jane who taught two of the cake decorating classes I took:

4 lb powdered sugar
1 TB cream of tartar
1 1/4 c. of white shortening (crisco ... the sticks are easy to measure)
a pinch of salt
1 TB extract of your choice
3/4 to 1c. of water (maybe more depending on humidity)

Put all ingredients except the water into a mixer. Add 3/4 c. water, and slowly add more to make the consistancy of your choice. Mix on low speed 'til mixed, then on #6 or 8 for 6 to 7 minutes. Consistency should be "creamy" -- like cream cheese when soft. Stiff icing should be creamy also.

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Does honey have a bitter component?

Question

I've heard Jeffrey Steingarten, on Iron Chef America, mention that he finds honey quite bitter. I've never noticed that myself. Maybe if I really try I can notice a slight bitter finish, but for me the sweetness and floral aroma dominates. Is honey actually bitter in some quantifiable sense? Are some particular varieties of honey better known for this characteristic?

Answer

I also notice it myself, and it varies depending on the flowers and region. I read that there is a bitter honey from Sardinia, Miele Amaro.

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What's a good vegetarian substitute for Worcestershire sauce?

Question

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?

Answer

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 in the original Worcestershire sauce. As strange as it may sound these sauces could use some of the aromas found in Parmigiano-Reggiano and in broccoli.  Whichever recipe works out, someone should write a blog post on this topic.

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What’s a good alternative to rice wine vinegar?

Question

I find it difficult to source rice wine vinegar for recipes. I can usually find “rice vinegar“, “rice wine”, and “white wine vinegar”, but not specifically “rice wine vinegar”.

Can I use any of the above ingredients, or anything else, as an alternative?

Answer

First off, I suspect that 'rice wine vinegar' and 'rice vinegar' are the same thing. Secondly, rice wine vinegar comes in two basic kinds, there is a dark vinegar and a white (yellow) vinegar. The dark vinegar has more flavour than the white version. However, both are relatively low in flavour compared to other vinegar alternatives.

To replace a white rice wine vinegar I would suggest using another low flavour vinegar. One with a white colour. In the UK there is a kind of clear vinegar usually labeled as 'non-brewed condiment' which should make an adequate substitute though I'd suggest using a smaller than normal quantity as it is stronger than most other vinegars. Another alternative would be a clear malt vinegar which will be close though not absolutely the same. Again you may need to reduce the quantity to match the strength.

To replace the dark rice wine vinegar is more tricky. My first suggestion is to try a dark malt vinegar as a replacement.

If you want to try to source the real thing, you might not find it in some UK supermarkets. However, almost every large city in the UK has a China town which will contain a Chinese supermarket where you can stock up on any items you might need. Failing that, try asking at your local Chinese restaurant or take-a-way. They might be able to point you to a supplier. Lastly there are online suppliers in the UK if you google you should be able to find one.

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Recommendations on how to have a hog butchered?

Question

I have commissioned a pig from a local farmer and it will be going to the butcher soon. It turns out that I can have it butchered to my specific requests. Has anyone done this before and have any recommendations?
Specifically, should I have the bacon sliced or leave it in slabs (Alton Brown says slab is better but how hard is it to cut)? What is the best way to have the shoulder cut? I am thinking a picnic roast and a butt. What is the best way to deal with the loin. Will each side give just one tenderloin and one "center cut loin" for a roast? If I get those will there be any back left for pork chops? Any recommendations for the back leg? Ham vs. roast?

Answer

Lucky you. I usually have all the shoulders split in two, cured and smoked, hocks and shanks smoked, belly smoked (bacon). Some roasts and the rest into chops and steaks.

Your cut and wrap (butcher) will put things up the way you ask, so have him put up meal size bits. The usual way to receive custom cut and wraped meat is frozen, haven't heard of anyone getting it fresh..there's just too much of it.

I like my pigs between 105 - 110 kilos/230 -240 pounds on the hoof; seems to give the right lean/fat ratio. They grow them much fatter in some places, China is one.

You can have the shoulders left whole, that is a fairly large cut of meat though, better to have them cut into hams and picnics. Have them cut your shanks and hocks up a bit too.

Custom cut and wrap outfits that are good are very good, some of them make excellent sausage, which brings this consideration into the mix, I would recommend trying the sausage you are thinking of having made first.

Finally, the smoke on your very own pig parts will totally blow any other smoked pork product flavors out of the water, there is just no comparison.

enjoy :)

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Vinegar and battered chicken?

Question

I made a recipe for crispy shallow-fried battered chicken. The recipe called for a little vinegar to be added to the chicken after drying and seasoning. This dish did not work, the batter (just flour and water) slipped off the chicken in the oil because the meat was too wet. What is the reason for the vinegar here? Is there a trick to this or do I just have a bad recipe?

