George Foreman Fryer
The idea of a deep fryer that produces healthier fried food is a tempting one. And who better to develop such a product than George Foreman, who revolutionized healthy cooking with a line of fat-reducing grills?
Unlike a traditional deep fryer, the machine has a round fry basket that lifts out of the oil and spins rapidly, using centrifugal force to pull excess oil off food. The company put the product through its paces at an independent laboratory test to determine that the fryer did indeed remove more fat than traditional deep fryers. According to the test, onion rings had up to 38 percent less fat and breaded chicken, 55 percent less.
With a number of parts, the machine looks a bit intimidating and complicated, but a detailed instruction booklet makes it easy to assemble and use, and the booklet also contains helpful tips, a chart of cooking times for different types of food, and a few recipes.
A handle lifts and lowers the fry basket and locks it into position, all without having to open the lid. Dials set the temperature and cooking timer. The spin cycle has low and high speeds, and another dial sets the timer for the spin cycle, turning it off when time runs out.
The food I fried in this fryer (one recipe I tried: Fried Chicken Tenders with Creamy Salsa Cilantro Sauce) turned out crisp and perfectly cooked, and it did seem less greasy. What's more, the cover, with its built in vent, helped to cut down on the usual "fried" odor, and kept grease from spattering the area. On the spin cycle, the machine wobbled precariously, but nonskid feet kept it firmly in place on my counter. The George Foreman Lean Mean Spin Frying Machine sells for around $150, and is a good option for those who like to fry (slightly healthier) food with minimal mess.
The design of the machine presents a few drawbacks. For one, the cooking area is small, and the spindle in the middle (which holds the fry basket in place) cuts down on the capacity even more, and you can forget about frying anything very large, like a fish fillet.
The design of the machine makes it necessary to close the cover when you're frying, which takes some getting used to if you are accustomed to the open fryers. The cover makes it a little difficult to monitor the cooking process, and the viewing window quickly gets covered with condensation, which makes it impossible to see through.
I also wasn't fond of the dials that set the timers, because it seemed hard to know if you were setting them accurately. The button that opens the lid is also difficult to push, requiring a lot of effort, or requiring you to grip the sides of the machine in order to push it hard enough.
High Altitude Bread Machine
If you live in a high altitude area (elevation of 3,000 feet and up), you already know that there are certain changes you need to make when you're cooking and baking. The air pressure is lower and the atmosphere is drier, which means that many factors are different, from the temperature at which water boils, the cooking or baking times of certain foods, and temperature at which certain foods should be cooked.
Bread machine baking is no different. A spokesperson for Zojirushi (Maker of the Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme) suggests trying the following changes individually or together until you achieve success: Decrease the yeast by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Decrease the liquid by 1 to 2 tablespoons Decrease the sugar, honey or other sweetener by 1/2 teaspoon
Meanwhile, according to the Home Economics Department at the University of Wyoming, additional tips you can try include: Stick to smaller-sized loaves, since the proofing time for larger loaves tends to overproof the loaves in high-altitude climates. For fallen loaves, in addition to decreasing the yeast and/or the sugar as Zojirushi suggested, try increasing the salt by 1/8 teaspoon per 3 cups of flour.
Experimenting with these tips will have you making perfect loaves of bread in no time.
Making Stock: The Basics
But given the importance of stock and its relationship to so many other areas of the culinary arts, it's worth taking the time to understand the purpose of each ingredient, and the properties each one brings to the stock.
White stocks are used as the base for veloute sauce and various derivative sauces like the allemande and supreme sauces.Brown stocks are used for making demiglaze and its derivatives, such as bordelaise and Robert.
Note that beef or veal bones can be used for either white or brown stocks. The difference is that when making white stock, the bones are blanched first, or quickly boiled, then drained and rinsed, before simmering.
For brown stock, the bones are roasted before simmering, and some sort of tomato product is usually added. The roasting and tomato product give the brown stock its darker color.
Choosing a Cutting Board
There's no doubt a cutting board is an indispensable tool in the kitchen, but how do you choose the best one for your needs? Here's what you need to know about choosing a cutting board.
Size: For everyday use, buy the biggest cutting board that you can afford and for which you have counter space. Chopping tasks are so much easier when you have plenty of room on your cutting surface – it gives you not only enough space for the finished chopped veggies or fruit but also for the waste scraps. Plus, if the board's big enough, you can also push chopped ingredients to the edge and keep them there as you're prepping all of your ingredients.
You might also want one or two smaller cutting boards. A tiny one (i.e. 6 inches square) is ideal for cutting a piece of fruit for breakfast or lime wedges for drinks, and a medium-sized one is also good for smaller jobs when you don't want to haul out the larger board.
Weight: If you take my advice and buy a large cutting board, make sure that its weight is manageable. Thick wooden boards are especially heavy, which is good in that they won't slide much on the countertop, but they can be cumbersome to take out, wash and put away. If hefting a heavy board is an issue, then choose a lighter, thinner material for your largest board, such as a resin-paper composite or plastic.
Extras: Today's cutting boards aren't just boring slabs of wood; many of them have added features. These can be as basic and traditional as a channel to capture juices as you're carving a steak or a turkey, or more innovative, such as built-in prep bowls or measuring cups. Some boards even can fit right over your sink, which helps create space in a counter space-starved kitchen, and often these types of boards have colanders that fit right into the board. Features like this are great, just be sure that the bells and whistles don't infringe too much on the space of your board, and also that the features are ones you'll actually use. (For some great
How Many: So how many boards do you actually need? As I said before, it's nice to have a large board, plus one or two smaller ones. I also have a smaller board that is reserved only for cutting fruits or bread, so that I won't risk eating a piece of sliced fruit that has absorbed onion or garlic flavor that has seeped into the board. Then, of course, there are the sets of coded cutting boards or mats intended to be used for different types of foods, to avoid cross-contamination. If you are concerned about bacteria, these are a great option, and usually these types of boards are made of flexible plastic so they're lightweight and don't take up much space. Ultimately, only you will be able to determine how many boards you need, and of what sizes – just make sure that you're actually using the ones you have; if you have a size that you never use, give it away so it won't continue to take up space in your kitchen.
Cutting boards are available in a wide range of materials. Here's what you need to know about each type.
Wood
Pros: The traditional material used to make cutting boards, wood is attractive, seasons nicely, and is a gentle surface for knives. Although some believe that wooden cutting surfaces are unsanitary, studies (like one done by researchers at University of California – Davis) have shown that bacteria on wooden cutting boards is absorbed beneath the surface, where it dies without, making it unlikely that the bacteria would spread afterward (Still, you should take caution and wash a cutting board after each use – and when you're about to switch to cutting a different type of food – with hot, soapy water. You can sanitize it with a mild bleach solution of 1 teaspoon bleach per 1 quart of water).
Cons:Wood warps easily, particularly if it gets submerged in water for a length of time. Also, boards that are joined together with glue can separate or break apart. Wood absorbs odors and can scorch if something very hot is put on it. A good wooden cutting board can also be fairly expensive.
Plastic
Pros: Plastic cutting boards are inexpensive and lightweight. Plus, they're usually dishwasher-safe, which makes them a snap to clean. They're readily available in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors.
Cons: The aforementioned UC-Davis study found that although new plastic cutting boards can be sanitized thoroughly, those that have been scarred by knives, are not as easy to keep bacteria-free because of the small, deep cut marks. Plastic boards also stain and show signs of wear easily.
Glass
Pros: Glass cutting boards often come in decorative designs.
Cons: Glass boards will dull knives quickly. What's more, the surface is so slick that knives can easily slip. Not recommended.
Bamboo
Pros: If you're concerned about the environment, bamboo is a great choice for a cutting surface because it is made from a sustainable, fast-growing resource. Bamboo does not absorb as much moisture as wood, so it won't warp, shrink or swell as much.
Cons: Bamboo is a harder surface than wood, so it could dull your knives faster.
Composite
Pros: Made of a range of materials, composite cutting boards typically combine natural materials, such as paper or wood, with synthetic materials like plastic (One example is Epicurean's recycled paper and resin cutting boards). This often gives the best of both worlds – a gentle-on-knives cutting surface that is still durable enough to go in the dishwasher.
Cons: Usually these boards are thin, so they might slide around on your work surface.
Still undecided? Check out some of the coolest cutting boards for more inspiration.
Basic Mayonnaise Recipe
For more detailed instructions, see this illustrated tutorial on how to make mayonnaise.
Also, here's a tutorial on how to separate eggs.
A light, neutral-flavored oil like safflower, canola or soybean oil will give the best results, but any blended oil labeled "vegetable oil" or "salad oil" will do the trick.
Finally, it can't be said too often: For safety reasons, use pasteurized eggs for this and any other preparation that contains raw eggs.
