Cooking tips/tricks/tools/recipes/etc

[overdrive148]

Okay, so carrying over from the other thread (House NOT for sale)...

I'm 100% interested in cooking tips and tricks and recipes and recommended kitchenware. I love cooking, food and science rolled into one.

I want to start off by saying I have an electric stove and I can't get much of anything hot enough to sear meat like I want to. I have a $5 wok from Walmart that I'm not even sure is good enough to make any other dishes.
And the 'real' ones there don't seem to be amazing. With one of the recipes I use (found online) I use corn starch and water and a little seasoning on the meat strips for beef and broccoli and no matter what it always sticks to the pan and froths up instead of really doing anything else. Stir-fry is supposed to be thin strips done quickly but I can't seem to manage it well, following recipes anyway. And getting hot enough for that makes the pan smoke and my apartment is not suited for that at all (small and smoke alarms everywhere).

I also went and bought a stainless steel pan for searing steaks and dropping them in the oven for some sirloin for the GF's birthday last year and I was pleased with the results on it. Then I tried cooking on it with bacon and etc and it ended up getting nearly welded to the pan. Almost everything sticks, often so badly that I don't really use it much. I read advice on getting the pan hot first and then adding oil/etc but I thought you were supposed to heat the oil with the pan The steak turned out great though. Seared first and then threw in the oven with butter and thyme. Always wanted a cast iron skillet but not sure how to use one.

Anyway, would love to discuss cooking stuff here. Some leaner stuff after that diabetes thread we had, but some good stuff for cheat days naturally

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Cooking tips...

I find a wok great for reducing liquids or boiling stuff. They reduce boil-over because the heat is in the center, and there is space both vertically and horizontally for the foam to expand into.

I make breakfast cereal in them- corn meal, real oatmeal, grits (when I can get them), and real cream of wheat or real cream of rice (not the instant stuff).

Today, I used one for making service berry jam and for making a glaze for braised ribs.

 

[txflyer]

For the best spaghetti a trick passed down to us is burn some butter then put the drained pasta in it and stir it around. Get the burned butter all over it.

Put a little fresh grated parmesan cheese in the bottom of the bowl, add your burnt butter pasta, add your sauce, sprinkle more parmesan on top, add a garnish of parsley....

It'll make your tongue beat your brains out. ..

 

[MotoFlier]

Okay, so carrying over from the other thread (House NOT for sale)...

I'm 100% interested in cooking tips and tricks and recipes and recommended kitchenware. I love cooking, food and science rolled into one.

I want to start off by saying I have an electric stove and I can't get much of anything hot enough to sear meat like I want to. I have a $5 wok from Walmart that I'm not even sure is good enough to make any other dishes.
And the 'real' ones there don't seem to be amazing. With one of the recipes I use (found online) I use corn starch and water and a little seasoning on the meat strips for beef and broccoli and no matter what it always sticks to the pan and froths up instead of really doing anything else. Stir-fry is supposed to be thin strips done quickly but I can't seem to manage it well, following recipes anyway. And getting hot enough for that makes the pan smoke and my apartment is not suited for that at all (small and smoke alarms everywhere).

I also went and bought a stainless steel pan for searing steaks and dropping them in the oven for some sirloin for the GF's birthday last year and I was pleased with the results on it. Then I tried cooking on it with bacon and etc and it ended up getting nearly welded to the pan. Almost everything sticks, often so badly that I don't really use it much. I read advice on getting the pan hot first and then adding oil/etc but I thought you were supposed to heat the oil with the pan The steak turned out great though. Seared first and then threw in the oven with butter and thyme. Always wanted a cast iron skillet but not sure how to use one.

Anyway, would love to discuss cooking stuff here. Some leaner stuff after that diabetes thread we had, but some good stuff for cheat days naturally

The trick with stainless is to make sure the pan is hot before putting food in it. Get your hand wet and flick water droplets onto it they should evaporate immediately. Than use any cooking oil, butter whatever to grease the pan.

