texts: Rolling out after or before the leavening process?

texts:
Assuming that you want to create home made pizza and bread, it's better to create the final shape when you create your dough or after the leavening ?

I think that part of the problem is the fact that the average oven can't generate the same temperatures that the industrial ones are able to produce or the ones specifically designed for the pizza; so I'm thinking that maybe a leavening process after the creation of the shape can possibly give more porous to the final product making it easier to cook thanks to the porous and the air inside them that conducts heat .

Or I should go for creating the shape just after the leavening and use something to revive the product during the final steps just before putting it in the oven ?

I'm using sourdough starter by the way.


texts: Recipe websites for bulk/restaurant quantities

texts: just wondering if there are any chef websites out there which specialise in recipes for large quantities, 25+ portions, any recipes at all Entrees, Mains, Pastries or Desserts. Many thanks in advance for your time.


texts: If a recipe calls for ten minutes hand kneading a bread dough, how long should it take to knead in a mixer using dough hooks?


texts:
I've recently purchased a sous vide immersion circulator in preparation for Christmas. In my home we typically cook lamb on Christmas (don't ask..). The way that I usually cook a shoulder of lamb is by searing it in a skillet so that it is well-browned all over and I then place the shoulder in a very hot pre-heated oven. I then cover the tray in foil and immediately turn the temperature to 80 degrees celsius and then I let that cook for 7 hours or so. The resulting shoulder is fall off the bone tender, moist and unctuous because the collagen and fat have been rendered. I'd like to recreate the same thing using the sous vide method.

My family are very queasy at the thought of meat being even the slightest bit pink so ideally I'd like to avoid this. My biggest concern besides this is that the meat will become mushy if I cook it long enough for the collagen and fat to become tender and that it will look "boiled" as opposed to "roasted".

So my question is:

How can I achieve this same result with the sous vide immersion circulator?
What temperature would I have to sous vide the lamb at and for how long?
Also would it be advisable to sear it beforehand and then sous vide it? or sous vide it and then finish (to give it a brown roasted exterior) it off in the oven?


texts: How can I make my tomato-herb pasta sauce a lighter color?

texts:
I've been making a simple tomato sauce using tomato puree, basil, oregano, dried pasilla peppers, and garlic (as well as the left-over bits from cooking beef meatballs in the same pot). The flavor is good, but the sauce is visually very dark: a dark red that isn't very appetizing. I think this is because of the amount of basil I'm adding, but I'm not sure.

What techniques can I use or changes can I make to my recipe that will lighten the color closer to the red color of the tomato base, without changing the flavor too much?


texts: I have tried and tried numerous recipes for lemon pound cake.  None of them taste very lemony.  I tried adding extra lemons n lemon extract but no real difference.  The only thing to make it taste like lemon is the glaze. What am I doing wrong?


texts:
Some of the Konbu that I recently bought has a whitish discoloration as opposed to a black/green color.  I am wondering if it can still be eaten/used in cooking.
Konbu

Thanks!


texts: What is the advantage of using kosher salt

texts: I have seen a number of recipes that call for using "kosher salt". This is ridiculous to me, as I very well know that all salt is kosher, and so I am wondering what I am missing here. What is the advantage (and uses) of kosher salt as opposed to ordinary table salt?


texts:
My instacart shopper has accidentaly given a pack of cow feet, in addition to the soup bones I ordered.

Can I boil the feet alongside the bones while making pho broth?

Cow's feet are primarily used for making stock or stews/soups due to their collagen content, which lends body and umami to the end product.

This makes it sound like a great idea, and it would act just like tendon in the soup.  Is there any reason not to do this?  I've never cooked pho or cow's feet before.


texts: If I want my garlic to taste in a very specific way (with bite or without bite) what should I do?

texts:
I don't always want my garlic to taste the same way. Sometimes I want only the deep umami flavor without the bite (so I let it cook more) and sometimes I look for a strong garlic bite presence in the dish.

I know it depends on how you slice and cook it, but I would like to know the science behind it. My questions:

If you want to have a strong garlic bite, how should you dice the garlic, at what temperature to fry it and for how long?
Same as above, only without the bite.
What "signs" (the smell, the look etc) can cue you in on what "stage" the garlic is right now (strong bite, mellow bite etc)?
Are there general guidelines that you should always follow (like always saute garlic on low heat)?


texts: Are calcium and magnesium lost by soaking beans?

texts: In a previous discussion, soaking beans in salted water prior to cooking was a suggestion to soften skins. Does this result in less calcium and magnesium content of the cooked beans?


texts: we are about to decorate some cup cakes and want to know the best way to put sprinkles onto rolled icing without the colours running or the sprinkles falling off They will be no. 3's and they will be placed on a stick to stand on the top of the cup cakes not laying flat on the top of the icing


texts: What's the origin of the name of the "Chinese Cookie" found in Jewish deli's in the US?

texts:
At a classic Los Angeles Deli for lunch yesterday, I snagged my usual take-out guilty pleasure for later: a fresh-baked Chinese Cookie. This is a four or five inch diameter short-bread cookie with a dollop of chocolate frosting in the center. They appear to be a standard fare at every Deli I've visited.

The thing is, although it is unquestionably a cookie, there isn't anything obviously Chinese about it. So, why the name?

Update: Here's a link to a kosher supplier's product page for their version of this cookie.

It is something I've only found in Jewish Deli's. Yesterday it was Langers across from MacArthur Park, but I've also had them from Cantor's on Fairfax, Brent's up in the Valley, and Billy's in Glendale.

The ingredients label on the wrapper of yesterday's says eggs, cake flour, sugar, shortening, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate.


texts: My sous vide chicken is tough and stringy - did I cook it too long, or too little?

texts:
So far I've attempted it twice. The first time I cooked legs and thighs at 60C for an hour and a half; the second time I cooked two breasts at 60C for about 45 minutes. Both times the chicken came out really tough, and the muscle was really stringy. I assume this means I didn't cook the chicken long enough, am I correct? If so, how long should I be cooking the chicken, and at what temperature?

EDIT: I meant stringy, not sinewy as I had said previously.


texts: container for bulk fermentation/proofing

texts:
It happens to me quite often that I make small batches of bread/pizza/focaccia dough that need to spend several hours in the fridge or at room temperature in a container with a lid
I've seen that many use containers in which the dough covers already the bottom and, in case of proofing, the dough rises in the vertical direction.
This definitely facilitates drawing volume markings to keep track of the rise. Is there a specific reason why to avoid containers that are too wide? Assuming of course that the container volume is enough to avoid overflowing.


texts: Does storing meat in plastic alter how long it takes to go off?

texts:
I was recently told quite emphatically that "Storing meat in plastic makes it spoil faster"

I suspect that this is an old wives tale, but haven't been able to find anything that either proves or disproves the statement.

I was told that it's true whether it's plastic from packaging(say, plastic bags for sliced ham, a chicken in cling-film...anything.) or if the meat is being stored in Tupperware.

Assume that the meat is stored in a fridge.

It wasn't suggested that it was caused by anything leaching from the plastic, like BPA.

If this is either true or false, I would really like to know why?

Many thanks!

Bonus Question:
If it's not true, are there some reasons why someone might think that it is?
Built up smell? Different moisture level?


texts:
Will there be a difference in the time for which it will take for eggs to be prepared in the cases mentioned below?

A. Cooking eggs in a pot on full gas power until the water reach boiling point - and then lowering gas to mimimum power.

B. Cooking eggs in a pot on full gas power until the water reach boiling point - and then leaving gas maximum power.

Question rephrased: in which case will the eggs be prepared faster?


texts:
If a recipe calls for 'boiling potatoes', what variety(ies) is it referring to, and why?

Example Recipes:

Punjabi-Style Cauliflower and Potatoes with Ginger (Aloo Gobi)
Potato and Cauliflower Curry
Roasted Portobello Burgers with Rosemary Garlic Oven Fries
Chorizo-Cod-Potato Stew


texts: How much of the oil will stay in french fries?

texts:
Is there a fixed percentage of how much of the oil used to frying french fries will stay in the served french fries?

I guess that it depends on things like dimension of the french fries, frying temperature, oil type.


texts: How do I heat up rice and pasta at work?

texts: I want to heat up rice or pasta at work so I can have a hot meal with rice and chicken or pasta and chicken. There is a microwave there - can I use that?


texts:
Some context: I'm not a cook, hardly even a good amateur, this considered:

I would like to know if it is possible to, with everyday cooking accessories, make some home-made potatoes that are as similar to the Pringles potatoes.

The resemblance should be in the:

Consistency/hardness/texture *
Taste
Shape
(and in that order)

Of course any home-made recipe would be appreciated if it helps to prove the point (and useful for me) but I'm mainly interested in wether it is possible to imitate the potatoes without resorting to industrial accessories.

Thanks in advance!

* Sorry for the plain english (again, I'm not a cook) please feel free to edit or comment if something is confusing! (tags included)


texts: What can I do about peeling wok seasoning?

texts:
I bought a carbon-steel wok, seasoned it, and it worked great for a couple weeks. Now however a small portion of the seasoning right in the very middle seems to have peeled off. While the sides are perfectly non-stick, the middle is, if anything, slightly sticky to the touch. I really hope I don't have to strip the seasoning and redo it from scratch. Any recommendations? Thanks!

Edit: I should also add that the metal underneath the peeled-off portion looks like the unseasoned wok, a light blueish grey.


texts: Rice cooker problem: film appears after cooking

texts:
What is this and why does it appear?
It always happened, maybe I cook rice the wrong way, or maybe it comes from the rice itself...

I wash the rice with water before, at least 3-4 times. I don't even cook it until it's completely done, I stop it before today in order to check if it's due to overcooked rice or not. It isn't.


texts:
I bought roasted peanuts from the market and they have too much salt in them.

How should I reduce the salt in those peanuts as much as I can?

My intent is to make peanut butter.


texts:
It's been in the news lately about horse meat being disguised as beef.

Is this really that serious?