Answer

Adding vinegar 'to the chicken' might give it a slight tanginess, but its certainly going to cause issues with the batter adhesion. Sounds like a bad recipe (especially if your batter was just flour and water too!).

Every time I've seen vinegar in batter dipped chicken, its because there's also baking soda and it helps produce a lighter, airier batter. And you put it in the batter, not on the chicken.

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Is there a method for desalinating bacon?

Question

Bacon contains a rather large amount of salt which can pose problems for people who are trying to find ways to reduce salt in their diet.

Is there some method that can be used to reduce the amount of salt in bacon?

Answer

If you're buying bacon at the store, and trying to reduce the actual sodium in the product you've just purchased - you're out of luck. Like most things, you can't un-salt it. You can reduce the flavor, but in your case, the sodium is still there.

Alternative options include:

• Buy reduced sodium bacon
• Make reduced sodium bacon
• Use less bacon, in order to reduce the total sodium intake.

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Frothing Milk: Variations by Milk Type?

Question

I froth my milk using the steam wand on my espresso machine. With a national-brand organic whole milk, I am able to get a perfect micro foam nearly 100% of the time. However, when I instead use a local, grass-fed, organic whole milk (whose flavor I prefer to the national brand), I am only able to produce a perfect micro foam about 20% of the time. What could be causing this? Could it be differences in the fat content? (They are both labeled "whole".) Does it have something to do with the fact that the national brand was likely from grain/corn-fed cows, whereas the local brand is grass-fed?

Update: The local milk is homogenized and pasteurized. It does not say anything about ultra-pasteurization (i.e., HTST vs. ESL). The "national brand" milk is homogenized and apparently comes in both "pasteurized" and "ultra-pasteurized" forms. I'm not sure which one I usually get, but if I had to guess I'd say it's ultra-pasteurized (i.e., ultra-heat treated) because the national brand usually has a sell-by date at least a week after the local milk's expiration. According to their nutrition labels, both have the exact same nutritional content except:

• Sugar (per cup)
  National: 11g
  Local: 12g
• Cholesterol (per cup)
  National: 30mg
  Local: 35mg
• Vitamin C (% of Daily Value per cup)
  National: 0%
  Local: 4%
• Vitamin A (% of Daily Value per cup)
  National: 4%
  Local: 6%

Protein content is reported as identical.

Update #2: As I mentioned in a comment to TFD's answer, I let the local milk age for several days and now I seem to be getting better results (although I am now at the cusp of its sell-by date). Perhaps there is some psychological effect going on and I am paying more attention to my technique now, though. If in fact this success is due to the aging, can anyone explain why? What happens over time that allows the milk to froth better?

Answer

Let your milk age a bit; a day or two extra in the fridge should fix the problem.
Your local milk is too fresh.

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Le Creuset vs. Lodge Enamel

Question

My wife and I both love to cook and I'm looking to buy a nice, 6 qt, enameled dutch oven.

Le Creuset is the first that comes to mind, but I've been doing some research and have since learned that the Lodge Enamel product line often comes up as a close competitor in quality (not aesthetics).

Would you guys recommend purchasing a Lodge enamel dutch oven?

Answer

There is a good answer to a similar question, here What to look for when choosing a dutch oven? but since I had already written my answer, I'll leave it.

It depends on why you are buying it. There are several factors that go into picking any Dutch oven.

Weight/thermal mass. The ability of the oven to retain, and release heat evenly is determined by its thermal mass, which is why they are made of cast iron and very heavy. Cooking quality for both with be comparable. Both are VERY heavy. There are other brands that work...there is a Mario Batali Dutch oven that has gotten good reviews, and I even have a Tramontina that I bought in a grocery store that is very well made and works well.

Lid fit. The lid has to be a good fit. If it is loose, or warped, when you are doing a braise the liquid will escape and your braise becomes a dehydrate or a burn. This is where "cheap" brands fail. However, either of these brands will do you well.

Thickness/evenness of the finish. This is, in my opinion, more aesthetic and long term care based, but if you are going to buy enameled, make sure you get a decent finish. There are some that look more like the enamel has been painted on. This is mostly your call. The problem with enamel finishes is that you have the chance of cracking or chipping it, and once that's done, there is no cost effective way to fix it. But the enamel affects the cooking least of all. I cook most things in my Lodge cast iron (no enamel) dutch oven, and while it affects the color of some dishes, there is the additional iron that I get in my diet...no Geritol ™ for me.

Cost. You can compare cost, but this will potentially be the biggest variable. It's why I own the Tramontina.

