I know what you're thinking. "Beef Jerky? That's not gourmet food!" I guess that depends upon your taste and the size of your wallet. Have you priced beef jerky in a store lately? It might sound like low budget stuff but they darn sure charge upscale and a half for it. Why pay the price for something you had no control over when it's not all that hard to make right at home?
Now this does require a shopping trip or two for materials. If you don't have a dehydrator I'd highly recommend you acquire one. If you mess around in the kitchen at all you'll find dozens of uses for it. I grow herbs in my flower beds and use the dehydrator to preserve them for later. Kids will enjoy dried fruit and you can add various nuts to that and make your own trail mix! LOTS of reasons to go spend $30 or so bucks on the thing. The big outfitters like Cabela's, Bass Pro and Gander Mountain usually have them in stock. Also try places like Academy Sports and Outdoors or a really good hardware store. I prefer one with the fan and heater on top. Much easier to keep clean that way.
If you don't care to buy a dehydrator you can use your oven. This will not work as well and requires more attention but it's an option. Dehydrating is done at VERY low temperatures over a long time. If you can't set your oven to a range between 115 and 155 degrees F then it's going to be a real bother. Most ovens bottom out at 200 which it too high. To compensate you can simply cycle your oven on and off every half hour or so. Like I said... ovens can be a bother.
On the other hand if you're really crafty you could put together a makeshift unit. Staple some screen (wide mesh) onto some 2X2's. Make these about a foot square. You'll need about 6. Find some fairly thick cardboard and make an enclosure on all four sides and the top. Lay another piece on the bottom to catch drippings. While your wife isn't looking.... borrow her hair dryer. Cut a hole in one side at the bottom to accept the business end of the unit and another hole at the top for a vent. Run the unit on low heat and low speed for best results.
Now..... time to get the rest of the stuff together. Head on down to your local Mega Mart and grab an eye of round roast. Go for at least 8 pounds. Also get a large bottle of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce and a good brewed soy sauce. If you want.... might grab a bottle of liquid smoke too. Depends upon your tastes. Okay.... pay up and head on back to the ranch. (OOPS! If you don't have them at home.... snag a box of 1 gallon zip lock bags!)
If you happen to have a meat slicer set the gap to about 1/8 inch. Trim all the fat from the outside of the roast and begin slicing. No machine? Grab a really sharp chefs knife and get busy then.... same deal.... about 1/8 inch. Start on one end and work towards the other. Pieces should be 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
Those of you with the electric slicer.... congratulations! You've got extra stuff to clean! Knife guys.... it's okay to laugh at them. Slicer guys.... grab a knife too.... time to get to cuttin'. Take each of the pieces and cut it into 4 to 5 pieces. Results will now be about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long. Drop these into the gallon zip lock bag until you've got them all.
Tastes vary but at this point I pour in about a tablespoon of garlic powder. Next the entire bottle of Worcestershire sauce and about an equal amount of soy sauce. Compress the bag to remove as much air as possible and seal. Work it around for a minute or so to make sure the liquid is well worked in around the meat. When you're sure the meat is well coated and covered place the bag in a good sized baking dish and store in the refrigerator. (The dish is in case the bag springs a leak) Okay.... walk away (after cleaning up of course) for anywhere from a few hours to several days.... it will be just fine.
When you're ready get the bag and barely open it. Drain out all the liquid you can. Load the shelves of your dehydrator (whichever kind you're using) with the meat. My dehydrator is round so I lay the meat around the outside edge in a circle working my way to the center. When the rack is full you have options. Option 1 is to just go in to the next rack and continue filling. Option 2 is to kick things up a bit first. I usually sprinkle on some additional dry seasoning at this point. Maybe more garlic powder..... or onion powder..... if you like heat dash on some black pepper! I also find that if you take Kansas City or Canadian Steak seasoning..... run that through a spice mill and put it in a shaker bottle..... it gives the jerky a more exotic flavor. Experiment! If you like something put it on! Anything but more salt.... trust me... there is enough of that already.
Once all the racks are filled stack them up and assemble your dehydrator. I go for about 140 degrees and 8 to 10 hours. Time will depend upon how dry you want the meat to be. If you like your jerky moist and chewy... less time.... say 6 to 8 hours. My wife likes her's "crispy" so her batch cooks for about 12 hours. The dryer the end product the longer it will store without a problem. Moist jerky can still become moldy in less than a week.... provided it lasts that long.
Jerky makes an excellent low fat high protein snack. (Sodium is rather high though) Have a baby that's teething? Skip the teething biscuits (they make a BIG mess anyway) and give the kid a stick of Jerky instead! The flavor will keep them interested and the texture works their gum's better than the biscuit. When the business end gets too limp and soggy just snip it off with some scissors. (If you're going to do this make some extra long pieces of Jerky. Their piece should never be so small that they can't hold it with two hands.... otherwise there is a choke hazard.)
This time of year I start cranking up production. I give bags of Jerky to family members at Christmas. (We tried presents last year and everyone asked "Where's the Jerky?") I also drive around and hand out bags to the guys at the auto repair shop who keeps our two SUV's in running condition. Unless they are a vegan they'll appreciate the gift.
Jerky, by the way, is the Americanized version of the traditional Indian (native American) pemmican. The difference being that pemmican was usually venison pounded out and mixed with dried fruit or berry's. That was typically dried in the sun but it could be slow cooked and smoked in an earthen oven too.
Take your time.... choose high quality ingredients... don't be afraid to experiment some either. I like heat in my Jerky so I use the Worcestershire sauce. You might want to start out with straight soy sauce and tweak it the next time until you find the flavor you prefer. I've made Jerky with curry power and Jamaican Jerk seasoning on it. Like mustard? Toss some in the bag while the meat soaks. A more hardy or traditional flavor? Try adding your favorite BBQ sauce! Just go easy as that stuff doesn't dry well. For your time and effort you end up with two to three times the amount of Jerky for the money.... AND you know exactly what went into it and how it was made! (Priceless!)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
BBQ Brisket and Ribs? Joe makes it easy!
I know a lot of you wish you could make really tender and juicy BBQ Brisket. And how about fall off the bone tender BBQ ribs? Wouldn't you just love to be able to serve those to your family and friends? Perhaps you have a grill or even a smoker out on your patio.... and have tried but things just keep coming out dry and tough.... even burnt. Ol' Joe is about to make serving perfect Brisket and Ribs so easy you won't believe it.
If you choose to use your smoker the secret is to keep the temperature low. You want the meat as far away from the heat source as possible and you want the temperature to stay between 180 and 200 at the very most. Use your favorite rub.... insert the meat and just walk away. 6 to 8 hours later (depending upon how hot you let things get) your meat will be done.
If you choose to use a grill (not my favorite choice for this) follow the same rules. Keep the meat away from the heat. (flame on the right side of the grill.... meat on the left) A lot of liquid will cook out of a brisket so be prepared for that. Just that liquid cooking out of the brisket is the main reason I prefer a smoker for this task. Ribs..... they can be done on a grill. I like to use the little rack normally used for keeping things warm rather than putting them directly on the grill.
