Like many crafts which originated in Japan, their sushi training more or less creates sushi artisans.

If you just want to make a snack, you'll have plenty of ability given a basic review of techniques.

You should focus your learning on understanding food-safety, getting the rice right, and making the roll not fall apart.

The rest is just levels of mastery which you need not approach in your kitchen in order to experiment and enjoy a good dish.

I make sushi with friends about once a month, and it's not too difficult.

The thing that took us the longest to get right was the rice, and we got that down after a few tries.

It'll probably take a while to figure out the amount of vinegar you like in it, and how long to leave the seaweed in it while it's cooking.

For nigiri, I've got a little plexiglass box for molding the rice, which makes it somewhat easier to get it a regular shape.

It probably wouldn't be too hard to find one, if you're really into making nigiri and don't want to just do it by hand.

We also tried making tamago (sweetened omelet) from scratch last time, and it came out really well.

We weren't able to make it the proper thickness and have it cook properly, so we ended up making a bunch of very thin layers, stacking them, then rolling them up and slicing them.

We've started making sunomono as well, which makes a good opening to the meal.

Thinly-sliced cucumber, mackerel, and a little bit of miso dressing cut with some mirin (sweetened rice wine).

Sometimes we throw a little seaweed salad on top, as well.

To be a professional, yes there are schools in Japan that take several years to complete including lengthy apprenticeship requirements.

That said, I've taken a 3 hour sushi class

and I can make sushi rice, maki, nigiri, and hand rolls just fine.

They sometimes lack a little in the appearance department though.

Personally-

I use the sushi rice recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" and it worked on the first try.

You should definitely not be afraid to try it.

It took a couple tries getting the technique right for making the rolls but it's a fun family activity as the children get to pick their fillings, etc.

If you haven't seen it already, check out the sushi documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

He is 86 years old and a national treasure of Japan.

Even he, himself, says he has not mastered sushi.

He dreams all the time of how to improve his techniques.

Hence the name of the movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi".

I was able to successfully make my own sushi after two attempts.

The hardest thing to grasp is the amount of labor and techniques needed for the rice.

I first had sushi while living in Australia and watched a food tv show about Outback Bush cooking, with a Bushman cook.

I watched him make maki rolls by hand with fish he caught.

After I saw that, I decided I wanted to learn.

It's worthwhile to research how to prepare the rice correctly because 50% of sushi is pure rice.

Good luck!

Question: I've read somewere in the net that sushi is an extremely difficult food to prepare. It will take at least one year just to learn to cook the rice, and ten year to complete the experience.  It's so difficult? To do a comparison, one could prepare a decent home sushi like one can prepare a decent home dish after some years of home cooking?  It's more like a western chef that needs anyway to study and practice for a long time?

Is sushi so difficult?

A basic review of the techniques should be enough to make sushi without difficulty. The sushi rice recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" is not difficult to master.

You can make basic sushi quite easily with just a little practice.

Making basic sushi is quite easy to master and you don't have to be afraid of not mastering all the techniques.


Here are a few things that have worked for me: Brush oil on the dough before applying toppings.

(Already suggested) Scoop out the seeds and guts and then dice your tomatoes instead of slicing.

This should get rid of some of the moisture.

Add cheese and then place tomatoes on top.

Stretch your dough evenly and not too thin.

I usually don't precook tomatoes (sauce at least) because it ends up getting gummy since they get cooked twice.

I always pre-cook my crust for 3-8 minutes, depending on whether it's thin crust or not.

Works great for what you're describing

but I prefer it even when not using fresh tomatoes,

I like a slightly crispier crust.

Never tried pre-cooking the tomatoes - you could squeeze them, maybe in a ricer, but you're going to lose some texture and a lot of flavor, I would guess.

Thin layer of olive oil on the crust before you add the sauce.

Just drizzle on a little bit and then make sure it's evenly applied with a hand.

Whenever I use fresh tomatoes on pizza, I always put them on the pizza immediately after cooking the pizza.

That way they stay recognizable as fresh tomatoes instead of just turning to mush.

I pre-cook the crust for 90 seconds (>=450 degrees F) on a pre-heated pizza stone.

Problem solved!

I like to slice them about 1/4 inch thick and then drizzle with olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic, liberal salt and pepper.

Bake on a sheet tray lined with parchment or silpat, until they start to release a lot of that juice, drain that juice off (save for other uses or sauce!).

Then let cool before adding to pre-baked pizza (so they don't fall apart) with the other desired toppings.

As long as the pizza doesn't take longer than 30-45 minutes they shouldn't brown too much, and you will get a more intense tomato flavor with your slices.

Question: Whenever I make a pizza with fresh tomatoes on it, the juice from the tomatoes turns the crust to mush.  I think I must be doing something wrong - do I need to pre-cook the tomatoes to get rid of excess juice? Or maybe pre-cook the crust instead?  Is there any way to keep pizza from getting soggy when using fresh tomatoes, or is this just a problem with using fresh tomatoes as toppings on pizza, and there is no way to prevent it?

Keeping pizza crust from getting soggy from fresh tomatoes

Make sure the dough is stretched evenly and precook it for a few minutes first. Brush a thin layer of olive oil on the dough before adding toppings, or add tomatoes immediately after cooking the pizza.

Start by brushing the crust with olive oil. Then you can pre-cook the crust before adding toppings. For fresh tomatoes, add them just as the pizza comes out of the oven.

Brush your crust with olive oil before adding the toppings.

Make sure your dough is not too thin. Pre-cook it so it is already slightly crispy.

With fresh tomatoes, put them on just as the pizza comes out of the oven.


I like to take a nice center cut pork loin and cook it in a slow cooker (crock pot) for 8 hours in homemade bbq sauce.

When it's done, take it out, use two forks to shred it, then put the shredded pieces back into the sauce to coat.

Mmmm...homemade pulled pork.

Freezes really well in individual portions, too.

Another option is to use it to marinade a nice rack of ribs or three, bake it on a very low temperature for a few hours (or as long as a day), and then grill or broil them to finish.

I'd say the rib meat probably freezes well too - but ribs never last that long in our house!

BBQ sauce pizza w/ chicken, red onion, cheddar/american, etc...

As sauce for enchiladas, tacos, quesadilas, etc.... BBQ wings.

A

spicy, cheesy casserole w/ corn, green beans, pasta, etc... Add some to spaghetti sauce for a kick.

Obviously, sauce for just about any meat.

The weather is a bit warm for it, but I use bbq sauce in my chili when I make it.

We do ribs in an oven (no grill, but this works great on a grill if you have it) for about 2 hours wrapped in foil, remove foil, and add barbecue sauce at the end to cook on.

We do a spice rub to begin with.

Truly tasty!

We make our own pizzas and one thing we like to do is mix BBQ sauce with the tomato puree to go on the base - gives it a bit of a twist from normal pizza.

Also, often I'll squirt a bit into shepherds or cottage pie with the meat to make it a bit different from normal.

I haven't tried it with barbecue sauce, but I've had good luck freezing other sauces.

Could you freeze it in batches large enough for one generous order of barbecued meat?

Question: We found a nice recipe lately for barbecue sauce and made 3 variations to test out. The problem is: now we have ~3 pints of homemade barbecue sauce that we need to use before it goes bad. (It won't last nearly as long as store-bought stuff with all of their preservatives).  What are some tasty ways to use up our new sauce?

What to do with barbecue sauce

You can cook meat in it, add it to pizza and pasta sauces, chili, casseroles and other dishes. It can also be used as a sauce for meats, enchiladas, tacos, quesadilas etc. Finally, you can freeze it in individual portions.

You can use it to baste roasting meat, and mixed into other recipes like spaghetti or pizza. It also freezes well.

It would be a good sauce for roasting any meat.

You can use it on pizzas, tacos, in a casserole or in spaghetti sauce.


For me, the best use is making beans.

I find that home cooked beans have a much better taste and texture than from cans.

The pressure cooker can make them in just about an hour from the moment you pour them in the pot to perfectly tender, and no presoaking is required, so I don't have to plan a day in advance.

It's a convenience and a time saver.

The high pressure simply raises the boiling point of water which raises the cooking temperature.

Anything you need to boil (but not evaporate) for a long time will go much faster using it.

Of course without the lid it is also a nice heavy pot.

Canning requires the higher temperature to kill botulism spores but most recipes that call for a pressure cooker will simply take longer.

If you haven't used it in 10 years you are probably fine getting rid of it.

You could send it to me for example. :)

a) Send it to me :) b)

Pressure cookers are good for cooking something like lamb shanks (or other tough meats), which would normally take several hours of braising before becoming tender.

In a pressure cooker, you could probably do it in less than an hour.

I like to use mine as a high pressure steamer.

Pour a 1cm layer of water into the pressure cooker, put a small rack in (came with my pressure cooker) and heat the cooker until the water boils, put your veggies on the rack, close the cooker and cook for two minutes or so on the highest pressure.

Never tasted broccoli that was so fresh.

You could use a steam oven to get the same mode of preparation with more convenience, but it's very pricey.

Pressure cookers use higher pressure to raise the boiling point of water, which means that you can cook at a higher temperature.

That leads to shorter cooking times.

It is especially useful for making braises, stews and stocks.

My personal favorite recipe to make in a pressure cooker is Alton Brown's Pressure Cooker Chili.

I've made the recipe without a pressure cooker and it takes 3-4 for the meat to become nice and tender while the pressure cooker can do it in 25 minutes.

You can use it to make a version of risotto that doesn't take any stirring.

You can make vegetables soup in minutes.

Steel cut oatmeal, very fast too.

Basically anything that would stovetop cook for hours can be done in 20-35minutes mostly.

We did oxtail soup for dinner just last night in an hour, start to eating.

And vegetables can be steamed to perfection in just a few minutes, with some danger of overcooking.

pressure cooker is one of my MUST HAVE in my kitchen because aside from saving me a lot of time tendering my meat

but it also save your electric bill for electric stove.

Laura at plawingwithfireandwater.com uses her pressure cooker to make a cream croquant.

Pour 35% cream in your cooker to 1/2 an inch, cook for ten minutes at full pressure.

You will get a crunchy caramelized bit of gorgeousness made solely with cream.

Pressure cookers generally are ideal for food items that require moist cooking methods that take a long time.