Status. This is a non-factor for me, but if you take dishes to your gated community potluck, the Le Creuset has more status. It is, after all, French.

Both are good brands, both will allow/help you to cook good food. You have to determine what the cost/status difference is between them, and how important that is. If both cost the same, I would probably go with the Le Creuset. Since they rarely do, I have more Lodge than Le Creuset in my kitchen.

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What's the difference between a French oven and a Dutch oven?

Question

I've been haunting the discount cookware sites looking for Le Creuset pieces that won't put me in the poorhouse. I found two pieces that are similar size and price - one is a French oven and the other is a Dutch oven. There's nothing in the descriptions of them that tell me what the difference is between the two. Can anyone clarify?

Edited to add specific pieces

2 quart French oven

2.5 quart Dutch oven

Answer

Ok, so the "Smart XXX Alec" in me wanted to start out by saying: "The French oven is more arrogant and less useful." But I refrained until I learned I was right.

Looking at these two similar products Dutch Oven vs. French Oven I notice that there is not much difference except that the "French Oven" is 4 times the price & only good to 350 degrees in the oven where the Dutch Oven is rated for 400 degrees (F).

So I think I have to stand by my original thought.

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How do I make liquid glucose from powdered glucose

Question

I recently decided to make something that required liquid glucose, 140g of it. No problem in general, but for some reason none of my usual suppliers had stock (even tried pharmacies). The closest I found was glucose powder.

Unfortunately, having no clue how to "re-hydrate" the powder to a liquid form, I experimented. :-)

I can safely say that 100g glucose powder was way to much as a substitute for 140g of liquid glucose (which I expected).

However, I was wondering if any of you had a convenient method of turning powdered glucose into the wonderfully thick and sticky liquid glucose, in case I ever find myself in that position.

Answer

Well, the answer is "it depends." This is pretty much the same as asking, "I have sugar, and I want sugar syrup. How much water do I add?" It depends on the concentration you're looking for. If you're looking for a 24% solution, it's 24 grams of glucose in 76 grams of water. A 30% solution is 30 grams of glucose in 70 grams of water, etc, etc.

Unless you have some chemical reason to avoid dextrin, you can just substitute corn syrup. The only reason they use glucose in Europe is because they don't have our superabundance of corn.

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Where can I buy a transparent frying pan?

Question

Where could I find a transparent frying pan?

 

Answer

Just search on www.ebay.com for "Pyrex Flameware" and you will find things like :

Vintage Pyrex Flameware Saucepan Skillet + Handle SET

Vintage Pyrex Glass Flameware Skillet w/ Handles

1930's Pyrex Flameware saute pan w/ detachable handle

It is highly unlikely that you will find a new one. The reason is that the formula r for Pyrex before 1940 was way more resistant to thermal shock , but also more expensive. The current formula is more resistant to mechanical shocks but can not take rapid cooling (like adding cold liquid in a hot pan when you are making a ragu) without shattering.

I have no info on the advantages of a glass pan except the "cool factor"

Hope this info helps.

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How do I get rid of mayonnaise smell?

Question

Today for the first time, I tested classic egg mayonnaise. All I can say that it smelled strongly like yeast!

Is there a way to get rid of that smell? Do mayonnaise in general have that smell?

Enlighten please.

Answer

The strongest smells in mayonnaise should be vinegar and egg. There shouldn't be any yeast, and therefore any yeast smell, so that is a bit concerning. I am not sure what might imitate a yeast smell.

I don't know how to counter the smell since I am not sure what the origination of the smell is. Does it taste okay? Is the texture okay? I do find that homemade and store brand mayonnaises have pretty different smells in general.

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How to set yogurt so that it doesn't get watery?

Question

The yogurt which I purchase from the market looks too perfect and intact. Is there some special trick which prevents the home made yogurt from getting watery?

Answer

Many of the commercial yoghurts use stabilizers like pectin to prevent the yoghurt from separating during transport. All fruits naturally contain pectin (some more than others), so one option, if you are making your own yoghurt at home, is to add some fruit to it. Here in the US, supermarkets carry small bags of dry pectin powder; if you can get some of that, you could try adding it to your yoghurt.

Another option is to initially heat your milk to 85°C for a half hour before cooling it and adding your yoghurt starter. This heating serves two purposes: (1) it gets rid of some of the excess moisture through evaporation, and (2) the heating will denature (i.e., stretch out and relax) some of the milk's proteins. Denatured proteins will be able retain more of the liquid that is in the final product.

Finally, you can add powdered milk to the mix (about 125ml of powdered milk per liter of milk). Powdered milk is basically just milk protein, so the added protein will help contain some of the final liquid.