Let all your ingredients come to room temperature before you begin.Using an electric hand mixer, stand mixer or a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks for a minute or two, until they're thoroughly beaten.
Add the 2 tsp vinegar and whisk for about half a minute. Then add the salt, and the cayenne if you're using it, and beat for another 30 seconds or so.
Now, with the mixer going full speed (or with your arm whisking as hard as it can) add the oil very slowly, as little as a drop at a time.
When the emulsion starts to form, you can add the oil more quickly, but keep it at a fairly moderate stream. Adding the oil too fast will break your mayonnaise.
When the emulsion thickens, add a teaspoon or so of vinegar to thin it out. Continue adding oil, stopping occasionally to add more vinegar if the mixture gets too thick.
Finish with the lemon juice, both to add a bit of tang as well as to achieve the right consistency.
Store unused portion in the refrigerator, where it should keep for a day or two.Makes 1 pint of mayonnaise.
5 New Kitchen Appliances
America's favorite TV chef, Emeril Lagasse, helped design this three-in-one machine, which is a food processor, blender and citrus juicer. The BAM! Machine has a 550-watt motor and a buit-in storage drawer for the many blades, cutting discs and other attachments. The 12-cup food processor includes a chopping blade, slicing and shredding discs, emulsifying disc and dough hook. The blender has a 40-ounce jar, and the citrus press lets you juice citrus fruits right into a glass. Available in May, the BAM! Machine comes with 7 recipes created by Emeril himself.
George Foreman Evolve Grill
One of the latest in the vast family of George Foreman Grills is the Evolve: a grill that comes with a multitude of interchangeable plates (and more can be purchased separately). Different versions come with different configurations, depending on what store you buy them from; along with the traditional grill plate, you could get a waffle plate, a deep dish bake plate, a muffin pan or a slider plate.
It's a neat idea, being able to do so much with a countertop appliance, especially one that takes up a significant amount of space. But are you really going to pull out your countertop grill the next time you want to bake some muffins?
The grill itself is designed similarly to many of the other George Foreman grills. There's a lever that can switch the grill from being flat (for sandwiches or small pieces of food) to angled (for meat, so that fat can drain into the included drip tray). The hinges "float" to accommodate large pieces of food.
The controls are a bit mystifying. To turn the grill on, you have to set a timer and the temperature, both are digital, with up and down buttons to control. There appears to be no way to override the timer and just have the grill be "on" until you turn it off, which means you also have to factor in five minutes for the grill to warm up (The temperature display flashes until the grill is at temperature, and a soft beep also chimes when it's heated). Then again, when the timer reaches zero, it just beeps, and the grill remains on. Still, I found myself wishing that you could deactivate the timer, and also that the timer wouldn't begin its countdown until the grill has reached the right temperature. The display and controls are on top of the grill, so if you're using the grill open, you'll have to close the lid in order to use the controls.
Another complaint: the actual surface of the grill is not very large; about 11 by 8 inches (Other Foreman Grills, including the Stainless Steel model have larger cooking surfaces). If you're cooking for more than 2 people you might have to work in batches. And while the fat did indeed drain away while I was cooking a steak, the design of the grill plate also caused small pieces of onions and peppers to fall of the edge, since there was no rim to contain them.
I liked the grill marks of the special top "Crosshatch" grill, which gave pieces of food a picture-perfect criss-cross look. But later I discovered that while the bottom grill is a breeze to clean, that top half has lots of crevices that can trap grease, making it laborious to clean.
But complaints aside, I felt like the grill got plenty hot enough to nicely sear the food I was cooking, something that other countertop grills don't always accomplish. The grill was most effective when the lid was closed, so that food was cooked from both top and bottom.
Even though the idea of baking brownies or muffins in your grill might seem preposterous, it's not ill-advised: I baked brownies in the grill, and they turned out moist, with deliciously crunchy edges. The baking option would be great for a small apartment or for the summer months when turning on the oven can heat up the whole house.
On the George Foreman web site, you can buy a range of other plates, including a a deep dish baking pan, an omelet and snack plate set, a shallow griddle pan, a waffle plate set, and a cupcake or muffin pan set.
Herbed Vinaigrette Recipe
Place the mustard-vinegar mixture along with the oil, herbs and seasonings in a blender and mix for about 10 seconds or until fully combined.
Transfer to a glass bowl and let stand for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Give the dressing a good whisk immediately before serving.Makes 1 cup of dressing.
NOTE: Any oil labeled "vegetable oil" or "salad oil" is fine for this basic recipe. You can also use any light, neutral-flavored oil like safflower, canola or soybean oil.
How to Use A Chef's Knife
This photo illustrates the proper chef's knife grip as seen from the inside or thumb-side of the cutting hand. The thumb grips the knife around the top of the blade, with the hand wrapped around the bolster of the knife.
While beginners find that this takes some getting used to, it definitely provides extra control over the blade.
Next page >>
Basic Folded Omelet
Danilo, Your egg recipes were perfectly simple and wonderful! All of them ""Keepers"" for my recipe file. There really is an art to making perfect eggs. I have had so many egg dishes served all wrong. Thank you. kathyb
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Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
all these home made ice creams, especially if you are trying to make them in a hot summer climate, will NOT WORK unless you have an ice cream maker with its own built in freezer - i.e. not a glorified bowl which you have to 'pre-freeze' in your refrigerator. All that happens is that the ice cream mixture warms up the ice cream 'maker'!
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Home Fries Recipe
I always wanted to learn to make home fries, but I thought they were probably too complicated for me. (I am not the best cook.) This recipe provided the details I needed to give me the confidence to make them and they turned out great! I have a new potato recipe in my arsenal now (my family is really happy).
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Sauces for Meat and Pork
Bearnaise is a rich, buttery, aromatic sauce featuring shallots, tarragon and crushed black peppercorns. Bearnaise is typically served with grilled steak.
Epicurean Cutting Boards
The Epicurean line of cutting boards is taking the specialty cookware store by storm. Thin and sleek, these boards promise to be dishwasher safe, environmentally friendly and knife friendly. I decided to give them a test run to see how they measured up to their claims.
I decided to test the largest size (17 by 14 inches) of the recycled line, which is made of a composite of recycled cardboard and resin. The board is only about half an inch thin, which means it's lighter to lift and carry than most wooden boards, and is also easier to store than thicker boards; unfortunately the lightness also means that it can slide on the counter. Anchoring it with a damp dishtowel can solve this problem. The company claims the board is knife-friendly, meaning that the surface has enough "give" to keep a knife from dulling quickly. Wood, of course, is the most forgiving cutting surface for a knife blade. The board felt brittle beneath my knife, loudly clicking under the knife strokes, a sound I associate with cutting on surfaces like plastic. But over the course of a couple of weeks of use, I didn't notice any significant dulling of my cutlery. What's more, the board started showing scratches from the knife. While this detracted from the beauty of the board, it did show me that the surface is softer than I thought, thus good for my knife's blade.
Water seems to bead up on the epicurean board, making it easy to wipe clean between tasks. But best yet, at the end of your cooking session, you can throw the whole thing in the dishwasher.
The company claims that all Epicurean Cutting Surfaces are stain- and heat-resistant. Besides the recycled line, the company has several other product lines that boast everything from juice grooves to storage cups for sauces to gripper corners.
The 17x14 inch Recycled Epicurean Cutting Board sells for around $35.
Puree of Celery Soup Recipe
I made this soup today, I also added extra garlic and sweet potato! it turned out excellent, and my husband loved it. will definately be making it again!!
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Lunch Bags and Food Safety
Photo: U.S. Department of AgricultureBringing your lunch to work, or preparing lunches for your children to take to school, means food can go unrefrigerated for extended periods of time. This gives bacteria a chance to grow and multiply, thus increasing the risk of food poisoning. Here are some food safety tips to keep in mind when preparing bag lunches.
The very nature of bag lunches makes it nearly impossible to keep food properly refrigerated (storing it at a temperatures of 40°F or colder), particularly while driving to work or taking the bus to school.And even if your school or workplace offers a refrigerator for storing lunches, you're still going to have to do some careful planning to make sure the food you pack for lunch doesn't end up causing a case of foodborne illness.
Soft, insulated lunch bags or boxes are the best choice for keeping lunches cold. Metal or plastic lunch boxes without insulation don't do as good a job, but they're certainly better than paper lunch bags.If you do use paper lunch bags, double bagging creates an additional layer of insulation to help protect the food inside. And remember that insulated lunch totes and lunch boxes should be washed with hot soapy water after each use.
No matter what sort of lunch bag or box you use, you should definitely place some kind of ice pack in it to keep the food inside cold. Small, frozen gel packs are perfect for this task.You can also freeze a juice box or small bottled water and pack it in your bag or lunch box. Not only will this help keep your lunch cold, but by lunchtime your frozen drink will have melted, giving you a cold, refreshing juice or water to enjoy with your lunch.
