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Gerblyn posted:It's not exactly hard science here, but she quotes a number of famous chefs who also argue that salting (or "Degorgement") is pointless. Cavenagh posted:I read that most commonly available varieties have had the bitterness bred out. So I stopped salting them, never found them bitter. Then I read that you should salt them so that they maintain a firmer texture when cooked. So now I salt them and they are firmer to my subjective mind. That said, I pretty much always brine (if I'm doing something like stir-fry with the eggplant) not because of the flavour but rather because of how the eggplant behaves during cooking.
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Jan 18, 2017 02:26
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the_chavi posted:That's... brilliant, actually. Thanks! I got several new cookbooks for Christmas, so I think I'll break out the Aleppo cookbook to remind myself that at least my hometown is still standing. What's the title?
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Jan 18, 2017 03:42
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defectivemonkey posted:What's the title?
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Jan 18, 2017 05:55
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SubG posted:Try it yourself. I haven't done a bunch of double-blind experiments or anything (and it would be difficult as gently caress to design one since quality between individual eggplants is so variable), but I strongly feel that brining before stir-frying helps when you're charring, at least in terms of making the eggplant more forgiving. Our Lord And Savior López-Alt did some testing and came to more or less the same conclusion. Yeah I'm thinking of trying something at the weekend, probably based on what Kenji did but with one of the local eggplants. I'll come back to the thread and report on what I find!
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Jan 18, 2017 10:20
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On fried eggplant chunks: Coat in a sticky teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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Jan 18, 2017 11:14
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TychoCelchuuu posted:Presumably The Aleppo Cookbook. Well that makes sense! Thanks!
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Jan 18, 2017 18:35
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I'm looking for a good posole recipe, preferably a basic one.
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Jan 18, 2017 22:55
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Tried making some meatballs in the slow cooker. They turned out alright, at least as far as I can tell, but they're very crumbly and fall apart easily. Is there something in specific that causes that? I didn't use any milk or breadcrumbs, like is apparently common, but I did use one egg per 1.35 lb of ground meat - is that too little? Is it possible I overcooked them (~8hrs low)? I also tried broiling them a bit, but that didn't manage to brown them much. Kind of disappointing. Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 23:21 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 23:18
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you overcooked them by a huge margin. there's no tenderness benefit to cooking them any longer than to hit your ideal internal temperature.. maybe try this next time? http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/01/slow-cooker-meatballs-recipe.html slow cook the sauce and then drop the meatballs in for the last little bit
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Jan 20, 2017 00:03
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Pollyanna posted:Tried making some meatballs in the slow cooker. They turned out alright, at least as far as I can tell, but they're very crumbly and fall apart easily. Is there something in specific that causes that? I didn't use any milk or breadcrumbs, like is apparently common, but I did use one egg per 1.35 lb of ground meat - is that too little? Is it possible I overcooked them (~8hrs low)? The bread crumbs are very important to binding the meat and without them you get crumbly meatballs. Browning should be done first, the previous cooking prevented a lot of the processes that take place during browning. Also whether they were overcooked depends on the slow cooker since what "low" means can vary a lot but 8 hours almost certainly overcooked them. So next time: 1) Use breadcrumbs, preferably moistened with milk but water, broth or stock will do in a pinch. 2) Brown first, you can broil them but I prefer pan browning in batches even though that takes longer. 3) Don't cook for so long, 3-4 hours should be fine even at very low heat. Your egg to meat ratio was fine though.
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Jan 20, 2017 00:12
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AVeryLargeRadish posted:Browning should be done first, the previous cooking prevented a lot of the processes that take place during browning. Wait a minute, are you claiming that meatballs are chemically changed somehow? Reverse searing is pretty great for larger chunks of meat, I don't understand why the principle would suddenly fail on meatballs.
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Jan 20, 2017 00:46
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Two things, one may be technically incorrect. 1) doing Mallard from raw on meatballs condensed the outer tissue as it looses moisture compared to internal tissue so it'll bind the shape. 2) you do a reverse sear when you want minimal gray space between a crust and lower temp internal, irrelevant for most ground applications as you want it cooked through.
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Jan 20, 2017 00:55
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Submarine Sandpaper posted:2) you do a reverse sear when you want minimal gray space between a crust and lower temp internal, irrelevant for most ground applications as you want it cooked through. A reverse sear also dries the exterior of the meat, making for quick and easy browning, to say nothing of the fact you are starting with higher temp meat. I usually make small meatballs and pan fry from raw, so no actual experience cooking big boys.
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Jan 20, 2017 01:01
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The already cooked meatball will have had its tissue condense and relax throughout the ball already, so you would not be able to form a binding from all the destroyed tissue. /E I usually oven mine at 350+ which avoids the issue of a slow cook.