With either of the above there is a lot of preparation and tending necessary. Unless you do this very frequently and have a "feel" for how things are going the odds are in favor of a less than stellar result. So how can you cook a brisket or a rack of ribs and know for certain that things will turn out well? Abandon everything you think you know about BBQ and pay close attention. I'm about to give up the secret of a juicy brisket and fall off the bone tender ribs.
PICK YOUR CUT OF MEAT
Head on down to your local mega-mart and ease on into the meat department. Sooner or later you'll find the briskets. Look for something in the 8 to 12 pound range. This is a good size for the average family of four.... or a couple that doesn't mind tasty leftovers. These will have a fair amount of fat on them so the final cooking weight will be a pound or two less than the purchase weight. Ribs are much easier. You really only have to choose between beef or pork. There are spare ribs and short ribs. Spare ribs generally have less meat since they are the larger ribs from higher up on the rib cage. Short ribs are just that.... the shorter end of the ribs.... less bone and more meat. Some ribs even come already cut down to single ribs and packaged about 6 to a pack. These are fine too. Just buy enough to do the job.
PREPARATION
Not much prep is required for the ribs beyond a quick rinse under cold water. The Brisket is another story. Briskets generally have a good amount of fat on them. You don't want to remove all the fat but you do what to get rid of at least 90% of it. This requires a very sharp knife and a large cutting board. As in the article on knives take care and cut away from your body. Trim the fat away until you have between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch of fat left. You can trim it all off if you want to but it's a bother. Besides the fat helps keep the meat moist during the cooking process.
RUB
Next step is to apply a good rub to the meat. Search your Mega-Mart spice section and you should be able to find two or three products that suit the bill. They will clearly state RUB on the label and may state that this rub is for brisket.... or chicken.... or something. You can also make your own but this is not an exact science and is fairly subjective.
I start off is about 1/2 cup of Kosher or sea salt and 1/2 cup of raw brown sugar crystals. (they usually come in a box and often take some serious searching to find) If you can't locate the raw sugar just use 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar. Also if you choose not to use Kosher or Sea salt reduce the salt by 1/2. To that add equal parts of ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and hickory smoke powder. (If you can find it. If not we can add liquid smoke later) If you want to make the flavor a bit more exotic you can add a little bit of cinnamon, some ground cumin, (go easy on that) oregano, MSG and some nutmeg. Those last items are optional and there is no exact measure..... it's something you will have to experiment with and get a feel for over time.
Take the cut of meat and massage a good quantity of the rub into the meat. Use more than you think you really need because this stuff works it's way into the meat and the flavor tends to become less pronounced during the cooking process. Coat all sides and then let the meat rest for about 15 minutes.
COOKING
While you are trolling your local Mega-Mart locate the cooking bags. These come in several sizes and you'll want the size normally used for cooking turkey. There are generally two to three bags in a box as well as zip ties. Line a LARGE sheet pan with foil. DO NOT skip this step as I have discovered not lining the pan can ruin the finish. (Learn from my experience here)
Position the bag on the sheet pan and (with some help) insert the meat into the cooking bag fat side up. IF you could not locate hickory smoke powder this is a good time to add some liquid smoke to the bag. This stuff can pack a punch so go easy until you get a feel for how much to use. I'd go with about a tablespoon full on my first attempt then adjust from there using this as a base point.
Set your oven to 200 degrees... NO HIGHER than that! It seems low but trust me... it's enough. I normally do all my preparations late at night and slide the meat into the oven between midnight and one in the morning. Hit the sack and don't give it another thought until about 10 hours later. Yeah... 10 hours. What produces the result is low heat and long cooking time.
FINISHING UP
10 hours later turn off the oven, remove the pan and let it rest on top of the stove for a good half hour. After it's cooled open the bag and carefully pour off the liquid into a medium sized sauce pan. (LOTS of great flavors in this stuff so don't waste it!) Let the meat continue to rest while you tend to these juices. After several minutes the fat will come to the surface. Use what ever method you prefer to remove the majority of it. A baster works.... so does a large shallow spoon. Don't worry if you don't get it all.... that's okay... do what you can.
Put the pan on the stove and start raising the temperature over medium heat. Meanwhile mix about 1/4 cup of cornstarch with just enough cold water to make a liquid. Once the sauce is at a low boil slowly add the cornstarch while stirring constantly. Cornstarch will not thicken unless it is boiling so this is critical. Also a sauce made with cornstarch gets thicker as it cools so after your sauce has boiled gently while stirring for about 3 minutes... turn off the heat and let cool for about a half hour.
While the sauce is cooling you can warm up some baked beans..... or dish out some potato salad or what ever else you wish. Remove the brisket/ribs from the bag and place on your cutting board. Using a very sharp knife slice the brisket into 1/8 in thick slices. IF it seems to be tearing turn the meat 90 degrees and try again. With ribs just use either a chef's knife or a small cleaver to separate the ribs into serving size. Place on the plate and spoon some of your sauce over it.
You can also use regular BBQ sauce on your meat..... or... while you're making your own sauce... simply add about a half a cup of your favorite bottled sauce to it.
If you like chopped BBQ sandwiches..... before you put things away use a fork and shred some of the brisket off and place it into a container. Add either your sauce or the bottled stuff to that and mix well. Heat in a microwave and serve on a bun anytime.
Another favorite of ours is to keep sliced brisket in a container. Heat these in a microwave also and place on top of a nice dinner salad to make a complete meal.
Okay gang.... the secret is officially out now! Feel free to write and let others know how your experience went and offer hints or tips you discovered.
If you choose to use your smoker the secret is to keep the temperature low. You want the meat as far away from the heat source as possible and you want the temperature to stay between 180 and 200 at the very most. Use your favorite rub.... insert the meat and just walk away. 6 to 8 hours later (depending upon how hot you let things get) your meat will be done.
If you choose to use a grill (not my favorite choice for this) follow the same rules. Keep the meat away from the heat. (flame on the right side of the grill.... meat on the left) A lot of liquid will cook out of a brisket so be prepared for that. Just that liquid cooking out of the brisket is the main reason I prefer a smoker for this task. Ribs..... they can be done on a grill. I like to use the little rack normally used for keeping things warm rather than putting them directly on the grill.
With either of the above there is a lot of preparation and tending necessary. Unless you do this very frequently and have a "feel" for how things are going the odds are in favor of a less than stellar result. So how can you cook a brisket or a rack of ribs and know for certain that things will turn out well? Abandon everything you think you know about BBQ and pay close attention. I'm about to give up the secret of a juicy brisket and fall off the bone tender ribs.