 

[JOhnH]

The trick with stainless is to make sure the pan is hot before putting food in it. Get your hand wet and flick water droplets onto it they should evaporate immediately. Than use any cooking oil, butter whatever to grease the pan.

Yep. I almost threw away a few hundred dollars worth of SS cookware till I learned that.

 

[steingar]

There is nothing in the world that cooks better than and sticks less than cast iron. It is a bit of a pain to care for, but excellence is worth a bit of trouble. I rarely cook on anything else.

 

[Matthew]

If you want to experiment with induction stoves, there are plenty of single burner counter-top things available for under $100. This is just an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Avantco-ICBTM-20-Countertop-Induction-Cooker/dp/B008CORAVI

I have a glass-top electric stove that I use pretty hard. I thought about getting an induction element just to try one out because we are considering swapping out our current cooktop. But with a lack of cabinet space I'd have a hard time finding some place to put the thing when not in use.

Use a simple refrigerator magnet to test your cookware before trying it on an induction system. If the magnet sticks, you are OK.

--

As for me - my cast iron skillet is going on 30 yrs now and I plan to hand it down to my kids.

 

[overdrive148]

If you want to experiment with induction stoves, there are plenty of single burner counter-top things available for under $100. This is just an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Avantco-ICBTM-20-Countertop-Induction-Cooker/dp/B008CORAVI

As for me - my cast iron skillet is going on 30 yrs now and I plan to hand it down to my kids.

I did not know they made these. The cheap pans from Walmart have begun to warp (used for ~2 years) and I'm looking to replace them. I might give that a shot, it looks awesome and portable to boot.

There is nothing in the world that cooks better than and sticks less than cast iron. It is a bit of a pain to care for, but excellence is worth a bit of trouble. I rarely cook on anything else.

I have heard the dishes from the kitchen of Steinholme will make mortal men cry... do you have a specific brand of cast iron pan(s) and how do you take care of them? I have heard seasoning and no soapy water but that's about it.

The trick with stainless is to make sure the pan is hot before putting food in it. Get your hand wet and flick water droplets onto it they should evaporate immediately. Than use any cooking oil, butter whatever to grease the pan.

Yep. I almost threw away a few hundred dollars worth of SS cookware till I learned that.

Yeah, did not know that at all. My standard is letting the pan heat a little, then dropping in some oil and swirling it around, then letting it heat a bit more and dropping food in. I'll try that.

What kind of oil do you guys use? Standard el cheapo vegetable/canola oil or? I've heard peanut oil for stir-fry is the best so that's what I use.

For the best spaghetti a trick passed down to us is burn some butter then put the drained pasta in it and stir it around. Get the burned butter all over it.

Put a little fresh grated parmesan cheese in the bottom of the bowl, add your burnt butter pasta, add your sauce, sprinkle more parmesan on top, add a garnish of parsley....

It'll make your tongue beat your brains out. ..

How do you burn your butter Inquiring tongues want to know. In a pan for too long or? That sounds fantastic, I love pasta!

Cooking tips...

I find a wok great for reducing liquids or boiling stuff. They reduce boil-over because the heat is in the center, and there is space both vertically and horizontally for the foam to expand into.

I make breakfast cereal in them- corn meal, real oatmeal, grits (when I can get them), and real cream of wheat or real cream of rice (not the instant stuff).

Today, I used one for making service berry jam and for making a glaze for braised ribs.

For some reason I imagined you making a bowl of cereal out of a wok. Never even tried to make my own cereal, the most crazy I get is getting the stuff out of the clear dispensers at Homeland/etc.

When I got the wok I thought you had to have it to make stir fry the right way. After the fact I realized that it's not 100% necessary.

Also, never really tried reducing liquids. Assuming that's heating them and letting water out of them but I've never really taken classes etc.

 

[bflynn]

The trick with stainless is to make sure the pan is hot before putting food in it. Get your hand wet and flick water droplets onto it they should evaporate immediately. Than use any cooking oil, butter whatever to grease the pan.

