Questions about what temperature is optimal for cooking/preparing certain food or how certain temperatures can affect different types of food. Questions can also include how to best achieve/maintain a certain temperature for a specific type of food.
11
votes
3answers
2k views
What do I need to know about temperature and food safety?
What general rules do I need to follow to keep my food safe? How do I know what temperature to cook something to, or whether my food is safe at room temperature?
1
vote
1answer
569 views
How to make chicken absorb more salt when cooking a soup?
This is a really important question for me, it can actually make the difference between me recovering from a chronic illness or not.
Basically I have been cooking a basic soup : 1kg chicken: 1.5 ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Why does my steak turn out well done when the temperature probe says it's only rare?
Is it because I used a poor cut of meat? Did I not cook it fast enough? Should I have removed it from the heat sooner? Is my cut too thick? Is my temperature probe too conservative?
20
votes
6answers
217k views
What temperatures should I keep my refrigerator and freezer set at?
For a refrigerator, if it's cooler, items like milk and meat last a bit longer. However if I set it close to freezing then some items start showing frost on them. What temperature should I set my ...
16
votes
2answers
1k views
How does thermal shock affect pans made of different materials?
In another question, I had a little comment-discussion with TFD on the effect of shock cooling on pans. In a nutshell, I said that it is bad for the pan, and he said that especially if the pan is made ...
18
votes
1answer
2k views
Why should a stock be simmered and not boiled?
Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook says that a stock should NEVER be boiled, why is this? Does the higher heat extract bitterness or something else undesirable?
It seems a little strange because ...
22
votes
7answers
11k views
How to rest meat but not let it get too cold?
Having read this question I am persuaded that resting meat is good for its flavour. But if the meat has a good temperature straight after it's been cooked, it seems as though it will be too cold after ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
How to measure the temperature of a pan?
When I need to know if a pan is above or below 100 Celsius but don't have a thermometer handy, I squirt some water on it. Say I want to check for another temperature, e.g. for the Maillard reaction or ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
What temperature should a crock pot slow cooker cook at?
I have a crock pot that will generate a low boil on the "Low" setting and dries out anything that is cooked for a long period. I'm wondering if the temperature regulator is too high, but I can't know ...
16
votes
3answers
3k views
How do you decide what temperature to bake at?
What is the logic behind the choice of temperature for baking?
Obviously if you're following a recipe it will say what temperature to use, but I'd like to understand the reasoning behind it.
Is it a ...
11
votes
4answers
15k views
How long should roast pork be cooked so that it stays light pink?
Often pork is much too dry when served, I would like to have it slightly 'rosé' pink.
So I am looking for some cooking instructions for cooking a roast pork in the oven. A time/temperature table ...
15
votes
1answer
2k views
(Why) do onions taste sweeter when cooked at lower temperature?
I use onions to add a sweeter taste to some dishes, for example in tomato sauce for pasta. I cook them in oil, with some salt, before adding the other ingredients. It seems to me that when I turn the ...
15
votes
3answers
892 views
How hot does garlic need to get to lose its sharpness?
Inspired by the recent questions here, I made manicotti over the weekend. The recipe I used called for minced garlic in the filling. I love garlic and usually put in at least double recipe-prescribed ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Cook Time vs. Cook Temp trade off
So I've always thought of cooking this way:
Higher Temp & Less Cook time = crispier
vs.
Lower Temp & More Cook time = softer
Now obviously this doesn't apply to everything, but generally. ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Difference in cookie texture if we use melted vs softened butter
I would like to know the difference in the final result if we use softened butter or melted butter in an ordinary cookie recipe.
A few days ago i baked chocolate chips cookies i waited for the ...
6
votes
1answer
834 views
What temperature does the Maillard reaction occur?
There seems to be a lot of disagreement about the temperatures and conditions under which the Maillard reaction can occur. Cooking professionals reference all sorts of "minimum temperatures" -- I've ...
5
votes
2answers
69k views
To which internal temperature should I cook beef for rare/medium/well done?
I am going to cook a beef roast: To which internal temperature should I cook it for rare/medium/well done?
4
votes
4answers
777 views
What's the best option for water for tea in the office?
When making tea at home, I have all the equipment I need to make a fine cup of tea. In the office, however, my options are more limited. It seems my sources for hot water are:
Straight from the tap
...
8
votes
3answers
920 views
Ideal fridge temperature accounting for temperature spikes
I've read the question on the ideal fridge temperature, but am asking a more involved question about a baseline temperature and temperature spikes. How will a few hours each day at 10 C effect the ...
5
votes
2answers
7k views
How do I know if my meat thermometer is ovenproof?
Ever since a supposedly "ovenproof" thermometer shattered glass on my turkey Thanksgiving 2006 I have been afraid of these things. Is it generally safe to use them? Any maximum temperature I should be ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
How to approximate the Maillard temperature (154°C) in a pan?
Are there any common (non-toxic) household substances with boiling or smoke points close to the temperature at which the Maillard reaction occurs, 154°C?
I want to be able to check that my pan is ...
4
votes
1answer
375 views
Oven Temperature: How to be sure the selected temperature is correct.
I suspect that my - fairly new - oven gets too hot, so I bought an oven thermometer, which confirmed this. So I called the supplier. They say that in order to obtain the correct actual oven ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the best time and temperature for taste when cooking a salmon fillet in the oven?
I have an Atlantic salmon fillet in my frig at the moment, but I really have no idea what the normal cooking temperature and time are for a salmon fillet.
What's the best temp and time to cook a 1lb ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
What would cooking chicken at 140 degrees F for a prolonged period do?
A couple of times I've cooked chicken at 140F in the oven (i.e. with the oven temperature set to 140 degrees). Both times I've followed the advice to cease cooking when an internal temperature of 140 ...
0
votes
1answer
140 views
Is there a table that shows the cooking temperature and the duration for different meat types and its bones?
Just wondering if there is a table (similar to the one below - including a example) that can shows the cooking temperature and the duration to cook different types of meat (and/or its bones) in ...