PICK YOUR CUT OF MEAT
Head on down to your local mega-mart and ease on into the meat department. Sooner or later you'll find the briskets. Look for something in the 8 to 12 pound range. This is a good size for the average family of four.... or a couple that doesn't mind tasty leftovers. These will have a fair amount of fat on them so the final cooking weight will be a pound or two less than the purchase weight. Ribs are much easier. You really only have to choose between beef or pork. There are spare ribs and short ribs. Spare ribs generally have less meat since they are the larger ribs from higher up on the rib cage. Short ribs are just that.... the shorter end of the ribs.... less bone and more meat. Some ribs even come already cut down to single ribs and packaged about 6 to a pack. These are fine too. Just buy enough to do the job.
PREPARATION
Not much prep is required for the ribs beyond a quick rinse under cold water. The Brisket is another story. Briskets generally have a good amount of fat on them. You don't want to remove all the fat but you do what to get rid of at least 90% of it. This requires a very sharp knife and a large cutting board. As in the article on knives take care and cut away from your body. Trim the fat away until you have between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch of fat left. You can trim it all off if you want to but it's a bother. Besides the fat helps keep the meat moist during the cooking process.
RUB
Next step is to apply a good rub to the meat. Search your Mega-Mart spice section and you should be able to find two or three products that suit the bill. They will clearly state RUB on the label and may state that this rub is for brisket.... or chicken.... or something. You can also make your own but this is not an exact science and is fairly subjective.
I start off is about 1/2 cup of Kosher or sea salt and 1/2 cup of raw brown sugar crystals. (they usually come in a box and often take some serious searching to find) If you can't locate the raw sugar just use 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar. Also if you choose not to use Kosher or Sea salt reduce the salt by 1/2. To that add equal parts of ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and hickory smoke powder. (If you can find it. If not we can add liquid smoke later) If you want to make the flavor a bit more exotic you can add a little bit of cinnamon, some ground cumin, (go easy on that) oregano, MSG and some nutmeg. Those last items are optional and there is no exact measure..... it's something you will have to experiment with and get a feel for over time.
Take the cut of meat and massage a good quantity of the rub into the meat. Use more than you think you really need because this stuff works it's way into the meat and the flavor tends to become less pronounced during the cooking process. Coat all sides and then let the meat rest for about 15 minutes.
COOKING
While you are trolling your local Mega-Mart locate the cooking bags. These come in several sizes and you'll want the size normally used for cooking turkey. There are generally two to three bags in a box as well as zip ties. Line a LARGE sheet pan with foil. DO NOT skip this step as I have discovered not lining the pan can ruin the finish. (Learn from my experience here)
Position the bag on the sheet pan and (with some help) insert the meat into the cooking bag fat side up. IF you could not locate hickory smoke powder this is a good time to add some liquid smoke to the bag. This stuff can pack a punch so go easy until you get a feel for how much to use. I'd go with about a tablespoon full on my first attempt then adjust from there using this as a base point.
Set your oven to 200 degrees... NO HIGHER than that! It seems low but trust me... it's enough. I normally do all my preparations late at night and slide the meat into the oven between midnight and one in the morning. Hit the sack and don't give it another thought until about 10 hours later. Yeah... 10 hours. What produces the result is low heat and long cooking time.
FINISHING UP
10 hours later turn off the oven, remove the pan and let it rest on top of the stove for a good half hour. After it's cooled open the bag and carefully pour off the liquid into a medium sized sauce pan. (LOTS of great flavors in this stuff so don't waste it!) Let the meat continue to rest while you tend to these juices. After several minutes the fat will come to the surface. Use what ever method you prefer to remove the majority of it. A baster works.... so does a large shallow spoon. Don't worry if you don't get it all.... that's okay... do what you can.
Put the pan on the stove and start raising the temperature over medium heat. Meanwhile mix about 1/4 cup of cornstarch with just enough cold water to make a liquid. Once the sauce is at a low boil slowly add the cornstarch while stirring constantly. Cornstarch will not thicken unless it is boiling so this is critical. Also a sauce made with cornstarch gets thicker as it cools so after your sauce has boiled gently while stirring for about 3 minutes... turn off the heat and let cool for about a half hour.
While the sauce is cooling you can warm up some baked beans..... or dish out some potato salad or what ever else you wish. Remove the brisket/ribs from the bag and place on your cutting board. Using a very sharp knife slice the brisket into 1/8 in thick slices. IF it seems to be tearing turn the meat 90 degrees and try again. With ribs just use either a chef's knife or a small cleaver to separate the ribs into serving size. Place on the plate and spoon some of your sauce over it.
You can also use regular BBQ sauce on your meat..... or... while you're making your own sauce... simply add about a half a cup of your favorite bottled sauce to it.
If you like chopped BBQ sandwiches..... before you put things away use a fork and shred some of the brisket off and place it into a container. Add either your sauce or the bottled stuff to that and mix well. Heat in a microwave and serve on a bun anytime.
Another favorite of ours is to keep sliced brisket in a container. Heat these in a microwave also and place on top of a nice dinner salad to make a complete meal.
Okay gang.... the secret is officially out now! Feel free to write and let others know how your experience went and offer hints or tips you discovered.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Be sharp! (or... let's talk knifes)
Okay gang... I managed to overlook the most important item you'll need for cooking... other than perhaps food. The Knife! Off to the left you'll see a typical knife... except yours probably doesn't have all those lines and numbers. That's okay.... all they really do it make it harder to use and store anyway so you're lucky. Since those are there on this one... let's use them to get acquainted with the different parts.
#1 is the blade but you probably knew that.
#2 is the handle and again I suspect you knew that. So from here on out it ought to be a learning experience!
#3 is called the spine. Depending upon the purpose of the knife this can range from very thin to nearly a quarter of an inch thick. The knife will taper from here to the next number.
#4 is the edge.... the place where most of the work gets done. Depending upon the grade of the knife, the material of construction and the purpose.... this can be either a rather straight taper or it can gradually taper to near the edge then take on increasingly steeper angles (usually no more than three) until it comes to a point... or edge.
#5 is the heel of the blade... usually the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the length of the blade.
#6 is the tip and this is usually about the last inch of the blade farthest away from the handle and eventually meeting up with the spine to form....
#7 the point! Some folks call this the tip. Call it what ever you wish.
#8 is the bolster. Technically this part is neither blade nor tang but rather a transition between the two. It adds stability to the knife.
#9 is called the finger guard and is generally built into the bolster.
#10 is the tang of the knife and it's always hidden inside the handle material. Typically on a chef's knife this part is at least 1/8 of an inch thick. the handle material covers this and that material can range from bone to man made substances to wood. On a quality knife the handle material will be attached to the tang with 3 large rivets.
#11 is called the butt... and I have no idea why.
Okay... so much for anatomy class. What we have now is a bewildering array of knives to choose from. This is one area where I recommend that you don't skimp. As the old saying goes you don't get cut by a sharp knife... only a dull one. Why? Dull ones require more effort to use and increased effort leads to accidents.
What you'll want to buy is a very high grade of stainless steel for the majority of your knives. This material has a high carbon content and is typically heated to about 2000 degrees then forged into the approximate shape. After forging it is ground, heat treated, polished and sharpened to a fine edge. A good blade will hold it's edge well and require little effort to keep sharp.
