Please do not use this tag. It is vague, ambiguous and useless. It will soon be removed.
26
votes
7answers
37k views
Is there a problem with defrosting meat on the counter?
I generally defrost meat on the kitchen counter. A friend of mine suggested that this was dangerous and suggested that I defrost meat in the refrigerator. I am no biologist but it seems to me that as ...
15
votes
5answers
1k views
What are the basics and options of brining meat, for example chicken?
What are the basics and options of brining meat, for example chicken? I ate at a restaurant in Santa Fe that specialized in brining and the chicken was amazing. Id like to know what the process is ...
10
votes
3answers
14k views
How should baking soda be used to tenderize meat?
At some Chinese restaurants, I've had beef dishes where the meat was unusually tender. It also has a somewhat unusual texture, which is hard to describe. I understand that this is a result of using ...
8
votes
5answers
683 views
What foods are high in umami?
What foods are high in umami ("savoriness") and how can I cook them to maximise the umami taste?
11
votes
6answers
78k views
I need to quickly and safely thaw frozen ground beef, what are my options?
Since reading the answers to my question about defrosting meat on the counter I've been good about giving my meat time to defrost in the refrigerator. However, my plans for tonight have changed and ...
5
votes
4answers
524 views
How to make home-made butter?
Has anyone tried it before and how was the result?
What are the steps and what ingredients and kitchen tools do I need?
14
votes
1answer
446 views
A definitive method of dicing an onion
It bugs me that I've just sort of self-taught a method of turning a whole onion into a nicely diced pile. I'm going to assume my method is inefficient and wasteful.
Could someone explain how I should ...
26
votes
5answers
12k views
How long do you let a steak from the fridge come up to temperature, and when do you salt it?
Before cooking a steak, you're supposed to let it sit out at room temperature. You're also supposed to salt it. What is the proper timing for these steps? How long do you let the steak come up to ...
17
votes
3answers
678 views
What research is there on tea preparation?
I'm a fan of modernist cooking, and its emphasis on precise measurements and consistency. I'm curious how to apply this to tea preparation - in particular, several things:
It seems to be well ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Why isn't my vinaigrette emulsifying properly?
I made a vinaigrette tonight. Normally, to make one, I put vinegar and oil in a mason jar and shake to mix. This usually seems to emulsify the mixture properly and it holds for a while. Tonight, I ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
How does commercial whole grain bread stay fresh for so long?
Every recipe I have tried the bread turns very hard within an hour of baking, and I'd like something I could eat over the course of a couple days (breakfast toast and such). The 100% whole wheat bread ...
12
votes
5answers
3k views
How to work with Dried Mushrooms?
I was recently given a bag of dried mushrooms and am unsure how to work with them. What's the best way to use them?
8
votes
5answers
3k views
Why prevent apples from turning brown?
It's somewhat well-known that applying an acidic solution to sliced apples prevents them from turning brown as quickly. I believe that the primary motivation to prevent the "browning" is aesthetic: ...
15
votes
7answers
418 views
I would like to make my own Chicken Stock, any suggestions?
I am tired of using canned broth/stock and would like to make my own - any suggestions as to the proper technique and parts to use?
29
votes
8answers
4k views
Why should I soak beans before cooking?
Every recipe says I should soak beans in water overnight before cooking. Why?
I did some experiments. I have tried soaked and unsoaked beans from the same batch. There was no difference in cooking ...
19
votes
8answers
4k views
Proper ratio of Water to Rice
When making rice, what is the proper ratio of water that I should use?
13
votes
5answers
2k views
Should I let stock cool with the bones/veg still in it?
I've just made some stock and its bed time now. Do I need to strain my stock before I go to bed, or can I leave it overnight with all the stuff in it and strain it in the morning? Is one preferable ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
Should rice be washed with hot water or cold water?
For both long-grain (Jasmine) and short-grain rice I typically rinse the rice with cold water to remove some of the starch and to clean the rice a bit. What temperature (hot/warm/cold) should I use ...
11
votes
5answers
374 views
How does one begin to create salsa?
Let me start by saying that I am not a cook by any means.
Now, I love salsa and I always have, but mostly I just get store brands. I've had homemade salsa before and it tends to be a lot more ...
10
votes
4answers
687 views
What can I do with frozen eggs?
Although a previous question asks if raw eggs can be frozen, my eggs froze, in the shell, because the chicken coop into which they were delivered was very cold last week.
I thawed the eggs, and they ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
What precautions should I take when preparing food while I have a cold?
If I have a cold, what precautions should I take while preparing food to make sure that I don't transmit germs?
5
votes
4answers
184 views
5
votes
1answer
443 views
What is the proper ratio of heavy cream to chocolate for a thick ganache?
Most recipes on the internet call for a 1:1 ratio that I've seen but this ends up being rather watery. I want a thick chocolaty ganache.
Is there anything special that needs to be done to achieve ...
21
votes
6answers
1k views
20
votes
16answers
17k views
Cooking an egg without oil or butter
I like scrambled and fried eggs but the butter or oil probably add unnecessary calories. How can I fry an egg with no butter? I tried in a Teflon pan but it was a mess.
11
votes
4answers
288 views
How do you efficiently clean a leek?
I've often found dirt deep within a leek, under several layers. Going through it all can be a very tiresome process. Is there any trick you can use to clean a leek, without cutting it up and ruining ...
7
votes
3answers
440 views
How to prepare pie dough in bulk at home?
Common knowledge dictates keeping the fats cool and the tools chilled. But when you are preparing more than 8X quantity, this poses some difficulties, or at least some stress. The ambient air, the ...
6
votes
2answers
470 views
Avoiding grittiness with sichuan peppers
I've got a big bag of Sichuan peppers but I've often found that when I cook with them it's difficult to avoid grittiness from the outer kernel. I don't have this problem when I visit Sichuan Chinese ...
6
votes
6answers
1k views
How do you prepare a Rabbit?
A family member gave me a couple rabbits to cook and I'm not sure how to prepare them. I'd prefer something on the smoker or grill. Do I marinate, rub, brine? I'm just not sure how to prepare it.
5
votes
1answer
1k views
Making Subway-like salads at home w/ zero work
I often buy salads at Subway because I'm lazy. However, I'm also
cheap, and Subway's markup on salads is quite high.
I want to buy items at a supermarket and simply mix them together to
make a ...
5
votes
2answers
347 views
Is there an easy way to french trim a rack of lamb?
I had to be part of a lot of french trimming of racks of lamb at the weekend, and it seemed to take a long time, so it got me wondering, is there an easy way to do this? some preferred tool?
1
vote
5answers
1k views
Peeling roasted green chilies
Last time I roasted green chilies, which consisted of charring the skin, I had a tough time peeling them. Is there an easy way to peel roasted green chilies, or some secret I'm missing?