Is horse meat unsafe? Or is it just taboo because horses are "cute"?


texts: I have a refrigerator/freezer in our unheated garage.  During the lower temps of winter the refrigerator section freezes and the freezer section is fine.  What do I do to keep refrigerator from freezing everything?


texts: I thought I bought mustard, but when I put it on a hot dog and ate it, it didn't taste like mustard. It irritated my nose and sent a shockwave through my skull. So I bought a different brand, but there was not much difference. I feel that irritating, tingling sensation rippling through my head whenever I take a bite. I think it's yellow mustard, the label says "table mustard". I don't recall having this reaction when eating mustard from McDonald's.


texts: Is there a more exact temperature for cold smoking?

texts: In researching cold smoking a product there is quite a large gap between 80-100* . Does anyone use a more exact temperature? Does it vary because of the product? Any little hints to give the smoking a bit of a spicy kick into the final flavour?


texts: What are common/traditional uses for merguez?

texts:
I found today something new in the supermarket and decided to try it. They are called "traditional french merguez", and seem to be raw sausages made from lamb and beef, moderately spicy. I have no idea how to use them (except to use them just like any other sausage, but I think that it would be a missed opportunity). Is there a traditional way to prepare them, and what are the usual combinations?

I already found a ton of recipes on Google, but I'd prefer to hear some more on their traditional use, and also about combinations you have tried and found to work well.

Edit Having slept over the question, I think I can make it a bit more specific.

Preparation methods: Are merguez usually boiled, grilled, fried, roasted, or something else?
 What are the typical combinations? Currently, I only know about couscous. Are they eaten with certain veggies, or herbs, or other things?
 Eating occasion. Are they considered a snack, a breakfast, a main course, or something else?

I am aware that anything I listed is possible, but I am asking about the traditional way they are used. If the answers still tend to sound like "undefinable", "all of the above" and "any way the cook feels like", please vote to close the question.


texts: My daughter likes dry...dry rub ribs.They come out too moist or wet when slow cooked in foil.Can I just put the rubbed ribs on a rack and cook at 200 for 5 or 6 hours?


texts:
I have a recipe that calls for dehydrating raspberries and lemon rind with the following technique:

Scatter raspberries and pieces of lemon rind over a sheet of baking paper on a plate.
Place in the microwave on the lowest possible setting for 40-45 minutes until dehydrated.

The dehydration is done so that the fruit can then be ground up into a powder for a dessert and you can see how the dehyration technique above would work.

However, I don't have currently own a microwave oven. Is there an alternative technique to achieve the dehydration?


texts: Is asparagus generally recognized as the best vegetable, and why?

texts:
In Germany, everybody knows that asparagus is "the king of vegetables", especially the white variety. When the season starts, there is an asparagus craze, spilling over to unexpected areas like fashion advertising. It costs more than the other vegetables at the supermarket - you seldom see it for less than 6 euro per kilogram - and yet people buy so much of it that late shoppers often only see the empty box under the price label. My coworkers grumble about "not enough variety" when the canteen has pork steaks two days in a row, but when there's asparagus, they can eat it everyday for a week. One of them doesn't ever touch vegetables unless they've spent time in a can, and is unhappy when he discovers that the canteen has smuggled fruit pieces in the dessert, but he happily eats the asparagus as a main dish.

A typical example of its celebration by the press: I opened chefkoch.de, a large source for user published recipes which also has editorial articles. Of course, there was a recent article about asparagus (happens every April in most culinary publications). It had the noble goal of reminding Germans that there is green asparagus too, not only white, and that the green one can be eaten in other ways beside boiled and combined with hollandaise (that's literally what it says). It starts with the words:

  The spring is here and brough the universally loved asparagus time! Asparagus is the most liked of all vegetables and is rightfully called "royal vegetable".

And that's how about every asparagus article I've come across reads.

Don't get me wrong, I like asparagus. The flavor is almost too delicate to eat it as a main dish, but it has some interesting uses. But I've always wondered why it is supposed to be so much better than any other vegetable. Historically, it could make sense that it tastes better than the potatoes, turnips and cabbage which thrive in the German climate. But my generation has been raised on imported tomatoes, bell peppers and champignons. And given that it is much more sensitive to improper cooking techniques - and let's be honest, many housewives/husbands tend to overcook everything - the vast majority of people is probably eating asparagus which tastes far from the optimal. Add to that the "hollandaise" from the tetra pak, and it is really nothing special. Oh yes, nobody is ever thinking that you could have any variation with asparagus. It automatically means hollandaise (or an imitation of it). Often, there is some ham with that, too.

I was wondering if this cult of the asparagus is common to other cuisines, or a typical German phenomenon. Also, are there any proven reasons for its enormous popularity? (It would be nice if you could support them with evidence).


texts:
I just followed this recipe.  My only changes were to add walnuts, and some allspice.  After the 50 minute baking time, it was still quite gooey, so I kept it in the oven, checking every 5-10 minutes.  After half an hour of no progress, I gave up and pulled it out of the oven.  It was still quite gooey.

The only place I can think of where I may have had too much moisture going into the batter, would be with the 3 cups of zucchini.  It was rather wet... does "well packed shredded zucchini" mean I should pack it so tightly as to remove some of the moisture? Surely not.

Should I just keep baking the bread until it's done, or should I change the recipe somehow?


texts:
I need help regarding poured fondant - to be precise, I would like to have it more on the liquid side.
I plan to use it as a chocolate bar filling, that is why I am asking :)
The recipe I use in general:
6 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup.
I melt them over low heat until completely blended, and then usually let it cool down and glaze cakes.
Can this recipe be modified so it stays somewhat liquid?
Maybe like a creme egg filling?


texts:
Recipe for S'mores Bars called for melting milk chocolate chips on top of previously baked marshmallows (on top of graham cracker crust). Oven at 350F.
My chocolate didn't melt, and the bars don't hold together.
I used homemade marshmallows, which are quite a bit lighter and more delicate than commercial. I substituted some bittersweet chocolate that I had on hand, which was a bit old.
I haven't tried anything yet to fix it. Tastes great but it's not a bar, more of a crumbly topping at this point. Is there any way to fix it? Melt some milk choc chips separately and pour/spread on top of the bittersweet?
It's not a typical situation of 'seizing' since I wasn't heating and stirring it separately.


texts: Volumetric conversion between frozen and fresh spinach

texts:
I like to freeze my spinach and use it in smoothies.  When I bring it out of the freezer, I crush it as much as I can.  I then measure it out in 2 cup quantities.  How much would this equal in fresh spinach.
Thanks in advance.


texts: Which knife is best for somone just learning to cook?

texts:
I'm just self-learning to cook and I'm looking for a chef's knife. I've read the many differences between a chef's knife and a santoku knife,  but it's still not clear to me which one I should choose. The only difference I'm aware of between santoku and a chef's knife is that santoku has exactly the same functionality as a chef's knife if one does not carve meat.

I definitely want to obtain proper/efficient knife skills (referring to the rock and chop that's often discussed), but at the same time, I want something that will be easy for me to use (I tend to cut using an up and down motion). I'm pretty sure I know what length and weight I want the knife to be, but to keep the question from being too localized, I won't discuss those features.

I don't know if it's worth mentioning, but I almost never carve meat or cut bones.

So do I go with a gyuto, santoku, or chef's knife?


texts: Clarification needed on pots and pans in the dishwasher

texts:
So I know from a previous question that you are ok putting glass, glazed ceramics, silicone and stainless steel in the dishwasher, and that you should avoid putting non-stick coated, aluminium, copper, cast-iron, tin, wood, unglazed ceramics, etc in the dishwasher.

However, I'm in the market for a new set of pots and pans, and would like to know what I should be aiming for. At the moment, I have a skillet set:

4 inch non-stick - ruined
6 inch non-stick - ruined
8 inch non-stick - ruined
12 inch non-stick - not ruined
12 inch cast iron skillet - babied

During previous bouts of laziness, I've put them in the dishwasher and thus ruined the non-stick coating on most of them (the cast iron skillet is babied and never goes into the dishwasher). I also have a 14 quart pot, which is showing its age, and an 8 quart pot which had its bottom corroded to the point where a hole appeared (thus, leaky pot).

As an avid (and lazy when it comes to washing dishes) home cook, what should I be looking for in a set of pots and pans? At a minimum, what should I have in terms of sizes and types. I'd prefer to purchase them separately rather than buying a set (budget is not a limiting factor). Additionally, I'd love for them to be dishwasher safe, but I can add a few more 'hand wash only' items like my cast iron skillet.

EDIT

Per a comment below, this question pretty much answers my question.


texts: Hi I just wanted to know how to dry out flavored sugar, I flavored some regular white sugar with flavoring essence but it got damp, since where I'm from its hard to get these types of sugar so I was thinking of selling some. But when I put it in a bag after air drying its still damp and it gets clumpy and has hard patches. How can I dry it out completely without ruining the flavor?


texts: Why are my commercial fries going soggy almost immediately?

texts:
I really like the french fries from a nearby takeaway shop, so I asked if I could buy a bag of commercial fries (par-cooked then flash frozen) from him, which he agreed to. However, my chips turn out nothing like theirs.

I deep fried in an electric deep fryer according to the instructions:
175C for 2-3mins until golden brown - cook from frozen.

The problem is, even though they are golden brown, they get soggy within 2 minutes. The exterior shell is not quite thin. The chip interior is not oily, the texture is how a chip should be. It's as though the steam from the chips is causing the exterior to immediately lose it's crispiness.

Some points:

I don't overcrowd the fryer
I leave the chips to "air" after frying for around 30s before moving to a wide bowl
If I cook the chips for longer, they become overcooked and brown
The oil is not new but not terribly old either

How can I get my chips/fries to not immediately get soggy?


texts:
Tonight I was playing around with pate a choux for the first time, and was delighted by it, splitting the batch between Parisian gnocchi and funnel cake.

However, I couldn't resist sneaking small samples throughout the process, as is my habit. In particular I was interested in the step before the eggs were added. Essentially, it was just a mixture of water, butter, and salt with flour mixed in until it thickened.

I've looked around for any references to this dough as its own creature, but have not found any. Is there a name for it, ideally so that I can find even more ways to use it?


texts: Restaurant: How long can prepped food (cut vegetables, garnishes, etc) be stored before it has to be thrown out?

texts: I am interested to find out if line cooks or prep cooks will prep more than what is needed in a given day for a restaurant, and then just keep the extras in the fridge? Or is food prepped and used or tossed every day?


texts: What is a mixed spice with respect to a cake?

texts:
1 tsp mixed spice

http://www.maryberry.co.uk/recipes/baking/whole-orange-spice-cake

What does mixed spice constitute of in terms of cake?


texts:
Coming home from grocery shopping, I ran out of space and put some plastic bags on my electric stove. As I was putting my groceries away, I accidentally bumped the dials on the stove and turned one of them on. I noticed and turned it off before a fire started or my groceries were ruined, but now I have some plastic melted onto a couple of my stoves.