Generally, the can be employed in lieu of: Long boiling or simmering, as with beans or brown rice Stews and other braises Long steaming

Question: We were just clearing out our kitchen and stared at this brand new, unused pressure cooker we got for our wedding over 10 years ago!  We've never felt the need to use it before.  I know it's supposed to be able to cook things really fast, but is this really an essential appliance?  We're debating if we should give it to someone else.  Before I do that though, I think I want to try it a few times. What kinds of things would best demonstrate its usefulness?

What types of cooking are pressure cookers most useful for?

Pressure cookers are convenient and save time, effort and energy. They are good for steaming or for making stocks, stews and soups, and can quickly cook lamb and other meats that would otherwise take hours to become tender. You can also make a risotto without needing to stir.

A pressure cooker will reduce cooking time and is especially useful for recipes that need a lot of cooking time.

Pressure cookers are good for cooking something like lamb shanks (or other tough meats), which would normally take several hours of braising before becoming tender.

It saves time and electricity for recipes that need moist cooking and a lot of time.

You can use it for steaming vegetables. It is good for quick soups and stews and for risotto with no stirring.


The tools I use the most are: Tongs, Spatula for stuck things, A small towel to apply oil, thermometer, a long handled basting brush a brush to clean the grill with spray bottle with water (for flare-ups)

In addition to what others have said, you should have TWO of each meat-handling tool (tongs, mainly).

That way you can use one to handle raw meat, and one to remove cooked meat.

The basic things that you need are: Grill brush to clean the grate Large tongs to get food on and off of the grill With that, oil to oil the grate, fuel, and quite possibly aluminum foil you will be grilling.

A grill basket of sorts can be very useful.

Metal skewers for making kebabs are great if you like that sort of thing and don't want to spend a long amount of time soaking wood skewers

so they don't burn to a crisp.

Tool-wise: spatula, tongs, grill brush (for cleaning) and a basting brush.

If you're using extremely hot fire or high flames there are grill-safe mitts you can buy.

This isn't a tool, but I find buying cedar (or other wood) planks for grilling fish and other meats and veggies on are invaluable.

Similarly, applewood or hickory chips for smoking.

As you get more advanced, there are rotisserie attachments for most grills, but they can get pretty pricey.

I agree with justkt that metal skewers are extremely useful, as well as the grill basket for certain fish and veggies.

If you're using charcoal, a spray bottle with H2O can be handy for flare-ups.

Otherwise, I think others have the bases covered.

I have a wide, flat knife that can be used as a spatula; I find it really useful.

Everything else has pretty much been mentioned, but I would suggest a pair of tongs with decent teeth on them.

It's very disheartening when that burger or steak slips out of your grip and into the coals or onto the ground.

An additional tool that will make grilling much easier is a veggie basket; basically it looks like a saute pan with holes poked throughout it.

Aluminum foil can be your friend, but these little guys are much more flexible.

Question: What are some grilling tools that a beginner should have when purchasing a new grill?  Additionally, are there tools that are useful for the more advanced outdoor cook?

What are some grilling tools that everyone should have?

The most basic tools are tongs, a spatula, a grill brush for cleaning, a basting brush, a thermometer, a water spray bottle for flare ups and a grill basket for veggies. It can be useful to have two of each meat-handling tool, especially tongs.

The basic tools are tongs and a spatula. You could also get a basting brush and a grill brush to clean the grill. A grill basket is also a good addition for vegetables.

You will need tongs and a spatula, a grill brush for cleaning, a basting brush and a grill basket for vegetables.

You should have two of the meat handling tools.


I'm confused.

You don't want fake smoke but you don't want to use wood?

Are you asking for a synthetic substance you can burn that will not be worse for the environment than burning wood?

First of all- burning wood is not bad for the environment- that carbon has not been sequestered and so it would be released into the atmosphere anyway when the wood decayed.

Secondly-

mesquite is a cancerous weed here in Texas

and I encourage everyone to smoke with it to restore the damaged ecosystem.

Thirdly-

You can't fake the taste of smoking with wood.

That's the point.

Even liquid smoke is actually made by distilling real smoke.

(I originally posted a comment and decided to modify it into an answer.)

i made a smoked salmon recently that used tea leaves (from tea bags, specifically chai and a black tea with citrus), and it was very subtle and awesome.

highly recommended.

i used, i believe, 3 tea bags total, plus 2T of brown sugar and 2T of white rice in a lightly folded foil packet.

I believe that cooking on a plank of wet wood will give you some of the flavor of smoking without actually burning the wood.

But I don't think the flavor will be nearly as strong.

it is possible to smoke foods with products other than traditional wood chips.

however i have achieved best results by mixing with wood.

i like ginger (sliced the same size as a wood chip), star anise, cinnamon stick (broken to roughly the same size as a wood chip), garlic, thyme (soaked in water), tea

(i enjoy using jasmine tea), rosemary, peppercorns (soaked in water), citrus peel, chips from wine casks or bourbon cask.

any type of woody plant stalk will do as well.

There are many different woods used for smoking throughout the world, each giving a characteristic flavor, intensity, and color to the foods that are smoked with it.

You are not going to get the "hickory smoked" taste by using anything but hickory.

Here is the list of common smoking woods given by Nathan Myhrvold in Modernist Cuisine Vol 2 : grapevine straw ash, elm, hornbeam, chestnut tea leaves alder apple cherry, peach corncob heather (dried) mahogany thyme, marjoram, or sage (dried) walnut linden birch, poplar,

willow hickory pecan laurel rosemary, dried beech juniper camphor laurel oak mesquite Additionally, in some areas where vegetation is less available locals use dried manure or peat to smoke meat.

Other sources: http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Woods.htm

The best alternative to wood chips is a new product called Smokin-os and they are sold on Amazon.

They give great smoke and are very simple to use.

All you do is preheat your grill and put one on the grill surface where you put your food.

They are made of fruitwood trimmings that are normally piled and burned.

The trimmings are ground up and then extruded under high heat and pressure putting the wood back together denser (up to 2 times more dense) than it was in its natural state.

Therefore it takes less of it to produce a lot of rich smoke.

Its the only product that I'm aware of in the market.

This process is done using heat and extreme pressure to bind the wood back together using the woods natural resins.

Question: I am looking for alternatives to using wood chips for smoking meats.  I would like the process to actually smoke the meat.  Liquid smoke/marinades are not what I'm looking for.    Has anyone heard of any projects or items that could be used?  I'm thinking of a more environmentally friendly way to smoke meats without relying on wood such as apple, cherry, hickory or mesquite.  The cost of obtaining these woods in some parts of the world make it cost-prohibitive.

Artificial Wood Chips/Smoke for smoking meat

Nathan Myhrvold lists the following common smoking woods in Modernist Cuisine Vol 2:   grapevine  straw ash, elm, hornbeam, chestnut  tea leaves  alder  apple  cherry, peach  corncob  heather (dried)  mahogany  thyme, marjoram, or sage (dried)   walnut  linden  birch and poplar. Smoked salmon with tea bags can taste good, and  any woody plant stalk can be used for smoking.

Teabags or any woody plant can be burned for smoking. You can also you a plank of wet wood.

You can smoke using any woody plant stalk like thyme or marjoram. You can also use teabags.

Try placing your meat on a plank of wet wood over the heat source.


Red Burgundy wine is made from Pinot noir grapes, so a Pinor noir from another region probably will work well.

Wikipedia describes Pinot noir as “light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant”, so any wine with those characteristics, such as a light Zinfandel or Shiraz/Syrah will be similarly substitutable.

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Julia Child says it should be made with a full-bodied young red wine.

She lists the following options: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux Saint-Émilion, Burgundy, or a Chianti.

I've made it with a Bordeaux and can attest to it being delicious.

It would change the flavor profile enormously, but making the equivalent of Boeuf Bourguignon with beer would probably be quite tasty.

I've had great success in the past using a chianti.

I'd had success with Cabernet Sauvignon before (South Australia).

I tend to associate "full-bodied" (and hence better for cooking since delicacy isn't relevant) with Cab Sav and Shiraz varieties far more than, say, Pinot Noir.

Could be the characteristics of the local wines, though.

I'd be surprised if the choice of wine made a huge difference to the dish, however, as long as you didn't stray too far from the criterion of "ordinary red wine".

Try a Fuzion Malbec.

It's a cheap Argentinian that stands up really well.

In Ontario, it's about 8 bucks a bottle, and anything comparable is at least 12-15.

For god's sake, don't be cooking with a 30-50 pinot.

That's for drinking!

Try a Ribera del Duero ; you may be surprised.

I certainly had a very delicious Boeuf Bourguignon in Calais one cold and wintry evening.

I complained that it was clearly not made with red wine and was rather pale and anaemic.

The chef came out smiling all over his face. "

Mais oui, monsieur, it ees my mother's own recipe.

White burgundy from my home town."

He showed me the bottle.

It said Grand Cru on the label.

So I proceeded to try to hide in my seat.

It was followed up by an excellent Roquefort from his cousin's place down in the Auvergne and he insisted I must have a good red wine (Burgundy) with this, on the house.

So we drank the whole bottle between the two of us!

Memorable evening!

You need some liquid that is as tasty as wine.

Perhaps some beef consommé (Can o' Campbells!) would do the job.

I would add a bit of red wine vinegar, or balsamic, to make it a little bit acidic.

I've not tried it but my uncle was telling me

he's started using cider for this, googling turns up a few beef in cider recipes so he may not be losing his marbles just yet!

Question: Traditionally a Burgundy wine is used for  Beef Bourguignon . What are alternative replacements for this dish?

What are some alternative wines for Boeuf Bourguignon?

In  Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Julia Child says it should be made with a full-bodied young red wine. Possible options include Bordeaux, Chianti, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fuzion Malbec or Ribera del Duero. Other liquids that are as tasty as wine can be used, including cider and beer, although this could change the flavour profile significantly.

You can use any full-bodied red wine. A Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Malbec or Chianti are all good options.

You can use any full-bodied red wine. Alternatively, you can try beer or cider.

Try a full-bodied red wine like a Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti or Malbec.


My fried rice started getting closer to east coast restaurant style when I started doing a couple of new things: Use Chinese 5 Spice Powder

- Like Indian Garam Masala, this is a spice mixture that is so common in Chinese cooking that it's sold pre-mixed.

I've started using it in a lot of my chinese cooking.

It makes a big difference.

Add a bit more soy sauce -

This seems to be where most of your coloring comes from, so judge by look.