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Jan 20, 2017 01:10
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Submarine Sandpaper posted:The already cooked meatball will have had its tissue condense and relax throughout the ball already, so you would not be able to form a binding from all the destroyed tissue. I'm not saying you're wrong, but how would binding affect browning? Just greater surface area I guess? Not sure that makes sense though.
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Jan 20, 2017 01:13
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Yeah surface area. Similarly a very loose burger will give you an amazing crunch, but it's near impossible to get medium rare where a very densly packed burg is easy to get medium rare, but the crust will be meh. Just with a reversed seared meatball it's reversed? I hope the burg metaphor helps and doesn't make things worse.
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Jan 20, 2017 01:25
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baquerd posted:Wait a minute, are you claiming that meatballs are chemically changed somehow? Reverse searing is pretty great for larger chunks of meat, I don't understand why the principle would suddenly fail on meatballs. There is definitely something that happens when you slow cook meat that messes with the browning process. I have tried browning meat that has been slow cooked and while I get some crust it's not much and the crust is much tougher and less crispy than the crust you get from browning something that has not been slow cooked. I don't know if it's a chemical change or something escaping into the liquid used to cook the meat but that has been my observation.
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Jan 20, 2017 01:58
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I picked up a swordfish steak at the grocery store tonight because it was half price. Previously frozen and honestly it's more interesting to me tonight than the frozen pizza I also bought, expecting to come home starving and lazy. No cookbook I own contains a recipe for swordfish, so I turn to the internet. I found this epicurious recipe that looks pretty good - I've been meaning to use my cast-iron pan more anyways. I figure I'll pair with a nuked potato and a basic salad. Anyone have any other suggestions? I won't be starting on supper for about an hour, so if anyone reads this and has a brainwave I'm happy to hear it. EDIT: Not bad, but a little light on flavour. ExecuDork fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Jan 20, 2017 |
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Jan 20, 2017 02:32
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I followed a recipe that said 6~8 hours on low for meatballs, so I guess that was too much. I think I have some leftover bread, so I'll mix that with some milk for the salisbury steaks I have left in the freezer. I'll try browning them in the pan, since the broiler wasn't too successful for some reason. Thanks!
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Jan 20, 2017 02:51
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Pollyanna posted:I followed a recipe that said 6~8 hours on low for meatballs, so I guess that was too much. I think I have some leftover bread, so I'll mix that with some milk for the salisbury steaks I have left in the freezer. I'll try browning them in the pan, since the broiler wasn't too successful for some reason. Thanks! Yeah, whenever I do meatballs in sauce in the slow cooker, I sear them first in a hot pan before they go in. Not only does this give you some color/flavor/texture, but it seems to seal some of the fat in. Then again, I remember someone in this thread telling me I was stupid for that advice, so your mileage may vary.
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Jan 20, 2017 02:58
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What is the benefit of using coconut milk powder and water over a can of coconut milk? A bunch of curry recipes from Blue Apron use the powder. Is it just easier to ship?
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Jan 20, 2017 16:57
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Capsaicin posted:What is the benefit of using coconut milk powder and water over a can of coconut milk? A bunch of curry recipes from Blue Apron use the powder. Is it just easier to ship? Has to be for shipping. Not sure if there's a definitive difference in the taste etc
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Jan 20, 2017 17:02
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I'd think shipping, definitely, as Bob says, and an added bonus of being able to increase the concentration of coconut flavor and consistency while cooking without waiting for liquid to boil away. It also stores better. Powders are generally a little more versatile.
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Jan 20, 2017 17:51
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Stupid question of the day: I'm feeling super lazy and don't want to go to the grocery store, but I need to make something for dinner. I've decided I'm going to use a jar of Indian butter chicken sauce from the grocery store, and have some chicken thighs thawing out. Should I bake the chicken thighs on a cookie sheet in the oven? Should I put a little oil in a dutch oven and cook them that way? Should I season the chicken? Should I remove the skin before or after cooking? I was thinking just bake them, peel off the skins and then toss them in the sauce to simmer.
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Jan 20, 2017 17:55
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You could slice them into strips and pan fry them hard in a fat (ghee if you have it) to really brown those suckers up nice. Since you're using jar sauce I don't know if this would work, but I'd also throw in fresh garlic, onion and even a tiny bit of ginger when doing this. Then pour the sauce over.
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Jan 20, 2017 18:00
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If you're gonna use a jar I would follow the directions on the jar.
