Questions tagged [temperature]
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.
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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?
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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 ...
user4697
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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 ...
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What kind of frosting doesn't need to be refrigerated?
I'm looking for a frosting I can leave on the counter (under a cover of some kind) for a few days.
What kind of frosting (for a cake or cupcakes) would stand up to this?
Ideally, I would like this to ...
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Time vs. Temperature - What changes what?
Really basic question that's bugging me...
Speaking mathematically, 200 degrees of heat for 10 minutes should be the same as 400 degrees of heat for 5 minutes , but that's not the case, right?
So ...
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What temperature of water will kill yeast?
In other words, what is the maximum temperature of water I can use in yeast bread dough? I don't proof the yeast, I use rapid dry yeast and I just add it to the other ingredients and knead it in.
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What does "bring to a simmer" mean?
First, a confession: I work in software, so I'm probably paying way too much attention to the state of liquid that is "a simmer". That written, I love to cook, and no recipe direction gives me more ...
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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 ...
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(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 ...
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How can I keep hot food hot when transporting it?
How can I keep hot food hot when transporting it, e.g. to a friend's house or a potluck? I usually just give up and take cold food, but I'd like to have more options.
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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?
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Can I test my oven temperature without an oven thermometer?
I've got a new oven, I haven't baked in it enough to really gauge its accuracy. Is there a way to test it without an oven thermometer?
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How much could I safely heat a content-less cast-iron pan?
To which temperature could I safely heat my cast-iron pan on the stove, without any contents? I don't want to re-season it afterwards. Afterwards, I'd just let the pan cool off in room temperature. ...
user4697
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Why do some powders clump in hot water?
Why do some powders like flour or matcha green tea causes lumps in hot water while other powders like sugar or cocoa or wheat grass (triticum aestivum) readily dissolve? Wheat grass powder is green ...
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How long could a meat-based broth be held safely near 180F/82C?
This question is the flip-side of the commonly asked food temperature safety concerns. I'd like to know, if a meat-based soup stock (chicken/pork/beef/etc) were to be held constantly at a safe hot ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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What is the temperature range for food not to burn your mouth?
I'm trying to get a temperature range for knowing when food is too hot to eat. Most of what I am finding is temperature ranges for food to kill bacteria instead.
For example, if I'm serving a hot ...
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Does Boiling Water, Instead of Warm Water, Hurt the Flavor of Tea/Hot Chocolate
I have a counter-top water kettle that I frequently use to boil water for tea, hot chocolate, and powdered drinks (e.g. chai). I don't think anything of it when the water starts boiling and keeps on ...
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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?
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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 ...
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What are some techniques to cool down a dish so that we can store it in the refrigerator safely?
My wife just cooked some 'plof' (an Ashkenazi Jewish recipe). A one pot chicken, rice, onion, carrots dish. All those are in their respective layers.
She just finished cooking it. We're going to go ...
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What happens with bread at >= 94˚C/201˚F? Or: Is temperature a reliable indicator of doneness?
So I baked a rye bread last night (in a bread pan). It was a new recipe for me and I had to adjust some things in it due to missing ingredients, so I could not fully rely on the time and temperature ...
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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 ...
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Could rice or pasta be cooked without hot water?
I moved in a brand new house. I have no stove, microwaves or hot water for a week or two.
I'm vegetarian and I've already prepared fresh veggies wrap, salad, hummus, sandwichs, .. but I'm wondering ...
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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 ...
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What are the consequences of leaving the fridge door cracked open overnight?
My girlfriend accidentally didn't close the fridge properly and left it open 2 inches all night (more than 8 hours). I had a lot of raw chicken breast and raw salmon in there. Is it still edible? When ...
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How do I prevent grainy fudge?
I want to make peanut butter fudge. My dad can make it perfect by just eyeballing it and dropping a spoonful in cold water to know when it is just right. but I have never been able to do it that way. ...
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Should pasta be started in cold or boiling water?
There are two main methods, either putting the strands into water already at boiling point, or putting them in cold water and then putting on the heat.
Which method is the best to cook pasta?
Does ...
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How can I cool tea quickly?
Imagine you're making someone a tea, but for whatever reason they have to leave soon. How can I cool the tea so that they don't have to choose between leaving it unfinished or burning their mouth? ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Does keeping a fridge/freezer full significantly help energy efficiency?
This is one of those statements I frequently encounter, but I've never really seen evidence to support it. The advice often goes even further to say that if your fridge/freezer is relatively empty, ...
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How accurate is the hand technique for grilling?
I have read several articles and watched several videos talking about the proper way to gauge the temperature of a grill. Basically they state if you can hold your hand X inches over a grill for Y ...
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If a US recipe specifies 'vegetable oil' what type of oil should I use in the UK?
The recipe requires heating the 'vegetable oil' to exactly 375 degrees Fahrenheit with the aid of a candy thermometer.
But aren't most oils made from vegetables? Some have a smoke point less than 375....
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How to reduce the heat on a gas burner
I have a new gas cooktop and the lowest setting on the smallest burner still produces afast rolling boil rather that a very low simmer. How can I reduce the heat?
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Cooking on the stove: what is "too hot" for a pan?
I'm a novice cook and often hear about "learning one's stove". Obviously manufacturers, cooking methods, and appliance types vary and so "high" on one stove isn't comparable to another.
That said, ...
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How do I accurately take a chicken thigh's temperature?
I tried to bake chicken thighs the other day and I used my probe thermometer to tell me when they were done. Well it seems that I did something wrong when inserting the thermometer because the thighs ...
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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 ...
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How do I avoid my food becoming brownish/dark while cooking?
I recently encountered a few recipes where food is not allowed to 'get colour', or become brownish while baking.
A few examples of what I mean:
Chicken turns a golden-brown colour.
Burgers get a ...
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What is "hand hot"?
How hot is "hand hot"?
Should it be about the temperature where you can stand leaving your hand in the water ... but any degree hotter and it wouldn't be tolerable? Or is that way too hot?
For ...
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What can you do with an infrared thermometer?
Infrared thermometers have plummeted in price in recent years, and are now inexpensive gadgets for the home cook, not to mention the pros.
What are the primary uses of an infrared thermometer in the ...
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How hot does popcorn need to be before it pops?
I'm interested to know if I can make popcorn in the oven, such as in a covered roasting pan. I'm also just quite curious to know the temperature it needs.
Would it pop in a 250C oven? If so, what ...
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Glass Dish Baking Temparature
Generally I have heard that most recipes are designed for baking in metal dishes. I have also heard that glass will get hotter than metal, and thus I should cook it at a lower temperature for longer.
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Fully cooked, but requires a minimum internal temperature?
I'm making a box of packaged chicken burgers. On the front of the box, it says "Fully Cooked", but then on the back of the box, in the cooking directions, it says "Heat to an internal temperature of ...
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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. ...
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