Use some sesame oil

- I find sesame oil provides a nice flavor element in asian dishes.

Use more oil while frying the rice

- I use a mix of sesame and vegetable or canola.

This makes it quite a lot greasier than I was making it, but it's closer to restaurant style.

Let the rice sit while frying - Once the rice is in the wok, I don't stir it too much.

This lets some of the rice on the bottom get a bit more fried than if you stir frequently.

Hope one of those helps.

A basic ingredient of Chinese fried rice which nobody seems to be aware of is stock .

That's right

, you heard me right.

Chinese fried rice is made with stock .

I kid you not.

You should consider it an indispensable ingredient.

You can make a simple stock out of a stock cube and some hot water.

You add the stock after you put the rice in the frying pan/wok.

Another basic ingredient is scrambled eggs.

You should fry these separately from the rest of the ingredients and add them at the end of the cooking.

What you're missing is monosodium glutamate (a.k.a. MSG, Accent , or flavour enhancer).

Trust me: my girlfriend is from Hong Kong.

Using stock, as The Galloping Gourmet suggested, is right on the money as most commercial stock contains MSG.

It's molasses, not more soy sauce, that you're after.

Use day-old rice and start with 1 teaspoon of molasses (less if the amount of rice is small), and add more to taste.

You can always add more molasses but not take away, so be careful.

They use DARK soy sauce.

One tablespoon per 3 cups rice is ideal.

Stores like Whole Foods and Central Market carry it.

It makes the rice much darker.

Also, add large pieces of onion (1-inch by 1-inch) crispy tender.

Some people add peas.

Stir in scrambled eggs.

Not sure about East Coast

but I know as a Chinese-Canadian that Oyster Sauce is a traditional ingredient in most fried rice dishes.

That would shortly explain the darker color and savouriness.

Source:

My parents from southern China

This is from a Polynesian Chinese restaurant owner and his daughters who are chefs as well.

It's black Chinese molasses or sweet sauce.

This is found mostly in New England Chinese restaurants.

You take rice cook it the day before and refrigerate overnight.

You need a gas stove or high temp wok to obtain about 400 degrees.

Stir fry your scallions, egg, shrimp, bean sprouts etc in the molasses, soy sauce(sparingly), neutral oil, like grape seed, and whatever seasonings you like in the pan.

Add a little more molasses and put the rice in.

The whole idea is to flash fry it at this point, hence the high heat and very brief cooking time.

About a minute or two.

That's how it's done.

I just released a trade secret, but it is soooooo good!

Try Maggi Asian Seasoning or Golden Mountain Seasoning.

My wife worked at Dan Chan's in Fitchburg in the 70's.

She said they used a dark thick Oyster sauce.

It was my favorite.

Can't get it here in North Carolina either.

They use a yellow rice.

Like the Californian, I too hate flavorless light-colored "fried rice."

I am from the city of St. Louis, Missouri where the fried rice is dark, rich in flavor, not sticky (from stock during cooking), nor tasteless (from cooking fresh rice).

While it is true that you want to make your fried rice with day-old cold rice, you want to add ingredients such as:1) seasoned wok oil2) chopped onion3)

mix in a separate cup 1 pkt of fried rice seasoning mix,

DARK soy sauce, 1 tsp molasses, and 1 tsp fish sauce or oyster sauce.

Add mixture to your rice when stir-frying over high heat.

Stir-fry until even in color and temperature.

You can add scrambled eggs and green onions afterward if desired.

Never add lots of liquid to the wok when stir-frying pre-cooked rice unless you enjoy soggy rice clumps.

The Chinese restaurants never serve clumped up fried rice because you can not get an even brown color throughout. Enjoy!

Dark Mushroom Soy Sauce is specifically the sauce.

I call it antimatter because it is WAY BLACK.

First, use whole grain par boiled rice.

It is somewhat oval in shape.

Do not use fluffy rice.

I use garlic oil, good soy sauce, some oyster sauce and some MOLASSES, that is the secret ingredient.

Add it all to the rice.

fry up

diced fatty pork then on a very hot wok add all the ingredients.

Stir frequently for a minute or so.

Add diced scallion.

I know what everyone means and it is frustrating searching for the recipe that anyone on the East Coast probably takes for granted.

I have never achieved it.

I am attempting to figure it out.

Kekap Manis is a sweet and thick soy sauce.

So to all those who might sneer at the molasses, do not doubt.

I understand that if you cannot find the Kekap Manis it can be achieved by equal parts brown sugar and soy sauce, boiled till syrupy (Credit Recipe Tin Eats).

Now this makes sense.

The traditional Indonesian rice is called Nasi Goreng.

The rice is dark, not sticky and it really is not fried at all as we might think: it is tossed in and heated with the aromatics and whatever else you actually fried first..

I understand that many if not most regions use shrimp paste.

This is also not available easily.

Nevertheless with these basic concepts in mind, this has to be close.

Question: I've been living in California for about 14 years and really miss the Chinese fried rice I would get at Chinese restaurants on the East Coast (Boston in specific).  The fried rice I get at Chinese restaurants in California is much lighter in color and flavor.  I thought adding more soy sauce would do the trick.  There's definitely something else in the mix.  The rice that I'm trying to emulate has more of a malty, savory taste to it.

How can I make Chinese Fried Rice like they do on the East Coast?

The ingredients you are referring to could include Chinese 5 spice powder,  Maggi Asian Seasoning or Golden Mountain Seasoning, sesame oil, stock, MSG, black Chinese molasses or sweet sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce or fish sauce.

Chinese fried rice is made with stock. It also uses 5 spice and sesame oil. The missing ingredients could be dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and molasses. You could also be missing MSG.

Try using Chinese 5 spice, asian seasoning and sesame oil.

You either need dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, molasses or a mixture of the 3.


Yes, and I find it taste better.

When I make lasagna I will not fully cook the pasta.

Instead, I keep a pot of boiling water and I dip the pasta into it to soften while I'm assembling the dish; the pasta is in the water for less than one minute.

The pasta seems to absorb more of the sauce, keeping the flavor but making a dish that does not fall apart as easily.

Absolutely, it will work!

You can keep it in the refrigerator, ready to bake, for a couple of days.

It also works very well to freeze it at that point, to defrost & bake at a later date.

The only catch is that the baking time may need to be extended a bit, since you'll be working with a product that is refrigerator-cold, as opposed to freshly cooked.

I would cook the lasagne and then re-heat the next day.

If you assemble the lasagna while the sauce(s) are warm then you will find that the pasta starts to curl up.

My wife and I have made lasagna for over 100 people on a few occasions.

The way we have done this is to make several full pans of the product and then freeze them down for later use (up to two weeks).

We have seen great success with his technique.

As far as making it one day and then cooking it the next (without freezing), this is actually a real good way to do it.

However, I wouldn't wait more than 48 hours, as the breakdown will start to occur at this stage.

We did this when I worked prep in a restaurant.

Half cooked the pasta and pre-cooked the meat layer.

Assembled it cold and refrigerated over night.

It took about 45 minutes to cook on 350 f.

It was also covered in plastic wrap first

then a layer of tin foil.

This helped keep it moisture while storing and cooking.

It does seem to taste much better.

It will most certainly work.

In fact, re-heated lasagne can taste better than it would straight off the stove.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw

I prepared lasagne last night uncooked and left in the fridge overnight, when i went to cook it the bechamel that i made has soaked in the uncooked lasagne sheets, wont do this mistake again

Question: I've always made it on the spot and cooked it then and there, but would like to make at home and take it to a large party the next day and cook it then - will it work?

Can you assemble lasagna one day, and then bake it about 24 hrs later?

Reheating lasagna is possible, and it can taste better the next day.

You can leave it, uncooked, in the fridge for 48 hours.

Cooking it the next day is definitely possible and may even improve the flavours.


Without a canner you are limited to canning high-acid foods.

Botulism spores don't die at 212F, the boiling point of water.

A pressure canner boiling water at 15PSI raises the boiling point to 250F or so which will kill the spores.

The bacterium cannot grow in a high acid environment and so high-acid foods such as fruit and pickles do not need to be processed in a pressure canner.

Look for recipes for such foods.

As use2199 said they will involve boiling the jars for a while to kill things.

An excellent resource is the Ball Blue Book that can often be found near the canning supplies in grocery stores.

It always calls for Ball products of course

but it has a ton of good canning recipes and instructions.

Don't experiment.

Botulism is not a fun thing.

Your lips get tingly

and then you die shortly aftwards.

Salsa, tomato sauce, and various pickled vegetables are typically all you can do if you want to have a shelf stable product using a boiling water bath.

Nowadays, many recipes add extra acid (vinegar or lemon juice typically) to tomato products to make sure that botulism spores can not grow because tomatoes today have been breed to be sweeter than in days past.

Freeze the food or spring for the pressure canner if you want to do low acid vegetables, meat, soups or stews.

Here are the things I'd have liked to know before I tried hot water canning:

It's not as straightforward as it sounds.

In addition to a large pot of boiling water and canning jars, you'll need a special rack.

You can buy a pot + rack combo, or just a rack that'll fit in a standard stockpot.

You'll also need special tongs; as I discovered, you can jury-rig something with thick rubber gloves and bbq tongs, but you'll get boiling water everywhere and be very frustrated.

Just buy a kit online, they're cheap enough.

You'll be instructed to use the oven to sterilize the jars.

You'll be instructed to use boiling water to sterilize the lids.

Don't sterilize the rings that hold the lid in place; they don't touch the inside of the jar anyway, and sterilization will make them very hot when you try to screw them in.

Everything -- EVERYTHING -- involved in the canning process NEEDS to be kept hot at all times.

Crack open a window; my kitchen got very uncomfortable once there were several pots of boiling water plus the stove all going at the same time.

I am working on a related question and I have discovered that there is an industrial process for canning at atmospheric pressure called "Flame Sterilization."

Flame Sterilization works using very high temperatures directed from one side, where the can is rotated rapidly to prevent one side of the internal contents from getting too hot.

This is achieved, apparently, by rolling the cans through the sterilization chamber.

The process is for low or high acid foods.

Because of the lack of pressurization, smaller, more robust cans are used that can withstand the high internal pressure generated.

However, should there be some kind of failure, for example a blockage preventing the cans from running through the chamber, the batch is at risk.

This means that over the years in the USA at least the Flame Sterilization process is now little used.