A second type of knife is a stamped blade rather than forged. Here the knife starts as a roll of steel which moves through a stamping press. As the press cycles it stamps out blade blanks. These are then hardened, quenched, tempered ground and polished to form the blade. These can range from really cheap to pretty well done high grade products. Typically your very thin flexible knives will be made this way. A salmon knife for example. (Although it will work on more than salmon)
The last material is fairly new and still somewhat expensive. Ceramic. These blades are made from an industrial grade of zirconium oxide which is heated to very high temperatures until it can be molded into shape. Once sharpened these blades can hold an edge for many many years... which is a good thing... because they are much harder than 99% of the tools typically used to sharpen a knife! It takes a professional using diamond abrasives to sharpen a ceramic knife. On the plus side this blade will never rust... or react with anything! Impervious to even acid it may be the wave of the future.
As far as types of knives go there are a total of 13 different standard types made expressly for kitchen use. These range from cleavers (the largest and heaviest) down to paring (about a 3 inch blade) which is the most commonly used knife. In between those two extremes are boning knives, steak knives, carving (slicing) knives, bread knives, utility knives, tomato/bagel knives, salmon slicer, ham slicer, oriental cleaver and the fish fillet knife.
Yeah.... I know... all you snooty types out there are yelling.... what about the cheese knife? Well I consider those to be kitchen gadgets and not a true knife. Best cheese cutter? Piano wire. Just remember to put it back in the piano when you're done.
And now.... a word about safety! The safest knife you can use us a very sharp one. The sharper the cutting edge the less effort it takes to do the work. Less effort means less frustration and far fewer accidents. When exerting force with the edge always direct that force away from your body and all it's parts. Look and think before you start cutting and slicing. Do you have your fingers... or someone else's in the path of the blade? Is anything other than what you intend to cut in the way? Knives have one purpose in life and that is to separate things.... be that your favorite brisket or a head of lettuce. If a finger or arm or anything else gets in the way... the edge does not care. Nothing ruins a good dinner presentation faster than a severed finger.
Buy the best knives you can afford because they can be a lifetime investment if you choose correctly. The best knives will not rust or tarnish and can hold an edge for up to a year with moderate use. Between real sharpenings the edge can be dressed with a sharpening steel in a few seconds. Don't drop knives in the same general drawer everything else goes in either. Try to keep them separate. If you don't have a wooden storage rack take some heavy weight paper and make a protective sleeve for the blade. This not only prevents nicks on the edge but also cuts on your fingers. A sharp well constructed knife makes preparing meals so much easier. Invest in quality and enjoy that investment for generations.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Cooking Basics (Part Three)
Welcome back! We're going to continue with the tools and equipment you'll need to produce quality results in your kitchen. Last time we discussed the various types of cookware without going into too much detail. Since you don't have to pass any tests on this information I'm just trying to keep it pretty light and entertaining.
Okay.... now you've got a good quality pan on your stove. What next? Like everything else it all depends upon what you're going to be cooking. Like the cookware the tools you use with your cookware matter. Like the cookware, you'll need to acquire quality tools to produce the quality results you expect without too much effort.
When cooking there are various operations you perform over and over again. Basically those boil down to stirring and lifting. (And you thought this was going to be hard, huh?) Okay..... that was simple but now we break it down a little farther.
STIRRING: Exactly what it sounds like. Some implement used in the pan, pot or kettle to move the contents around for the purpose of heat or seasoning distribution. Still quite simple. Obviously we have a situation where, just like the pots and pans, one size doesn't fit all. Just like a one quart sauce pan isn't the right tool for making omelets... a teaspoon is the wrong tool for stirring a 20 quart pot of stock.
You will end up with an assortment of spoons, for example. Different sizes and different materials for different pots and pans and even different ingredients. Spoons come as solid or perforated and you'll need both. The perforated version is more for serving than just stirring since excess liquids can be drained away.
Whisks are another tool used for stirring. Composed of thin wires attached to a handle the primary purpose of a whisk is to incorporate air into a mixture. Beating egg whites to make a meringue is an excellent example. Whisks also come as an item manufactured of composite materials so you can use one in a non-stick pan without risk of damaging the surface. Like spoons, whisks come in a variety of sizes with some being small enough to use in a cup. As with the cookware, purchase your spoons, whisks and other tools as you discover a need rather than as some sort of mass purchase.
LIFTING: Lifting is not as simple as it sounds. Taken literally if you use a spoon to serve something from a pan.... isn't that lifting? Yeah.... technically. What we mean here is picking something up or turning something over. Primarily what we're talking about here are spatulas and their variants. (And they are myriad) Forks also fall into this category so we'll deal with those first.
Forks need to be used with caution! No... not because they have points and you can hurt yourself or someone else either. However those points ARE the reason you need to be careful here. Why? Because forks make holes in food. In the case of meat.... you DO NOT want to use a fork ANYTIME during the cooking or the resting phase. Holes give liquids a handy escape route and you want to keep liquids inside the meat and not making puddles. Puddles equal dry meat and no one wants that. (Okay.... my brother likes dry steaks..... steaks cooked until they resemble the charcoal they were cooked over..... but he's weird) Once the food has cooked and rested you may use a fork to hold it for carving. As far as I'm concerned that is about the only viable use for a fork.
Spatulas are like spoons only there are lots more options. Like spoons some are solid and others have perforations. Like spoons the perforations in spatulas are for drainage. If you are cooking a steak on a grill or in a pan a spatula is the implement of choice to turn that item over. It lifts and supports without making holes and this is exactly what you want. You may also use tongs..... however items sometimes stick to the cooking surface. If you use tongs and the food item sticks... you risk tearing the item. Stick with the spatula.
There are so many options here that it's almost a joke. "Come to Spatula city where Spatulas are all we sell!" All different sizes and shapes and materials are available. If you love pancakes you can buy a spatula that is very thin with a large diameter so as to easily slip under the pancake and flip it with minimal risk of damaging the product. Others are thicker with a shape ideal for stirring sauces in skillets. Still others are long, thin and perforated for the express purpose of handling fish.
MATERIALS: Like cookware there are a variety of materials available here. Stainless steel is king because of it's strength and ease of cleaning. It's non-reactive so safe for all foods. Nice as it is you don't want to use it in your non-stick pots and pans due to the risk of surface damage. When you break out the non-stick cookware you'll want to shift to another material. Your choices are wood, a plastic variant or silicone.
As with cookware all these items come in a huge range of prices and like cookware you'll generally get what you pay for. Like cookware what you'll want to purchase is somewhere between the cheap stuff and the "They want HOW much for that?" stuff. Buy things as you need them and buy the best you can afford without going nuts. Just because you can afford a $40 spoon doesn't mean you have to buy it if it has no real significant advantage over the $10 version. Now if the high dollar model will stir the food all by itself while I go do something else.....
The glaring omission here is knives. Because those shouldn't actually be used IN cookware, like the other items discussed, I left those out of this session. We'll visit that subject in the next installment. With knives it's not a matter of materials as much as it is specific uses, care and safety.