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Meals safe in danger zone

Question

I'm on campus for most of the day, and since eating on campus is expensive, I would bring leftover dinners with me. Since they would sit in my backpack for several hours before eating, I would use one of the many microwaves on campus to heat it up to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present.

I'm at a new college now, and there appears to be only one public microwave on the entire campus, which makes bringing leftover dinners inconvenient.

The Problem: The food I bring with me will sit around in the temperature danger zone for several hours before eating. Heating it back up and keeping it cool are not very feasible.

The Need: Meals that don't need to be kept cool or heated up. The only thing I can think of is sandwiches, and the only sandwiches I can think of are boring turkey slices on white bread. So, what kind of meals can I make then?

Answer

May I suggest investing in an insulated lunchbox and ice pack (decidedly un-sexy, but practical), or storing in a campus fridge? These can extend length of time food is at a safe temperature considerably.

Thermoses are wonderful things; a good thermos that is filled with fully heated/cooled food and kept properly sealed will keep the contents out of the temperature danger zone for at least 4 hours. The brand-name manufacturing site claims 6 hours in the safe zone for commercial products, with up to 16 for hot substances.

Failing this, cheese or PB&J sandwiches are pretty nonperishable. Remember that cheesemaking was originally intended to preserve the nutritional contents of milk for prolonged periods without refrigeration, and harder cheeses stay safe for longer. The catch is that they will exude some oil if kept warm. A similar principle applied to heavily cured meats, which are treated with nitrites or smoked, allowing them to be safely kept at room temperature.

A personal favorite meal for me is baguette, cheese, and a cured sausage. If you want to go even simpler, you can have a quite satisfying meal with a really good artisan bread and a dipping container of herbed/peppered olive oil.

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How to prepare gnocchi dough for mixed ingredients?

Question

After reading a recent post on incorporating vegetables into gnocchi (and presumably of potato/flour based pastas), I tried my own mixture of veggies and it came out great.

Here is where the consternation fits in - balancing the potato/vegetable:flour ratio to compensate for moisture while mixing. It took what seemed to be a lot longer than I thought it should, and I believe this was due to the moisture. Unfortunately, I do not have a stand mixer and hope someone can contribute a nice rule of thumb for dough and handmixing.

I started with even 1:1 ratio of pureed veggies (moisture squeezed out) to russet potatoes. for the sake of illustration lets say that came to about 6 cups of mix, I began adding all-purpose flour by the 1/2 cup, gradually folding each in with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Around the 4 cups mark I pulled the mix out and put it down on the counter and started adding it more aggressively while kneading the dough by hand (it was still sitcky enough that it left quite a cleanup). All told I think there was about a 6:8 cup ratio of potato/veggie:flour before i could start cutting and forking the little guys.

• I know it's loosely based around how much and which veggies are added, but does that 6:8 sound about right?
• Although stirring in some of the flour before putting it on the counter (to stiffen the initial mixture) seems necessary, once it holds together is folding the flour in necessary?
• What options do I have for playing around with the types of flour to cut back on moisture and minimize the amount of flour needed? (particularly, would it be better to move away from all-purpose?)
• Does it really just take forever to mix this stuff by hand?

Answer

You're on the right track! Start adding your flour in the bowl as you did and when you can remove it without it being too tacky then start working it on a cutting board or countertop as you continue adding more flour. Sounds like maybe you pulled it out of the bowl too soon.

As for a specific ratio of flour to potatoes/veg. that's going to depend not only on the items you're using, but also cooking method (for instance I recommend baking potatoes for making gnocchi rather than boiling as they will be drier and need less flour added, thus making for a lighter dumpling).

Once you have enough flour in the mix so that you can knead it and work it, I usually do a "stretch" or "tug" test but holding the dough up in the air and with my hands at each end and then kind of pull and push the dough from the ends (hard to explain in text but imagine the push and pull of two magnets you're trying to push together). If it has a bit of tug and a little elasticity you should be fine. If it doesn't, then either knead it a bit more, adding flour only if it is sticky. If it still doesn't have any tug after kneading more, then you probably don't have enough flour. The gluten in the flour is what's going to help hold it all together so that you don't just end up with disintegrating mashed potato/vegetable blobs in your poaching water. If you're making a big batch it will probably take longer than you expect to get it to the right consistency.

As for types of flour, the more protein a flour contains the more liquid it can absorb. While I have not made gnocchi with bread flour, it would take less bread flour than all-purpose to absorb the moisture in the mix. It will also have a more distinct flavor from the add'l protein. One caveat is that it could end up making them too tough due to the extra gluten.

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