Be careful with this. If you leave a pan on high heat for too long, then add cooking oil, it can light on fire and your stir fry turns into a barbecue. On the one hand its no big deal, you just drop a lid on it and it goes out - DO NOT SPRAY WITH WATER! On the other, you've probably ruined the pan.

I'm not sure what trick I'm not privy to. I've been cooking for years and put the oil in the pan before I turn on the heat, my little trick I started doing after I lit one on fire. Then I wait until the oil is shimmering, which means hot enough and start cooking.

Sticking - yes, some will stick. I use Bar Keeper's Friend scouring powder on stainless steel to clean, pans are in great shape.

 

[RJM62]

The trick with stainless is to make sure the pan is hot before putting food in it. Get your hand wet and flick water droplets onto it they should evaporate immediately. Than use any cooking oil, butter whatever to grease the pan.

Yep.

Rich

 

[JOhnH]

Barkeepers Friend is great for when you don't heat the pan sufficiently before adding the oil. But yes, you have to be careful to not heat it too much

Be careful with this. If you leave a pan on high heat for too long, then add cooking oil, it can light on fire and your stir fry turns into a barbecue. On the one hand its no big deal, you just drop a lid on it and it goes out - DO NOT SPRAY WITH WATER! On the other, you've probably ruined the pan.

I'm not sure what trick I'm not privy to. I've been cooking for years and put the oil in the pan before I turn on the heat, my little trick I started doing after I lit one on fire. Then I wait until the oil is shimmering, which means hot enough and start cooking.

Sticking - yes, some will stick. I use Bar Keeper's Friend scouring powder on stainless steel to clean, pans are in great shape.

 

[MotoFlier]

What kind of oil do you guys use? Standard el cheapo vegetable/canola oil or? I've heard peanut oil for stir-fry is the best so that's what I use.

I like to use coconut oil there are still times when I will use extra virgin olive oil or butter. But the coconut oil has been my main go to for the last few years.

 

[JOhnH]

As much as I love olive oil, it is not a good oil to cook with. The smoke point is too low, and that smoke is carcinogenic.

 

[steingar]

I have heard the dishes from the kitchen of Steinholme will make mortal men cry... do you have a specific brand of cast iron pan(s) and how do you take care of them? I have heard seasoning and no soapy water but that's about it.

I've got a couple Lodge pans and a griddle, and a couple vintage (antique?) made by I know not who. They get cleaned with water and a scrubbie, nothing more. I dry them in the oven at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on the pan. They get coated with oil while still hot.

Once a year or every other year (depending on how they're wearing) I apply a very thin coat of oil and bake them at an excess of 500 degrees on my grill. This restores the seasoning (which is just elemental carbon, the ultimate nonstick surface) and blackens them nicely.

Eggs stick to our "nonstick" pans after a few uses. They never stick to my cast iron, and they cook better too. I've never had anything stick to them, now that I think about it.

 

[MotoFlier]

I was given a nice cast iron pan years ago. It's packed away in the garage somewhere I never knew how to use it. This thread is getting me pumped to start messing with it!! If I don't reply for a few days please send help I'm trapped under 50 plastic bins hahaha

 

[ClimbnSink]

As much as I love olive oil, it is not a good oil to cook with. The smoke point is too low, and that smoke is carcinogenic.

False rumor from the poison crop oil crowd. But if you are worried use coconut oil.

 

[Shepherd]

First, locate the big hot thing.
Second, observe it in it's natural habitat.
Third, approach it very slowly. It can and will bite you if frightened or annoyed.
Fourth, the big hot thing can smell fear. If you are afraid, do not approach.

 

[ClimbnSink]

How do you cook? Easy you marry one.

 

[JB1842]

A steak should only be flipped once.

 

[murphey]

Cast iron. Even with an electric range, it will get hot enough to sear anything, can also be put into the oven to finish cooking anything. The more you use it, the better it works. Follow the directions for cleaning. There's a gadget (looks like small chain link) that works great for cleaning the build up.