Okay.... now you've got a good quality pan on your stove. What next? Like everything else it all depends upon what you're going to be cooking. Like the cookware the tools you use with your cookware matter. Like the cookware, you'll need to acquire quality tools to produce the quality results you expect without too much effort.
When cooking there are various operations you perform over and over again. Basically those boil down to stirring and lifting. (And you thought this was going to be hard, huh?) Okay..... that was simple but now we break it down a little farther.
STIRRING: Exactly what it sounds like. Some implement used in the pan, pot or kettle to move the contents around for the purpose of heat or seasoning distribution. Still quite simple. Obviously we have a situation where, just like the pots and pans, one size doesn't fit all. Just like a one quart sauce pan isn't the right tool for making omelets... a teaspoon is the wrong tool for stirring a 20 quart pot of stock.
You will end up with an assortment of spoons, for example. Different sizes and different materials for different pots and pans and even different ingredients. Spoons come as solid or perforated and you'll need both. The perforated version is more for serving than just stirring since excess liquids can be drained away.
Whisks are another tool used for stirring. Composed of thin wires attached to a handle the primary purpose of a whisk is to incorporate air into a mixture. Beating egg whites to make a meringue is an excellent example. Whisks also come as an item manufactured of composite materials so you can use one in a non-stick pan without risk of damaging the surface. Like spoons, whisks come in a variety of sizes with some being small enough to use in a cup. As with the cookware, purchase your spoons, whisks and other tools as you discover a need rather than as some sort of mass purchase.
LIFTING: Lifting is not as simple as it sounds. Taken literally if you use a spoon to serve something from a pan.... isn't that lifting? Yeah.... technically. What we mean here is picking something up or turning something over. Primarily what we're talking about here are spatulas and their variants. (And they are myriad) Forks also fall into this category so we'll deal with those first.
Forks need to be used with caution! No... not because they have points and you can hurt yourself or someone else either. However those points ARE the reason you need to be careful here. Why? Because forks make holes in food. In the case of meat.... you DO NOT want to use a fork ANYTIME during the cooking or the resting phase. Holes give liquids a handy escape route and you want to keep liquids inside the meat and not making puddles. Puddles equal dry meat and no one wants that. (Okay.... my brother likes dry steaks..... steaks cooked until they resemble the charcoal they were cooked over..... but he's weird) Once the food has cooked and rested you may use a fork to hold it for carving. As far as I'm concerned that is about the only viable use for a fork.
Spatulas are like spoons only there are lots more options. Like spoons some are solid and others have perforations. Like spoons the perforations in spatulas are for drainage. If you are cooking a steak on a grill or in a pan a spatula is the implement of choice to turn that item over. It lifts and supports without making holes and this is exactly what you want. You may also use tongs..... however items sometimes stick to the cooking surface. If you use tongs and the food item sticks... you risk tearing the item. Stick with the spatula.
There are so many options here that it's almost a joke. "Come to Spatula city where Spatulas are all we sell!" All different sizes and shapes and materials are available. If you love pancakes you can buy a spatula that is very thin with a large diameter so as to easily slip under the pancake and flip it with minimal risk of damaging the product. Others are thicker with a shape ideal for stirring sauces in skillets. Still others are long, thin and perforated for the express purpose of handling fish.
MATERIALS: Like cookware there are a variety of materials available here. Stainless steel is king because of it's strength and ease of cleaning. It's non-reactive so safe for all foods. Nice as it is you don't want to use it in your non-stick pots and pans due to the risk of surface damage. When you break out the non-stick cookware you'll want to shift to another material. Your choices are wood, a plastic variant or silicone.
As with cookware all these items come in a huge range of prices and like cookware you'll generally get what you pay for. Like cookware what you'll want to purchase is somewhere between the cheap stuff and the "They want HOW much for that?" stuff. Buy things as you need them and buy the best you can afford without going nuts. Just because you can afford a $40 spoon doesn't mean you have to buy it if it has no real significant advantage over the $10 version. Now if the high dollar model will stir the food all by itself while I go do something else.....
The glaring omission here is knives. Because those shouldn't actually be used IN cookware, like the other items discussed, I left those out of this session. We'll visit that subject in the next installment. With knives it's not a matter of materials as much as it is specific uses, care and safety.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Cooking Basics (part two) [the dreaded homework]
Hey! Glad you're back! Remember that homework assignment? If not go read the last paragraph of Part One and get busy. While they are gone the rest of us will proceed.
Homework today is both easy and fun. All you have to do is recreate the meal you had at the restaurant. (you were probably thinking essay or something) If you're just starting out in gourmet cooking this is a very good way to get in some practice.
Compare your dish to the one the pro's fixed and rate yourself. Don't be too critical either. THEY had a recipe.... you're just winging it... so even if you come close... that's good enough for today. You can refine later. This is also a good way to start adding dishes from different cultures to your abilities.
BTW... don't be afraid to ASK your server what is in the dish if the ingredients are not listed. I've found that most places will tell you. Another tip. When looking for different nationalities of food to sample... go to little "mom and pop" places. If you enjoy their food TELL them and ask how they do it. Often they will sit down and tell you exactly how your meal was prepared. You'll gain insight and friends!
So much for the homework part. Now for the part that makes you head hurt... information!
Homework today is both easy and fun. All you have to do is recreate the meal you had at the restaurant. (you were probably thinking essay or something) If you're just starting out in gourmet cooking this is a very good way to get in some practice.
Compare your dish to the one the pro's fixed and rate yourself. Don't be too critical either. THEY had a recipe.... you're just winging it... so even if you come close... that's good enough for today. You can refine later. This is also a good way to start adding dishes from different cultures to your abilities.
BTW... don't be afraid to ASK your server what is in the dish if the ingredients are not listed. I've found that most places will tell you. Another tip. When looking for different nationalities of food to sample... go to little "mom and pop" places. If you enjoy their food TELL them and ask how they do it. Often they will sit down and tell you exactly how your meal was prepared. You'll gain insight and friends!
So much for the homework part. Now for the part that makes you head hurt... information!
Cookware
This is another area that you absolutely cannot cut corners on. It's okay to have some inexpensive stuff to drag out camping and such... use on the grill out back... etc. Cheap stuff is NOT for your kitchen. It will let you down every time by way of poor performance. Its non stick the coating will scuff and flake off... handles will come loose.... pans will bend.... lids won't fit right anymore... etc.
Cheap = Camping
Good = Gourmet. Got it?
Don't think that you have to buy the most expensive stuff on the shelf either. After a certain point all you're buying is the brand name... usually some Chef who's already quite wealthy and really doesn't need your money. Somewhere right in between the bargain stuff and the top of the line is the stuff that will work very well until you get your own cooking show on Food Network.
We're not looking for stuff that matches here. We're looking for what does the best job. We're also looking for a variety of different sizes and capacities. Sometimes we're also looking for different materials and coatings. Stainless Steel is the current king of cookware. Sauce pans, stock pots, skillets etc. Often I'll duplicate a pan... having one that is all stainless and another that has a thick, high quality Teflon coating. Which I use depends upon what I'm making.