Apparently it used to be popular with small tinned preserved mushrooms.

What it does mean is that if this process is still being used somewhere in the world, then there is a supplier of cans intended for flame sterilization and resistant to explosion from internal pressures of 120C steam.

If you can find a supplier of cans for flame sterilization I would like to know, as this means that canning will be possible in an oil bath regulated at 120 or 130C.

The "Hot Water Bath" method involves completely submerging and heating jars in boiling water for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the type and amount of food.

Be aware that this method, unlike pressurised canning, will not kill Clostridium botulinum , so it may only be used for highly acidic food (with a pH of 4.6 or less) unless the jars will be stored at low temperature (below 3 degrees C or 38 degrees F).

I don't have a pressure canner either, so whatever I have that's not safe to can, I freeze in freezer jars.

(which I got on sale for less than three bucks for three last month)

Question: I'm debating canning but I don't have a pressure canner. I was just wondering what the best method to can would be since I don't want to get botulism and I want the canned food to last for a long time.

Method of canning without pressure canner?

You can use the 'hot water bath' method to completely submerge and heat jars in boiling water for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the type and amount of food. However, this will only provide shelf stable products for tomato sauce and various pickled vegetables.

It is not recommended to try canning without a pressure canner. However, you can try the water bath method as an alternative.

You can can pickled foods without a pressure canner.

A hot water bath will boil the jars for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the food.


Yes there are benefits!

This is one of my most used pieces of kitchen equipments.

Here is a list of benefits for a quality rice cooker: Never burns rice No

guess measurements for all kinds of rice Scheduled cooking Keep warm settings Uniform cooking When I cook rice on my stove, even at the lowest of heats, I get a thin layer of rice that has overcooked stuck to the bottom of the pot.

For the record I have the Zojirushi 5-1/2 cup induction rice cooker .

Best thing ever.

A dedicated rice cooker works by measuring the internal temperature as the rice steams and water boils away.

In my mind the greatest benefit is that different types of rice that have different cooking times will be cooked correctly in a rice cooker.

Another benefit is that you can start the rice early and the cooker will keep it warm after it's done cooking so it doesn't require babysitting.

The biggest down side is that it takes up a lot of space for one task.

If you don't make rice all the time or if you are already good at making rice in a pot then you probably don't need to waste the space.

We make rice all the time but my wife is good at making it in a pot.

When our rice cooker broke we didn't replace it.

It helps you cook large quantities of rice.

Whenever I need to make four or more cups of rice

I use the rice cooker.

I find it difficult to get it right on the stovetop.

The one benefit that everyone has missed is that the rice cooker leaves a very thin layer of rice in the bottom which is coveted by every golden retriever in the country.

Our dogs love our rice cooker!

Every important benefit has already been said.

I cannot live without it anymore.

I find it perfect expecially for brown rices.

and you can always use your rice cooker for a lot of different uses...

Check this article, it gave me a lot of inspiration: repurposing rice cooker .

(Rice cooker also saved my life when the gas cylinder one day magically became empty, leaving me without a stove for two days)

Question: For which reasons should I use a dedicated rice cooker, instead of cooking rice in a pot?

What are the benefits of using a dedicated rice cooker, rather than just cooking rice in a pot?

A rice cooker measures the temperature while cooking and provides a more even cooking without burning or overcooking at the bottom. The scheduled cooking and keep warm settings allow you to prepare the rice earlier and have it ready in time. You can also cook large quantities of rice with it.

A rice cooker measures the internal temperature and moisture of the rice to ensure uniform cooking. It is good for cooking large amounts and will keep it warm until you're ready.


Sumac is commonly used a tart flavoring element in the eastern Mediterranen region.

Historians believe that it was the common sour element in cooking for that area prior to domestication of lemons.

It is a characteristic seasoning element in Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad.

It's not usually available in the mainstream spice section of most grocery stores.

The best place to locate it is in mid-eastern markets, delis, upscale stores such as Dean & Deluca or online through P enzey's or the Spice House .

The fruit of some varieties is used in traditional Middle Eastern cuisine.

They dry it and use it like paprika (though it's flavor is more citrusy.)

Make sure you get the right kind .

Sumac runs the gamut between edible and poisonous.

It's used in Mediterranean cooking, though I don't know why more people don't use it.

There were shakers of it on each table at a restaurant I used to go to before its nearby location closed - http://www.sorrentogrill.com/ .

Anyways, my favorite thing to get there was the Braised Chicken on Wednesdays.

I would heavily sprinkle sumac on it!

The sumac gave a great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavor .

It was the reason I got the dish - because I knew I could have the sumac with it!

They also served warm pita with a yogurt sauce.

I would add sumac to that yogurt sauce , along with some salt, for a great way to start the meal.

You should definitely get some and experiment with it.

It's certainly not a strange taste, just a very pleasing combination of flavors you don't get from other spices .

If you ask me, it also has a hint of mushrooms.

Sumac is a major component in zatar, a Mideastern spice blend.

Goes very well with any meats, especially beef, goat, and lamb.

salads of any kind if you make any deep fried food (such as falafel) dip them once into sumac, it adds an amazing flavor on top of dips in meat loaf / meat ball type dishes

I asked the same question to one of my friend, we do not use sumac that much either.

He basically said whenever you eat onion use sumac.

I tried couple times it works.

You can add it to any salad.

I make onion salad with sumac, very easy.

Mix onion and sumac and squeeze it by hands.

It goes great with hot dog, burger etc.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/10916/Dallas Homes For Sale

Question: A friend of mine told me she uses sumac (I am not sure she was teasing me, or what).Is sumac used in cuisine? If it is used, what is it used for?

What is sumac used for?

Sumac gives a  great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavour. It is used as a tart flavouring element in eastern Mediterranean cooking, including Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad. It goes well with meats and is used together with onion and zatar, a Mideastern spice blend.

Sumac is a spice that is very commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking with all kinds of dishes.

Sumac is a spice used in Mediterranean and middle eastern cooking. It can be used with meats and anytime you use an onion.

Sumac has a slightly acidic and salty flavour.


The main reason you put boiling water in the teapot before making tea is to heat up the teapot.

You dump out the now cooler water and then add your teabags and more boiling water, and the teapot will now be warm and not leech out the temperature from within it.

This results in tastier tea, but is totally not necessary if you didn't make enough hot water, or don't want to spend the time doing so.

Preheating the tea pot with hot water will also prevent the tea pot from cracking when you do add boiling hot water for the tea to steep in.

I will say that I have a fairly thick-walled tea pot, I rarely preheat it, and I've never seen any danger of cracking.

However, if I had a nice china pot, I would preheat it.

Better safe than sorry!

My mother and father were raised and lived in Wales and England from 1903-1923.

The homes were quite cold in the fall, winter and spring.

If you put boiling water into an extremely cold teapot it would crack and weaken the pot.

I have been trained to do this even when it is in the warmth of summer.

I have noticed that if someone pours boiling water into my bone china tea cups or mugs, that they will crack.

The china cups and tea pots should at least be at room temperature otherwise a warm rise is required.

Assuming it's clean beforehand, the only reason I can think to do this would be to keep the water hotter longer by heating the pot a bit (or, if it's a ceramic pot, to prevent the glaze from cracking...

I certainly wouldn't use boiling water for that though).

Tea should steep well before the water is too cool.

I don't see any reason to rinse the pot.

I don't remember whether I've ever seen a teapot or cup break apart the first time it was filled with boiling water.

But I have seen cups develop cracks.

Being wide open at the top, it's easy to see a new crack in a cup.

Pots are a different story.

The small openings limit both light and sight, so cracking may not become apparent until it works its way to the outside.

Once it works its way through, it will just keep getting bigger and the pot weaker.

I imagine none of us remember seeing a pot break apart because of modern improvements in the chemistry, molding, firing, and handling of china.

With fewer faults in the finished clay, the effects of rapid heating aren't so severe.

But an old-fashioned pot or cup deserves gradual pre-heating for two reasons.

The liklihood of faults due to manufacturing of older goods is one.

The liklihood of hidden damage due to long use is the other.

When you bring a teapot home from an estate sale or an antique shop, you may not be able to tell if there are already cracks inside the pot.

There may even be hairline cracks on the outside, so fine that you can't see them easily.

Whether inside or out, the cracks will surely suffer from boiling water unless gradually preheated.

I've come up with a quick and energy-efficient way to gradually preheat a china pot or cup.

While the kettle is on the fire, I put a small amount of cool tap water into the pot or cup, then pop it into the microwave for 20 to 60 seconds, depending on size.

When the kettle is ready, the pot or cup is ready.

Nuking a pot or a cup might seem like drastic pre-heating, but it is slow-w-w-w by comparison with the instantaneous heating that comes with boiling water.

This is tea-tasters' lore, on the basis that the best flavour is extracted from the leaves at a temperature as close to boiling as possible.

Heavy ceramic pots will absorb a lot of the heat from the water unless pre-heated, and a cooler extraction will be less efficient.

This is less important with thinner metal pots where heat absorbtion is less.

Pouring boiling water into a bone china or porcelain teapot without heating the pot first will cause the glaze to crack.

Question: Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water, or does that make no difference?

Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water before putting the tea leaves in?

Preheating a cold teapot stops it from cracking or weakening and keeps the tea warmer for longer.

Preheating the teapot before you put the tea in will prevent it from cracking and will keep the tea warmer for longer.

Heating the pot beforehand prevents it from cracking when you pour the boiling water in.

Heating the teapot beforehand helps to keep the tea warmer for longer.


In muffins and quick breads , I have found that you can actually substitute apple sauce for oil or melted butter.

This has worked very well for me!

Use the same amount of apple sauce that you would oil/butter, if not a bit extra.

There are a lot of considerations to make when substituting for butter since it plays several roles that depend on the baked good.

Creaming solid butter with sugar is essential for the texture of a cake, because that's where you make all the little pockets that air will blow up later.

Anything that you can similarly beat might substitute well.

Personally I'm considering experimenting with bananas in recipes like this.

Baked goods that use baking soda and don't require creaming are good candidates for having their butter replaced, especially if they just require melted butter.

This is where I'd be experimenting with yogurt or bananas or whatever else sounds interesting.

The way the fat melts determines how much a cookie spreads as it cooks.

A fat with a higher melting temp would make taller cookies, while using melted butter would make flatter cookies.

