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- #21
Old or new doesn't matter, SulleyBobs method above works great.
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Tips & Techniques - All Things Cooking Related
- Thread starter DoctorShavegood
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Old or new doesn't matter, SulleyBobs method above works great.
- Thread starter
- #22
After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Doing "mise en place" (putting in place, everything in place) helped me tremendously. It's a technique used by professional chefs in which all prep work is done before you turn on the stove. Everything is diced, the spices are measured and mixed, the cans are open, etc. It's all done and within arms reach. Only at that point do you go to the stove.
Everyone here probably knows this already, but it helped me when I was learning to cook.
Everyone here probably knows this already, but it helped me when I was learning to cook.
^ But where's the excitement in that? haha.
tips and hacks from my kitchen. (Not saying I invented the ideas, but I found them, use them and they work for me...)
- An old mouse pad (the thin, floppy, rubberized-backing kind) makes a great gripper for twisting off bottle tops.
- Save an empty 2-liter soda bottle, cut it in half and the "top" makes a great funnel. (save the cap, and it's a "stoppable" funnel.)
- Grind up some dried mushrooms in a spice grinder and keep the powder on hand to add instant "Umami" to sauces, soups and stews. (Adding a splash of soy sauce to the soup/stew, will increase the effect and make an Umami Flavor Bomb!)
- A pants hanger (clothes hanger with clips) can be used to hang a recipe from a cabinet knob, freeing up counter space.
- It's easier to peel fresh ginger with the edge of a teaspoon than with a peeler.
- Store mushrooms in the fridge in a brown paper bag instead of in the plastic tray from the store. They'll last much longer.
- Spray a measuring spoon or cup with cooking spray before measuring out honey (or molasses). The honey will pour right out.
- Put frozen meat on cast iron griddle or pan to defrost in much less time than on a cutting board or plate.
- Microwave limes and lemons for about 5-8 seconds before juicing them and your get even more juice out of them.
- Separate bulk amounts of ground beef into plastic bags and flatten before freezing. Then they'll defrost much faster.
- An old mouse pad (the thin, floppy, rubberized-backing kind) makes a great gripper for twisting off bottle tops.
- Save an empty 2-liter soda bottle, cut it in half and the "top" makes a great funnel. (save the cap, and it's a "stoppable" funnel.)
- Grind up some dried mushrooms in a spice grinder and keep the powder on hand to add instant "Umami" to sauces, soups and stews. (Adding a splash of soy sauce to the soup/stew, will increase the effect and make an Umami Flavor Bomb!)
- A pants hanger (clothes hanger with clips) can be used to hang a recipe from a cabinet knob, freeing up counter space.
- It's easier to peel fresh ginger with the edge of a teaspoon than with a peeler.
- Store mushrooms in the fridge in a brown paper bag instead of in the plastic tray from the store. They'll last much longer.
- Spray a measuring spoon or cup with cooking spray before measuring out honey (or molasses). The honey will pour right out.
- Put frozen meat on cast iron griddle or pan to defrost in much less time than on a cutting board or plate.
- Microwave limes and lemons for about 5-8 seconds before juicing them and your get even more juice out of them.
- Separate bulk amounts of ground beef into plastic bags and flatten before freezing. Then they'll defrost much faster.
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- #26
Those are good Jim. Thanks.
After I boil eggs I take them out of the water and put them in the freezer for the 10 minutes or so. It has worked for me thus far.
Don't put cold meat directly on a skillet or grill. Let it sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes. Putting cold meat on a hot surface causes the fibers to tense up, giving you a less tender cut of meat (or chicken, pork, or fish).
A buddy of mine once put a cold steak in a screaming hot cast iron skillet - and cracked the skillet.
A buddy of mine once put a cold steak in a screaming hot cast iron skillet - and cracked the skillet.
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- #29
I grill asparagus all the time. I saw this and thought it was brilliant. Such a simple idea for flippin'.
After you roast a chicken, make sure nobody else is in the kitchen when you are carving it so you can save the oysters and best bits of skin for yourself.
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- #31
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I was going to post this but you beat me to it Aaron.
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- #34
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- #35
Other than make cakes, what can you do with this?
Try this:
Try this:
Pit or oven
Instead of a can, use this to save all those juices. And, at the same time cook veggies.
Instead of a can, use this to save all those juices. And, at the same time cook veggies.
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Chicken Bundt cake
For the eggs, most people have answered it: it's not technique, it's the eggs themselves. No tips or tricks are going to help you. I cook for a living, and for a while I had to peel 20 soft-boiled eggs a day for my station (we had a breaded/fried soft-boiled egg component on an asparagus dish)....I got to know a lot about the natural variability in eggs. As other members stated, older is better. As eggs age, they take in air through their porous shells, this extra airspace between the membrane and the shell is what's going to help them peel easier.
For actually boiling them? Start in cold water. When the water comes up to a boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, plunge eggs into an ice bath.
Bonus tip for perfect soft-boiled eggs: Fill a sauce pan (on you have a properly fitting lid to) with enough water to go half way up your eggs. Bring water to a boil. Place the eggs gently into the water with a spoon (if you crack the egg doing this the gig is up). Put the lid on, set your timer for 6 minutes. When your timer goes off, run the whole pot under cold water, or plunge the eggs into an ice bath, just long enough so that the shells will be cool enough for you to peel them. Season, enjoy.
For actually boiling them? Start in cold water. When the water comes up to a boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, plunge eggs into an ice bath.
Bonus tip for perfect soft-boiled eggs: Fill a sauce pan (on you have a properly fitting lid to) with enough water to go half way up your eggs. Bring water to a boil. Place the eggs gently into the water with a spoon (if you crack the egg doing this the gig is up). Put the lid on, set your timer for 6 minutes. When your timer goes off, run the whole pot under cold water, or plunge the eggs into an ice bath, just long enough so that the shells will be cool enough for you to peel them. Season, enjoy.
Frisbee
+1! Those are the best parts.
Genius! Putting it on the list to try.
That's a remarkably close rendition of a mod meetup.
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