How can I clean the plastic off?


texts: What is the correct way to cook thin rice noodles for Vietnamese dishes?

texts: I like to make Vietnamese bun (rice noodle bowl) at home, but my noodles never seem to have quite the same texture as at my favorite restaurants. I boil water, turn it off, and then add the noodles and soak them for about ten minutes, then rinse in cold water. Is there a trick to getting that perfect consistency where they are quite soft but still retain an individual bite?


texts: How to convert a specific cake recipe I have to make brownies?

texts:
I have a cake recipe which I love it and would like to turn it into brownies. Can someone help me?
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups powdered chocolate
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup of bowling water
- 1 tbsp baking powder

Mix eggs, sugar and oil. Add bowling water and let it still for 5 mins. Add flour and chocolate. Mix for 10 to 15 mins. Add baking powder for baking.

Tks!!!!!


texts: What is the traditional way to layer a lasagna?

texts:
I am following this recpie to make a lasagna (minus the ragu because jewish law) and I always wonder how to best layer the lasagna.

Below is a picture of how I layer my lasagna. Is this the correct way in terms of white/red sauce ratio, cheese and seasoning? Is it ok that the sheets don't cover the entire casserole?


texts: How do I make black rice turn out better in a rice cooker?

texts:
There appears to be little to no info out there specifically regarding black rice and rice cookers. My rice cooker manual says nothing about it. The article on wikihow, "3 Ways to Prepare Black Rice", does mention that black rice "does not cook well in a rice cooker." But, I am simply not willing to cook rice the old fashioned way. I already spend too much time on eating and cooking (fast metabolism means I eat all the time, which is time consuming).

Therefore, even if it does not work well in a rice cooker, I need to figure out how to make it better. I recently got a new rice cooker, an Aroma ARC-150SB. I made black rice for the first time with it, and it was terrible. It was really mushy, watery, and very sticky. It looked almost as wet as below:

(That's just an image from some pudding recipe on another site; it's NOT my own photo.)

Further details: I used 2 parts water to 1 part rice, as told to do on the rice packaging. Specifically, it was 2 cups rice, 4 of water. I briefly rinsed the rice via a strainer with cold water from the faucet. I used the "brown rice" setting on my rice cooker and left it overnight. (It switches to "keep warm" after it finishes cooking, of course.)

Now, what is the explanation for my result, and what can I try next?

My suspicion is that there was a lot of starch. The wikihow article suggests a very thorough rinsing, although the instructions on the rice packaging say nothing about rinsing. Is thorough rinsing really all it takes? Like I said, I did rinse it a little. There are other variables here that I can change. I could try playing with the water:rice ratio. I could try to not leave it overnight. I could try the white rice cook setting?? Although that one sounds counterintuitive. Maybe a thorough rinsing AND a different water:rice ratio is necessary?

The objective is to have it turn out more like this:


texts: Why does the water in the recipe for dough making not have a definite temperature or an advise about temperature?

texts:
The recipes lists 60 cc of milk and specifies 25 C in Summer and 45 C in Winter but for 150 mL of water it merely says lukewarm water. The recipe is in Japanese but I can understand it. The recipe is for wholemeal bread.  It uses 9g of yeast and 150 g each of wholewheat flour and self-raising flour.
It says to mix the dry ingredients and then add the milk and water slowly.


texts: Will collagen, gelatine and mineral nutrients be lost when fat is removed from broth?

texts:
For nutritional reasons, i am making a large amount of chicken & bone broth. I use a whole chicken, and simmer it in a large pot for about 24 hours.

Currently however, i do not wish to ingest as much fat. I learned that chicken broth will contain approximately 10-15% fat.

I could easily remove/separate the fat from the broth, but i am concerned as to whether i would then also lose the collagen, gelatine, mineral and other nutrients.

The question is therefore: are these contained in the fat? Or are they to be found in the liquid itself?


texts: Storing oil coated and unrefrigerated egg

texts: Is there any truth to coating eggs with oil, placing them in the cartons upside down and then not storing them in the refrigerator - will make them last a few months???


texts:
At the weekend I made Toad in the Hole. I put some sausages in a glass dish in the oven at about 180 centigrade. Then I followed my usual batter recipe which is:

100 ml milk
100 g plain flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

When the sausages had started to brown, I took them out, greased the hot dish with more vegetable oil, poured the batter in and arranged the sausages neatly therein.

It looked to cook nicely. However, when I removed the dish from the oven the batter rapidly lost shape. It collapsed into a thick, chewy crust. Not inedible by any means, but not the nice fluffy result I've had before. It also stuck quite badly to the dish, even though I'd greased it.

There were three notable things I did differently to normal. Firstly, I normally make this in a cold dish, not a pre-heated one. Second, I mixed the batter with hand-held electric food processor rather than fork. Third, I was using a different brand of sausages that turned out to be greasier than I was expecting.

Could any of those things have caused my batter to collapse? If not, what did I do wrong?


texts: I have made chicken gravy. It tastes good but I think adding a little more spice to my gravy will be fine. Can anyone say how to add more spice to it after cooking?


texts: I mean it's gas - an open fire - and heats up in less than a minute. Does preheating making any difference when baking with gas?


texts:
When you break the egg on the pan directly [the situation when yolk is left intact], what measures can be used to fry the egg from one side only and also kill the bacteria on the non fried side?

Do I need to fry the bottom til it becomes "brown" which will ensure that heat has reached up to the top?


texts:
I ordered some sushi grade steaks online.  They came frozen, as they were shipped with dry ice to keep them nice and cold.  Frozen, I cut them into pieces and put them back in the freezer, taking out one chunk at a time and thawing in the fridge.

Sushi grade steaks do not need to be cooked, since they are kept frozen at temperatures where parasites cannot survive so there is no concern of the meats contaminating anything.

Once thawed, how long do I have to keep them in the fridge until they pose a health risk?

Since this might depend on the type of fish, I will leave the question open to all fish types.  However FYI I ordered yellow fin tuna (Ahi), yellowtail tuna (Hamachi), and salmon (Sake).  Also Capelin roe (Masago), and salmon roe (Ikura).


texts: What's the best method for preparing a smoked cod roe breakfast?

texts:
I have some good smoked cod roe that I want to create a breakfast dish with.

I have no idea what to do with the cod roe though - I've never used it before. Do I slice it? Fry it? Spread it?

Ideally it would be toast, fried eggs and the cod roe plus whatever else would go well to make a breakfast treat for my girlfriend (who's a chef so it has to be good :))


texts: What knife and cutting technique should I use for cubing bacon?

texts: I like to fry and cook cubed bacon for various dishes, but I sometimes have a hard time cutting through bacon, especially where the fat meets the meat. The bacon just tends to move around too much, and it gets trickier at the end of the slice (or chunk). I usually use a 6 inch serrated knife for this task. What knife would be best - serrated, chef's, or filet? Or something else? Is there some special technique I should be using?


texts: How do I skip the planning and shopping?

texts:
I really enjoy cooking.  I enjoy the creativity, the experimentation and trying new foods.  I HATE the planning, list making & shopping.

Is there any service or "technique" for avoiding everything leading up to the work in the kitchen?


texts: Are there any general rules to follow when choosing between bake and fan bake to cook something in the oven? What effect does each have and what are the advantages and disadvantages of both?


texts: How do you know when green lentils expire?   If the expiration label says 9/19 how long can you keep them?


texts: Is it safe to deep fry two turkeys in the same oil for Thanksgiving?

texts: Should you deep fry two turkeys in the same oil or is it better to use fresh oil for the second turkey?


texts:
How is beer classified into different types?

Can the types of beer be arranged in a hierarchy with "ales" and "lagers" at the top? Are there beers that do not fall under either category or some that fall under both?

What are the divisions under these categories?

What are the defining characteristics distinguishing one type of beer from another?


texts: Experimenting with garlic, does cooking kill the flavour?

texts:
I have been experimenting by adding extra cloves of garlic into my pasta sauce every time I cook it. I make a quick pasta sauce by caramelizing onions in a pan, adding very finely chopped fresh garlic (its practically a paste), and whatever other vegetables is my pick for the night. Then I add chopped tomatoes/passata and reduce.
It seems to me no matter how much garlic I add, I do not get a harsh flavour. I just get a nice, deep, complex yet subtle flavour that I wouldn't instantly attribute to garlic.
I am currently at the stage where I am adding more than half a bulb of garlic to a one person sauce.
Is there any point in adding this much garlic? Is the garlic responsible for this "nice, deep, complex flavour"? Would the same effect be achieved with less garlic which is more coarsely chopped?
I understand that the longer garlic cooks, the weaker the "garlic" flavour gets, but is this flavour disappearing or is it developing into a new flavour?


texts: Stirring honey in room temp. water vs. boiling honey water?

texts:
I read Is lemonade better when made with simple syrup?, but does the answer differ if I use honey rathe rthan sugar?

In their videos on making lemonade, Rachel Farnsworth and Laura Vitale counsel boiling sugar and water to make simple syrup on the stove. But if I prefer honey, ought I add honey to room temp. water and mix them in a blender?


texts: What kind of vinegar would best replicate that was being used in the USA, upper Midwest in a recipe dated 1904? It is a potato salad recipe. The potatos & egg yolks are mashed together with minced cabbage & celery. Dressing has vinegar, egg yolks, salt, pepper & mustard (we assumed dry). We used white vinegar to mixed reviews. Somewhat strong vinegar flavor.


texts: Technique for shaping meat for cordon blue (alike)

texts:
In last few years I have eaten a few cordon blue like variations which were quite delicious.
I have tried replicating some of them at home, and while they were quite delicious I am wandering what techniques are used in professional kitchens to get the pieces in regular shape.

The specific meal in question is from a local grill bar. It was made of chicken ties and legs, which were deboned and (beaten?) into a escalope. Then they were filled with ham, cheese and a bit of cucumber, from the outside rolled into strips of bacon, shaped like a large cigar, and then fried (I think one piece was around 200 grams, maybe 20cm long and 4-5 cm thick, so quite large).

