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Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150?
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Nov 2, 2023 18:06
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Annath posted:Well, except last year when my aging smoker exploded. Okay, how does that even happen
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Nov 2, 2023 18:07
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? penzy's is the goon favorite and just buy what you use, else they'll end up forgotten and stale in 2 years.
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Nov 2, 2023 18:10
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? I wouldn't recommend buying spices like this because you'll end up with a bunch of poo poo you won't use and it'll turn to flavourless dust. It makes far more sense to look at the recipes you want to cook and look at the recurring spices that turn up in those cuisines, and then go to a shop of that region (in my small city I have middle eastern, african, south and east asian specialist shops) and get what you need from there. Bonus points, buy yourself a pestle and mortar and where possible buy the whole spices/seeds/whatever and grind them yourself
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Nov 2, 2023 18:12
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null_pointer posted:Okay, how does that even happen My best guess based on what I saw was that the turkey last year was particularly fatty/greasy. The fat rendered out and dripped into the water tray, which had dried out, and then spilled onto the bottom of the cabinet. The burner was at the bottom, and because the smoker was a cheap POS and lived under my mom's deck, the burner plate was full of holes. The grease ignited, fire ran up to the turkey, which basically exploded. I looked out the window to see billowing black smoke. I ran outside (smoker was set up in the driveway thank god) and there were flames shooting out of the gaps around the door. I shut off the propane and pulled it away from the cabinet, then used a shovel to open the door and pull the turkey out. The metal grates inside the smoker actually bent and warped from the heat. The turkey had a crust of black char, and the probe thermometer was reading over 500F before it finished melting. I have pics somewhere I'll try to dig up.
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Nov 2, 2023 18:14
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? I would say:
I would be wary of buying too much more until you cook something that calls for something new because it will just sit in your pantry getting stale. otherwise it depends on what you like to cook like if you like North African, Levantine, and South Asian recipes, add turmeric, ground coriander, and curry powder or garam masala and sometimes a recipe only wants dried oregano or only dried thyme, but if this is a starter list, an herb blend will have one of those and other herbs that work well together, so it's more versatile / all purpose
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Nov 2, 2023 18:34
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Annath posted:I've smoked my turkey for the past few years, and have had consistently amazing results. DasNeonLicht, you haven't included any sweet spices. If OP wants to bake at all, I'd add cinnamon, vanilla, and some kind of "pie spice": apple or pumpkin, whichever suits your fancy.
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Nov 2, 2023 18:56
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Arsenic Lupin posted:I feel strongly that "exploded" and "turkey" should never appear in the same sentence. Or police report. Technically they were in separate sentences! 
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Nov 2, 2023 18:59
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Vanilla imo is best served by a small bottle of liquid vanilla extract, cinnamon is a must yes and I'd argue whole nutmeg is very useful for both sweet and savoury
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Nov 2, 2023 19:00
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The one time I fried a turkey, it came out decent... Not really worth the time, or buying all that oil. I'd rather spatch it. Butterfly Valley posted:whole nutmeg is very useful for both sweet and savoury Mmmm, good call. Plus, the solid stuff stays fresh for a very long time.
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Nov 2, 2023 19:17
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What is a reasonable individual portion of cooked white rice? I’ve been making a lot of dishes that specifically go with rice recently, and I think I’ve been eating way too much of it. I have no idea what a “normal” amount is, though, so how much would you serve per person?
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Nov 2, 2023 19:22
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Butterfly Valley posted:Vanilla imo is best served by a small bottle of liquid vanilla extract, cinnamon is a must yes and I'd argue whole nutmeg is very useful for both sweet and savoury I love nutmeg, but it wouldn't go in my minimal must have list unless I were making a lot of sugar cream pie or Alfredo. Be prepared for horrific sticker shock for vanilla. 
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Nov 2, 2023 19:26
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Pollyanna posted:What is a reasonable individual portion of cooked white rice? I’ve been making a lot of dishes that specifically go with rice recently, and I think I’ve been eating way too much of it. I have no idea what a “normal” amount is, though, so how much would you serve per person? I think a half cup to a full cup of cooked rice is on par for a portion. Depends on what you are having it with. I tend to go with more rice if I'm putting things on/in it and less rice if it is next to the main. I always cook more because fried rice the next morning fuckin rules. VVV And I have no idea what a half cup to a full cup is in grams. El Jebus fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Nov 2, 2023 |
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Nov 2, 2023 19:31
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Arsenic Lupin posted:I love nutmeg, but it wouldn't go in my minimal must have list unless I were making a lot of sugar cream pie or Alfredo. I put nutmeg in any cream or dairy based sauce, along with mashed potatoes, so it gets frequently used, and whole nutmeg keeps a long time and is easy to grate. Again, just reinforcing the idea that OP should buy spices based on what they actually cook rather than any 'definitive' list. Pollyanna posted:What is a reasonable individual portion of cooked white rice? I’ve been making a lot of dishes that specifically go with rice recently, and I think I’ve been eating way too much of it. I have no idea what a “normal” amount is, though, so how much would you serve per person? I use 60g dry rice per portion, 80g if I'm feeling hungry. No idea what that translates to as cooked or in cups.