Perishable foods include cooked meats such as cold cuts and other lunch meats, as well as pre-made tuna salads, chicken salads and egg salads. All of these foods are potential targets for the bacteria that cause food poisoning, and they must be kept refrigerated.And it's not just homemade sandwiches that need refrigeration. Any store-bought, packaged lunch combos containing lunch meats, crackers and cheese need to be kept cold, too.
Remember peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches? This humble sandwich was an ingenious invention from a time before the widespread availability of home refrigeration (to say nothing of frozen gel packs and insulated lunch bags). Because bread, peanut butter and jelly are all non-perishable, peanut butter and jelly makes the perfect sandwich for brown-bag lunches.Other examples of foods that don't need to stay cold include whole fruits, chips, crackers, mustard, pickles, and unopened cans of meat and fish. To learn more, here's an article about what causes food spoilage.
Many people choose to brown-bag it because it's a great way to economize. When we're trying to be frugal, it can be tempting to reuse paper lunch bags, sandwich bags, foil and plastic wrap. Unfortunately, once these items have been used, they can contaminate other food and cause foodborne illness. The safest thing to do is to discard them.If that feels wasteful, you can make up for it practicing portion control. Don't pack more for lunch than can be eaten at lunchtime. Leftovers that are stored for the rest of the day and then brought home might not be safe to eat.
If you do have leftovers and no way to refrigerate them, follow one of the mantras of the foodservice industry: "When in doubt, throw it out."
Tips for Making Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream is fresh, delicious and fun to make. What's more, you can customize your flavors or use the best-quality ingredients you can find. But it can be tricky to get ice cream to have that perfect firm, yet creamy consistency that is the trademark of good ice cream. Follow these tips to improve your own ice cream making technique.
Start with the best ingredients.
Ice cream is only as good as the ingredients used to make it. So if you can afford it, buy organic milk and cream and free-range eggs, making sure that everything is as fresh as can be. If you're adding flavorings or ingredients, such as chocolate, vanilla or fruit, spring for high-quality products. For instance, real vanilla, or even actual vanilla beans, makes far better vanilla ice cream than imitation vanilla.
Save fat and calorie cutting for later.
If you're like most people, you try to watch what you eat and buy low-fat versions of cheese, milk and other foods. But ice cream depends on a high fat content to create a creamy texture that won't get icy and gritty in the freezer. Once you get adept at making ice cream, you can experiment with using lower-fat milk products, such as half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but be aware that the texture and flavor won't be nearly as rich and delicious as a full-fat version. On a diet? Make ice cream an occasional treat, and serve yourself a smaller portion.
Know when to add flavorings.
Flavorings, especially extracts or alcohol, should be added when cooked custard has cooled. Don't add them to the custard when it's hot, or the flavors will deteriorate and won't be as pronounced. You could even wait to stir them in until right before you pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker.
Thoroughly chill the custard.
Many ice cream recipes call for making a cooked custard out of eggs, sugar and milk. After you've made the custard, it's important to chill it in the refrigerator until it's as cold as possible before putting it into your ice cream maker. Some experts even recommend "aging" the mixture overnight in the refrigerator, which will enable the mixture to be aerated as much as possible in the maker, yielding the creamiest, smoothest ice cream.
Freeze the bowl.
Speaking of freezing, if you're using the type of ice cream maker that comes with a freezer bowl, make sure to freeze this bowl for at least 24 hours before making ice cream. If the bowl is not cold enough, chances are your ice cream will never freeze.
Start the motor first.
Particularly when using an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl, it's important to turn on the motor before pouring into the ice cream base. The bowl is so cold that the mixture will freeze immediately upon contact, so you'll want it to already be in motion so that the ice cream won't freeze onto the bowl in a chunk.
Use mix-ins wisely.
Adding candy pieces, nuts or dried or fresh fruit to your ice cream can add a whole new flavor and texture dimension. Mix-ins should be small, around the size of a chocolate chip, so the ice cream maker can incorporate them into the frozen ice cream. Chill them thoroughly before adding them to the ice cream, and only add them when the ice cream is already completely frozen. The ice cream maker won't need more than a minute or two to stir them in.Keep it creamy.
A common complaint about homemade ice cream is that it gets hard and icy when it's stored in the freezer. There are several ways to keep your ice cream from freezing solid in the freezer. David Lebovitz, author of the book, The Perfect Scoop, recommends adding a few tablespoons of alcohol (such as a fruit liqueur to fruit-flavored ice cream, or vodka when you don't want an alcoholic flavor). Sugar, corn syrup or honey, as well as gelatin and commercial stabilizers, can all keep your ice cream at a softer consistency. Ice cream also stays softer when you store it into a shallow container, rather than a deep tub, and cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to keep ice crystals from forming.
With a little practice and some good recipes (whether it's classic Vanilla or an adventurous flavor like Ovaltine ice cream), you'll be well on your way to making delicious homemade ice cream that will delight your friends and family.
Emulsion
There are two kinds of emulsions, temporary and permanent. An example of a temporary emulsion is a simple vinaigrette. You combine the oil and vinegar in a jar, mix them up and they come together for a short time. Mayonnaise is an example of a permanent emulsion, consisting of egg yolks and oil. Egg yolks and oil would not naturally mix together, but by slowly whisking the oil into the egg yolks, the two liquids form a stable emulsion that won't separate.
Hollandaise sauce is another permanent emulsion, which is made of egg yolks and clarified butter.
Certain substances act as emulsifiers, which means they help the two liquids come together and stay together. In the case of mayonnaise and Hollandaise, it is the lecithin in the egg yolks that acts as the emulsifier. Lecithin, a fatty substance soluble in both fat and water, will readily combine with both the egg yolk and the oil or butter, essentially holding the two liquids together.
In a stable emulsion, what happens is that droplets of one of the liquids become evenly dispersed within the other liquid. The resulting liquid is thicker than the two original liquids were. In the case of salad dressing, oil droplets are suspended within the vinegar.
A fine powder also can help to stabilize an emulsion, and so can a starch. That's why roux is useful in thickening sauces. It's the starch in the flour that joins the butter to the liquid stock. A cornstarch slurry works the same way.
Other less obvious examples of emulsions are chocolate (an emulsion of milk and cocoa butter) and some sausages and forcemeats. Hot dogs are an example of an emulsion sausage where meat, fat and water are combined to form a smooth forcemeat which is then stuffed into a casing.
Make the Perfect Vinaigrette
That's because oil and vinegar don't mix. No doubt you've seen this yourself — shake up a bottle of salad dressing and the two parts come together. But set the bottle down and in seconds they start to separate again, until all the oil is at the top and all the vinegar is at the bottom.
The best we can do is encourage them to come together for a little while, which they will grudgingly do, provided we shake, stir or otherwise mix them up really well.
We call that a temporary emulsion — temporary because the oil and vinegar begin to separate as soon as you stop mixing, stirring or whatever. (An example of a permanent emulsion, by the way, is mayonnaise, but that's another story.) Here are a few tips and tricks to help your vinaigrettes turn out perfectly every time.
If you remember nothing else about vinaigrettes, remember this: the magic ratio of oil to vinegar is 3 to 1. As long as you know that, you won't need to consult a vinaigrette recipe ever again. Just remember three parts oil to one part vinegar and you'll be all right. If you get them backwards and do three parts vinegar to one part oil, your puckered mouth will ensure you don't make that mistake a second time.So, is this 3:1 ratio set in stone? Yes! OK, actually, it's not. Different vinegars have different strengths, so the ratio might need to be adjusted somewhat. You also might want a more tart dressing sometimes, and other times something a little milder. For the most part, though, the 3:1 ratio represents the vinaigrette sweet spot. Get it somewhere in the vicinity and you're going to do just fine.
By the way, the best way to test the flavor of your vinaigrette is to dip a piece of lettuce in, shake off the excess and then take a bite. This will give you a better sense of how your salad will taste than by tasting the vinaigrette "straight."
Generally speaking, any oils labeled "vegetable oil" or "salad oil" are fine for making a basic vinaigrette. You could also use any light, neutral-flavored oil like safflower, canola or soybean oil. One of the most common variations is to substitute olive oil for salad oil. If you do this, make sure you use extra virgin olive oil, not the cheaper, "light" varieties. When you consider the wide range of flavored oils that are available today, including such distinctive oils as walnut or avocado, the possible variations on the basic vinaigrette formula are literally endless. The most neutral flavored vinegar is white vinegar, but we wouldn't likely use this in a vinaigrette. At the very least, use a white wine vinegar. But the flavors and types of specialty vinegars, like balsamic, sherry or raspberry, are as varied and diverse as can be. Cider vinegar is made from apples and is a good choice for fruity vinaigrettes. Balsamic vinegar, sweet, dark and aged in specially treated wooden casks, is one of the most sublime vinegars you can find. Another interesting choice, especially for Asian-flavored vinaigrettes, is rice vinegar, which is made from fermented rice. Lemon juice is a nice component to add to vinaigrettes. It's usually used to complement and enhance the vinegar, rather than replacing it altogether — although a simple dressing of olive oil and lemon juice drizzled over a fresh summer salad is hard to beat.For that matter, you can use all kinds of juices in vinaigrettes, not just lemon — though citrus fruits such as lemon, lime and orange juice are used most commonly because of their high acid content. Orange juice adds sweetness in addition to tartness. Each citrus fruit has its own unique flavor profile, but the overall vinaigrette formula is the same.