Aluminum works well for griddles and is a less expensive alternative for that stock pot. Just remember that aluminum is a reactive metal so just use it for STOCK! Keep foods with a medium or high acid content OUT of your aluminum cookware.
Cast Iron! Contrary to popular belief cast iron isn't out of fashion. Properly handled and seasoned it can out perform everything else on the market for a lot less money. Cast iron is the original non stick cookware. After proper seasoning and years of usage it gradually takes on a coating of pure carbon. Carbon in this state requires *very* little additional oil prior to cooking and is completely non reactive to all foods. It's really heavy... and ugly... but the best stuff ever invented for cooking.
The reason most people have bad luck with cast iron is two fold. #1 They never properly seasoned the pan prior to use. (comprehensive instructions either come with the pots and pans or can be found on line) #2 They made the mistake of trying to wash the stuff the regular way when they were done. You NEVER put soap into a cast iron piece of cookware.. EVER! Rather, put about a 1/2" of very warm water in the pan... after rinsing it as clean as possible. Now... pour in about 1/3 of a cup of table salt. Rub gently with a soft cloth until the pan is clean. Rinse well and dry immediately. Follow that with a **VERY** light application of cooking oil. Rub that out with a paper towel until no more oil can be removed.... and you're done. Yeah... it's a lot of effort but it will reward you later.
Cheap = Camping
Good = Gourmet. Got it?
Don't think that you have to buy the most expensive stuff on the shelf either. After a certain point all you're buying is the brand name... usually some Chef who's already quite wealthy and really doesn't need your money. Somewhere right in between the bargain stuff and the top of the line is the stuff that will work very well until you get your own cooking show on Food Network.
We're not looking for stuff that matches here. We're looking for what does the best job. We're also looking for a variety of different sizes and capacities. Sometimes we're also looking for different materials and coatings. Stainless Steel is the current king of cookware. Sauce pans, stock pots, skillets etc. Often I'll duplicate a pan... having one that is all stainless and another that has a thick, high quality Teflon coating. Which I use depends upon what I'm making.
Aluminum works well for griddles and is a less expensive alternative for that stock pot. Just remember that aluminum is a reactive metal so just use it for STOCK! Keep foods with a medium or high acid content OUT of your aluminum cookware.
Cast Iron! Contrary to popular belief cast iron isn't out of fashion. Properly handled and seasoned it can out perform everything else on the market for a lot less money. Cast iron is the original non stick cookware. After proper seasoning and years of usage it gradually takes on a coating of pure carbon. Carbon in this state requires *very* little additional oil prior to cooking and is completely non reactive to all foods. It's really heavy... and ugly... but the best stuff ever invented for cooking.
The reason most people have bad luck with cast iron is two fold. #1 They never properly seasoned the pan prior to use. (comprehensive instructions either come with the pots and pans or can be found on line) #2 They made the mistake of trying to wash the stuff the regular way when they were done. You NEVER put soap into a cast iron piece of cookware.. EVER! Rather, put about a 1/2" of very warm water in the pan... after rinsing it as clean as possible. Now... pour in about 1/3 of a cup of table salt. Rub gently with a soft cloth until the pan is clean. Rinse well and dry immediately. Follow that with a **VERY** light application of cooking oil. Rub that out with a paper towel until no more oil can be removed.... and you're done. Yeah... it's a lot of effort but it will reward you later.
CONSTRUCTION
Cast iron is usually cast as one piece. Some brands mix it up a bit and add wooden handles. I'd avoid those as they limit what you can do with the pots and pans. Lids for these usually fit fairly tight and are smooth inside. The exception is Dutch Ovens. The lids for these usually have little spikes sticking down. This allows condensation to form on the inside of the lid... collect on the spikes... and drip back down on your meal in a uniform manner.... thus basting your meal. Since cast iron is thick, dense and heavy it provides for very uniform cooking. It holds heat very well and distributes heat evenly. No matter how hot you get it... it won't warp. (Your meal might go up in flames but your pan will be just fine)
Aluminum pots and pans are usually stamped from blanks. Higher quality cookware is spun on a machine and a genuine human uses tools to coax it into the proper shape and thickness. If you are buying aluminum get the heaviest stuff you can afford. Look for double or triple bottoms which help distribute heat and make for more uniform cooking. Look for handles that are riveted on rather than held on with a screw. Lids should fit tightly. Teflon coatings are the norm anymore and are okay. Just remember that aluminum is a reactive metal so if it's not Teflon coated keep the tomatoes and other high acid foods out of it.
Production kitchens use a lot of aluminum cookware... but they use Chef grade which is rather thick and usually alloyed with a few other metals to make it harder. The reason aluminum is used is basically weight. They are easier to move and work with than heavier items. Over the course of an 8 hour day that makes a huge difference. Kitchen supply stores are a good place to look for chef grade items. Most will sell to the general public.
Stainless Steel is the reigning king of the kitchen and for good reason. It is non reactive, distributes heat quickly and evenly, difficult to bend or warp, won't stain and very easy to clean up. As with aluminum look for double or triple bottoms on stainless steel cookware. Because stainless steel is so dense it can be made rather thin and still perform well. But thin metals also tend to dissipate heat quickly so to even things out a thicker bottom on the pans will give a more uniform heating and help moderate changes in the burner settings.
Here too look for handles that are riveted on. Rivets are one indicator of quality cookware. The lids should fight tightly and can be made of almost anything. The stuff in my kitchen is glass with a stainless rim and Bakelite handles.... which means they can take oven temperatures to 400 degrees without a problem.
Cast iron is usually cast as one piece. Some brands mix it up a bit and add wooden handles. I'd avoid those as they limit what you can do with the pots and pans. Lids for these usually fit fairly tight and are smooth inside. The exception is Dutch Ovens. The lids for these usually have little spikes sticking down. This allows condensation to form on the inside of the lid... collect on the spikes... and drip back down on your meal in a uniform manner.... thus basting your meal. Since cast iron is thick, dense and heavy it provides for very uniform cooking. It holds heat very well and distributes heat evenly. No matter how hot you get it... it won't warp. (Your meal might go up in flames but your pan will be just fine)
Aluminum pots and pans are usually stamped from blanks. Higher quality cookware is spun on a machine and a genuine human uses tools to coax it into the proper shape and thickness. If you are buying aluminum get the heaviest stuff you can afford. Look for double or triple bottoms which help distribute heat and make for more uniform cooking. Look for handles that are riveted on rather than held on with a screw. Lids should fit tightly. Teflon coatings are the norm anymore and are okay. Just remember that aluminum is a reactive metal so if it's not Teflon coated keep the tomatoes and other high acid foods out of it.
Production kitchens use a lot of aluminum cookware... but they use Chef grade which is rather thick and usually alloyed with a few other metals to make it harder. The reason aluminum is used is basically weight. They are easier to move and work with than heavier items. Over the course of an 8 hour day that makes a huge difference. Kitchen supply stores are a good place to look for chef grade items. Most will sell to the general public.