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Nov 2, 2023 19:31
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Butterfly Valley posted:I put nutmeg in any cream or dairy based sauce, along with mashed potatoes, so it gets frequently used, and whole nutmeg keeps a long time and is easy to grate. Again, just reinforcing the idea that OP should buy spices based on what they actually cook rather than any 'definitive' list. I find grating nutmeg so satisfying in a sensory way. The shape of the nutmeg, the grater, the grindy feeling, and the fresh smell.
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Nov 2, 2023 19:40
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Arsenic Lupin posted:Absolutely true, and I'm intrigued by your first sentence. So you'd add nutmeg to, for instance, the Béchamel for mac&cheese? Sounds savory. Every time. Also I frequently make a cream and spinach sauce which is great with nutmeg too.
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Nov 2, 2023 19:45
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Swedish meatball sauce is supposed to have nutmeg in it. It doesn't make it sweeter, it just adds kind of a fragrance to it. Like an aromatic maybe? Is that the right term?
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Nov 2, 2023 20:09
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null_pointer posted:Separate topic: can anyone tell me how to get my swedish meatballs (using ground turkey) less dense? A dense meatball is probably to style, but I'd like something a little bit more open. I'm using this recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/turkey-swedish-meatballs-22990859#post-recipe-239080001 Meatballs perennially appear in this thread. One egg is insufficient moisture in that recipe, I'd wet the breadcrumbs with milk to make something with the consistency of porridge. For extra retention, sprinkle a little powdered gelatine on this mixture before incorporating it. Use as little salt in the meatballs as possible, because salt has a tendency to affect the texture of ground meat in a way you don't want. If you can grind your own turkey, do so, and use only dark meat and as much skin and fat as you can get your hands on. Use the least possible amount of force to form your meatball. You may salt the exterior.
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Nov 2, 2023 21:45
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Torquemada posted:Meatballs perennially appear in this thread. Thank you! I actually ended up doing something very similar to that, by soaking the breadcrumbs in milk, and grating an onion instead of using shallots. Unfortunately I may have overdone it on the milk, because what I ended up with was basically pink slime. It was unworkable. If I was putting them in the oven to broil, it might have been okay? But I really do prefer a pan sear on multiple sides, so I had to add more bread crumbs, and may have overworked them trying to get them incorporated. Even after the extra bread crumbs, they were still very loose, and came apart in the pan really easily. I had to use a thin flexible metal spatula to scrape them loose and then tongs to flip them gently. In the end, it worked out fine. The meatballs were a little overly large, and slightly bland. Ground turkey just doesn't have a whole lot of flavor on its own, and the extra bread crumbs really diluted what was already there. But the grated onion, the addition of a little finely grated Romano, and some soy sauce led to a decently flavored, extremely light and tender meatball. Next time I would cut back on the panade, and try to find some other umami-heavy items to add in. Maybe marmite, brewer's yeast, fish sauce or anchovies? Edit: missed the mention of adding gelatin for stability! A great idea!
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Nov 2, 2023 23:37
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Pollyanna posted:What is a reasonable individual portion of cooked white rice? I’ve been making a lot of dishes that specifically go with rice recently, and I think I’ve been eating way too much of it. I have no idea what a “normal” amount is, though, so how much would you serve per person? First answer is of course just eat the rice you want to eat. But if you want somewhere to start, the standard Japanese rice bowl is around 150 ml.
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Nov 3, 2023 00:08
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? For basic stuff:
I think that's a pretty good start. You'll want to buy more stuff but it depends what cuisines you're making.
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Nov 3, 2023 00:35
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Hopefully this is the right spoons thread to ask in. And hopefully a certain goon doesn't see. I'm looking to buy my bf a cheese wire cutter and wondering if there's a decent recommendation. Specifically he has a pretty hard and mildly dry cheese he likes and wondering if there's a wire any good for that sort of cheese. Cutting it with a knife is a mess and takes a bunch of small slabs for what could be a single slice but I don't want to invest in a wire or wire/roller if it's just going to be a waste.