A simple vinaigrette doesn't need more seasoning than a bit of Kosher salt and ground white pepper. But minced garlic, onion, shallot and herbs (fresh and dried) are often part of the mix, along with spices such as black pepper, celery seed, paprika and so on. Other ingredients, such as mustard or Worcestershire sauce, are not uncommon.Honey happens to be a great addition to a vinaigrette, firstly because it adds sweetness, which is nice sometimes to counterbalance the tartness from your vinegar, citrus or whatever. But also because it helps stabilize the emulsion. A vinaigrette with honey in it will remain emulsified for a long time — certainly longer than it takes to eat a salad. Honey vinaigrettes are great for presentations, where you don't want the oil and vinegar separating all over the plate.
The most effective way of combining the oil and the vinegar is in a blender. If you don't have a blender, you can combine everything in a glass or stainless steel bowl and just whisk them together thoroughly. (Just don't use an aluminum bowl — the acid in the vinegar can react with the aluminum, producing a metallic flavor.) You could even seal the ingredients in a clean glass jar or bottle and shake to combine.For best results, all your ingredients should be at room temperature when you begin. The cooler the oil, the more difficult it is to make an emulsion.
Once you've mixed things up, it's nice to let the flavors meld for a while, especially when you go beyond the basic formula and introduce additional ingredients like minced onion, garlic, herbs and so on. Ideally, then, you'd prepare the vinaigrette in advance and then let it sit for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. Just don't refrigerate it during this time!
Here are a few to get you started: And for a great, simple salad you can have every day, check out Danilo's Everyday Salad.Finally, here are a couple of videos that demonstrate the vinaigrette process: How to Make a Vinaigrette and Make Raspberry Vinaigrette.
10 Green Kitchen Products
Fagor America Inc.Induction cooktops are far more efficient than gas or electric burners. Not only do they heat food faster than other cooking surface, but the cooking method is more energy-efficient: induction coils create a magnetic field that actually heats food within the pot, rather than heating the base of the pot. Even if you can't afford to replace your stove with an induction cooktop, you can still invest in Fagor's portable induction cooktop, which is great for cooking in the summer (your kitchen stays cooler because heat does not radiate off the cooking surface), as an extra burner for entertaining, or for cooking outside of your kitchen, such as in the back yard or on a boat or an RV.
How To Make Scones
For the exact ingredients and measurements, be sure to check out these scones recipes:
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Basic French Toast
My neighborhood diner serves great challah bread w/ its meals, and there's usually some bread left over: I take it home and use it for French toast. If it gets a little too dry, I just soak it in the coating for a little while before putting it in the pan. The challah keeps really well and makes the best French toast ever!
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Ratatouille: Step By Step
In addition to the eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini, this ratatouille recipe features yellow squash, red and yellow bell peppers, red onions and garlic. Next page >>
Best Egg Cookers
Whether you're making up a batch of hard-cooked eggs for Easter or Passover, or just cooking or poaching eggs for breakfast, snacks or egg salad, these egg cookers will help you make the task easy. We've included some other helpful egg-cooking and serving tools, such as toppers and slicers, so you'll be ready to make everything from deviled eggs to eggs Benedict.
PriceGrabberThe electric Oster Egg Cooker can cook up to 8 eggs at a time, with the option to make them hard-, medium- or soft-boiled. Or, with the included tray, you can make up to 4 steam-poached eggs. The unit turns off when the eggs are cooked, and the appliance's nonstick coating makes it easy to clean.
Color-Coded Cutting Boards
In many cases of cross-contamination, cutting boards are a prime culprit. For that reason, using separate, color-coded cutting boards for different ingredients is a great way of preventing cross-contamination.
The colors help you keep track of which cutting boards are for reserved for which types of foods, so that you're less likely to cut lettuce on the same board you just used for prepping raw poultry.Sound complicated? Fortunately, you don't need to adopt the entire system in order to cook more safely at home. Even having one separate, distinctively colored cutting board that's reserved just for raw meat is a great idea — one that will go a long way toward minimizing your chances of a food-related illness.
Here are the different cutting board colors and their meanings:
Green: Fruits & VegetablesYellow: Raw PoultryBlue: Cooked FoodWhite: Dairy ProductsTan: Fish & SeafoodRed: Raw MeatYou can buy a complete set of color-coded cutting boards including all the colors listed above. Or you can buy the colors separately, in case you don't want the whole set. Compare prices.
KitchenAid Food Grinder
I used the Food Grinder to make my own ground beef. Initially I was somewhat put off by the fact that pushing the cubes of meat into the hopper (using the food pusher tool that comes with the grinder) required what seemed an excessive amount of force.
But that turned out to be my own fault. I'd failed to read the instructions specifying that the mixer should be turned to Speed 4 for grinding meat. I had it on the slowest speed, which undoubtedly made the task more difficult than it needed to be. Despite this, though, the grinder still performed admirably, churning through 2? pounds of beef chuck roast in about 10 minutes.
The grinder is also expandable with a separate fruit and vegetable strainer accessory that lets you make things like applesauce, baby food, jams and chutneys. And if you're into making your own fresh pasta, there's a separate pasta maker for making macaroni and round noodles like spaghetti. There's even a separate sausage stuffer kit available.
If you're looking for a tool with basic food grinding capabilities, but you don't have a KitchenAid mixer already, I wouldn't run out and buy one just to use the Food Grinder. Then again, it's almost unimaginable that someone who's into food and likes to cook wouldn't have a KitchenAid stand mixer.
Sesame-Crusted Tuna Steaks
Indeed, the first time I made this, it was too salty. I used ""low sodium soy"" and lessened the marinade time and it was great the second and third time.
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Cutting Board Basics
As for glass cutting boards, they're just awful for your knives and aren't allowed in commercial kitchens, either. Why? Because things get dropped in kitchens, and broken glass in the soup is a real no-no.
Bottom line: Use plastic or acrylic cutting boards, not wood or glass.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
I'm so glad I found this again, your recipe is delicious and easy! I made it several times last year, but then lost it! I was searching all over the Internet and found others with the same title, but this one is unique in its simplicity. It really is top notch! I make a few simple substitutions; I replace the bread with a marbled pound cake, and add some cinnamon to whipped topping for the final touch. Thanks!
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Classic Lasagna Recipe
It also features "no-boil" lasagna noodles. These are a huge time-saver over ordinary lasagna noodles that you have to boil and drain. With the no-boil variety, you just assemble the lasagna with the uncooked noodles, seal it tight with foil and bake. As the sauce simmers, the noodles cook all on their own.
You'll need about a pint of bechamel to make this lasagna, so here's a recipe for a basic bechamel sauce.
Preheat oven to 400°F.Prepare the bechamel sauce.
Making the red sauce: Brown the ground beef and pork in a large skillet or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Drain excess fat (reserving 2 Tbsp for the next step), remove meat from pan and set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in reserved fat for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, another 5 minutes or so.
Return meat to the pan and add the sauce and dried herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until everything is heated through. Remove sauce from heat and season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Assembling the lasagna: Ladle enough red sauce to cover the bottom of a 3-qt ovenproof baking dish.
Arrange a layer of noodles atop the sauce, then another layer of sauce. Drizzle roughly one-third of the bechamel evenly atop the red sauce.
Repeat the previous step two more times — noodles, red sauce and bechamel — until you have three layers in place.
Spread the shredded mozzarella evenly atop the lasagna, then sprinkle on the grated parmesan.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese on top has browned slightly.
Remove lasagna from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.Makes 6 generous servings.
Stock Pot
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Quart Stock Pot
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Skillet Cooking a Steak
To test the heat, place a single drop of water on the pan. If it dances for a second before disappearing, the pan is hot enough. Make sure to have the steak, a clean plate, a heavy duty grill mitt, a pat of butter and a pair of tongs ready. You won't have a chance to step away once you start the cooking process.
Top 10 BBQ Sauces
This is a classic Carolina style Barbecue Sauce. Typically, served on smoked pork (at the table), this thin, vinegar based sauce has tons of flavor. This vinegar BBQ sauce comes from the region of the Carolinas north of the mustard belt. This sauce gives food a tangy flavor, perfect for pork, but simply put, a great sauce for almost anything.