Stainless Steel is the reigning king of the kitchen and for good reason. It is non reactive, distributes heat quickly and evenly, difficult to bend or warp, won't stain and very easy to clean up. As with aluminum look for double or triple bottoms on stainless steel cookware. Because stainless steel is so dense it can be made rather thin and still perform well. But thin metals also tend to dissipate heat quickly so to even things out a thicker bottom on the pans will give a more uniform heating and help moderate changes in the burner settings.
Here too look for handles that are riveted on. Rivets are one indicator of quality cookware. The lids should fight tightly and can be made of almost anything. The stuff in my kitchen is glass with a stainless rim and Bakelite handles.... which means they can take oven temperatures to 400 degrees without a problem.
Stainless can also come as Teflon coated. Teflon has come a long way since it's introduction and the higher quality stuff is very durable. Just use common sense and keep metal utensils out of your Teflon coated things. Wood, plastic or silicon is okay though. If you are on a low fat diet Teflon is your best bet to help you. Most foods can go into a "dry" pan and not stick. As I said before I duplicated several of my pans. One straight stainless and another with the Teflon coating.
End Notes
It's like your parents told you. If you buy the good stuff you'll never regret it. Since good cookware can be 2 to 3 times the price of the cheap stuff it's best to acquire it piece at a time. If you have a recipe that says you'll need a 10" saute' pan that's a good time to head to the store. (a saute' pan has sloped sides while the sides of a frying pan are vertical) If you buy your cookware this way you'll spread the cost out over several months or years and that will make affording the good stuff that much easier. For your cash outlay you'll be rewarded with years and years of dependable service and thousands of wonderful gourmet meals.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Cooking Basics - Part 1
Hi and welcome to my 3rd blog! This one obviously deals with my favorite hobby, gourmet cooking. Do NOT be frightened by the term "Gourmet Cooking" because it's really not all that difficult. Cooking comes in several levels from basic survival (something dead on a stick in fire) to regular (your mom's pot roast) to Gourmet and Chef level (mom's pot roast kicked up a bit with a fancy "presentation").
As you could tell from the very first post I try to keep things fun yet informative. Cooking SHOULD be fun! It's a creative process so don't be afraid to experiment. Notice I said "cooking" was a creative process and feel free to experiment.
Here is your first rule to remember. Go as crazy as you want with cooking. It's very forgiving and a basic recipe can be bent and twisted all over the place. (I've started out making something French and ended up with Chinese) Baking, however, is a science... it's chemistry! When baking follow the directions to the letter and DO NOT substitute or attempt to get fancy. Unless you've graduated from a culinary arts school and majored in baking the reward for deviating from the instructions will usually be something fit only for the trash can. For example.... NO... baking powder and baking soda are NOT the same!
As you could tell from the very first post I try to keep things fun yet informative. Cooking SHOULD be fun! It's a creative process so don't be afraid to experiment. Notice I said "cooking" was a creative process and feel free to experiment.
Here is your first rule to remember. Go as crazy as you want with cooking. It's very forgiving and a basic recipe can be bent and twisted all over the place. (I've started out making something French and ended up with Chinese) Baking, however, is a science... it's chemistry! When baking follow the directions to the letter and DO NOT substitute or attempt to get fancy. Unless you've graduated from a culinary arts school and majored in baking the reward for deviating from the instructions will usually be something fit only for the trash can. For example.... NO... baking powder and baking soda are NOT the same!
COMMON STUFF
Cooking all around the world has certain things in common. It doesn't matter if you're in the steppes of Russia or the coast of New England. Think about it.... what's common?
Answer? Meat and vegetables. Now the type or kind of meat will vary. Beef, pork, lamb, and goat are all fairly common. Meat also includes regular fish, shell fish (Clams and other bi-valves) , crustaceans (crab & lobster) and even yucky stuff like octopus, squid, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Basically if it doesn't eat you first it's fair game for the table.
Oh... if you're a hunter, check that endangered species list... the Government would frown on Cream of Bald Eagle soup. Also, no matter what you may have heard, don't even think about road kill. (Even if you accidentally killed it!) Generally internal organ damage will occur which contaminates the meat. Stick with the meat department at your local grocery store.... okay? Vegetables shouldn't require an explanation. For most folks those were the things you couldn't leave the table until you ate them things. Stuff like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower etc.
Answer? Meat and vegetables. Now the type or kind of meat will vary. Beef, pork, lamb, and goat are all fairly common. Meat also includes regular fish, shell fish (Clams and other bi-valves) , crustaceans (crab & lobster) and even yucky stuff like octopus, squid, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Basically if it doesn't eat you first it's fair game for the table.
Oh... if you're a hunter, check that endangered species list... the Government would frown on Cream of Bald Eagle soup. Also, no matter what you may have heard, don't even think about road kill. (Even if you accidentally killed it!) Generally internal organ damage will occur which contaminates the meat. Stick with the meat department at your local grocery store.... okay? Vegetables shouldn't require an explanation. For most folks those were the things you couldn't leave the table until you ate them things. Stuff like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower etc.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT?
Okay, what's different? Think about it for a minute and it becomes obvious. Seasonings or spices! Usually these are herbs prepared various ways (Rosemary - fresh clippings from a live bush, dried leaves (actually small needle like things) or dried and ground into a powder) but they can be local (indigenous) plants. (various peppers etc.)
It's the spices and seasonings that make the BIG difference! After a little while you can tell which part of the world a dish came from just by the spices and seasonings used. Mexican food doesn't taste the same as Greek food, does it? Why? The use of native herbs and seasonings. Different things grow well in different countries. People use what is available to season what they cook. What's available varies with the latitude, and climate of the particular country. Even soil conditions can make a difference as certain things only grow well in a particular type of soil.
Methods of cooking also can be different. Frying produces a different result than baking. Grilling produces yet another result. Slow cooking or broiling yet other results. Boiling gives yet another result as does curing or drying (dehydrating). And not all methods work well for all things. For example boiling shell fish or lobster works quite nicely. A boiled t-bone, however, is just plain WRONG and a waste of good beef! Stick with what works best.
It's the spices and seasonings that make the BIG difference! After a little while you can tell which part of the world a dish came from just by the spices and seasonings used. Mexican food doesn't taste the same as Greek food, does it? Why? The use of native herbs and seasonings. Different things grow well in different countries. People use what is available to season what they cook. What's available varies with the latitude, and climate of the particular country. Even soil conditions can make a difference as certain things only grow well in a particular type of soil.
Methods of cooking also can be different. Frying produces a different result than baking. Grilling produces yet another result. Slow cooking or broiling yet other results. Boiling gives yet another result as does curing or drying (dehydrating). And not all methods work well for all things. For example boiling shell fish or lobster works quite nicely. A boiled t-bone, however, is just plain WRONG and a waste of good beef! Stick with what works best.