Also - watch either the cooking channel or food network during the day. Your local PBS station may also have some cooking shows. The one here in Denver runs old Julia Child shows - yes, she was a fantastic cook, but also incredibly entertaining.

Don't buy cheap anything. Cast iron isn't that expensive and lasts for many generations. I have a small & a large cast iron skillet. Also get a 5-7 qt enameled cast iron pot. Don't get the lightweight cast iron, go for Lodge. Pick up the silicone pot handles for the skillets. With cast iron, go for wood utensils.

For things like eggs and stir-fry, I have a couple good quality, no-stick pans with glass covers (one small, one large).

Welcome to molecular gastronomy!

 

[Matthew]

The other tool of mine that has many, many miles:

http://www.lecreuset.com/cookware/dutch-ovens/4-1-2-qt-round-dutch-oven

I can't remember how much it cost - we got it at an outlet mall marked way down because of a blemish on the exterior finish.

 

[EdFred]

A steak should only be flipped once.

And hamburgers should never be smooshed.

 

[JOhnH]

False rumor from the poison crop oil crowd. But if you are worried use coconut oil.

hmmmm. A brief Google search shows you may be right. I will have to research this more. If true, I will enjoy beating some of my health-nut friends up with it.

 

[mtuomi]

Alot of OWT's here; steak should only be flipped once, olive oil becoming carcinogenic etc.

Highly recommended reading: http://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab/
Science instead of OWT's. Try some of the tricks yourself, you'll be surprised.

I thought before as well, that steaks should only be flipped once, and they should never be pierced, or that pasta should be cooked in the biggest pot you can find, and so on...

 

[EdFred]

If you cook it correctly it should only need to be flipped once.

6 minutes a side for the steaks I grill.

 

[Sac Arrow]

And hamburgers should never be smooshed.

We can agree on that.

 

[ClimbnSink]

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/index.html one of the first places I go for cooking advice.

 

[overdrive148]

I've got a couple Lodge pans and a griddle, and a couple vintage (antique?) made by I know not who. They get cleaned with water and a scrubbie, nothing more. I dry them in the oven at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on the pan. They get coated with oil while still hot.

Once a year or every other year (depending on how they're wearing) I apply a very thin coat of oil and bake them at an excess of 500 degrees on my grill. This restores the seasoning (which is just elemental carbon, the ultimate nonstick surface) and blackens them nicely.

Eggs stick to our "nonstick" pans after a few uses. They never stick to my cast iron, and they cook better too. I've never had anything stick to them, now that I think about it.

Interesting. Looks like less than $30 for the biggest cast iron skillet on their site. What size would you guys recommend for all-round cooking?

I imagine too small for some meals, too big means too long to heat for others? And you're supposed to dry your pans every time after washing them? Sounds like a bit of work but if it's that good at cooking I'm totally down to try it. Do they come "seasoned" and if not, how do I do it?

I was given a nice cast iron pan years ago. It's packed away in the garage somewhere I never knew how to use it. This thread is getting me pumped to start messing with it!! If I don't reply for a few days please send help I'm trapped under 50 plastic bins hahaha

Do it! I don't want to use the cheap walmart crap anymore. Go dig that thing out

A steak should only be flipped once.

I heard this about burgers too. Not sure if true.

Cast iron. Even with an electric range, it will get hot enough to sear anything, can also be put into the oven to finish cooking anything. The more you use it, the better it works. Follow the directions for cleaning. There's a gadget (looks like small chain link) that works great for cleaning the build up.

Also - watch either the cooking channel or food network during the day. Your local PBS station may also have some cooking shows. The one here in Denver runs old Julia Child shows - yes, she was a fantastic cook, but also incredibly entertaining.