Oil would be a good substitute in recipes requiring melted butter, just remember that butter is 10-20% water.

In pie crusts, pastries, and biscuits, you build up layers of dough and butter when you roll and knead them, and this is what creates a flaky dough.

Lots of recipes use part butter and part lard for their different melting points to balance flakiness and tenderness.

Using any fat-free substitute would probably be disastrous but I haven't experimented.

This is the one place where I really wouldn't consider using bananas, because you need fat to separate the layers.

Lard has less saturated fat than butter, and it's great in pie crusts.

I can't speak to its other baking applications because I stick to butter for cookies and muffins and such, but experimenting with less butter when combined with lard to produce the total fat called for in such recipes might be worthwhile.

Also, About.com has an article on dairy-free baking that you might find useful.

It discusses when to use oil and when to use margarine (and when margarine is called for, there are some decent alternatives to traditional margarine on the market); the article has other great tips for baking, as well.

I use fat free Greek yogurt.

I found it as a recommendation when I was looking up Greek yogurt and everything I have made with it came out as good or better than with butter.

Use the same amount

Just use vegetable or canola oil.

You'll likely need to adjust your measurement a bit, you typically would use less oil than the equivalent amount of butter.

You may need to add a bit more water to compensate for the water present in butter (nearly 20% of butter is water).

Also note that the finished good will be textured differently.

Cookies will tend to be flatter because you cannot cream the sugar into the oil as you can with butter.

A way to reduce the use of butter is to make a spread combining butter and canola oil.

1/2 cup butter (softened)1/2 cup canola oil Blend until combined, store in a covered dish in the fridge.

Use like butter for baking or as a spread.

It has ~ half the saturated fat as butter and negligible amounts of trans fats.

Provides mono-unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

A compromise though and not what you asked.

I have found this to be a decent compromise.

I typically hate naming specific brand names but Smart Balance is a decent butter substitute for baking and is used in a 1:1 ratio.

Unfortunately, there will always be a texture difference because different fats react differently to heat, specifically how fast it melts.

Shortening, for example, melts between 115 and 117, meaning it melts pretty fast compared to butter, which melts between 90 and 95.

The faster it melts, the flatter your cookie is likely to be.

You can use coconut oil instead of butter or in addition to butter.

It will flavor the cookies or cake with a very mild flavor of coconut....use the organic brand of coconut oil.

Earth Balance ( see this site ) has excellent non-dairy, no trans fat butter sticks (1-1 substitute for butter).

I've personally baked with them dozens of times and they work wonderfully for everything from pie crusts to cookies and muffins.

1 banana can substitue for 1 stick of butter.

I recently tried this for a banana bread recipe & it worked great.

Added extra banana flavor & eliminated a lot of fat & calories.

I recommend using a fresh banana (not too ripe) so the texture is still firm.

Question: What can I substitute for 1 cup of butter in baking recipes (e.g. cookies, muffins, cakes, etc.)?  I'm looking for something that has less saturated fat (and  also doesn't have trans fat).  Update:  Since baking is less forgiving than cooking (i.e. if you don't use the exact amount of each ingredient the recipe might fail), could you please also include the amount you would need to use to replace  1 cup of butter ?

Butter substitute for 1 cup of butter for baking

Butter plays several roles depending on the baked good, but usually you can replace it with canola/vegetable oil or a mixture of oil and butter. Lard has less saturated fat than butter, and is good in pie crusts. In some cases, butter can be replaced with Greek yoghurt, bananasand even apple sauce in muffins and quick breads.

It depends on the recipe you are making. You can replace some of the butter with vegetable oil or lard. Bananas and apple sauce can also be good replacements.

You can replace some of the butter with vegetable oil. Lard also has less fat than butter.

It depends on what you are baking as butter has a different role in different things.


Soup freezes great in my experience.

To freeze it for long term storage, you'll probably want it to be vacuum sealed.

In order to do this I freeze individual sized portions in Tupperware-style containers (make sure to leave enough room for expansion), and as soon as they're solid, vacuum seal those large "cubes".

They generally stack pretty nicely in our garage freezer.

In general soups should thaw and taste very good, some flavors even seem become stronger or seem to enhance and meld better with the freezing.

If you vacuum seal them as above you can throw them (still sealed) into a pot of boiling water for hot soup relatively fast!

As an aside, another great option with a leftover turkey frame would be to save it with previous odds and ends (carrot/celery ends, onion pieces, etc) in the freezer, and when you have enough make a simple stock.

You can then freeze the stock into cubes (in ice cube trays) for soup-making later, sauteeing veggies, in place of water for more flavorful rice, and a ton of other things.

I usually freeze soup in ice cubes trays and when the cubes are frozen, I transfer them to a freezing bag.

Small soup cubes defrost faster than big soup blocks, so when I come back home late and tired from work

, I can have a hot soup in a few minutes, just putting some cubes in a hot pan...

I freeze soup all the time.

The only issue I've ever had is that the texture of large pieces of vegetables can change slightly after they're frozen -- possibly because the ice crystals break cell walls.

I've noticed this particularly with potatoes and carrots.

But only large pieces seem to have this problem.

We freeze soup all the time, either in plastic containers or in freezer bags.

We haven't had any problems with noodles in frozen soups.

That will freeze (and thaw) just fine.

Soup usually freezes beautifully.

Some veggies may suffer a slight texture change, if that is a problem, you can just freeze the meat and broth, and add fresh veggies when you thaw and reheat.

Question: I am planning on making soup with my leftover turkey frame. I was just wondering if it is possible to freeze the soup and have it taste good when it is thawed. I am guessing it should be fine as long there aren't any noodles in the soup. Other than that the only ingredients called for are vegetables (celery, can of diced tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms) and spices.   What do you think?

Can you freeze soup?

Soup freezes very well, and can be frozen in plastic containers, freezer bags or ice cube trays before being transferred to a freezer bag. For longer storage, it may be better vacuum sealed. While the liquid part freezes and thaws well, the texture of larger pieces of vegetables may be affected as the cell walls break down. To avoid this, you can just freeze the broth and add fresh vegetables later.

Soup freezes really well. Larger vegetables may go slightly mushy so you can always freeze it without the vegetables and add them in later.

Soup freezes really well. Use vacuum packed plastic bags or ice cube trays or plastic containers.

The texture of larger vegetables may become slightly mushy. You can also freeze the just the broth and add vegetables just before serving.


Time has nothing to do with cooking risotto -- you cook it '

til it stops absorbing liquid.

I don't even cook by amount of liquid added, as it's more a cook-it-until-it's

-done type recipe.

When the rice stops aborbing liquid well, it's generally done, but an occassional check for texture never hurts.

Type of rice will affect things, as will elevation from sea level, temperature of the cooking vessel, and surface area of the cooking vessel.

See : Why do I need more time and liquid than my risotto recipe calls for?

How should I prepare Risotto

Altitude could be a problem.

Rice will take longer to cook at higher altitudes.

My suggestion is to continue cooking and adding broth until the rice is at the texture you desire.

Taste often.

If you want to make the cook time shorter, you can par-boil the rice.

Here is a link that explains how that is done.

The biggest mistake I see when people make risotto is they add way too much liquid.

If you add too much liquid most of it evaporates than gets absorbed by the grain.

While risotto is a "cook it until it's done" recipe

as @Joe stated, there are some "rules": 1/2 cup of stock per session and never stop stirring At about the 20 minute mark, with Arborio, it should be close to done, I usually start tasting at about the 15-18 minute mark

The right heat, as with most cooking, is paramount to a good outcome, you want a slow and steady simmer on when liquid is the pan

It is time to add more liquid when there is none in the sautee pan Without more details as type of rice, process, or whether you are strictly adhering to a recipe, it is a bit difficult to give you the best advice.

Short answer is that you forget about the time in any recipe, more or less.

When you get around a minute or so from the intended time you start tasting the risotto for doneness.

It should have a bite without being hard.

If you run out of cooking liquid and the risotto isn't done, just add more liquid.

If you are using stock and you don't want any more flavor from the stock, use water.

When you are happy with the mouthfeel, your risotto is done.

If you're not starting by cooking the rice in butter (and otherwise dry), that could be your problem.

If you already are . . .

try cooking it a bit longer before adding the liquid.

This helps get the rice cooking earlier and helps it absorb enough liquid.

Also note that risotto is supposed to keep a bit of an "al dente" feel to it.

If you cook it to mush, it's overdone.

I would make TWO specific suggestions: FIRST , you MUST toast the rice.

I begin with olive oil, where I brown my yellow onions and garlic.

As soon as this is complete, I add my SHORT-GRAINED rice (Arborio, Carnarolli) and "toss" the rice well until it is lightly covered.

Allow the rice to slightly toast before beginning to add your liquid.

SECOND , you MUST warm all your liquid BEFORE

you add it a ladle at a time.

This prevents the kernels of rice from breaking open.

If you use room-temperature or cold liquid, the risotto temporarily stops cooking when you add the liquid, until the mixture can heat back up.

LASTLY, an authentic Italian risotto is almost soupy in texture.

It is very creamy but not "lumpy" at all.

Good luck!

Bon Apetit!

Risotto Basics Risotto is made by heating rice so it absorbs liquid, the absorption rate is key.

Stopping cooking shortly before the rice is 'full' of liquid results in al dente risotto - stopping afterwards can result in a more liquid risotto.

Cheap arborio rice is often overdried and will not absorb moisture properly - resulting in a grainy texture regardless of how it's cooked.

If you have grainy textures no matter what you do, try switching brands of rice.

The ideal method for introducing liquid to your risotto is to make it 'thirsty', aka on the verge of running out of stock at all points, which results in parts of the risotto frying for periods instead of stewing in the liquid, helping to inculcate flavour.

You ladle in liquid as it's nearly gone, from another pot, which is keeping the stock hot (so it doesn't cool down your pan if you put it in cold).

Always fry the rice (in olive oil) before introducing the stock.

A light 'browning' will vastly improve the flavour and texture of the rice.

Learn to identify (by taste or sight) the level of absorption of the rice, so you know when to add extra ingredients such as chicken, beef, mushrooms, peas, zucchini, or broccoli, etc.

You can pre-cook them separately, but to a certain degree the rice's flavour will depend on what it is cooked with - and it removes flavour from the other ingredients, also.