I have tried to make a variation of this at home, by removing bone from whole chicken legs, beating them slightly with a mallet and then rolling them up with the ingredients inside. I have wrapped them in foil, tightened it and placed them in the fridge overnight to help them keep shape. The bacon strips I had were not quite long enough to hold on by themselves so I had to connect most of them with toothpicks which I removed after frying.

They have been quite delicious and everybody liked them, but I would really like to improve them, as presentation wise they weren't as nice the ones in the grill bar.

For one thing my meat was not of such regular thickness as theirs. Theirs looked like it was made from a rectangular sheet of meat with uniform thickness that was placed in some kind of mold to make them all even :) My pieces were a bit uneven, and the weird shape left over after removing bones from chicken legs made some portions of final product thicker then others (more layers in the 'cigar').

Does anybody have experience with making something like this? How to shape the pieces of meat? By using kitchen mallet too much I risk shredding the meat. Does some 'thingy' like a pasta machine exist for thinning the meat? Can I connect smaller pieces of meat and somehow fry them (or grill) without them falling apart (some king of mold? deep fry or roasting so they don't have to be moved while cooking? stitching??)

Anyway, I am going to try some other options next time, but any ideas are welcome..:)


texts: Recipes for beef pot roasts often include the step of tying the roast with twine prior to cooking, even for roasts without stuffing.  Why?  What difference in outcome can I expect between a tied roast and an untied roast, all other things equal?


texts: Substitution for hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles for bread)

texts: I live in Spain but I am Dutch. Does anyone know a substitution for "hagelslag" (chocolate sprinkles to put on bread) for making boterhammen (open-faced sandwiches)?


texts: What are these spaghetti-like strings in the rice I got from a Turkish shop?

texts:
I bought some rice from Turkish shop and as you can see in the picture it came with this spaghetti like strings with it, I’m not referring to the green stuff.
Do you know what it is and would it have been typically boiled with the rice or added at the end?


texts: Can you give me some good tips how to prepare Fondue without Gruyere/Raclete cheese? What are possible substitutes, and what should I pay attention to when substituting?


texts:
Being mostly made of salt, I often used soy sauce well beyond (as in "two years and more") its expiration date without ever having a problem.
Is that a bad idea, and did I actually take some health risks doing so?


texts: What effect does heat have on cooking oil shelf life?

texts: I'm referring to any/all cooking oils.  I am wondering what temperatures cause significant degradation in quality or rancidity.


texts: Can gluten-free flour be cooked and eaten as a hot breakfast cereal?

texts: I'm talking about single flours, such as quinoa flour, amaranth flour, and buckwheat flour, not flour blends or hot cereal mixes.


texts: What is the meaning of a circle on induction cooktop?

texts:
If you see prestige induction cooktops, all of them have a cricle over it. What is the importance of it or what does it indicate?

Does it mean the pot/wok base area, which touches the surface of induction cooktop, should be smaller than this circle? And if the cookware is larger than this circle it may not work?

This doubt rose when I tested very small bowls and pots to heat water. It worked, but when I used little large non stick items, whose bottom was either almost equal or was slightly larger, were not working, or working with start stop pause heating problem.


texts: What type of beer is best for beer battered fish?

texts:
I was looking for a beer battered fish recipe the other day when I noticed most of the recipes don't state a style of beer to use.
Some of the recipes use a significant amount of beer so I assume that some of the flavor profile from the beer will carry over to the fish.

So I'm wondering, which style is ideal? Porter? IPA? Maybe a Hefeweizen?


texts:
I make a baked flat cinnamon roll style pastry that I glaze with an icing-sugar based donut-style glaze I've created applied hot on the baked product. Only sometimes when the glaze has set, some get a cracked appearance on the icing.

How can I eliminate or reduce this cracking look of the set glaze?


texts: I have a KitchenAid pro mixer that is making a slow clicking noise. It gets faster as I turn up the speed. I first noticed it after replacing a stripped worm follower gear. It sounds like it's coming from the motor. I have checked/cleaned/and re-greased all the other gears several times, and I am confident they are all working properly. Everything looks fine. As far as I can tell. It is not a huge clicking noise, but almost sounds like the fan is hitting something as it goes around. Is this something I should worry about? If I should worry about it, how do I fix it?


texts:
After making several batches of failed vegetable yogurt (10 is a good estimate), I'm at my wits end and running desperate.
My attempts have been with either coconut or almond milk. Coconut milk, I've tried homemade and canned with 68% coconut and only 4 ingredients; I also tried pureed fresh coconut but I couldn't achieve the right consistency in my blender. Almond milk, I've tried homemade and store bought with 5 ingredients.
Thickeners: I've tried tapioca starch, cornstarch and xanthan gum.
Probiotic: I'm using something called Beneflora. I'm confident in my probiotic, I know two people who use it with good results. But one of them is using a kitchen robot (I don't own one), the other lives in another country and the milks she uses aren't sold in my country.
I'm using a brand new yogurt maker and I culture anywhere between 8 and 12 hours. I've thought there may be an issue with the yogurt maker but I tried putting an oven thermomether in it and the temperature seemed right (around 40ºC). My oven doesn't have a light so the oven method is not a possibility.
The recipe that's closest to success is 1 can coconut milk, half a teaspoon xanthan gum, 1 teaspoon fructose and half a teaspoon probiotic. Add milk, xanthan gum and fructose and mix with a stick blender. Add probiotic and stir with a fork. Get it on the yogurt maker and culture for 9 hours.
When I finish mixing in the probiotc my milk is a dreamy, creamy consistency. But after I remove it from the yogurt maker, it's runny! And it doesn't thicken in the fridge.
What could I be doing wrong? I feel completely desperate. I bought a yogurt maker exclusively for this. And I'm determined to make this work. Let me know what you think. Thank you.


texts: Do you add frozen peas directly to flavor bases or you have to boil them?

texts: Im asking since I have directly added frozen peas to a flavor base with water. Its been over 30 minutes in simmering temperature with a lid and the peas are still not tender. They also stuck to the bottom of the pan.


texts:
I recently ordered a batch of halloumi cheese online. It was packaged as fist-sized, vacuum-sealed pieces with a little liquid in each (brine I guess). It is supposed to be refrigerated, and the package had a gel pack for cooling. Unfortunately, the package was delayed by over a week, as the postal carrier mixed up. So I will have to assume that the halloumi has been sitting at room temperature for over a week.
Should I be concerned about any food safety issues here (botulism etc.)? Especially anything that does not go away by grilling/frying?
EDIT: I am aware of the two-hour rule etc., but that rule would already be violated if the package had arrived on time, as I cannot imagine that a little gel pack would keep temperatures in the safe zone for two days in a cardboard box sent halfway across the country (no special isolation or anything). I am really asking about the specifics of this particular food item.


texts: Cooking cakes with Pop Rocks / Space Dust

texts: I want to build a cake with Pop Rocks / space dust. Has anyone got any ideas on how I would do this? If I add the Pop Rocks straight to my cake mixture, then I believe it'll just react. Any suggestions?


texts: How can I tell if my chocolate is tempered?

texts:
How can you tell if chocolate is already tempered?

I have some bulk Bernard Callebaut milk chocolate chips.


texts: When cooking Chicken Tandoori or Chicken Kababs, how do you make that crisp spicy layer thicker?

texts:
Here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about:

Look at this image. It's got a thick layer of spices on top of the chicken. Restaurants typically make such dishes with a thick, crispy, spicy layer that has a strong taste.

I'm trying to make this at home, but mine comes out with a very thin layer on the top. I tried making Chicken Tandoori using the standard recipe (marinate in yogurt for 4 hours and then roast). This is how it came out:

As you can see, the spicy, crispy layer at top is pretty thin with even bald patches. Does anyone know how can I make this layer thicker and more consistent?

Here is the recipe that I followed:

http://www.everestspices.com/tandoori-chicken-masala

Edit: I think that the problem is that I used an air fryer for making Tandoori Chicken. You cannot use an Air Fryer for Tandoori Chicken. You need to use a grill or fire. Perhaps someone else can confirm this.


texts: Why do people recommend cream of tartar when whipping egg whites to the exclusion of all other acids?

texts:
Virtually every single egg white recipe will say add some cream of tartar to egg whites to help them whip better because the cream of tartar will lower the pH and make it more stable. But if all it's doing is making it more acidic, why exclusively cream of tartar over the dozens of far more common acids found in the kitchen?

One difference is cream of tartar is the only solid acid so it wouldn't add more water to the egg whites except many books also say that adding a tbsp of water to egg whites increases stability as well. Is there something else in cream of tartar that isn't in other acids?


texts: How do you stop chickpeas exploding in the microwave?

texts:
I put chickpeas & beans in my curry but when microwaving some the next day it exploded. How can I prevent this?

(Like with eggs you just prick the yolk and no explosions)


texts: My gravy for my mash potatoes tastes bland

texts:
So I'm completely lost on what to do. I have no idea why my hamburger gravy for my mash potatoes is so bland. 1lb ground beef, 2tbsp worcestershire sauce, 1onion, 1/2 tbsp of garlic powder, 2cup milk, 3tbsp flour, and salt&pepper to taste.
I doubled everything except only 3cups of milk instead of 4. When actually eating it the gravy just seemed kind of bland.


texts:
I am getting the feeling yeast-dough just hates me...

I have been using a basic pizza recipe:

500g flour
1/2 cube of fresh yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
4 tablespoons of olive oil
250ml water

make well in flour
add crumbled yeast and some water
mix up a bit, dust with flour, rest 10 to 15 minutes
add salt to remaining flour, then bit by bit add the water and mix up.
knead for 10 to 20 minutes till it is stretchy....

It does not go stretchy, it keeps tearing.
I found advice that I don't have enough water -> so I added water.
The dough after kneading keeps returning to the previous state... but doesn't get stretchy!

How do I get the gluten freed to get the stretchy consistency it should eventually have?
It is resting (and rising) now - will kneading again after some rest and rising get me the stretchyness I would like? Have I overkneaded?
Or did SOMEthing mess up the gluten already?

PS: I am using German 405-flour, wich seems to translate to pastry flour in American types, or (the already mentioned in an answer) 00-flour in Italian types. (source)

PPS: Here are some pictures: The one on the left is the ball I get from the dough. The one on the right is what happens when I pull it apart. Click on them for full size close-up.

It should not get this tearing if kneaded properly, I believe, but stretch. Or am I misinterpreting what I see?