Don't buy cheap anything. Cast iron isn't that expensive and lasts for many generations. I have a small & a large cast iron skillet. Also get a 5-7 qt enameled cast iron pot. Don't get the lightweight cast iron, go for Lodge. Pick up the silicone pot handles for the skillets. With cast iron, go for wood utensils.

For things like eggs and stir-fry, I have a couple good quality, no-stick pans with glass covers (one small, one large).

Welcome to molecular gastronomy!

Molecular Gastronomy 101. That would've been a great thread name.

Unfortunately I don't really have cable so I'll have to settle with the internet. Good point about silicone holders and wood utensils, don't want to burn myself or scratch the pan.

The other tool of mine that has many, many miles:

http://www.lecreuset.com/cookware/dutch-ovens/4-1-2-qt-round-dutch-oven

I can't remember how much it cost - we got it at an outlet mall marked way down because of a blemish on the exterior finish.

Neat. What kind of dish is your favorite to make with it?

And hamburgers should never be smooshed.

Tried to make burgers twice (turkey for the GF) and they ended up being really round. For other burgers, I went back to the walmart frozen ones. As much I don't like them.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/index.html one of the first places I go for cooking advice.

Hmm... will look.

 

[Matthew]

Interesting. Looks like less than $30 for the biggest cast iron skillet on their site. What size would you guys recommend for all-round cooking?

I imagine too small for some meals, too big means too long to heat for others? And you're supposed to dry your pans every time after washing them? Sounds like a bit of work but if it's that good at cooking I'm totally down to try it. Do
they come "seasoned" and if not, how do I do it?

Cast iron skillets generally come pre-seasoned. Just wash it with hot water, and go with it.

There are plenty of Google references on the best way to season a cast iron skillet. Generally, rub with vegetable oil or shortening and put into an oven for a while to bake it on. You shouldn't have to do it very often.

To dry the pan (my method) - wash it, dry it, then put it on the stove or in the oven and warm it up for a few minutes, let it cool and put it away.

They are heavy, be prepared. I have a 12" that is really big - so I can use it almost as a flat-top. A 10" might be a good general purpose. Heat time is a non-factor. They don't take long to heat up, regardless of size.

Neat. What kind of dish is your favorite to make with it?

All - because it's cast iron, and enamel coated, it can really sear anything. Typically, sear the meat, remove it from the pan, sautee the vegetables and deglaze the pan, then put the meat back in. That kind of thing. My favorite? Julia Child's Beouf Bourguinon (or however it's spelled). It's an all day event, though. It's technically called a "French oven" because it's enameled, vs a "Dutch oven" that isn't. With it you can start cooking on the stove, then pop the whole thing into the oven to simmer. Stews and pot roasts work well in it. Or, boil some peeled new potatoes for about 10-15 minutes (or peel after you boil), then heat up the French oven (or other deep skillet), add some butter and olive oil (the oil helps keep the butter from burning), and toss the potatoes in. Roll them around so they don't stick, and cook until they get a nice brown crust. Sprinkle on some fresh chopped parsley, s&p, and you have a pretty good side.

 

[steingar]

Interesting. Looks like less than $30 for the biggest cast iron skillet on their site. What size would you guys recommend for all-round cooking?

I imagine too small for some meals, too big means too long to heat for others? And you're supposed to dry your pans every time after washing them? Sounds like a bit of work but if it's that good at cooking I'm totally down to try it. Do they come "seasoned" and if not, how do I do it?

I can't recommend any particular size for all purpose cooking. i have an omelette pan that I use for anything that doesn't splatter (and omelettes, of course). I have a larger skillet for sauté. My griddle is for all sorts of things that take a lot of room. I use my dutch over for stews, and I usually let them go in the over for a long, long time. I'd say start with a good sized skillet, since you can do lots of things with it.

 

[steingar]

There are plenty of Google references on the best way to season a cast iron skillet. Generally, rub with vegetable oil or shortening and put into an oven for a while to bake it on. You shouldn't have to do it very often.

I oil mine after every use to prevent rust.

 

[Matthew]

I oil mine after every use to prevent rust.