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Jan 20, 2017 18:14
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i like nice words
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Anne Whateley posted:If you're gonna use a jar I would follow the directions on the jar. It literally says "Add 1lb cooked chicken to sauce, simmer for 10 minutes"
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Jan 20, 2017 18:43
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Seasoning before cooking is generally a good axiom. Keeping bone/skin on when cooking generally helps flavor but it'll take longer. Cook however you'd like. If the jar has thousands of mg of sodium maybe don't season very much.
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Jan 20, 2017 19:16
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I would salt the chicken (agree with Submarine Sandpaper, though) then sear it, drain the fat, then saute an onion or two, then cook the chicken in the sauce for as long as you like. But that is basically how I cook everything, though I could use some new tricks.
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Jan 20, 2017 19:26
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Leave the skin on, poke some holes in the skin with a skewer, and preheat a rimmed baking sheet at 350. Put them on the hot sheet skin side down. Cook em until they're done, about half an hour, then just pour the sauce over the top. Perfectly crispy skin. Don't forget salt and pepper, and I usually add a little paprika to the skin for color.
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Jan 20, 2017 22:35
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I really don't know how to cook but I'm trying to learn. I want to try my hand at some buffalo wings, and I need a deep-fryer. Is there a budget friendly fryer that I should look for? I was looking at this one but I've got no clue if 8-cup is big enough: http://www.target.com/p/hamilton-beach-8-cup-oil-capacity-deep-fryer-stainless-steel/-/A-17342713?lnk=rec *I do have a 10.5" cast iron skillet. Should I save money and try doing the wings in that? Hughmoris fucked around with this message at 05:17 on Jan 21, 2017 |
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Jan 21, 2017 04:58
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Hughmoris posted:I really don't know how to cook but I'm trying to learn. I want to try my hand at some buffalo wings, and I need a deep-fryer. Is there a budget friendly fryer that I should look for? I was looking at this one but I've got no clue if 8-cup is big enough: I've been cooking for a few years now and never bothered with home deep-frying because it just seems like a huge pain in the rear end. I'm sure you could do it, but there are probably easier ways. Serious Eats is respectable and I've seen this recipe bandied about in this thread before, so maybe take a look at this before buying a fryer: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/the-best-buffalo-wings-oven-fried-wings-recipe.html
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Jan 21, 2017 05:24
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Hughmoris posted:I really don't know how to cook but I'm trying to learn. I want to try my hand at some buffalo wings, and I need a deep-fryer. Is there a budget friendly fryer that I should look for? I was looking at this one but I've got no clue if 8-cup is big enough: Yeah, definitely just do it in the cast iron, with oil maybe 2/3 the way up the sides. But make sure you get the oil hot enough, as you might have to flip them and increase the cooking time, which would increase the risk of them getting greasy. But you definitely don't need a home deep fryer for it (I have one and I'd still probably just use the Dutch oven for deep frying).
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Jan 21, 2017 06:12
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Hughmoris posted:I really don't know how to cook but I'm trying to learn. I want to try my hand at some buffalo wings, and I need a deep-fryer. Is there a budget friendly fryer that I should look for? I was looking at this one but I've got no clue if 8-cup is big enough: I always fry wings in a dutch oven, a deep skillet should work (almost) just as well. No need for an electric fryer.
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Jan 21, 2017 10:28
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I can't imagine a 10.5" cast iron skillet is going to be deep enough to safely fry in. I use a dutch oven, and sometimes a wok to deep fry. Both have high sides that will limit the chance of boil over and subsequent fire. I also always have my fire extinguisher on the counter whenever I deep fry.