Barbecue Ribs on the Grill
First there is straight grilling. Like I said you will want to grill indirectly, meaning that you have a fire on one side and the food on the other. Actually you want a four part cooking area. Imagine four boxes stacked with two on the bottom and two on the top. In the top left box are the ribs. Below the ribs is a large pan to catch the drippings. In the top right box is another large pan filled with water. This added the moisture to the environment that will keep the ribs from drying out. Below the water pan is your fire.
Of course there are variations to this basic layout and you probably need to do a little experimenting to determine what is going to work best for you and your grill. A couple of variations include using wood chips, soaked in water and added to the charcoal fire, if you are using a charcoal grill, or in a smoker box if you are using a gas grill. This will add a good smoky flavor to your barbecue ribs, giving them an authentic flavor.
You will need to cook your ribs like this for several hours. You want the inside of your grill to hold a temperature around 200 to 225 degrees F. The ribs should not over lap the fire or they will burn and dry out. If you want the smoke flavor you will probably have to add more wood every hour. This is particularly important in the first two hours. Your ribs will be done when they become tender and the meat is loose around the bones.
You can also precook your ribs to speed up the process or to increase the tenderness of the ribs. Ribs cooked on a barbecue smoker at a low temperature for several hours will be very tender. Ribs cooked on a grill, especially a gas grill, will not be as tender even cooked indirectly. To make your ribs tenderer you can precook by either boiling the ribs for about 30 minutes or by placing them in a slow cooker. This will get the ribs going and not dried out. Once you are ready to grill then you can season the ribs and cook them indirectly until done. The disadvantage of this is that the ribs will not absorb the flavor of the smoke very well and you can literally boil out the flavor of the meat. Remember, if you boil, slow cook, or oven roast ribs it must be at a low temperature, around 200 to 225 degrees F.
Now when it comes to seasoning ribs you want to be very conservative. Good ribs have a great flavor all to themselves. It is also important to avoid adding barbecue sauce to ribs early in the process. Most barbecue sauces, whether store bought or homemade, contain some kind of sugar (tomatoes contain sugar). This can cause your barbecue ribs to burn, even cooked indirectly. I suggest using a good rub before you grill and maybe a barbecue sauce after the grilling is done. However if you want to use a sauce, try using a mop. A mop is a thin barbecue sauce (mainly vinegar or water) that you brush on during grilling to help maintain moisture and to add flavor. Sometimes you will hear it referred to as a baste.
So remember, keep the temperature low. A good grilling temperature for barbecue ribs is about 225 degrees F. Also keep a close eye on your ribs. Once the surface of the meat starts to burn there's no going back. Another good tip is to fill a spray bottle with a thin barbecue sauce. By thin I mean practically water. I use a mixture of paprika, water and a few other seasonings. By spraying the ribs with this mixture during grilling you will add moisture, reduce burning and add flavor to your barbecue ribs.
Shrimp
First of all there is the issue of deveining. Contrary to what some say you do not have to devein shrimp. As long as the shrimp are properly cooked the vein isn't going to cause any health risks. On the other hand it is more pleasing to remove it. The best method is to use a small paring knife to split the shrimp down the back and then pick out the vein. A little practice and you'll find it pretty easy. This opening in the shrimp that you create to remove the vein is the best place to apply flavor. Any seasoning needs to reach this part most. The skin of the shrimp prevents marinades and seasonings from penetrating the shrimp, but the open cut allows it to sink it.
Now you might notice that some shrimp has a certain smell to it. This doesn't necessarily mean that the shrimp isn't fresh enough. Actually almost any shrimp you buy so going to be frozen so do not trust anything that says the shrimp is fresh. If you buy unfrozen shrimp don't freeze it again. Refreezing is about the worse thing you can do to any kind of meat or seafood. The smell is probably iodine. Iodine is plentiful in the plankton that shrimp feed upon. To eliminate the smell, soak the shrimp for about 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of water. Rinse in cold water afterwards. This draws out the smell and some of the iodine flavor that shrimp might have.
To properly grill shrimp it is best to place them on skewers no matter how big the shrimp. This makes them easier to control on the grill and easier to cook. There are several strategies to skewering shrimp. If you skewer them lengthwise you will reduce the natural curling of shrimp as they cook. This is good if you want your shrimp nice and straight. If you skewer each shrimp twice, once throw the top and then throw the bottom near the tail you will give the cooked shrimp a nice curved shape and make a more attractive kebab. If you use two skewers you will make a kebab that is easier to turn and hold onto the shrimp. As far as the cooking goes none of these really has an effect. The one thing to do is make sure you do not pack the shrimp tightly on the skewers. This will provide for more even cooking.
Shrimp are generally sold by weight and sized by the number of shrimp it takes to make a pound. So a 40 count shrimp gives you about 40 shrimp per pound. When it comes to portion sizes, if shrimp is the main course, plan on about 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person for shelled shrimp or 3/4 pound per person if the shells are still on. Which brings me to the final point. Grilling shrimp with the shells on will make them more difficult to skewer but helps them hold on to their natural shape better. However you will have the vein problem if you don’t remove the shells. Amongst many of the shrimp loving people of the world, it is considered a bad thing if you cook shrimp without the shells and without the heads. Shrimp that still have their heads are a better flavored shrimp. If you try it you’ll notice the difference. Of course, many people just don’t like the idea of a whole shrimp on their plate.
Now this brings us to the grilling. Shrimp are best grilled quickly but not over too high of a heat. This is especially true the smaller the shrimp. The worse thing you can do to a shrimp is to overcook it. If you are grilling small shrimp at high temperatures it will make it more difficult to get even cooking and to get them off the grill at the right time. Keep the heat about medium for your grill. You should be able to hold your hand over the heat for about 4 seconds.
Shrimp are done when the entire outside surface has changed color. There are a wide variety of shrimp and they do come in slightly different colors. Most shrimp you buy starts out gray, almost blue and turns pink as it cooks. Once the skin surface of the shrimp no longer shows any of its original color it is done. You need to remove shrimp from the heat the second it is done. Overcooked shrimp as a rubbery texture and loses a lot of its natural flavor.
Making Jerky in your Smoker
Jerky, or jerked meat is long thin strips of meat that have been dried. Typically, the meat is beef and the traditional method of drying is in the sun. Jerky has remained popular for hundreds of years with people who need to carry their own food, including the trappers of old and hikers today. Jerky is tough and salty, but light weight and lasts for a very long time without refrigeration or very much care.
To make jerky, first start with a very lean cut of meat. You can use most cuts but I recommend starting out with a sirloin tip roast because it's generally lean and easy to work with. Trim all the fat from the meat. Fat will become rancid fast and will increase the drying times. Cut the meat across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Now if you look at some of the recipes I have listed, you will see some different spice mixtures and marinades. Pick something that appeals to your sense of taste. However, if you choose to keep it simple, sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and start smoking.
When smoking jerky you need a low temperature and little smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be just under 150 degrees F. If you are using an electric smoker, you will introduce a small amount of smoke, but if you are smoking over a charcoal or hardwood fire, this will generate plenty of smoke. You need to smoke or dry your jerky until it is completely dry. Depending on how you do it and your climate, this can take 12 to 72 hours.
Trying to run a smoker for more than about 12 hours can be a challenge for many people. When it comes to jerky you are going to get the smoke flavor into the meat in about 3 hours. After this you can take the jerky out of the smoker and finish it off in a food dehydrator or the oven.
Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket
Not only is this recipe simple to make with few ingredients, it's so yummy! Family and friends LOVE when I make this recipe. For those of you who would rather not have the expense of the brisket, I have also used skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6-9) and it's a hit as well.
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Grilling Eggplant
Eggplant comes in several different varieties and fortunately you can now get many of these anywhere. American: The most popular variety is the purple pear shaped kind. Italian or Baby: Smaller and more delicate than the American Variety. Oriental: Thin skinned with fewer seeds, this type is long and slender. Sicilian: Large, round and irregularly shaped, these are the sweetest and mildest. White: Tough, smooth skin with a firm flesh.
To select a good eggplant look for one that feels a little heavier than is looks with a glossy, even color. Avoid eggplants with soft or brown spots. The eggplant should feel firm and bounce back when you press on it. Eggplants become bitter with age. This is the number one complaint about eggplants. Try getting the freshest eggplants you can and store them, uncut and wrapped in the refrigerator. The longer you keep it the more bitter and unpleasant it will become.
To reduce the bitterness of eggplant, cut it to the size and shape you want and soak it for about an hour in a light salt water mixture. This will draw out the bitter flavor and lightly season it before you cook it. If you have a large or older eggplant soak it for about 2 hours.