Another tip! Use FRESH, high quality ingredients when you're cooking. This is especially true of spices. If you can't remember when you bought that little red and yellow can of oregano it's best to toss it and get a new can or bottle. Unless you cook a LOT get the smaller size even though it's slightly more expensive per oz when you buy it. After all.... if you don't use it all within 4 to 6 months.... how much are you saving to toss it and go buy a fresh one?
Okay... that's it for Part 1 of cooking basics. Too much information and you end up with fried brains and no sauce to dip them in. I'll try to keep these little posts "bite sized" for easy digestion. However... before you think you're getting off easy... I have a homework assignment for you. (Oh NO! Not HOMEWORK!) Relax... this you'll enjoy.
Go out to eat at your favorite restaurant. (NO! McDonalds or other fast food places don't count!) Find something good on the menu and if it lists the ingredients make note of them or even write them down. Don't worry about not having quantities. When the meal comes refer to your list and attempt to identify as many listed ingredients as you can by taste. Also get a sense of the aroma and texture of the dish. To make this easy.... I'd recommend a good Italian place... but no matter where you go keep notes and a good mental record of the meal. You'll need them for the next assignment!
Okay... that's it for Part 1 of cooking basics. Too much information and you end up with fried brains and no sauce to dip them in. I'll try to keep these little posts "bite sized" for easy digestion. However... before you think you're getting off easy... I have a homework assignment for you. (Oh NO! Not HOMEWORK!) Relax... this you'll enjoy.
Go out to eat at your favorite restaurant. (NO! McDonalds or other fast food places don't count!) Find something good on the menu and if it lists the ingredients make note of them or even write them down. Don't worry about not having quantities. When the meal comes refer to your list and attempt to identify as many listed ingredients as you can by taste. Also get a sense of the aroma and texture of the dish. To make this easy.... I'd recommend a good Italian place... but no matter where you go keep notes and a good mental record of the meal. You'll need them for the next assignment!
Stritzil
STRITZIL
This is the recipe for a German/Austrian holiday bread known as Stritzil. It was brought to America 4 or 5 generations ago and has been in the family since. Stollen is another holiday bread made in Europe, Germany and Austria in particular, but it uses citrus and isn't the same.
I've tried to compile an ingredient list from the original hand written copy I have which was made from watching someone make the bread. She learned how from her mother and her mother from her mother etc. Also this recipe calls for “Scalded milk” which may be a new term for some of you. To scald milk proceed as follows:
To scald milk: Place milk in a heavy-bottomed pan on low heat. Stir occasionally until milk is just hot with steam and small bubbles start to appear around the edges; do not boil. Remove from the heat.
BASIC INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2 FRESH packages dry yeast
1-1/2 cup scalded milk
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 Tbsp. Anise seeds (crushed)
1 to 1-1/2 cups white raisins (optional) OR candied fruit (also optional)
1 medium mixing bowl and 2 LARGE mixing bowls (or wash one between steps)
You will also need 4 to 8 (maybe more) additional cups of flour. Sift all flour and just go by volume (cups) rather than weight.
GETTING STARTED
Place 1 cup warm water in a medium mixing bowl. Dissolve 1 Tbsp sugar and add the two packages of NEW (check the dates) dried yeast. Stir GENTLY (couple of seconds). Put in a warm place and let stand until foamy.
NOTE: Either turn on an oven for a couple of minutes or place a damp towel in a microwave oven for about a minute. (I'd form the towel into a ring along the outside edge of the glass table inside) Turn off regular oven (or microwave) place the yeast mixture inside and let it work.
MIXING STUFF
While the yeast is working put 1-1/2 cup scalded milk into a LARGE mixing bowl. Add 1 stick of butter (the real stuff works best) 1 cup of sugar and 1-1/2 tsp salt. Mix well (everything melted and dissolved) and let cool.
LET'S BEAT IT!
Beat 2 eggs until well blended. (About a minute) Add the cooled milk mixture you made earlier and 1 cup of flour. Mix throughly while slowly adding the yeast mixture. Once the yeast mixture is incorporated continue to add flour until thick. Add 1-1/2 Tbsp crushed Anise seeds.
NOTE: To crush the Anise seeds fold a two foot sheet of waxed paper in half. Place Anise seeds in between and crush with a rolling pin or other heavy object. (Actually a brick wrapped in several layers of heavy duty foil works wonders!) Of course if you have a spice grinder set it to medium and go for it.
I KNEAD YOU
At this point you may add the optional white raisins or candied fruit. Continue mixing and slowly adding flour until the dough is thick enough to knead. You can do this by hand (the fun way) OR use a HIGH POWER stand type mixer with a dough hook. (If your mixer didn't come with a dough hook it probably isn't powerful enough so don't try to use it) Continue kneading on a large flat surface onto which you've sprinkled a generous amount of flour. (OR in your stand mixer) Add flour (SLOWLY) as you knead until the dough is ready. (it will be elastic and not sticky)
RISE & SHINE
Take a LARGE mixing bowl and butter the inside well. (Clean hands work best for this... but remember to have a towel handy or leave warm water running so you can wash when done) Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and cover with a small towel. Let it rise until doubled in size. (I use a dish towel and lightly mist it with water from a spray bottle until barely damp) Since this takes an hour or so make a pot of coffee... clean up your table and other utensils... and relax for a while.
SMACK DOWN
Once the dough has doubled in size punch it down (Yep! Drive your fist right into the middle) then knead it until you can form a large loaf. (not more than 30 seconds for this!) Cut the loaf into pieces somewhere between baseball and softball size. (you'll just have to experiment) These should roll out (by hand) into a long roll about ping-pong ball size (diameter) and be roughly 12 to 14 inches long. You'll need three for each loaf.
BRAID – RISE & BAKE
Take three of the ropes and lay them side by side on a flat surface. (Slightly floured helps) Pinch one set of ends together then braid until you reach the other end. Again pinch the ends together. If you have parchment paper line a baking sheet with it. If not lightly oil the bottom with a good cooking oil. Place the braided loaf on the pan, cover with a towel and let rise again. (about an hour) Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until golden brown. (I'd take a peek after about 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes after that until the color is right. Make note of the time for future reference. Since oven temperatures can vary quite a bit from the dial setting this isn't an exact science. You'll probably end up somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes)
COOL – FROST & EAT
When golden brown remove from the oven and place on racks to cool. Lightly brush with melted butter to help keep the crust from getting too dry. While cooling make a simple powdered sugar frosting (if desired). For the frosting you'll need the following:
2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Place 2 cups of powered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla and stir until throughly blended. (NOTE: It's best to add ½ the milk at first then gradually add the rest until the desired consistency is reached.) It should be thin enough to drizzle from a spoon not thick enough to spread. (you may leave this white or add a drop of food coloring if desired)
When the bread is cool drizzle the frosting over the loaves to what ever level of coverage you desire. You may also sprinkle colored sugar crystals onto the frosting for an added festive touch. Slice and enjoy lightly buttered or plain.
COMMENTS?
If you have comments about this recipe please send them to joe_ruyle@yahoo.com
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