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Jan 21, 2017 14:15
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I just did a quick experiment to try and assess if salting (or Degorging) egg plants has any measurable effect on how they cook. I stole most of the design from a Serious Eats article, by Kenji: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/how-to-make-sichuan-hot-and-sour-eggplant-vegan-experience-food-lab-fish-fragrant-eggplant.html What I did: - I bought a standard eggplant from a Dutch super market. It was quite small (275g) and narrow, and was most likely grown in a Dutch greenhouse complex, since Aubergine imports are screwed right now due to bad weather in Southern Europe (I forgot to check the label when I bought it  )- I cut the top and tail from egg plant, and cut it into 4 equal quarters by eye. I then cut marks into the skin of each quarter so I could tell them apart, and weighed each one. Piece 1 - 54g - Placed into a shallow dish, untreated Piece 2 - 60g - Placed into a shallow dish, added 400ml of cold water. The piece was floating skin up so all the flesh was immersed. Piece 3 - 65g - Placed into a shallow dish, added mix of 400ml cold water and 4tsp (24g) of iodized table salt (6% brine). The piece was floating skin up so all the flesh was immersed. Piece 4 - 60g - Placed into a shallow dish, a generous amount of table salt was sprinkled all over the flesh, and brushed in a bit by hand. - I let the 4 pieces sit in the corner of the kitchen for 1 hour. Afterwards, I rinsed each one off under the tap, and patted them dry with kitchen towel. - I then reweighed them, and took a photo with my phone:  Due to the angle of the camera, pieces 3 and 4 look smaller than 1 and 2. This is just perspective, the pieces were about the same size visually Weights: Raw -> Treated Piece 1 (dry control) - 54g -> 54g Piece 2 (wet control) - 60g -> 65g Piece 3 (brine) - 65g -> 64g Piece 4 (salt) - 60g -> 58g The pieces are arranged 1,2,3,4 on the board. There are visible changes in the 2 salted pieces, with piece 4 looking quite bruised and shrunken, and piece 3 slightly less so. The salt has clearly had some effect, and visually it looks like the internal structure of the pieces has begun to break down as Kenji described. Both salted pieces had also lost weight as well, which also matches what Kenji said. Interesting, the fresh water control piece (2) gained weight, presumably from absorbing the water it was immersed in. - I heated a large, non stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, added some olive oil, butter and salt. - I cooked all 4 pieces in the same pan, at the same time, for 5 minutes, turning once per minute. The flesh sides were cooked for 2 minutes each, the skin side for 1 minute. - I removed them from the pan, and took another photo, and weighed them again:  Once again, camera angle makes pieces 3 and 4 look smaller, which wasn't really the case Weights: Raw -> Treated -> Cooked Piece 1 (dry control) - 54g -> 54g -> 52g Piece 2 (wet control) - 60g -> 65g -> 63g Piece 3 (brine) - 65g -> 64g -> 59g Piece 4 (salt) - 60g -> 58g -> 57g - After the pieces had cooled off, I tasted them myself to try and see what differences I could detect. There were some differences between each piece, from what I could detect: Piece 1 (dry control) - Fully cooked. Faint aftertaste, sort of like a cucumber flavour, otherwise tastes normal. Piece 2 (wet control) - Undercooked, quite noticeably so compared to all other pieces. Tastes normal, same aftertaste as piece 1. Piece 3 (brine) - Fully cooked, seemed softer than piece 1. No noticeable aftertaste. Piece 4 (salt) - Fully cooked, possibly even softer than piece 3. No noticeable aftertaste. - I then fed pieces to my girlfriend in random order, not telling her which was which: Piece 1 (dry control) - Fully cooked. Tastes normal. Piece 2 (wet control) - Undercooked, quite noticeably so compared to all other pieces. Tastes normal. Piece 3 (brine) - Fully cooked, seemed softer than piece 1. Saltier than piece 1, giving a stronger flavour. Tastes a little burnt. Piece 4 (salt) - In terms of flavour and texture, halfway between pieces 1 and 3. - I told her I could detect a difference in aftertaste between pieces 1 and 3, and gave her them to try. She agreed that one had an aftertaste that the other didn't. So in conclusion, salting the aubergine does seem to have had a subtle impact on both the flavor and cooking speed of the aubergine, however I'm not sure the impact is enough for it to be worth the time and effort. The differences in cook were definitely there, but I imagine that cooking the untreated piece for an extra 20 seconds or so would negate the difference. The difference in flavour was fairly subtle, and my girlfriend only noticed it after I mentioned it (so the difference might have been imagined). Also, I'm not sure that removing that flavor was necessarily beneficial anyways, since the aftertaste wasn't particularly bad or anything. I can with certainty say however, that soaking aubergine pieces in cold tap water for an hour slows cooking speed a lot, and you probably shouldn't do it. Not a particularly useful result, but a result nonetheless! Gerblyn fucked around with this message at 16:00 on Jan 21, 2017 |
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Jan 21, 2017 15:56
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I have lots of steel silverware my parents gave me when I left home that I'd like to use more of, but I'm realizing that the reason this stuff was ever in storage is that it's pretty grimy. I'm not sure if these stains are hard water or what but they don't come off in the dish washer or in a vinegar soak. Is there something else I could try besides an abrasive? 
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Jan 21, 2017 17:17
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Barkeeper's friend
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Jan 21, 2017 17:41
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:I can't imagine a 10.5" cast iron skillet is going to be deep enough to safely fry in. I use a dutch oven, and sometimes a wok to deep fry. Both have high sides that will limit the chance of boil over and subsequent fire. I've done them in a cast iron skillet with like 1/4 inch of oil in the oven (start it on the stove), flipping them on em. They come out pretty good and most of the grease stays in the oven
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Jan 21, 2017 18:05
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quote:Deep fryer ideas... Thanks for the advice and that oven recipe. I'll see what I can come up with.
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Jan 21, 2017 18:52
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