Grilling eggplant adds a great smoky flavor. Eggplant is great at absorbing flavors and should be used to soak up flavor. To begin with eggplant will start turning brown the second it is cut. While this won't affect the flavor it does change the appearance so wait until the last second to cut it. For grilling it is best to cut small eggplants lengthwise into halves or quarters depending on the size. Larger eggplants should be cut crosswise to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Now, lightly brush with oil and season to your liking. Eggplant can absorb a lot for liquid so go easy on the oil or you'll end up with an oily sponge. Don't be afraid to add strong flavors to eggplant, especially if you are going to be adding it to another dish.
Finally, grill eggplant pieces for about 8 to 10 minutes turning occasionally. Eggplant usually holds together well on the grill so don't be too worried about it falling apart. The heat should be medium high and remove the eggplant when it is well browned and tender.
If you want a really great eggplant treat you will definitely want to try making Baba Ghanoush.
About Pulled Pork
Because this tradition is so old and every region has its own variations, it's hard to come up with a definition of exactly what pulled pork is. The most basic definition is pork cooked over a low smoky fire to the point where it can be pulled apart by hand. The variations are sauces, rubs, cuts, woods, toppings and serving style. As you read on you will find out about all the variations and be able to find out for yourself what is the best method and style for you.
Basic: On its basic level, southern style barbecue is smoked pork. It is often called pulled pork because of the way it is prepared. The smoked meat is simply pulled apart by hand, although it is also found sliced, shredded or chopped. But it is also more than a meal. One of the oldest definitions of barbecue is an event where people gather to share good food. These events were frequently prepared for political, religious or social gatherings.
Overview: The simplified version of preparing pulled pork is to take a pork shoulder and put it in your smoker. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 165 degrees F., the safe temperature for pork. However, higher internal temperature will make the meat easier to pull and more tender. Do not exceed 190 degrees F.in the smoker. You will want the meat to rest a minimum for 30 minutes. During this time the temperature will continue to climb, as much as 10 degrees F. more. By this time most all the fat will have melted away and the tough connective tissue called collagen will be broken down. The meat should be tender enough to be pulled apart by hand. Kept warm, the tender meat is served up on a white bread bun with a table sauce for the diners to add as they see fit. You will usually see it served with coleslaw, either on the side or in the bun.
Moving from the general to the specific you will need to know a little about the meat so you know what to buy and how to get it ready for the smoker. The smoke and the process of smoking is simple with pork shoulder, but you do need to know about the time involved and the kinds and amount of smoke needed. If you are so inclined there are a lot of great sauces for you to choose from so you can finish it off in style. The traditional way of serving pulled pork is in a sandwich. It makes a great meal no matter how you put it together, but there are some accompaniments that make it even better. Once you have the basics down, take a look through the recipes so you know all the variations involved.
Next Page: The Meat
Beer in the Butt Chicken
Basics: The basic process is to take a half full can of beer with the top cut off. Place it where you are going to be doing the cooking and then place the chicken over it so that the beer can is inside the chicken. Since it's advent, people have begun adding all kinds of spices and extras to the beer to make it more flavorful. Generally, you will see garlic, cayenne, diced onions, or cumin added but almost any spice or herb can be used.
Why Beer?: So why does this work so well? First of all, you are adding a source of moisture to the chicken that keeps it from drying out. Second, you are adding beer. Now, more than the fact that beer is good, the yeast and malt found in beer reacts with the chicken, particularly the skin, making it thin and crispy while the meat remains juicy. For information on what kind of beer to use check out my friends Bryce's great article on The Beer in Beer Can Chicken. But you don't have to use beer. You can make this with wine or Garland Rome has suggested using crab boil, which works really well.
Grilling vs Smoking: Like I said, you can do this regardless of how you plan to cook the chicken. Of course, it will turn out differently if you put it on the grill versus in the smoker, but the basic principles still apply. Cook the chicken as you would normally. Always put something under the chicken like foil or a baking dish to catch the drippings.
Accessories: The biggest problem you might run into is the chicken tipping over. The weight of a half full can of beer just isn't enough to keep the chicken standing, especially if you are doing a large bird. But never fear, your fellow outdoor cooks have recognized the need and a host of products have appeared on the market to help you out. If you look in the "Elsewhere on the Web" section you will find a few variations to choose from.
Follow the step by step and try: "Making Beer Can Chicken".
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
Place the chicken wings in a large zippered plastic bag. Pour in the dry rub and shake to coat the wings well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (at room temperature) or as long as 24 hours (in the refrigerator).
Prepare coals using 3 pounds of charcoal. Make sure the coals are in a pile to one side of your grill or smoker. After the coals have turned white, place 2 cups of soaked and drained apple wood chips on the pile of coals. Set the wings on the grate so they will cook by indirect heat -- in other words, not over the coals -- and smoke for 25 minutes. Turn the wings and smoke for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Mix the honey, barbecue sauce, and apple juice together in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until warmed through.
Place the wings in a disposable foil pan and pour the warm sauce over the wings. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and smoke for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is finished the way you like it. If you're using a grill, you can move the aluminum pan directly over the coals while you're glazing the wings.
Grilled Tri-Tip Roast
I used this simple recipe as a base for my dinner this evening. The only thing I added was a cup of marinade that I injected with the syringe that came with my turkey fryer. The mixture was 50% water and 50% tequilla. I then seared the meat on the grill and just followed the recipe. There was little leftovers....
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How to Buy a Gas Grill
Price: The first thing is the price. Rule number one: You get what you pay for! If you drop in your local department or hardware store (even grocery store) you will see Gas Grills in the price range of around $150 to $300. However there are sources of residential Gas Grills that can run over $10,000. So you should decide how much you want to spend before you shop because you can spend as much as you want. There are literally hundreds of grills on the market each year, though your local stores may only carry a few, so having an idea of how much you want to spend will help narrow your search. Try my Gas Grill Reviews to get a feel for what's out there. When comparing prices, find out whether or not a propane tank is included. This can add about $20USD to $30USD dollars to your total cost if you have to buy it separately.
Fuel: The second thing to take into consideration is the fuel. First, do you want propane or natural gas? Natural gas requires a gas line at the location of your grill. Many grills can be bought in either configuration but you can't run a propane grill on natural gas or visa versa. Many lower priced grills do not have the natural gas option although more and more grills do these days. Watch the price though. Some natural gas conversion kits can cost between $50USD and $100USD. Of course natural gas will cost you less in the long run and save you trips to the propane store.
Material: Next is the material the grill is made out of. The main body of the grill is usually made from cast aluminum, sheet metal, cast iron, or stainless steel. Stainless steel is the preferred material of professional cooking equipment and the most expensive, but not all stainless steel is created equally. One thing to watch for is not just the body, but also the frame. There are many "stainless steel" grills that have painted steel frames that can rust. Once you decide on the material, look over the whole grill to see how it's put together. Is it all stainless steel (try using a magnet)? Or only parts of it. Rule Two: Manufacturers take shortcuts with metal! The truth is that cast aluminum will typically outlast any quality of stainless steel.
Size: Once you have these factors decided, you need to pick the size and features you want. For the size, think about the kinds of things you will want to cook on your grill and for how many people you might want to cook for. If you're planning on a large turkey or being able to cook up 40 hamburgers at a time you'll want a larger grill. If you just cook a few steaks or chicken breasts once in a while, you'll probably want a smaller one. Also look at the space you have for the grill. Get one that will fit safely and conveniently.
Features: As for features, do you want a side burner? How about multiple level cooking surfaces, or a smoker box, side burner, rotisserie burner, lights, or any one of a dozen things that get added to a grill these days. Remember that a basic grill will do lots of stuff and most of the extras get very little use. Rule Three: Features cost Money! Only buy the features you actually want.
Heat: Another factor is the BTU rating. This is a measurement of the amount of heat created by the burner. A grill with higher BTUs doesn't necessarily produce more heat. It is a factor of the heat created, the size of the grill and how well it holds and distributes that heat. Don't buy a grill just because it has a high BTU number. Compare that number with the size and the shape of the grill. Smaller more compact grills can produce higher cooking temperatures with lower BTUs.
Durability: Materials, thickness of metals, quality of parts play a major role in how long a grill will last. However, the biggest part of the lifespan of your gas grill is how well it is take care of. Rule Four: A well taken care of grill can last a long time!. The best grill out there will rust and fall apart if it is left uncovered and uncleaned. Of course a better grill will last longer, but you can get a long time out of a cheap grill is you take care of it.
So what features or grills will make the best cook-out? None. Practice and experience make great grilled foods. A gas grill is just a tool. The product depends on the cook. However, a good quality grill is a joy to use while a poor quality grill can lead to bad experiences the leave you less likely to cookout.