Whatever it is I'm doing, I must be doing right, because I never had a problem with rust. I do wipe with a thin layer of oil too, but not every time. I think that drying with heat after cleaning dries out any pores that might still be holding moisture.

 

[JOhnH]

If you cook it correctly it should only need to be flipped once.

6 minutes a side for the steaks I grill.

You must cook monster steaks. I cook 1# steaks about 3 mins per side, the. Let them rest about 5 mins. Usually I only flip once but sometimes I want those cris crossed grill mKs and flip twic. It doesn't seem to affect the taste or juiciness.

 

[EdFred]

You must cook monster steaks. I cook 1# steaks about 3 mins per side, the. Let them rest about 5 mins. Usually I only flip once but sometimes I want those cris crossed grill mKs and flip twic. It doesn't seem to affect the taste or juiciness.

I like pink, no red. I also tend to get thicker cuts.

 

[FORANE]

Learn the Science of Cooking with a Free Online Course from Harvard


https://www.edx.org/course/science-cooking-haute-cuisine-soft-harvardx-spu27x-0

 

[asechrest]

I'll 24th the cast iron suggestion. I like my cast iron so much that it borders on unhealthy. Any of the Lodge stuff is very cost effective and great quality. Follow what Steingar has told you in this thread.

Cast iron builds a natural non-stick "seasoning" that improves with use as you continue to cook with it. It'll never be as non-stick as a quality non-stick pan, but for the vast majority of cooking you don't need or want it to be that non-stick. It'll also last until the heat death of the universe. It retains heat very well, so consider that when you're cooking. You'll find that once it gets up to temperature, you'll need to back off of it a bit if you don't want to burn your food. It's not like a Wal-Mart aluminum pan. And nothing sears a steak like cast iron.

You'll find some debate, but I wash mine after use with water and a non-scouring scrub pad or brush. No soap. A lot of folks will put it in the oven or on a burner to dry it, and that's a good idea. You can get away with drying it with paper towels. Wipe it with a very thin coat of oil over the whole pan, including the outside, and store it like that when not in use.

But the beauty of it is, if you screw up and let it rust, you just scour the rust off and start rebuilding the seasoning. No sweat.

I own two cast iron frying pans, a cast iron dutch oven, an enameled cast iron pot, a cast iron sandwich pan, a cast iron pizza pan, some cast iron sauce/BBQ dishes, cast iron grill grates for my Weber, and a cast iron sandwich press. And I want mooooooore.

--

Re: your wok cooking. I've dabbled in it a bit, and you're right, the woks don't work especially well on an electric range. I'm not sure what type of wok you have but you want a carbon steel wok, which is the traditional material. Also, traditionally, woks have a rounded bottom and are used over an open flame, which tends to work better than what you and I have access to.

You must cook on extremely high heat for this type of cooking though and, especially on the electric range, you can't put much into the wok. If you load it up with too much stuff, you'll tend to boil or poach the food which is decidedly not what you want to do. This probably means you'll have too cook in batches. For example, start with just the meat, get a good sear on it, and then maybe even take it out and then do the veggies. Unfortunately if the wok isn't hot enough to make the oil smoke, it's probably not hot enough to do this type of cooking right. Turn on the hood fan, open up the doors and windows and turn on the fan if you have to. The warning about lighting your oil on fire is a fair warning, but wok cooking is high-heat cooking, so you're going to have to get it real hot.

 

[txflyer]

There are videos on utube where you can reclaim cast iron cookware using electrolysis.

It works excellent and you can bring them back from the dead.

You must do it outside because it gives off toxic gas.... or explosive gas ... just do it outside.

 

[overdrive148]

Here we go. Goodbye mediocre cooking?

 

[Matthew]

Here we go. Goodbye mediocre cooking?

A good carpenter doesn't blame his tools.

 

[overdrive148]

Man it got cold in here all of a sudden

Christening it with another round of fried rice and beef and broccoli. Same recipe. Wish me luck