PPPS: as requested, more details on kneading and water:
I started out with 250 ml. Looking at my measuring cup I have by now added somewhere between 50 and 100 ml more. Strangely it does seem to make NO difference to the texture... the dough happily absorbed the additional water with some kneading.
I have been kneading by hand (embarassingly, I lost the kneading-hooks for my machine...).

What I did after getting the answer below:
Added a bit if 1050 flour (about 2 spoonfuls)
Used only about 1/4 of a cube of yeast (10g)
350ml of water (and ignore the feeling that is HAS to be too much)
Mixed up, let rest for about 10 minutes.
10 minutes kneading.
30 minutes rest and rising.
A bit more kneading.

-> Put it in the fridge for 6 hours, flattening it once.
And now I used it not to make pizza but little cinnamon-rolls (already had lunch ^^).
And they turned out GREAT, and while my dough may not have the expert-stretchyness yet, it FINALLY beats the store-bought stuff :).


texts:
I am looking to find recipes for desserts, specifically brownies and cakes although others are greatly appreciated, that do not contain eggs.

Is there a sort of egg substitute that works just as well as eggs in all foods?


texts: They always get wilted in the crisper pretty quickly.  Is there a better way to store them?


texts: Dough is super springy and sticky. Tears while stretching

texts: I work with 950 gms of 00 flour and 50 gms of wheat gluten to make it 1000 gms. I  knead the dough at 65% hydration with 1/4 tsp Instant dry yeast  for 1000 gms of flour. 2% Salt and 4 tabsp Oil .. I knead till windowpane test and let rest for 24 hours.. but next day my dough becomes super springy and soggy. Never looks smooth. Looks like orange peel skin. I make balls and leave them to rest before I make my pizza. It tears while I’am stretching it to make thin crust pizza. What could be the problem? Am I over kneading my dough? Is my gluten content less? Please help!!!!


texts:
I want to make a barbecue sauce which has chicken stock in its recipe.
This is the first time I needed chicken stock for cooking; somehow, I didn't come by it up until now.

Anyway, neither me or any of my roommates ever buy chickens with bones; we always buy clean chickens or clean wings (nothing to create stock with).

I understand I could buy a chicken with bones for the sake of making chicken stock, but I was wondering whether there is an easier, alternative solution that could substitute for chicken stock in my sauce. Think of "chicken stock for students."


texts: Can a kitchen aide mixer, with a dough hook, do the same (or nearly the same) job as a Mochi Maker which costs nearly $300?


texts: Are spores an issue in sauteed pepper storage when you add garlic?

texts:
Typical food-storage for leftover sauteed or roasted peppers in oil, non-canned, seem to vary from one to two weeks when referencing online sources. However, if I make Hungarian peppers in oil with garlic, sauteeing until lightly browned, then left in the oven with a lid to soften, will the storage lifetime reflect standard peppers in oil, or will the issue of botulism spores shorten the timing due to inclusion of fresh garlic? In particular, once the leftover food is refrigerated, on what factors should I calculate storage lifetime?

Does cooking until the peppers brown lightly, then braising help eliminate the issue of botulism carried by the garlic?
Does the pH of the peppers carry enough weight to consider the result acidulated? (If so, how would I compare the acidity of a given pepper as it contributes to the pH of the final product?)
What is a reasonable storage lifetime?
Are there any finishing steps I could take to better preserve the peppers in oil when not made in the context of a canning/pressure-cooking operation?


texts: Can i use vegetable oil instead of butter in cookies?

texts: I have a recipe of cookies in which butter is used. Can I use oil as a replacement for butter? Would it affect the taste of the cookies? If I were to use oil as a butter replacement, what quantity should I use?


texts: Ways to counter the burn of too many scallions?

texts: Last night I made mashed cauliflower and made the mistake of putting in too many scallions before I blended it.  The result is a mashed cauliflower that has the distinct burn of eating raw onion.  Is there anyway for me to counter that?  Aside from watering it down with more mashed cauliflower is there anything I can add to it in modest amount that might neutralize the burn with out destroying the cauliflower?


texts:
Basically, I suck at cooking steak. I like med rare but not sure how to cook it right. Let's take my latest failure, 4 6oz top sirloin on center cuts. I let them get to room temp, and heated my clean cast iron on my. Electric stove to between the middle and high heat. I put them on and maybe 3 to 4 min flipped it. A few min later I put my digital thermometer inside and this is where things go bad, here is my situations. I'll read the temp at like... 101 for example before flipping then after flipping, with prob in dead center. It will be like 110. So I wait like 30 sec to a minute and then a combination of things happen

1) I flip and then temp is like 180 when on other side poking middle showed way lower

2) temp jumps up way to fast in like 1 min it will go from 110nto like 150

3,) one part of steak in center will be like 110 and another part 150

4) after the flip it suddenly cooks 50 times faster and over cooks

I don't know, I just can't seem to get consistent temp measuring without it cooking too fast or burned on outside and rare in inside.

It just seems no matter what I do, I can't get it to cook med rare. I over cook it when I constantly take temps and etc.

When I take temp I go at angle or through the side

Please help! Thanks in advance.

Update : I tried multiple thermometers and type of pans. My latest has been cast iron that has been heated with oil to smoke. Before cooking


texts: How long can I leave an uncooked steak out?

texts:
This is similar to This Question, but hopefully different enough.

I have 3 porterhouse steaks sitting in my refrigerator that I need to cook up tonight. I've been told leaving them out for an hour and salting them a half hour before cooking is the way to do it. However scheduling conflicts dictate that I either leave my steaks sitting out for an hour and a half to two hours, or eat at 9 o'clock at night.

Will the steaks be ok being left out that long? or will I need to just suck it up and eat a late dinner?

Note: my apartment is usually kept at around 70-75 degrees.


texts: Can I carve up a suckling pig like you would an adult pig?

texts:
I found this video of a butcher carving up a half adult pig (not gory) really interesting and would like to learn how to do this on my own.  However, I could never eat a whole adult pig.

Would a suckling pig have all the same cuts of meat that an adult would? I'm wondering for example if you'd still be able to make bacon from the meat, or if there just wouldn't be enough fat there.


texts:
Why do people put Coke on their ham? What purpose does it serve? Is there another more specific and specialized ingredient that does the same thing?

This recipe is an example, but it isn't the only recipe that lists Coke as an ingredient. What's the point?


texts: Hi there I am opening a hot dog joint where we will also sell hamburgers and I am trying to decide whether I should buy a new or used grill. I spoke with a salesman at an equipment store and he told me if I buy a used grill it can be trouble if it has many scratches and deep nicks. He told me the food will not cook as well and also will get a different taste. The problem is when I went to look at used grills they mostly all have scratches and nicks all over the surface. Can someone help me out and let me know if what the salesman said has any merit?


texts: I am cooking beef stew in the crockpot and accidentally put a little flour in the beginning not end

texts: I am cooking a beef stew in the crockpot and instead of adding a little flour at the end I accidentally added it at the beginning. What do I do to fix this? Will it mess the stew up? There was extra broth so will it just not thicken and still cook ok?


texts: Seasoning Cast Iron Pan but without Using Bacon or Lard

texts:
I just purchaced a new cast iron pan, it is my first. I was wondering if there is a way to seaon it but without using bacon (I do not eat bacon for the same reasons Jules, in Pulp Fiction, does not eat bacon, but that's beyond the point).

All seasoning instructoins I found on the net, are about using bacon, or lard, or a similar product. What can I season it with?

Thanks.


texts:
A few years ago, I got a wild hair and pickled some sweet and hot peppers out of my garden.

It's been a while, but I remember buying the correct implements and ingredients and following a procedure I got from (I think) a Ball pickling instruction book.

The pickled peppers have been in the cabinet this whole time, mostly forgotten.

I'm going to move this week, and we found the peppers when cleaning out our kitchen cabinets. I was going to throw them out, then I got curious. I looked at the peppers, and through the glass, all appears to be fine. There's no mold that I can see. No foaming. The brine (?) is clear. The peppers are still pretty brightly colored.

I opened one jar (glass Ball-brand mason jar with 2-piece lid), and there was still suction keeping the lid down. The peppers smell good and pickled, just as I would expect a store-bought jar to smell.

Now, I'm kinda terrified of botulism. That's one reason the pickled peppers stayed in the cabinet all this time. I know I had good instructions at the time, and I followed them, but the "what if" idea just has me a bit scared.

On the other hand, it would be a shame to miss out on some good pickled peppers if there's nothing wrong with them.

So, given that a good deal of time has elapsed, are there any methods to tell whether botulism is present in them? Anything else that I should worry about?


texts: Heat pot first or is it okay to heat with food?

texts:
There are a few posts regarding when to add oil to a pan, but I was wondering if the same applied to making soups with a pot.

When making a fresh pot of soup, would I heat the pot first (using the water-drop test), then add, say vegetable oil, then the ingredients? Or does it not matter?

On the other hand, if I'm reheating a soup that I've stored in the fridge, is it okay to heat it with the pot or should I heat it and then add the soup?


texts: How to make a New York cheesecake with a super creamy, silky texture?

texts:
I've been baking New York cheesecake for a few years now and, with the help of various recipes and some experimentation, I've been able to get pretty close to the flavor and texture of the best New York cheesecakes I remember (or, at least think I remember!) from my childhood. However, one aspect of texture I'd like to improve is creaminess.

As much as I like the texture of the cheesecakes that I bake, whenever I compare them with cheesecakes from Studebaker, a local specialty baker in northern California, the Studebaker cheesecake has a more silky, smooth mouth feel.

Can anyone suggest ways to achieve a creamier, silkier, smoother cheesecake texture? If it would help, I'm happy to add details of how I make my cheesecakes. For now, I'll just say that it's pretty close to this recipe, but I do it without the cherry topping: smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/new-york-cheesecake/.


texts:
My pan fried banana chips are crisp at the beginning.But later it looses crispines.This happens evenafter storing in air tight containers.What is the mistake i am making?

PS:I am asking about kerala(indian state) style famous banana chips.It is made from only a certain variety of banana available here. Usually made after chopping raw bananas in thin round slices,adding turmeric powder with salt and then deep frying.


texts: What does it mean to "fold in" an ingredient into a mix?

texts: I see this in baking recipes, but I've never been quite clear on the difference between mixing and "folding."


texts:
My impression has been that pastrami and corned beef have a cure in common, but corned beef is simmered whereas pastrami is spice-crusted and smoked.