One way to separate the bad from the good is to look for name brand grills versus store brands. Ask the salesperson at the store you are shopping at if the grill you are looking at is one of there brands, or a national brand. Name brand grills have replacement parts, customer support and a company that will survive or not based on the quality of their products. Store brands change factories annually and lack the depth of support that will help keep you grill working for years to come, because if you take good care of it, it should last for many, many years. Just in case you are interested I have put together a couple of lists of the best gas grills on the market today. These are broken down by price and should give you a good idea of where to start.
Lamb Chops
The real truth is that if most people had a taste of a good, properly cooked lamb chop, they would change their tune. I invite you to join me this year and try a good, grilled lamb chop. I bet you'll become a regular follower of this tradition. Here's how:
Selecting: Start by selecting the right chop. This requires a careful examination of the label and possibly a short conversation with a butcher. What you are looking for is a loin, rib or sirloin chop. If you get a shoulder or leg chop you'll need to use a marinade to make it tender. The chops you choose should have a light red, finely textured meat with smooth, white fat. Marbling is not as important with lamb as it is with beef, but the fat on your chops should be evenly distributed. Also, the chops should be a little bit more than an inch thick.
Flavor: The second thing you need to do is select your flavors. Lamb is excellent seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, fennel and mustard. Any rub, marinade or sauce made with these will enhance the flavor of your lamb chops. Begin with a thin coating of olive oil and then a light sprinkling of seasonings, but you don't need to go overboard. You don't want to cover the flavor of the meat; you only want to add to it.
Grilling: Lamb chops should be grilled on a covered grill over a medium-high heat. Ideally, you should grill them to medium rare or medium. There are few things worse than a dried out, over-cooked lamb chop, so keep a close eye on them and remove the chops from the grill when you reach an internal temperature of 140 F. And as always, let the meat rest for a few minutes before you serve it; in this case, five minutes will be good.
Spare Rib Rub
I used some fat pork spare ribs with this BBQ rub, absolutely try this again.
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Top 10 Small Grills
When exiled to a place where charcoal and gas are forbidden the griller doesn't have a lot of options other than electricity. The problem is that 120 volts isn't a lot of power to do high temperature grilling. Well, after some considerable development time Weber has managed to produce an electric version of its popular Q line of grills that runs on electricity. Capable of temperatures over 600 degrees F thanks to the efficiency of this design this grill can sear a steak, heat up quickly and recover its heat even faster after you lift the lid. While a small grill, if you are limited to electric grills, buy this one.
Chicken Wings
Cutting: To start out with, buy some chicken wings. You'll want a lot, so it's best to buy them in "family packs" or large bulk packs. You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole wings and do the cutting yourself. If you don't mind the time and the cutting it can be cheaper to buy them whole. Cutting chicken wings is easy once you get the feel for it. Start by holding the wing at the base upright. Spread it out a bit and with a knife slice gently in between the bones. If you softly move the knife around you'll find the easiest way through. This way you don't splinter the bones. A little practice and you'll fly right through them.
Grilling: As difficult as it might sound, grilling is about the best way to cook chicken wings. Grilling allows the fat to drain away and gives you a nice, crispy wing without a lot of excess fat. Of course the real challenge in grilling chicken wings (beside them falling into the fire) is flare-ups and burning. To resolve this keep a medium flame. You don't want too high of a temperature. You will also need to turn the wings frequently to avoid burning. It will mean standing by the grill, but you can cook a lot of chicken wings in about 15 to 20 minutes.
Sauces and Marinades: Since you will need to pay some extra attention to you wings while they grill you can afford to use sauces that could normally cause burning. When it comes to chicken wings it's best to apply the sauce before or early in the cooking time. Marinades don't add a lot to wings. When grilling chicken wings you will want to turn the wings every 3 to 4 minutes. It is also a good idea to keep a portion of the grill clear in case of a flare-up that requires you evacuate your chicken wings to another location.
Finishing Up: A large batch of wings should be on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. As always with poultry overcook, don't undercook. Test your chicken wings when they are getting close by removing one and cutting it open. There should be no pink inside and any juices should run clear. Wings are best served hot from the grill so plan everything ahead to get it done on time.
Grilled Sweet Potatoes
We loved this recipe. I used Splenda brown sugar and the sweet potatoes came out very good.
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Guide to Cookers
Rice Cookers, Pressure Cookers and Slow Cookers all have their place in a well-equipped kitchen. Each of these pieces of cooking equipment can help you prepare delicious meals more efficiently. Read on to learn what each cooker is best used for, and how to choose one that fits your needs.
What they do: Rice cookers, as their name indicates, are an electric appliance that can make perfectly cooked rice of all varieties. They contain a heating element that heats the rice and water until the water boils, and the combination of boiling water and steam cooks the rice. Rice cookers aren't for only rice, though – some cookers allow you to cook grains, porridge (like oatmeal or polenta). You can even steam or slow-cook food in many rice cookers.How to choose: Pick a rice cooker that will be an appropriate size for the number of people you typically cook for – a 5- or 6-cup cooker will be adequate for a family of four. You'll also want to decide on what features you'll need. A basic one has little more than an on-off button, but more advanced models have programmable timers, "keep warm" settings and settings to cook different types of foods. If it's in your budget, splurge for one with "fuzzy logic," which can automatically adjust the temperature and cooking time as the rice cooks in the pot.
Recipes to try:What they do: Slow cookers, the best-known brand of which is the Crock Pot, are an electric countertop appliance that cooks food at a low temperature (generally around 170 to 280 degrees) enclosed in a lidded pot, typically made of ceramic. This cooking method is great for less expensive cuts of meat the require long cooking times to make them tender, as well as for stews, beans and other liquidy recipes.
How to choose: As with a rice cooker, you'll want a slow cooker that will accommodate the size of recipe you'll typically make. A 6 quart slow cooker is a good size for a family of four, and you'll probably end up with a nice amount of leftovers. High and low settings and a keep warm setting are useful, and many slow cookers also have programmable timers, after which the cooker will switch to a "keep warm" setting.
Recipes to try:
What they do: A pressure cooker is a piece of cookware that has a sealed lid designed to allow pressure to build up on the liquid and food within the pot, so it heats food above the boiling point. The steam enclosed in the cooker is pushed through the food to heat it quickly and effectively, up to 1/4 to 1/3 the time of normal stovetop cooking.How to choose: A pressure cooker with two settings ("high" and "low") will allow you to cook more recipes and types of foods. Also look for a pressure cooker with a quick-release valve, which will quickly release the steam pressure within. Most pressure cookers on the market today have lots of safety features to prevent the cookers from exploding, and to lock the lid in place until the pressure is sufficiently decreased. Some cookers come with multiple pot bases which allows you to cook different quantities of food.
Recipes to try:
Cranberry Beans, Kale and Sausage Stew Cream of Asparagus Soup Applesauce
Top 10 Beef Marinade Recipes
Virtually any cut of beef will benefit from a good marinade. Beef marinades should have some strength (Acid) to them to be effective against the density of this meat. Remember, when marinating beef, the time you marinade and the strength of the marinades needed depends on the toughness and the thickness of the cut.?
This marinade can be used on practically any meat or Mexican-style dish. You'll get a great lime and cilantro flavor without overpowering the flavor of the meat.
Top 10 Charcoal Grills
Easy to use and highly durable, the Old Smokey 22 inch charcoal grill is perfect not only for your backyard barbecue, but can be taken most anywhere since it only weights 19 pounds, making it a great portable charcoal grill as well.. Made of aluminized steel, the Old Smokey #22 has no paint to peel or burn off and it taken care of can easily last for decades. Because of the tight construction you can hold temperatures down for low and slow barbecue. This charcoal grill comes from a small company in Texas (where it is still made) that has been in the same location, making quality products since 1923.
Brining Pork
The basic formula for a brine solution is 1 cup of salt (preferably without iodine) to one gallon of water. This is a very good rule to follow. While under-brining won't have a negative effect of foods, over-brining can be disastrous. Either using too much salt or brining for too long will leave you with a cut of meat that is too salty to eat. Don't worry about the 1 cup of salt that's only 1 tablespoon per cup or water. The solution should be salty to the taste but not thick with salt. This formula assumes that you are using regular table salt. If you are using a coarser salt, like kosher salt you will want to add more, about 1 1/2 cups per gallon. This is because kosher salt weighs less by volume.
When it comes to the amount of time you want to brine something it is more important not to brine too long than not long enough. While some cuts of pork can use days in a brine, even a relatively small amount of time can be helpful. Pork generally takes a long time to get the full effect. Now I wouldn't bother brining a cut of pork if you didn't have at least a few hours but with smaller cuts even 3 or 4 hours can do the trick. Do not; however go longer than the times on this chart.
Pork Chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick) - 12 to 24 hours
Whole Pork Tenderloin - 12 hours
Whole Pork Loin - 2 days
Brining times are not only determined by the weight and thickness of meat but also by the grain of the meat. Pork tenderloin takes less time to brine by weight than do pork chops because the long running grain pulls the brine into the meat.