Question: I've prepared risotto from scratch a handful of times in the last few months.  While I've been happy with the flavor, the texture left a little something to be desired.    In specific, it tasted like it was undercooked even though I ended up cooking the rice well past the time called for in the recipe.  Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

How can I make my risotto less firm?

You may be using cheaper arborio rice that absorbs moisture less effectively, or you may need to cook for longer than the recipe until it reaches the desired texture. Try cooking the rice in butte without other liquid first, then avoid adding too much liquid at a time to prevent evaporation rather than absorption.

Risotto cooking times depend on several factors. You should keep adding broth until it looks done. Don't add too much water at a time. It will absorb better if you let it dry out a bit before each addition.

There are no timings in risotto because you keep adding liquid until it looks and tastes done.

You should cook your rice in butter first. Don't add too much liquid at a time. It should be on the verge of drying out before you add the next ladle.

The problem could be the quality of your rice. It might be too dry.


Use a potato ricer .

Just fill it up with a big handful of spinach, and give it a good squeeze in the sink, or over a bowl if you like to drink spinach water.

It extracts a ton of liquid quickly, and is a breeze to clean up when you are done.

The important part is to work in small batches.

I just use my hands -- grab a handful, squeeze, set it aside, grab another handful, etc.

Most things that you'd be tempted to use just have too large of holes, and let lots of spinach bits through, (and I admit, I miss some spinach as I start getting towards the end

and it's mostly water), or they've got too small of holes that it's serious effort to use, and you have to work in small batches anyway.

So, if nothing else, my way leaves you with only your hands to wash, and no extra gear to buy.

The French method uses a conical strainer ('passoir conique').

It is solid stainless steel, with about a 6" mouth at the top, and holes to let the water through.

You simply push the spinach down as far as you feel is appropriate.

I use a sieve that can hang over the sink.

Put the spinach in the sieve.

On top of the spinach put a solid bowl, and in the bowl goes some weight.

I generally use whatever dry stuff I have lying around, which is normally lentils.

You can use blind baking thingies if you have them.

Wait for about 15 minutes.

I learned this from Rachael Ray - use a clean (no fabric softener) cloth.

Put spinach in small batches & squeeze.

Works great.

I use a never before used diaper.

use it to squeeze moisture out of shredded zucchini too.

After done, I soak the cloth in bleach water to remove the green stain then rinse the bleach out.

I use two identical plates.

On one plate you can put the spinach and with the bottom of the other plate you can squeeze out the liquid.

I use cheesecloth to squeeze my spinach.

I put all the cooled spinach in the cheesecloth and

then I keep wringing it until all the water is gone.

Then I discard the cheesecloth.

I make spinach pie all the time and had the same problem!

Here's my solution and it works better than anything I've ever tried!

I have a Waring Juice Extractor.

I take the blade disc that usually grinds the vegetables and flip it upside down.

Turn the juicer on and feed the cooked spinach into the juicer and it extracts darn near all the liquid from the spinach!

Works incredible.

Alternative Cooking Method: Flash Sauté

While frozen spinach can be more convenient, nothing beats fresh spinach (IMO).

Fresh spinach flash sautéd in EVO with minced fresh garlic, salt-to-taste and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This method alleviates the water left in the spinach because it cooks off in the high cooking heat.

Very flavorful to stuff pasta or as a side dish.

Salad spinner (centrifuge) for a non-destructive method?

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw

I've most recently used a lemon juice squeezer and it worked perfectly!

One of these http://www.cajuncookingtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/lemon-squeezer.jpg Works a treat!

I use my vegetable steamer, open the steamer, put the defrosted spinach in and close the steamer.

Press until drained.

For frozen chopped spinach, don't open the bag.

Make tiny snips with scissors on one side of bag.

Place in bottom of sink and press all over, fold it, whatever works.

Less mess; no stained towels, no special equipment, and for those who may have arthritic hands, this works better than any other method I've tried.

I just "invented" this method today and will continue using it.

Question: I'm cooking a bunch of spinach for making a spinach and ricotta filling. I need to get as much water as possible out of the spinach, and I'd prefer not to make a big mess in the process. In the past, I've wrapped a few handfuls at a time in a towel and squeezed out the liquid. This leaves me with a messy, green stained towel and requires a lot of twisting that doesn't seem maximally effective.

What is the most efficient way to squeeze water out of cooked spinach?

The traditional French method uses a conical strainer with the spinach pressed down using a weighted bowl. Other options include a juicer, salad spinner, potato ricer or cheesecloth. It is important to work in small batches.

You can pass the spinach in a ricer or strainer. Alternatively, try a salad spinner or squeeze in a cheesecloth.

Try using a ricer, a conical strainer or put the spinach in a colander and press down with a weighted bowl.

Work in small batches and squeeze in a cheesecloth.


First, you have to peel the pineapple.

Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and set it upright on your cutting board Using a sharp knife shave the skin off from top to bottom, following the contour of the fruit

You then have two ways to cut it into either rings or chunks: Pineapple Rings

Next, you lay it sideways and cut it into slices as thick as you wish.

You then use a paring knife to cut out the corky centers of each slice.

You now have a pineapple ring.

Pineapple Chunks Next, cut it lengthwise down the center.

Cut out the exposed corky center.

This can be done with a V-shaped cut.

You can then break down the fruit into chunks as desired.

Here is a step-by-step guide with photos: http://howtocutapineapple.com/

Here is a step-by-step guide on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJJ-iQkbRNE

I never cut rings -- I always cut pineapple

so it's more like a pickle spear.

(I find it easier to grill that way) trim the bottom of the pineapple, so it sits flat on the cutting board.

(don't trim the top, it's a useful handle)

Hold the top, and take a sharp knife, and start at the top, slicing down along the outside edge ...

you start going out, then down, then back in, to follow the shape of the pineapple.

Depending on what you're going to be doing with it affects how deep you need to cut.

(I've never had a problem with the occassional little brown circle; if you want to cut those off, feel free, though).

cut off the top of the pineapple

set it back upright again, and cut it down the middle, then rotate 90 degrees and again, so you have 4 quarters.

slice out the center of each of the quarters ...

you should see a slightly lighter bit ...

that's the core, and it's kinda tough, so you want to take it out.

slice the quarters into sticks

, then chunks if you want.

munch on the cores you removed when no one's looking.

(it's not all core, so I kinda nibble on the edges)

All the other answers say "Step 1 - peel the pineapple.

" I don't do that.

Instead, I make what our family calls "boats".

In addition to being a pretty presentation, it's a way less messy way to handle the fruit; you're not wrestling with a peeled and juicy pineapple and you lose way less juice.

We cut pineapple this way even when we intend to toss the chunks into fruit salad or something.

Cut the pineapple lengthwise in half.

Do not trim or cut anything else off yet.

The leaves, bottom, all the skin are still on and you actually cut the top leaves in half too.

Cut each half lengthwise in half.

Now you have four wedges, each a quarter of a pineapple, each with a tuft of leaves at the top.

Lay a wedge skin-down on the board.

Make a vertical cut partway through (just to the skin) close to the bottom, separating the bottom you might otherwise have trimmed off from the main body of the fruit, but don't cut through the outer skin

Make a similar vertical cut by the top, again not cutting through the outer skin

Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, get under the corky triangle at the top of your wedge and cut it away.

Because the main part of the pineapple is still attached to the skin, this is easy to do Make a lengthwise cut (from the leaves to the bottom) straight down (from where the core was towards the skin) but as before stop when you reach the skin.

At this point your wedge has the core removed and has two spears that are only connected on one side to the outer skin.

If you want spears, slice underneath them to free them from the skin.

Assuming you want chunks, cut vertically repeatedly (again stopping just before the skin) to make the spears into smaller pieces, then slice underneath them to free them from the skin.

You can now turn the boat over and drop the chunks and juice into whatever you want the pineapple for, or simply put the boat on a plate and serve it to people.

Optionally, give them toothpicks to spear individual chunks with.

If you really want to show off, push every other slice to the left or the right so that the slices are staggered and easier to pick up.

There are some pictures at http://pinecreekstyle.blogspot.ca/2012/05/pineapple-boat.html though that person does the steps in a slightly different order than I do and takes the leaves off.

if you're not going to use a pineapple corer (which I don't), grab a sushi or a long sharp knife, and: deskin the pineapple like you would cutting a donair cut a square around the core push the core out

Now you have a hollow cylinder if you want chunks the type you put on a pizza: Cut the pineapple with the required thickness and then just chop it like you'd chop a tomato or mango

A slightly different technique than the one in hobodave's post.

a picture speaks a thousand words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViaOUTC3rY

this technique gives you a nice looking pineapple at the end, with the pieces able to be eaten like a lolly.

Pineapple Rings Pineapple Slicer

This thing is sweet.

Question: I wanted to cut up a whole, fresh pineapple, but wasn't sure exactly where to start without butchering it up badly - I wanted to cut it up into nice pieces!!  Are there any techniques that would work that would enable me to be able to cut it up into nice chunks?

How do you cut/process a whole pineapple?

A pineapple slicer and corer will make this job easier, but otherwise you can cut off the top and bottom, then shave off the skin from top to bottom while following the contour of thefruit, then cut a square around the core, push it out and cut the pineapple into rings.

Start by slicing off the skin and cutting down into the middle to remove the core.

You can buy utensils, such as a pineapple slicer, that will cut the pineapple into rings. Otherwise, start by slicing off the skin and cutting down into the middle to remove the core.


Overnight is ideal, but even an hour or two will help.

If you don't have much time, you can speed the processs by using hot water.

Tap water, and not salted - salt toughens the skin of beans if it used before they are cooked.

Most folks discard the soaking water, as it is thought to produce flatulence.

Also, if you have a pressure cooker, you can cook dried beans without a pre-soak and get great results.

I found this article in the LA Times with detailed experiments suggesting that soaking beans is unnecessary and it takes away the flavor and texture.

This website has an excellent chart showing the soaking and cooking times for various types of dried beans.

Some beans don't need to be soaked at all, while others need at least 8 hours.

I personally always discard the soaking water.

I don't like the flavors, and in some cases, colors that the water adds to the food, not to mention the dirt/rocks that settle to the bottom.

I normally soak and cook beans in filtered water, but that is only because the area I live in has lots of chlorine in the water

and I don't like the taste.

Throwing out the water also removes some of the starch so your beans don't foam so much when you cook them.

It depends on the beans: I soak garbanzo, kidney beans for 6-8 hours all others (pinto, navy, white, etc.