This seems reasonable, but recently I've been hearing of both foodstuffs cooked entirely sous vide.

Without the cooking method distinction, the only remaining difference is that pastrami now has the crust and liquid smoke. Is liquid smoke sufficient to move into the realm of pastrami? Or is this just pastrami-flavored corned beef?


texts:
I love lobster but I must admit I am not very good at cooking it.  I want to make this easier on my self by just adding the lobster to a flavorful broth.  I've heard in the past that if you are going to boil lobster for best results you should purchase the lobster alive and keep it alive until you are ready to toss the lobster into the vessel of hot liquid.

Now the question at hand.  I've been told that if you just toss the lobster into the hot liquid, the lobster suffers and tenses up making the meat chewy.  Is this really true?

The two methods I've heard of prevent this.

First: Get the lobster drunk with alcohol.

Second:  Throw the lobster into the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes before I throw the lobster into the hot liquid.

If these methods actually work, which one is better and why?

If the alcohol method is better, which alcohol should I use?

Revision:

Oh yea, I want to keep the lobster whole and intact for presentation reasons.


texts:
I really like the chocolate cake recipe that appears on Hershey cocoa boxes. It's very rich and moist. It uses oil and boiled water to give you an idea of the type of recipe.

I always make it in a rectangular pan for a single layer because when I bake two round layers and try to stack them, I find that the cake is too tender and the top layer splits and the pieces slide off. This is without any handling other than assembling the layers. Note that it's not cracking/splitting in the pan during baking.

How can I prevent this? I've tried cooking the cake well after it's done, which it seems to tolerate, but that hasn't helped.

I've also considered adding less water, beating the batter longer or adding more eggs but haven't tried these ideas.


texts: Food Safety Question - Refrigerator Temperature

texts: The temperature in my refrigerator has suddenly increased and seems stuck at 55 degrees (12ºC) no matter how I set it. Clearly something is wrong but it's Sunday and I can't get anyone out to check it today. Do I need to toss the food inside? Freezer seems fine.


texts: Why did my chicken skin came out papery and dry?

texts:
I seared some chicken thighs in the oven (400f, top position with some olive oil and plenty kosher salt) and waited until the skin became golden brown (and thus seared) instead they came out like this:

The skin was dry, thin as paper, and it had an unpleasant texture of of ash. It raised 2 questions:

How to prevent ashy, dry paper texture skin from forming.
Why does it happen?


texts: I've never had a problem when they are out of season, but sometimes when I buy big, beautiful, local green onions, inside the green part is VERY slimy! I have asked the produce guys about it on different occasions and they all look at me like a deer in headlights!  Any answers?


texts:
Our chuck roast came out tender but dry. Why?

We used the Beef in Barolo recipe from Americas Test Kitchen:
 - 2 lbs chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper
 - Cooked at 300*F for 3 hours in a full bottle of red wine and veggies
 - Pot was covered in foil and lid on top
 - Turned the meat every 45 minutes
 - Instructions were to cook until the meat fell apart easily with a fork

What did we do wrong?

Thanks!


texts: 2 weeks ago I made 10 gallons of pickling juice for vegetables and only used 7 gallons.  Today I decided to use the 3 remaining gallons of juice.  I boiled the juice I made which was water, white vinegar, salt and sugar, and left it in the porcellan(spelling) pot that I originally boiled it in.  The juice will cool down, and I will pour it into the glass containers with the vegetables.  Is this juice still safe since it has sat out for 2 weeks (covered), even though I have boiled it for 5 minutes or should I just throw it out and start all over again.  As a footnote, the pot is in great condition, no rust marks, it is all white, and the taste of the juice was fine before boiling.


texts: Should beans for making flour be soaked?

texts:
I am considering trying to make my own bean flour from black/pinto/red beans, for use in pasta. I cannot find any references to soaking first, all recipes just says to grind them into flour. Except for one I found using chickpeas.
Is soaking not necessary, or is it maybe just taken for granted?


texts: Is it possible to bake bread, make pizza etc on cast iron pot on induction stove instead of oven?

texts: I don't have access to an oven but I do have access to a cast iron pot and an induction stove. Is it possible to bake bread and make pizza etc with this setup with a little experimentation?


texts: When smoking ribs what is the 3-2-1 or the 3-2-2 method refer to?

texts: I've read a couple places regarding smoking ribs and utilizing the 3-2-1 or the 3-2-2 method. What is this all about? What do each number signify?


texts: How can I make a foam without an immersion blender?

texts: I want to try some experiments with molecular gastronomy foams, but all the recipes I've seen involve using an immersion blender to create the foam. Can I use a whisk to make the foam? What about my Vita-mix? Are there any changes I would need to make to the process based on the change in methodology?


texts: Are accidentally fermented foods safe to eat

texts:
I grew tomatoes this year and then made sauce out of them about 3 weeks ago (tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt).  When I opened the jar I heard the distinct sound of C02 releasing.  I looked in the jar and saw a good amount of bubbling. No visible mold in the jar.  It doesn't smell bad, just fermented.

I've made a variety of pickled and fermented foods before and never had a problem eating those.  Kimchi comes to mind as a similar food where the fermentation comes without adding any starters, just salt, cabbage, and spices.  For some reason the fact that i didn't intend to ferment the sauce is making me second guess eating it.  Is it possible to use salt/vinegar to kill off any bad bacteria lingering in the sauce? What if I were to convert the sauce into a fermented ketchup?


texts:
I was fed up with the low quality electric hobs which are installed in my 1 meter wide "kitchen" (I forgot a crepe on the smaller one on the highest setting, and 25 min later it wasn't even browned, just dried a bit), so I recently bought a small induction cooking unit. It is a big improvement in terms of cooking convenience.

However, I noticed that with most cookware, it produces a strange buzzing sound. I don't mean the sound of the fan cooling the electronics. It produces a distinct fan-like sound, and I can clearly hear it when it works (it is self-regulated and doesn't blow all the time). But the buzzing occurs independently of the fan. It sounds like an old-fashioned phone, but not as loud and a bit muffled, as if the phone were under a duvet two rooms away. It definitely isn't supposed to be there (such as a warning buzzer). The device communicates its state primarily through a small number-outline display, and it also produces electronic beeping sounds to confirm the press of one of the touch sensors (really, who thought that this was a good interface for anything?! The thing is so unsuited for everyday use, they had to add annoying acoustic feedback because the normal tactile one is missing. But my accidental activation rate is still well above acceptable on all devices using it. [/rant]) and also to catch my attention if needed, such as when the overheating prevention mechanism turns the heat off. No buzzer of any kind is mentioned in the user's manual, and anyway it would be too 20th century to be included in this design.

The buzz isn't constant, it continues several seconds, then stops, then appears again, and so on. Sometimes it is completely missing. It seems to be dependent on the weight of the cookware. Once I cooked with an enamelled dutch oven, and I had no buzz at all. But with all other pieces of cookware I tried, I had the buzz. These include: a cheapish stainless steel pot, I think it has a plain thin stainless steel bottom; a good quality stainless steel pan with copper-sandwich bottom and mineral-based nonstick coating; a plain cast iron pan. I have noticed that the buzz seems to stop when I fill the cookware with enough food, and as the dutch oven weighs more than the other items, I think there might be a weight relation.

3-4 years ago I had access to another portable induction unit, and never heard such a buzz. That one was a vintage model from the mid 1970s. So if the buzz is normal for induction cooking today, why did they drop the non-buzzing technology used in this old piece?

I found an explanation on the Internet which claims that the buzz is caused by microscopic vibration of the layers of a sandwiched bottom. This cannot be the case, as the cast iron pan definitely has no sandwiched bottom, and yet it does generate the buzz.

Does anybody know what causes the buzz? Is it a malfunction of the induction unit, or is it normal to have it? And, because I find it somewhat annoying, do you have any ideas how to prevent it?

EDIT: I don't believe the explanations I have heard till now. "Poor sandwiched construction" is out of question, as it happens with a pan cast as a single piece. "Bottom vibrates against glass" sounds OK at first glance, but I put the pans on a thick fluffy cotton wool pad, and it didn't even reduce the buzz, so it couldn't be the reason. As for the fan - the sound is present before the fan switches on. Still, I am choosing an answer as the accepted one, because it tells me that it isn't a defect in my unit, and this is what I needed to know most.


texts: What is the conversion rate between dry beans to cans of beans?

texts: A recipe calls for a can (15oz) of cooked beans. How many cups or oz's is that to dry beans? Is this conversion even possible to estimate given that beans differ in amount of water absorption?


texts: Method for caramelizing Goat Cheese Balls without Breading?

texts:
I was recently at a restaurant where I was served fried balls of goat cheese. They were white, oily, very slightly browned, and appeared to be without any breading. The outside of the balls were sweet. The texture was very soft and fairly consistent; it reminded me of fresh goat cheese, only slightly denser.

They were served slightly warmer than lukewarm in an otherwise cold salad.

The menu described them as "Caramelized Goat Cheese". I am completely out of my wits how they were made.

My best guess is that the cheese balls were formed in molds were glazed honey and then frozen. The frozen cheese balls were either deep fried or torched. I wonder if a specific type of cheese or a mixture containing non-cheese ingredients is needed to make this.

I am hoping to replicate these and I am looking for a recipe. How were they made?


texts: How does preserved lemons salt soultion form a gel?

texts:
About 4-5 years ago I attempted to preserve some lemons in salt as per lots of recipes for Morrocan preserved lemons for tagine etc.
I didn't ever get around to using any of them and also used an inappropriate clip top jar which allowed gas to escape and the salt badly corroded the metal parts. The lemons turned an unappealing brown colour and also went gross & mushy so I finally tipped them out into the compost today.
The weird thing was the salty juice which seeped out of the lemons had turned into a really well set gel. Everywhere I have looked claims that pectin only sets with sugar and jam also needs cooking to 105 degrees c otherwise no gel will form.
How did these raw salted lemons make a gel?
It would be very cool if I could do the same thing with sugar and make a raw citrus marmalade!


texts:
This is what I am talking about: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panipuri

I want to know what is the way to make the puris that fluffy and that crispy such that they remain fluffy and crispy forever.

I do make bigger puris at home by deep frying them in hot oil, but nor I neither anyone who is known to me has made puris that fluffy.

Sometimes by chance they get fluffy, but within 5 minutes all the air escapes from them and they flatten and usually become soft.