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Nov 3, 2023 03:43
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Grey Cat posted:Hopefully this is the right spoons thread to ask in. And hopefully a certain goon doesn't see. Alternatively , Laguiole makes mini cheese knife sets that run about $50.00 or so. Their full sized knives are gorgeous but pricey. Hope this helps.
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Nov 3, 2023 04:02
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? Kosher Salt Black Pepper Lawry's seasoned salt Cayenne Pepper Paprika Dried oregano/Italian herb mix Garlic powder Onion powder Dried Chili flakes Optional/nice to haves/cultural necessities (whole or ground) White pepper Smoked paprika Cumin Turmeric Cinnamon Cloves Star anise Sichuan peppercorns Caraway seeds Coriander Chili powder Old Bay Montreal steak spice Mustard seed/powder Celery salt Fennel seeds Places to find at not terrible prices for a couple bucks each: Dollar stores Discount supermarkets Asian markets Mister Facetious fucked around with this message at 05:38 on Nov 3, 2023 |
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Nov 3, 2023 05:34
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Mintymenman posted:Wire cutters aren't ideal for that kind of cheese. That said Boska make excellent cheese slicers. I've had one for 10-12 years and it still works like a dream. The pull style works well for anything that isn't runny. I'll give these a look, thanks!
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Nov 3, 2023 06:02
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I brought my Drake posted:Can anyone recommend a starter list of spices and seasonings? Or even better, a place where I can get a starter set that doesn't cost $150? Try reading the Dino’s thread about this very topic
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Nov 3, 2023 08:09
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It depends most no what you're going to cook really. Like if you're going to be doing a lot of French style cooking you'll struggle to use Sichuan peppercorns. I have a short list of spices I use all the time but that's because of what I cook, not because it's a generic list of good spices. Also think about shelf lives, for me Ground Ginger which I use for baking has a pretty short shelf life but something like Asafoetida can last a year easily. So I don't want to pre-emptively buy spices if I'm not about to use them. Same for spice mixes, if I'm not using them all the time then I just make my own. Like I make my own berbere , but I buy Garam Masala. I would also avoid dried herbs other than dill, I find they impart a strange flavour. But your mileage will vary some people love them.
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Nov 3, 2023 10:37
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I will always prefer fresh herbs to dried -- but they are much harder to use in a timely fashion, so nine times out of ten I just use dried. It's all well and good to buy the ones you need that week, but generally they come in large bunches that you will not use up in that week, and they go bad fast. I have also seen tiny little packages that are much easier to use up -- priced comparably to the large bunches, which is galling to me. I buy fresh for special occasions, or for something where it really matters, like tzatziki, or stuff like tabbouleh where it's literally the dish.
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Nov 3, 2023 11:41
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Scientastic posted:Try reading the Dino’s thread about this very topic Was about to link it myself, but you beat me to it. Here’s the thing, OP. If you don’t have a way to preserve your spices, I don’t want you buying spices in bulk. At all. Why? For one thing, spices are expensive, both in cost to you, and in cost of shipping. The good spices are grown overseas. That pound of black pepper represents thousands of hours of hard work by the farmers to get their fields up to snuff, and then so many more hours of labour to get from field to truck to shipping container to ocean vessel to drayage truck to warehouse to packaging to other truck. Getting a bunch of stuff you’ll never use is a waste of all that stuff, and a bit of a shame. Get the stuff you’ll use in large quantities, and make sure you keep them fresh. How? Enemy of spices is heat, light, and air. The spices you buy at the Asian or Indian market in the bulk bags are not meant to be stored in those containers. The bags themselves are not air tight. The shop keepers poke tiny holes in the bags, so that they will lay flat. Also the bags are clear. The best way to store spices for long term is in a vacuum sealed bag, stuffed into an opaque bucket or canister. This will keep whole spices fresh for about 5 years, and ground spices fresh for about 2 years. Barring that, Mylar bags that you seal shut with an iron, and paired with an oxygen absorber will keep whole spices fresh for a couple of years, and ground spices for about a year and change. They already block out light, so it’s handy to have if space is limited. Barring that, you can also use a mason jar and oxygen absorber. Just keep the packed jars in a cool dark place to protect from light. PS, I’m not talking about those little bullshit desiccant packs you find in shoes. I’m talking these guys: https://a.co/d/8vcZOvv Keep out what you can use within 3 - 6 months if it’s whole spice, and 1 - 3 months if it’s ground spice. Everything else needs to be sealed. What about putting the spices in the freezer? Moisture is going to be an issue, and will dull down the flavour over time. Store under vacuum or with an oxygen absorber. In other words, if you’re about to hit up the Asian market for a proper shopping spree to build out your spice cabinet, have some way to keep those spices fresh, so that you don’t have to buy them again when they inevitably go bland.