, I cook after 2-3 hours of soaking.

Here are the answers to your other questions: Should the water be just tap water, or salted?

Yes, just tap water will do.

Let the beans be immersed in the water and you should be able to put your fingers till your second knuckle.

No need for salt.

Should the soaking water be discarded or used later?

Discard the soaking water.

this will make the beans less flatulent.

For most humans, it behooves the digestive process to soak beans at least overnight.

Cooking beans w/o overnight soaking is asking for digestive malaise in most people.

An alternative to pre-soaking is pre-cooking.

I have 200g borlotti beans and tomato sauce in the oven right now in a covered casserole.

After three hours cooking at 110C

I'll take them out and leave them covered until I get home from work after which time they should be nice and soft.

I always soak beans because I don't like having to steam up the kitchen or leave them cooking for a long time.

Another Answer Here has a great table for soaking times.

Salt or no salt really only has to do with your personal preference, but I never do it because you can always add salt after, but you can never take it away.

I read an article once that said about 16 hours is the ideal amount of time--so 12 hours plus four more.

(so if you washed and soaked them at 7 pm on Monday, ideally you would drain and re-wash and cook them at 11am on Tuesday).

This is not always possible though, given everyone's busy schedules.

I usually aim for 8 hours or more, and try to keep it less than 24 hours.

Old beans may cook easier if you add a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water (rinse it away before you cook them) because it may help soften the skins and help the water get in there to soften them.

Instead of using all the cooked beans right away I freeze some to add to baked goods like muffins (mashed before they go in the muffins).

Question: I'm guessing there are different answers depending on the type of dried bean (pinto, kidney, navy, white, etc.) and I am interested in all of them.  So:  how long should dry beans be soaked?  Should the water be just tap water, or salted?  Should the soaking water be discarded or used later?  Thanks!

How long should dry beans be soaked before cooking?

While detailed experiments repored in an LA Times article support the claim that soaking is unnecessary and negatively affects the flavour and texture, it is usually thought to be important to avoid digestive malaise in most people. Beans should be soaked overnight and ideally for up to 16 hours, but even an hour or two will help. Use unsalted tap water to avoid toughening the skin of the beans and discard the water afterwards. If using a pressure cooker, beans can be cooked without soaking first.

You should soak beans for at least 8 hours in unsalted tap water. To cook in a pressure cooker, you don't need to soak.

You should soak beans for at least 8 hours.

Discard the soaking water as it contains excess starch and is harder to digest.

Some studies show that soaking is unnecessary and removes some of the flavour. You can cook them in a pressure cooking without soaking.


At a bare minimum, you'll want at least one "flavoured" and one "unflavoured" oil.

Olive oil is definitely the most common choice for a flavoured oil, and sunflower

/peanut

/canola oil all have pretty neutral flavours (not to mention similar smoke points).

Note that for good flavour you'll want extra virgin olive oil, which also makes it unsuitable for frying/sautéing at high temperatures.

So I would say that you already have the minimum requirement.

That said, even the "unflavoured" oils have subtly different flavour characteristics due to their different fat contents, and you'll want to take this into consideration if you like to cook in ethnic cuisines.

A short list (and keep in mind that this is partially subjective):

Peanut oil:

Asian cuisine, Mexican cuisine (high-temperature frying) Sesame oil: Asian cuisine (stir-fry or deep-fry [refined only])

Olive oil:

Italian cuisine, French cuisine (low-temp) Sunflower or Canola oil: American cuisine, esp.

deep-frying Grape seed oil:

Decent substitute for any of the other oils Walnut/

almond oil:

Great for fried desserts (watch the smoke point though).

If you deep-fry, peanut should be the 2nd.

The neutral seed oils (canola, sunflower, corn, etc.)

all cook about the same.

Peanut has a fairly high smoke point, so is better for deep-frying.

Olive has a good flavor.

Sesame, almond, walnut and other nut oils are short-lived, and tend to be expensive.

They make great additions to salad dressings or as a finishing flavor in some dishes (sesame is great in a stir fry).

Olive oil has a low smoke point (especially extra virgin), and will loose considerable flavor if heated, so it isn't recommended for frying (it costs more than the seed oils, and its a shame to waste it).

Any high-temp cooking should not be done in olive oil.

Since I don't deep fry often, I have two cooking oils on hand: good olive, and canola.

The olive is used mainly to finish or in lower temp saute/sweat.

The canola is used to fry onions, pancakes, meat, and anything else that takes some higher heat.

I chose canola because it has a neutral flavor and a fairly good omega-3 content.

Plus it was cheap.

I also have some white truffle, walnut, and sesame in the fridge for finishing.

They aren't used terribly often, and a bit goes a long way.

Also: butter.

Although it isn't really an oil, I use lots of butter/ghee(clarified butter) in my cooking.

Good one to make sure you always have on hand.

Olive extra virgin and sunflower.

Same here.

Make sure the olive oil is extra virgin though, for flavor and use sparingly.

We often have much more than two, but I'd say the two you really need are olive oil and some form of vegetable oil (vegetable, cannola, sunflower).

The second type will often have a higher smoke point than olive oil.

I find olive oil has much more flavor than vegetable or cannola oil.

Olive oil is often used in dressings as well.

Once you start to get in to more specific dishes, you may find the number balloons from two though.

Sesame oil for asian food, peanut oil for deep frying, a nice evoo for salads.

I think we have about 6 different types of oil, but we mostly just use olive and cannola.

If you're looking for a 'must keep on hand' list -- a mild oil, extra virgin olive oil and butter will get you through most anything.

Add shortening if you like baking, and sesame oil if you like to cook asian food, and you'll be prepared for most anything.

For the justification see my response to What oil or fat to use for different purposes?

I've actually come to find lately that grape seed oil is extremely versatile.

It has a very light, mild flavor, and when used in cooking you almost can't taste it at all.

When used in its "raw" state, the flavor is a little nutty, and makes a very nice addition to salads/dressings.

I've used it to make a basil infusion that was great.

And, with a very high smoke point, it's safe to use for frying and sauteing.

I now use grapeseed oil in place of olive and vegetable oils in a whole lot of recipes.

It's become my go-to oil lately.

If I had to have only two oils in my kitchen, they would be an olive oil, and grape seed oil.

One oil with a high smoke point, plus any with flavors you like.

I keep: peanut or canola oil extra virgin olive oil sesame oil and sometime a small quantity of something else if a recipe called for it.

Other fats on hand include: butter schmaltz (skimmed from a chicken pot left to cool, rewarmed, poured into ice cube trays to freeze and kept in a baggie in the freezer) bacon fat (poured hot from the pan into a jar by the stove; mostly used for seasoning my cast iron, but also for flavor)

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1670/dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten

Olive oil is a must have in a Kitchen.

The only other type of oil that you want to keep is something with a neutral flavor and high smoke point.

I recommend Canola oil or Vegetable oil.

Question: What different varieties of oil are  really  needed in a decent home kitchen?  I ask because I've only two right now (olive & sunflower) that I try to use "correctly" but sometimes use interchangeably. I wonder what I'm missing.

What oils are "required" for a decent home kitchen?

You should have at least one "flavoured" oil (e.g. olive) and one "unflavoured" oil (e.g. vegetable, cannola or sunflower). Peanut oil is also useful for deep frying and grapeseed oil is also very versatile.

You should have one flavoured oil like olive oil and a neutral vegetable oil like canola or peanut oil for frying.

You should have one flavoured oil like olive oil and a neutral vegetable oil for frying.

Try peanut oil, grape seed oil or canola oil.


This isn’t really an answer to your question, but I have found that Amore brand tomato paste has better flavor than canned tomato pastes and it comes in a resealable metal tube, which you can store in the refrigerator and take out whenever you need a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.

It’s also more expensive than canned tomato pastes but you actually get the opportunity to use all of it rather than just a spoonful or two.

America’s Test Kitchen reviewed tomato pastes (subscription required link) and came to the same conclusion: Sold in a 4 1/2-ounce tube and priced at $2.49 (considerably higher than other tomato pastes), Amore Tomato Paste shined in our initial from-the-tube tasting—no cooking, no sauce.

Tasters described the product as “intense” and “fresh,” which may be because of the fat it contains.

It also scored points because of its tube packaging.

Just squeeze out what you need and store the rest in the fridge.

No fuss, no waste.

I freeze it in ice cube trays or silicone muffin cups, then pop them out into a ziploc bag once they're frozen.

It's much cheaper to buy a big can and portion it up like this than to use the tiny cans or tubes.

I always freeze it .

(zip-lock freezer bags, although at the price your quoting, wasting it might almost be cheaper :) )

Personally I'd just eat it.

Toast some bread, stick some paste on top and then a little cheese, perhaps a bit of EVOO.

Perhaps a little basil if you have it.

Essentially a mini pizza - brilliant snack IMO.

I buy tomato paste in a squeeze tube for that same reason.

I used to buy the can, and freeze leftovers in 1 tablespoon portions.

I'd toss one or two in soups or stews for a little bonus flavor.

I've been known to toss the remainder of the can into a bread recipe with a bit of dried basil and garlic.

For a simple side dish, I have sauteed some onions and garlic, added the remainder of the can of paste, then toss in an undrained can of french style green beans, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Question: I sometimes make sauces that use tomato paste. The problem is that usually I need only one or two tablespoons and I don't know what to do with the rest of the can. The smallest can I could find is 6 oz. and while it only costs 50 cents, I hate the thought of the rest going to waste. It's also not particularly flavorful.  Any ideas?

What do you do with left over tomato paste?

You can buy tomato paste in resealable containers or squeeze tubes, which may also have more flavour. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays or silicone muffin cups.

You can buy it in tubes that will keep for longer or freeze it.

Try using tomato paste in a tube.
Freeze it into ice cube trays.


A general reconstitution of milk with dried powder is 1/4 dry milk and 1 cup water to reconstitute milk.

So 2 tablespoons is 1/8 cup to 1/2 cup of water.

If you want to replace 2 tablespoons, replace 1/2 cup water with milk.

Tablespoon is 1/4 cup milk instead of water.

I have done this as a replacement for dried milk in bread many times with success.

Yes, you can.

I use the King Arthur Flour Small Pain de Mie recipe

all the time http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/a-smaller-pain-de-mie-recipe , which calls for non-fat powdered milk.