What is the way to make golgappe/pani puri at home?


texts: I'm trying to make croissants for the first time and my dough is not rising in between folds.  I don't know whether to just keep going or if it's trash and I should start over?


texts: Making Carbonara in Canada; what kind of cream should I use?

texts:
I was making Carbonara today: bacon was getting crisp, tossed a bit of chopped shallot, some butter, till it was time to add the cream.
The closest I found at the store was half-and-half.
In front of my eyes, the cream broke - I'm still grieving for that bacon.

What went wrong? Is that the wrong kind of cream? was my temperature too high? how is the cream I should use called in Canada ?

thanks!


texts:
I have some White and Red Fondant icing left over from a cake I made recently, I have another cake to make for my mother in-law, and need Pink icing.

If I mix the white and red together, will I get some pink icing which I can work with?

The Red can be seen here, it is what the red balls are made of.


texts: What kind of cloth is OK for cooking glutinous rice and how to handle it?

texts: I got myself some glutinous rice, but it's suggested that I use a cotton cloth in order to cook it. Thing is, I take food safety quite seriously and I wanted to know what kind of cloth specifically is OK to use and what isn't. For example, would a washed piece of a white t-shirt with no print be okay? If not, what to look for? I'm from Poland and I looked for "steam cooking" results on allegro.pl, but found nothing made for steam cooking. Also, how to properly clean it afterward in a food-safe way?


texts: I was wondering if anybody has ever done a Boneless Lamb Roast in a slow-cooker and what the results were ,Thank you,Larry


texts: How can I get a corn tortilla to be pliable enough to work with?

texts: I like the flavor and texture of corn tortillas (store-bought), but they always tear apart whenever I try to use them in a non-flat way - enchilada-style, for example.  How can I make the corn tortillas soft enough to work with (to roll around some ingredients, for example)?


texts: Is there a way to make a generic cheese sauce?

texts:
Scenario: I have some nuggets, and thought it would be nice to dip them in some cheese sauce. I do not have that, but I thought I could make one with the ingredients I have. But I am not sure if there is a way to make a MORE OR LESS generic cheese sauce.
This is the cheese I have:

Ingredients in dutch: melk* (milk), zout (salt), zuursel (starter culture) and stremsel (which is Rennet, I am not sure what kind of cheese that is).
My main idea was melting the cheese with an amount of butter, salt, and maybe some milk or cooking cream. (No need of quantities right now but more of the process to follow).
I think that adding flour would be like making a cheesy bechamel, and I don't know if that is good to dip (or put on top of nachos, whatever is fine, as a cheese sauce, it's nice anywhere). But maybe flour is necessary for this process (specially if the cheese may be quite generic as well).


texts:
I found guavas in the local Asian store and bought one out of curiosity. While I have had guava juice, I've never eaten the fruit before.

I bit into the fruit only to find my mouth full of hard seeds, which were somehow less convenient to spit out than, say, watermelon seeds.

Seeing that most of the fruit is taken up by the seed-interspersed portion, I don't want to throw it out and only eat the small seedless part between the center and the rind. But spitting everything out is tedious.

Assuming that I want to eat raw guava, is there any trick to getting rid of the seeds more easily?


texts: What are the ranges of Pork Temperature that are flavorful and safe?

texts:
USDA guidelines for Pork state that you should cook it to 160F. I have heard over the years that you can undercook from that, which seems desirable, as 160F is going to be pretty dry.

I know the general temperature safety rules, but I'm curious about texture. Does anybody have a range of temperatures and descriptions, a-la beef for Pork? Are there other, non-bacterial concerns for keeping pork up at 160F?


texts: Reason of putting clarified ghee on Modak

texts:
"Modak" is the sweet dish generally prepared for Lord Ganesha in India. "Ukadiche Modak" is the sub-type of Modak. It is usually cooked in steamer. It does not get fried (or deep fried). I would like to know what is the reason of putting clarified ghee on Modak while eating?

Image courtesy- Google.com


texts:
I'm working on a cookbook that is designed to make it easier to master the steps that go into a recipe, and understand the timing, especially when trying to get multiple items to 'line up' so they all complete around the same time to serve a meal.

I've seen a number of interesting takes on recipe format that take it beyond the typical list of ingredients--list of steps format. These include the cooking for engineers format, and a wide range of illustrated recipes that are cute but actually make it more difficult to understand for a novice.

I have 'invented' something new unlike anything I've seen anywhere else, but I want to look around and make sure I'm not accidentally stepping on an existing idea; I don't want to be accused of having stolen someone else's concept. So I'm am curious if anyone has seen any interesting formats for recipes around.


texts: What makes cake a Sponge Cake? And what doesn't?

texts:
I've been watching the Great British baking show and they refer to basically every cake as a sponge. I live in the USA and grew up in Australia. We just called cake, cake.

I know how to make a victoria sponge, and a genoise and neither of these methods required you to cream butter and sugar as the step 1.
So would you say that a cake that requires you to cream butter and sugar for the first step is NOT a sponge?

I also have heard the terms foam method and creaming method...Does using one of these methods define what cake you have made ie. sponge or not?

Sorry for the long winded question!!! I just want some clarification as what is a sponge and what isn't.


texts: Does handling a lot of flour cause fingernails to break?

texts:
I recently started baking bread, including every day for the last month. (I give it away.) Since I began baking so much bread, I've had severe issues with my finger nails. They've have been peeling, and breaking, even all the way until they're super short. It's very uncomfortable.

I'm trying to understand what's happening. Is it possible that handling a lot of flour can cause my nails to break?


texts:
I was trying to boil some poppy seeds in some milk, along with some sugar and some lemon juice. After more than 1.5 hours of simmering this mixture, the seeds were still tough and crunchy, when some recipes I found online suggested simmering for ~20 minutes.

What do you suppose I did wrong? Are there several kinds of cooking poppy? Did I need to soak them beforehand? I have bought the seeds at a market about one month ago and kept them in a jar in a dark, room-temperature place.


texts: how can I tell if my pots and pans are ferrous?

texts: I am looking into replacing my hob with an quick, induction type electric hob, but they stipulate that the the cookware must be ferrous. I have decent cookware, but how do I know if it is correct?


texts:
A Great British Bake Off question!

I'm interested in making a show-stopper cake (recipe) and it calls for "Cake Margarine" which is not available in the U.S. What is the equivalent that I can swap for it?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Last year,  I made some kimchi that tournes out a tad bit too spicy and sour. My partner refuses to eat it and I cry when I try. But there is nothing wrong with it otherwise. Om reluctant to throw it out since I have another full glass jar of it, but I'm not sure what recipes I can make with it which would calm the taste. The only thing I've made with it that really succeeded was kimchi pancakes. The flour seemed to mellow out the taste. Any other suggestions?


texts: cooking in a plastic bag without removing extra air, at 100c?

texts:
What happens if I just use a zip lock bag, and closed it on the food, without sucking out the extra air, and then used a heavy spoon at the bottom of a pot, with boiling water ?

What i am trying to do is just get zip lock bags, without any other special equipment.

@Jefromi , looking for easy & economic way of cooking, with minimal effort to clean the pot afterwards.


texts: Is pork ok if seared and left in crockpot 1hr before turning on?

texts: I seared a 6 lb pork roast, put it in crockpot, then forgot to turn it on for about an hour.  Then turned on low and will cook 8hrs.  Is it ok?


texts: Is it better to add roasted vegetables into beef stew?

texts: Hoping to create a heartiest stew, I was thinking of roasting my carrots, okra, and sweet potatoes. Will it create any substantial change in flavor?


texts: Various ways to identify smoked foods and liquid smoke

texts:
What are some key identifiers for telling if a dish was smoked manually rather than using liquid smoke i.e. taste, smell, visually etc.

I'm curious about meats, veggies etc.

What I already know:

(in meats with fat) is the noticeable colour gradients differing in fats on meat that implies a wood fire smoke.

A single note char/musty smell usually hints towards a liquid smoke.

Typically smoked foods impart various smells and flavours that'll penetrate inside the dish rather than a liquid smoke.


texts: preseasoned pan - now blackened and chipping

texts:
While I've found similar posts, I have not found a perfect answer and thought I'd share my cleaning routine in case that is creating a problem.  I purchased a pre-seasoned Lodge skillet about a year ago. I also have my Grandmothers old Wagner that looked to be well seasoned as well.
My issue is that the Lodge currently is fairly lumpy on the bottom and food will pick up quite a few black flakes.  I've tried taking a spatula to it to try to pick up some of it and then wiping it, but it doesn't get much of it.  I think when the pan is hot more comes off.
My cleaning routine is this:  After using pan, I boil hot water in it to pick up any of the baked on food.  I "scrape" it as it's boiling with a wooden spatula.  Then dump the hot water and rinse with just plain water wiping it dry with a paper towel.  I then will add a little oil (either grape-seed or regular olive oil) and wipe that around the entire pan with a paper towel.  Then putting the pan back on the hot burner to "cure".   All along I've thought of this as a mini curing session each time I use it which is a lot.  But maybe it's too much somehow?  Or maybe the boiling of the water in it after use is too much?  I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.  I do the same thing with all of my cast iron pans and I have varying degrees of "not smooth" bottoms.  Including the Wagner.  Please help!  I definitely do not have that baby smooth surface like others speak of.  Thanks in advance!


texts: Speculaas/Biscoff cookie low calorie aroma extract

texts:
I love the taste of speculaas cookies and would like to add the aroma to foods. But one tiny cookie has ~50 kcal (~ 480 kcal/100g).

I tried mixing spices as suggested on internet but no luck.

How could I separate the fat (palm oil) and sugars from the blended cookies? How can I deemulsify the lechtins? I suppose I could add yeast for the sugar but that would take weeks right?

EDIT: Maybe the taste is partially due to caramel?

  The unique taste stems from the sugar’s caramelization during the baking process. And a hint of cinnamon and other spices add that special something. Biscoff Cookies are made with


texts: Will cannes food tops melt if dropped in boiling soup?

texts: I may have dropped a can food top in my soup but i am not sure. It's not in the soup but could it have melted ?


texts: Substitute celery seed for fresh celery in soup

texts: How much celery seed do I substitute for a stalk of celery in soup? I haven't tried anything as I don't want to ruin a whole pot of soup.


texts: Can poulet noir be prepared as standard chicken, or is there anything special to consider?

texts:
I got "poulet noir" or "black feathered chicken" for Christmas, but I couldn't find much information about it or how to prepare it.