The most basic seasoning that you want to add to your brine is a sweetener. This can be sugar, brown or white, molasses, or maple syrup. As a general rule add 1/2 cup of sweetener per gallon of brine. As for how much brine you will need, consider the size of the container you are going to use and the size of the meat you want to brine. A brine solution should be enough to completely submerge the meat you want to brine.
Additional seasonings can be derived from any recipe you might be using or your own preferences. Herbs and spices as well as garlic and onions will add flavor to pork. Try not to overpower the flavor of the pork but just add a hint of flavor. Garlic and onions should be minced or chopped to expose the maximum amount of surface area to the brine solution.
Barbecue Ribs on a Gas Grill
For this example, I am using a full rack of spareribs trimmed. You can use baby back ribs with this same method but reduce the cooking time about 5 minutes per stage. Otherwise, the total cooking time will be between 1 1/2 and 2 hours.
Your gas grill must be large enough and contain at least two burners, since these ribs will be cooked indirectly. This means the heat will not be below the rack of ribs, but off to the side of the grill. I will explain the set up in detail as we progress.
What you will need: one rack of ribs a good Rib Rub barbecue sauce 1/2 cup apple juice aluminum foil fuel for your grill wood chips for smoke a sharp knife
Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze
ropledople, if the bourbon taste was too overpowering for you, perhaps you should try it again and cut the bourbon in half before you give a less than favorable review. ALL RECIPES are merely suggestions, everyone has different taste and cooking styles. Tweak it and post what you did to improve it. I personally use this recipe and I ADD bourbon to it as I like it as a glaze for ribs. I personally use Jim Beam instead of J.D. See, I did my own tweaks and made it my own.
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George Foreman Fryer
The idea of a deep fryer that produces healthier fried food is a tempting one. And who better to develop such a product than George Foreman, who revolutionized healthy cooking with a line of fat-reducing grills?
Unlike a traditional deep fryer, the machine has a round fry basket that lifts out of the oil and spins rapidly, using centrifugal force to pull excess oil off food. The company put the product through its paces at an independent laboratory test to determine that the fryer did indeed remove more fat than traditional deep fryers. According to the test, onion rings had up to 38 percent less fat and breaded chicken, 55 percent less.
With a number of parts, the machine looks a bit intimidating and complicated, but a detailed instruction booklet makes it easy to assemble and use, and the booklet also contains helpful tips, a chart of cooking times for different types of food, and a few recipes.
A handle lifts and lowers the fry basket and locks it into position, all without having to open the lid. Dials set the temperature and cooking timer. The spin cycle has low and high speeds, and another dial sets the timer for the spin cycle, turning it off when time runs out.
The food I fried in this fryer (one recipe I tried: Fried Chicken Tenders with Creamy Salsa Cilantro Sauce) turned out crisp and perfectly cooked, and it did seem less greasy. What's more, the cover, with its built in vent, helped to cut down on the usual "fried" odor, and kept grease from spattering the area. On the spin cycle, the machine wobbled precariously, but nonskid feet kept it firmly in place on my counter. The George Foreman Lean Mean Spin Frying Machine sells for around $150, and is a good option for those who like to fry (slightly healthier) food with minimal mess.
The design of the machine presents a few drawbacks. For one, the cooking area is small, and the spindle in the middle (which holds the fry basket in place) cuts down on the capacity even more, and you can forget about frying anything very large, like a fish fillet.
The design of the machine makes it necessary to close the cover when you're frying, which takes some getting used to if you are accustomed to the open fryers. The cover makes it a little difficult to monitor the cooking process, and the viewing window quickly gets covered with condensation, which makes it impossible to see through.
I also wasn't fond of the dials that set the timers, because it seemed hard to know if you were setting them accurately. The button that opens the lid is also difficult to push, requiring a lot of effort, or requiring you to grip the sides of the machine in order to push it hard enough.
Rib-Eye Steak
Because of excellent marbling in the meat of this cut it is loaded with flavor and remains tender during cooking. This steak is best grilled (ask anyone) and will remain tender up to medium, though it is still good at medium well.
This is THE steak. At least once in your life you need to go to the most expensive restaurant you can find and order a prime grade Rib-Eye steak, medium rare. When you go to take that first bite, close your eyes and roll back in your seat. Yeah, it's like that.
Rib-Eye Steak Recipes:
Chef Job Descriptions
For that matter, what's a sous chef? And what about an executive chef? Here's a basic summary of some of the most common chef jobs and chef job descriptions, and what each one means.
In French, the word chef means "chief." This tells us that a chef is someone who's in charge of something. But what? A head chef, also sometimes referred to as "chef de cuisine" or "executive chef," is in charge of the whole kitchen.Every part of a foodservice operation, including menu planning, purchasing, hiring and staffing, is part of a head chef's job description. That means he or she also has overall responsibility for all the food that comes out of the kitchen.
You may have noticed one key job function missing from a head chef's job description: cooking. That's right, the head chef typically doesn't cook.
You might see him standing around hollering at the line cooks (or expediting), but just as often it's a sous chef who does that. When you think executive chef, the key word is executive: The tools of his job are a desk, phone and clipboard, not a knife, whisk or saute pan.
The sous chef (pronounced "SOO chef," from the French word for under) is in charge of all the cooking. In some kitchens, sous chef's job is to directly supervise the entire kitchen staff, including the line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers.While his or her job is still mainly supervisory, the sous chef may also do some actual cooking, for instance, stepping in to replace one of the line cooks if necessary.
A sous chef's job description also frequently includes expediting, or relaying orders to the line cooks and ensuring that the team works together to get all the orders right and get them out promptly.
A chef de partie ("chef duh-par-TEE") is the person whose job it is to work a station on the hot cooking line. Usually called line cooks, they're the ones doing the real cooking. Though every kitchen is organized differently, most will have, at a minimum, the following line cooks:Saute Cook: Responsible for all sauteed items and sauces. Often responsible for cooking fish items, too, although there may also be a separate fish cook.
Roast Cook: Responsible for roasted and braised items. May also prepare broiled and grilled items, although there may be separate a separate grill station cook.
Vegetable Cook: Responsible for soups, starches such as pastas and potatoes, and other vegetable items.Some kitchens will feature various other chefs, such as a pastry chef who prepares desserts and other baked items, and a pantry chef or garde manger, responsible for cold food items such as salads and dressings, cured foods like sausages, as well as pates and terrines.
Some operations will also employ a separate chef whose job specialty is butchering and preparing meats and poultry.
Thinking about becoming a chef? Check out these 5 Tips for Choosing a Great Culinary School.
London Broil
Originally London Broil was made with a flank steak, but over the years the name has been applied to almost any cut of beef that is very lean and less tender. Hence you might find London Broil being a steak or a roast that comes from the sirloin or round sections of the cow. This of course makes the whole thing very confusing.
To make matters worse the original method of the London Broil was simply a flank steak, pan fried to medium rare, cut cross grain and served. This method is perfect for a flank steak because it becomes very tough if cooked too long and by cutting it into strips you made it easy for even the dullest of teeth to get through.
Later the method was changed to include marinating the flank steak and then grilling or broiling it. This makes the name make a little more sense. Now the origins get even more confusing. The marinade traditionally used for London Broil has ranged anywhere from a simple mixture of olive oil with salt and pepper to a wide collection of ingredients. You need to remember that chefs in earlier days tended to mix seasonings, sauces, and marinade more from what was on hand than from a specific recipe. To get a good marinade for London Broil try a mixture of soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, balsamic vinegar and honey. This gives it the basic flavors that make beef great.
From here you need to grill the marinated flank steak, hot and fast and to no more than medium. Overcooking will make it tough no matter how long you marinated. When the steak is ready remove it from the grill, allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then carve, cross grain, and serve in strips. It's great on mashed potatoes (a traditionally favorite side dish). If you've been paying attention you will have noticed that most recipes that involve flank steak are prepared this way, from traditional fajitas to, well, anything with flank steak. This is generally a tough ct of meat, but it has great flavor and if you prepare it right, people will love it.
Okay, now for all those other things called London Broil. These cuts all have something in common, they are lean and tend to be tougher, so the same rules apply. You might find "London Broil" in anything from a 1 inch cut to a 4 inch roast. Marinate for 2 to 3 hours per inch and grill to no more than medium. On the thick roasts you will want to grill it directly for about 2 minutes per side then grill indirectly for about 30 minutes. The internal temperature should not pass 130 degrees F. Allow thinner cuts to rest for about 5 minutes and whole roasts to rest for 10 minutes. Resting allows the meat to relax and the juices to flow. Carve the London Broil cross grain and serve. It's a great way to get a really good meal out of a less expensive cut of meat.