An answer to another question here Why is milk powder used in bread machine recipes? says to scald the milk, a concept reiterated by the folks at King Arthur.

So as an experiment, I made two loaves of bread, identical in every way except that in one I substituted 170 ml scalded skim milk for the powdered milk and that volume of water.

Right out of the oven and

three days later, I can find no difference between the two loaves of bread.

My package of powdered milk calls for 7 ounces of water to 1/3 cup powder to make 1 cup of milk, so I figured 8 tsp powder + 7 Tbs water = 1/2 cup milk.

I converted to metric just to make the math easier, but it doesn't seem to me to require that much precision.

One thing to add to the answers mentioned before: if you leave the ingredients in a bread machine overnight, then powdered milk is better as it doesn't go sour.

Yes, you can substitute as already answered, but you can also just leave it out!

I've found it makes no noticeable difference.

Just leave it out - least in those quantities.

We make bread in a bread maker with and without it, and anecdotally it tends to make for softer, less chewy bread, especially if its a recipe with some sort of fat in it.

Question: I have a book with several bread recipes that call for 1-2 tablespoons of powdered milk. This isn't something I usually use and I was thinking substituting it with normal milk, and putting less water to compensate for the added liquid. Would this be ok? And if yes, how much milk should I put for one tablespoon of powdered milk?

Powdered milk in bread recipe

1 cup of milk is generally equivalent to 1/4 cup of powdered milk and 1 cup of water. Powdered milk would be better if leaving in a bread machine overnight, but it can also be left out altogether for a less soft and more chewy texture.

Reduce the water by one cup for every 1/4 cup of dried milk. It isn't necessary but it might make the bread softer and less chewy.

You can reduce the water by one cup for every 1/4 cup of dried milk.

Powdered milk isn't really necessary but it might make the bread softer and less chewy.


I'm solidly in the flip as often as you want camp.

As long as it's not over (or under) cooked I find that you get better results flipping often.

Plus you can rearrange things to make more room as you flip.

To tell how cooked a burger is poke it with a finger or something else

that's not too sharp; just like a steak the more cooked it is the more firm it will be.

You just need to learn how "squishy" you like them.

Also, as fun as it is, don't press the whole burger into the grill!

All that happens is that the delicious juices are forced out.

Harald McGee says flipping more often will help the meat inside the burger (or steak) to warm without burning the outside.

Multiple flipping: more even cooking, thin crustFlip once: uneven cooking, thick crust

(Note: by 'uneven'

I mean that you will have a much wider range of doneness from crust at the outside to possibly raw in the middle; more crust=less unevenness)

So it's a matter of taste really.

I personally prefer multiple flipping, in a pan and not on the grill.

i feel flipping any thing on the grill once for best results juices stay in side place the burger or steak on the grill few minutes or so depending on temp

turn it

weight 3-5 minutes then flip it once better diamonds juicier steak or burger is

I'm in the flip-turn-flip camp to sear in the juices and for some sweet looking grill marks.

FWIW, I used to be a high volume grill cook.

After a while you can tell when it needs the flip or turn just by looking at it.

It's also really weak to cut into the meat to check the temp since you'll lose all the juices.

I prefer "flip once".

Assuming you've got the heat right... put them on the grill or pan as soon as they're all on the heat, give each one a little nudge to make sure it's not stuck finish messing with condiments or have a beer or something else for 3-5 minutes flip the burgers, and give them the same "unsticking" nudge as before and wait another 3-5 minutes get the buns toasted serve and eat

I think the meat done-ness method I heard was to compare it to each of your "earlobe" (rare), "cheek", "side of nose", and "tip of nose" (well or medium well), going from least to most done.

The more firm the meat is, the more done it is.

or you can do what my mother does, and get out a knife and cut into one of the burgers and see how pink it is on the inside.

Question: When grilling burgers I usually flip several times, but have recently been advised to cook forever on once side, flip once, cook and be done.  Is that the best way to do it?  How do you know when a burger is ready to flip?

Grilling burgers: flip once, or keep flipping?

Flipping the burgers may give more even cooking without burning on the outside, but you may lose some of the juices. When flipping once, you can nudge the burgers after placing them to make sure that they are not stuck and leave them for 3-5 minutes before flipping, nudging again and leaving for the same amount of time.

You can flip the burger after 3-5 minutes but you can also flip it multple times until it's done on both sides.

You can flip as many times as you want. The burger will cook more evenly.

Flip only once and wait 3-5 minutes for each side.


Most fats work (this is why cocoa butter works)

most people recommend Crisco but a small amount of low flavoured oil (or flavoured for that matter) is fine.

I like ganache

so personally extra thick double cream does it for me.

Either way it's easier to add more later than take out!

Start with a little bit.

Butter will work.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2251/In the Booley House

Butter, oil, half and half (or heavy cream), reduced, all will work.

It depends on what flavor you are going for...

My best answer for this is to experiment with all these answers and see what works for you.

You can add a little Cream or Milk.

I do this for my cake pops and choc sweets.

My Mom has made candies since I was a small child.

For melting chocolate she always used Gulf (paraffin) Wax ... it thins the chocolate perfectly and makes it easier to work, doesn't effect the taste or how it drys and gives the candy a nice pretty shine.

Perfect for Buckeyes like my Mom made.

It also acts as a preservative giving your candy a little longer shelf life.

Just be careful on how much you add.

Use your own judgement on how thick or thin you want your melted chocolate to be.

Start out with just a little paraffin and keep adding a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Warning ...

adding to much will make your chocolate thin like water.

I've made this mistake when I first started making candy.

Albeit it didn't hurt the chocolate flavor, it just made my chocolate extremely thin which resulted in having to double dip everything.

Nonetheless my candy still turned out fine.

It just was twice the work.

Anyhoot

I hope this helps.

Happy Baking :)

Do not use milk, that is to thicken, do not use water (beginners mistake).

Using an oil is safest, guaranteed results!

in coating truffles, i find the best "thinner" is plain crisco (not the "butter" type).

found this information on several websites a year or two ago...

it melts together perfectly evenly and they cite the fact that the fat content in cricso is closest to that of your melting chocolate, hence no lumps to stir through, no change in its ability to cling to the item being dipped, no change in drying time.

2 teaspoons of shortening to an 11.5 oz bag of semi-sweet morsels worked great to thin the chocolate for dipping to coat and hardened.

My guess is less is more here or chocolate will melt at room temperature.

We used milk....

lesson learned....

do not use MILK!

Now as I type we are adding a little Crisco to see if we can reverse the milk issues.......

Now the chocolate is really grainy.

I worked for Hershey Chocolate for 15 years,

DO NOT use milk like Melissa has said.

She is correct, it is the water in it that will rune your chocolate.

The It will only take a few drops of water and your chocolate will become very brittle.

Your best bet is to use a little Oil or Shortening.

Some say to use the Wax

but I'm not a fan of eating wax sorry.

But do not over do it, as it will affect the candy in a warm room.

Hope this helps someone..........

I have used oil and it works well.

Getting the right amount is a little tricky for me.

I have also used paraffin wax.

It works perfectly, dries quickly, it looks great and is less tacky when dried.

However, I too am not a fan of eating paraffin wax.

It just doesn't seem right to eat stuff you burn in candles.

but the chocolate mixed with oil is always pretty sticky.

Question: I have been dipping chocolates for many years. I recently tried a new brand of chocolate that has a fantasic flavor, but it is thicker than I'd like when melted. I know adding cocoa butter will help, but I don't have any on hand. Is there anything else I can use that will leave me with a hard (as opposed to ganache-like) chocolate coating?

What can be done to thin chocolate for dipping?

Most fats will work, and a low flavoured oil should provide the safest results. 2 teaspoons of shortening to an 11.5 oz bag of semi-sweet morsels worked great to thin the chocolate for dipping to coat and hardened. A little cream or milk will also thin chocolate.

You can use any fat like butter, cream or oil.

You can use any fat. Butter is a good option.


Yes, there is no real difference.

Be aware that if you one from the hardware store, it should be one where the flame does not fluctuate when you tilt the torch.

This usually happens with the very cheap ones.

This becomes a big problem when you try to uniformly brown something.

Aside from that and maybe "esthetically" I see no reason not to use one from the hardware store.

Actually, the gas isn't always the same -- in hardware stores, there's both propane and MAPP gas; you'd want to get a propane one.

(it's cheaper, but it doesn't get as hot ...

you won't need the extra heat for cooking purposes)

But well, the hardware store ones tend to be either much larger, or much smaller

(they make some little mini-torches for emergencies that are about the size of a AA-battery flashlight).

I would think that if you're a caterer, doing smaller parties at customer's houses, that the mid-size 'culinary' torch would be a benefit as it has enough gas in it to handle the job, but not so large that it's going to take up lots of space.

The MAPP Gas is your best bet.

Even though it may burn hotter, when the MAPP Gas does not completely combust, micro particles of the gas will be emitted from the tank and onto the food.

This is also true with the propane burners.

The difference is the flavor and smell.

You will not taste or smell the minuscule amounts of MAPP gas on the food, whereas with the propane you will.

They're not always the same thing.

You need a pressure regulated torch; the unregulated ones will shut off when tipped down, making them impossible to use on food.

For the most part they are the same.

But if you work professionally, you may need one with health code stamp on it regarding the mechanisms cleanliness.

I had traded a refillable butane torch to a friend's daughter who was in school and needed one for class for one of her Sherry cakes,Not a big deal.

I bought the them for $15 at HF tool store.she was gonna buy the same looking thing for $60-$70.

after a month or so.

I had heard about the Health code stamp, she had to borrow a friends for the class.

but still uses the one I traded her at home.

Question: When looking for a blowtorch for the kitchen, you can buy some reasonably expensive tools. When looking for a blowtorch for plumbing, you can buy some reasonably cheap tools.  The price is different. The look is different. The principle is the same. I guess the gas is the same.  Why pay more? Is there a health issue? Is the kitchen blowtorch more precise?

Blowtorch - hardware store vs kitchen store. Is there a difference?

The gas used may be different and some torches that are not pressure regulated will shut off when tipped down, making them unsuitable for food use. Where this does not apply, there is no real difference.

There is no real difference but make sure the flame will work when tipped. Either propane or MAPP gas are fine.

Make sure the flame doesn't fluctuate when you tip it.

You should look for propane or MAPP gas.

You might want one with a health stamp for the mechanisms to be used near food.