Is it safe to assume, that it can be prepared like any other chicken, or are there considerations to take into account for this particular race of chicken?

The only information I found about this chicken is, that it is low in fat, lives semi-wild, whatever that means and is maybe gamier than normal chicken.

Should I just follow standard chicken recipes?


texts: What are good techniques for getting gluten free bread to rise?

texts:
I make gluten free bread in a bread maker, however I can never get it to rise as much as 'regular' bread and is usually a little heavy. What techniques/recipes/substitutions can I try to get my gluten free bread to rise more?

I currently use a recipe that is similar to this one here, but with a bit of tapioca starch instead of buckwheat flour.


texts: I bought chicken drumsticks on January 11th and froze them on the 11th. They had a best before date of January 13th. I put them in the fridge yesterday to defrost and am cooking them now but they were slimy. They didn't smell though. Does frozen chicken go slimy when defrosted? Safe to eat? Thanks!


texts: Is there a trick to getting spices to fix to raw almonds?

texts:
I am trying to make a hot / spicy almonds using raw almonds and cayenne pepper.  Is there a simple non-messy way to get the cayenne pepper to stick to the almonds?

I imagine I could mix the almonds with olive oil before spreading it or similar but was hoping there is a better "hack" that is not as messy.


texts: Grinding coffee beans in the Olde Time Nut Grinder, now sold by Hampton Farms?

texts: Has anyone tried to grind coffee beans in the Hampton Farms peanut butter machine? It seems to me that it would work well.  Thanks. Larry


texts: What is the white film on my wet carrots?

texts:
I was juicing carrots tonight and was getting rid of (juicing) some older baby carrots that nobody wanted to eat.  They felt a bit "slimier" than usual, but smelled fine, and I haven't had any problems with juicing slimy carrots in the past.  However after juicing a few of them I looked a bit more closely and noticed that some of them - not all, but maybe 10% or so appear to have a faint white film over part or all of them.

The carrots smell perfectly good, but I am concerned as to what this film might be.  Mold maybe?  I started scrubbing each carrot off before juicing it but this was taking quite a bit of time, and now I am thinking there might have been some that got through before I started scrubbing.

I have looked in a lot of places trying to find out what this white stuff is, but all I see is a lot of people saying things like "take it back" without giving any reasons to do so and without even attempting to answer the question - is it mold?  Some places say the white part is due to the carrot drying out - that can't be the case here, because the carrots are quite wet.  Others suggest it is due to the treatment/processing of the carrots. Is it something that will make me sick if I drink juice made from carrots that have this film?  Even if it is something that shouldn't be drunk, now I also need to know, what do I need to do to my juicer?  Can I just run water through it to clean it out?  Do I need to take it apart and scrub down and disinfect all the internal components?


texts:
I recently finished my first batch of sauerkraut and tasted it only to find that it's way too salty. In referencing the original recipe, I realized that I used the amount of salt recommended for 5lbs of cabbage but I only had 2.5lbs.

What, if anything, can I do to salvage the sauerkraut? Because of the way it's made, I wasn't sure that just adding the missing cabbage is a viable solution and part of me wonders if the salt is just part of the food now.


texts: When should I add spinach to homemade pizza?

texts: When making pizza, do you put the spinach on raw or cooked? I would prefer to put it on raw, but I am concerned that the high water content in the spinach will release in the oven and make the crust wet. I have used well drained cooked spinach in the past but I find no matter how hard you ring it out, it is still very wet for a topping! I am using baby spinach. Any suggestions?


texts: How is mixing time influenced when using a sourdough starter?

texts:
I am new to producing and using a sourdough starter at home. While mixing a dough that incorporates a starter using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, I have observed the resulting dough looking much less smooth than a standard yeast dough. My question is if and how using a sourdough starter has an impact on mixing (kneading) speed and time.

The image above shows the surface of the dough is not smooth. It is quite elastic, though.
For context, I converted a standard yeast recipe (Italian bread) to allow incorporating the starter. The primary purpose of this is for additional flavor. This recipe is by weight and I used the ratio of the starter's flour and water to formulate the converted recipe. Base recipe mixing time calls for 8 - 10 minutes at second speed.
I have tried two methods of mixing when incorporating a starter (both are variants of the straight dough method). First I tried adding all ingredients at once, including the starter, and mixing. The second method I tried was adding all ingredients except the starter, mixing until a rough dough was formed, then adding the starter and finishing the mixing. Both methods produced a similar dough with a bumpy exterior. Compared to the base recipe, the dough is much more elastic and more sticky (though I'm not sure if it is more "wet" or just the norm when a preferment is added).
I should mention the resulting loaf had good flavor and form but the texture was more dense than I desire. There are still a number of factors I will work on tweaking and improving but I'd like to rule out over (or under) kneading as a factor. I have significant experience with yeast breads but am lacking accurate knowledge of how a sourdough starter impacts various aspects (mixing, fermentation, proofing) of bread making. I did some Googling and also searched Cooking SE but am not finding an answer to this specific question.


texts: Would using milk powder better than fresh milk when poaching?

texts:
I read this question - What is the effect of poaching fish in milk? and was surprise that one can poach fish using milk.

However, I was wondering if the milk will be spoil if it is continuous being cooked? And also would it be better if milk powder is used instead of just fresh milk?


texts: Why is butter incorporated into the dough last when making Brioche?

texts:
I made Brioche for the first time tonight using the Rich Man's Brioche recipe from Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice.

The recipe basically leaves out the butter until the very end when the dough is fully mixed and hydrated. Only then does the recipe require the butter to be slowly added into the dough tablespoons at a time using a wooden spoon.

I am usually used to creaming the butter at the very beginning or using melted butter in the wet ingredients and then mixing it with the dry ingredients. Incorporating the butter into the dough at the end using a wooden spoon took quite a while and was a pretty good workout for my arms.

I took a look at other Brioche recipes on the internet and pretty much all of them add the butter into the dough at the very end.

So my question is why is the butter incorporated only after the dough is fully formed?

What would happen if I were to cream the butter with the sugar(small amount of it) and egg at the beginning before adding it to the sponge and dry ingredients?


texts: Why does my German nut strudel fall apart?

texts:
I have a recipe for nut strudel, which calls for the following:

2 cups flour
1 stick butter
8 oz cream cheese.

I have made it twice, and both times the crust is all crumbly and does not roll well. Tastes great but looks like a mess.

Why wouldn't it hold together, and what can I do to fix it?


texts: How to quickly soften hard, dried out brown sugar

texts: I had some brown sugar that didn't get properly sealed and so now it's too dry and solid as a rock.  What's the quickest way to soften it up and get rid of the clumps? Folks have suggested leaving an apple with it in a bag overnight; any suggestions of a shortcut for rehydrating that takes minutes instead of hours or days?


texts: Cranberry beans on a slow cooker (crock pot)

texts:
I have only made a few stews on my slow cooker so I want to try a different recipe. I want to try cooking cranberry/cargamanto beans for a bandeja paisa (similar to a Brazilian feijoada) on a slow cooker instead of a pressure cooker. Basically, I want to replicate the traditional method of cooking the beans on low heat (open fire) in a clay pot using a slow cooker.

The pressure cooker recipe recommends to pressure-cook the beans for 30 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients (plantains, carrots, pork) and then pressure-cook everything for 20 more minutes.

Could I add all the ingredients at once in a slow cooker and set it on low for a long cooking period (8 hours)? Or should I cook the the beans for a while before adding the rest of the ingredients?


texts: Do roasted and unroasted peppers taste different after slow cooking in soup all day?

texts: I love red bell peppers. Is there a taste difference if I roast them before chopping and adding them to soup or beans that slow cook for 4-6 hours? Am I just cooking them before cooking them again or does roasting (under my broiler, then peeling) produce a unique taste that I wouldn't get from just simmering them for hours?


texts: Has anyone trying cooking oxtail in the air fryer? Is that even possible could you cook it in sauce / gravy or does air fryers not allow you to add liquid to the cooking vessel?


texts: I tried pickling some garlic in turmeric and the garlic turned green. Just wondering if I should toss or not?


texts: Is there such a thing as a single malt vodka?

texts:
NB: There are products branded as single malt vodka (so the quick answer is Yes), but my question is more about whether such statements have any real meaning?

More detail

In a discussion the other day a friend pointed out that whisky (/ whiskey) isn't whisky until it's been aged in a barrel for some time.  Before it goes into the barrel it's essentially vodka.

That triggered a thought; the "malt" in malt whisky refers to it's being made from malted barley.  As such, I assumed that were you to take the pre-aged whisky ("new make spirit" / vodka), that must therefore be a single malt because it has the same malt as the whisky which would be made from it.

My friend pointed out that the single malt whisky is a single malt not because of the malt going in, but based on what comes out of the barrel; i.e. if made in a single barrel it's a single malt, if the combined contents of multiple barrels it's blended.  Thus, he argued, calling something single malt before it's been aged makes no sense, even though the ("single") malt is put in before the aging takes place / "no malts are extracted by aging".

I guess the argument's similar to talking about cake mix; i.e. if I baked a chocolate sponge and a vanilla sponge I'd get 2 cakes which would be distinct (even if I mashed them together a bit), whilst if I blended the cake mix I'd only get one cake / technically it was baked from a single mix even though that mix was itself a mix of mixes / the term single cake mix has no real meaning here (so single malt vodka wouldn't either).


texts: What's the best way to cook JD biscuit rollups?

texts:
What's the best way to cook these Jimmy Dean's biscuit roll-ups?

The microwave directions aren't bad, but, as often happens with things cooked in the microwave, the biscuit is a little on the mushy side. The [toaster] oven directions (which can only be found on the website) take a long time (>20 minutes) and leave the biscuit a bit on the dry side.

If I had to pick one, I'd stick with the microwave — for a biscuit, I'd rather have mushy than dry — but... is there a better way?


texts: What does it mean if my chicken tastes like fish?

texts: I got the chicken fresh from Smith's, rinsed it, seasoned it, and it didn't smell at all. I put it in my mother-in-law's baking dish, baked it, and it smelled sooo good in the house while baking. I served it only for my husband to spit it out. It tastes 100 percent like fish. Not smell, taste. What could this be from? Does it indicate the chicken was unsafe to eat?