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Nov 3, 2023 12:06
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Looking for recommendations for something foolproof and semi-easy to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck. Side/dessert/main are all unclaimed, so it's wide open.
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Nov 4, 2023 00:09
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Some form of roasted brussels sprouts is the first thing that comes to mind.
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Nov 4, 2023 00:13
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will there be kids, and how much do you need to bring my favorite is to bring something nobody else will have even considered, for example mincemeat pie using the olden days recipes that have actual meat in them, or yorkshire pudding (I live in the US), or a smoked goose. A lot depends on whether it needs to serve 8 vs. 20 and whether there's 1 kid who will just be happy to not eat the sprouts or 10 kids and maybe don't do sprouts e. oh and you said foolproof and I didn't pick on up on that make heart attack mashed potatoes salt water and boil 5 lbs cubed russets, cook the potatoes then drain and in a bowl mash them, add a whole brick of cream cheese, one to two cups of buttermilk, and butter white pepper and salt to taste; fill a cassarole dish, cover in foil; refrigerate. When you arrive to your destination, put in the oven to bring up to hot temp (like bubbling) covered, then remove lid/foil and sprinkle smoked paprika, grated parmesan, and truffle oil on top while it browns. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Nov 4, 2023 |
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Nov 4, 2023 00:21
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Lester Shy posted:Looking for recommendations for something foolproof and semi-easy to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck. Side/dessert/main are all unclaimed, so it's wide open. Oyster Stuffing
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Nov 4, 2023 00:24
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Lester Shy posted:Looking for recommendations for something foolproof and semi-easy to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck. Side/dessert/main are all unclaimed, so it's wide open. Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse Sweet Potato Casserole - It's a desert. Don't believe the lies of it being a side dish. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/sweet-potatoes-ruths-chris-style/ It's not covered with a layer of mini marshmallows, but does have a lot of butter and sugar both in the potatoes and the topping. I usually use ground pecans instead of chopped, but it's good either way.
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Nov 4, 2023 01:03
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Anyone know of a pepper grinder that puts out a lot per turn? Cause the one i have is killing my wrist even for a quarter teaspoon
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Nov 4, 2023 16:43
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Is Turkey schmaltz any good / worth making? Can’t say ive thought to use / keep turkey fat before. Have done so often for chicken and duck.
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Nov 4, 2023 16:50
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Mister Facetious posted:Anyone know of a pepper grinder that puts out a lot per turn? Cause the one i have is killing my wrist even for a quarter teaspoon Unicorn puts out a good amount per turn. There was some other one that came out in the last year or so that supposedly does way way way more than that but is also 3-4x more expensive. It had some funny stupid name.
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Nov 4, 2023 16:54
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That Works posted:Is Turkey schmaltz any good / worth making? Can’t say ive thought to use / keep turkey fat before. Have done so often for chicken and duck. Hell yes it is. It's one of my favorites for doing crispy roasted potatoes with. A pound of fingerling potatoes chopped into bite sized pieces, tossed in a tablespoon of melted turkey schmaltz, salt, and spices, then oven roasted until crispy. I did biscuits with it once too, but that used a LOT of schmaltz and even though they were very good, I decided that using it sparingly to greater effect was the way to go.
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Nov 4, 2023 18:53
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Mister Facetious posted:Anyone know of a pepper grinder that puts out a lot per turn? Cause the one i have is killing my wrist even for a quarter teaspoon I have an OXO radial mill that gives a very generous amount of pepper per revolution, and the radial design is much easier on the wrists than a stick-style grinder. Electric grinders exist, but they're expensive and the OXO radial is $15.
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Nov 4, 2023 18:58
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BrianBoitano posted:For 3 months I'd 100% get a kettle and an air fryer, if you can't swing a full kitchen. My air fryer doesn't let out any smoke with normal use, and our smoke alarms are the most sensitive fuckers ever that have triggered off our regular oven twice in 2 years. Hi sorry for delayed response. Which Air Fryer do you recommend, and I will order it? I have a nice large kettle that shines blue when boiling. Replaced the previous kettle that I would use to boil milk, which seems to have ruined it. The instant pot I received is really nice for boiling milk without burning it!
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Nov 4, 2023 19:34
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