I'm Just Here For The Food Part 73

9.

If wood actually burned, there wouldn't be anything left after combustion-which there is.

10.

I'm not trying to imply that chimney starters are dangerous, but I think that anytime you're holding, moving, and pouring something that's glowing red, there's a potential for trouble.

11.

Grate temp doesn't matter very much with a wire-style grate like those that come standard with Weber kettles. But I already knew that dense, heavy iron grates did a much better job of searing the meat, so I use an iron grate.

12.

I also took the opportunity to try another experiment at the same time. I had always thought that a thin sheen of oil on the meat was necessary for a good char and to ensure a stick-free grilling experience. But I was suspicious: If meat proteins brown so well, why not rely on them alone? By heavily salting the meat several minutes before cooking, water-soluble proteins had a chance to gather at the surface of the steak. As it turned out, they were all I needed to produce great color, nice grill marks, and no sticking. I won't be oiling my steaks anymore.

13.

When a fully lit charcoal fire develops wisps of transparent flame, it's hot-really hot.

14.

Industry word for the little plastic boxes that berries are often packaged in for sale in the produce department.

15.

These nuggets were indeed broiling but since the chicken fat was acting as the heat conduit, the end product was more fried than anything else.

16.

The only problem I've encountered is that my oven (like most) has an automatic door lock that won't let me in while the oven's in this mode even if I turn the oven off. So since my oven's usually a mess anyway, I add the bricks and run the shortest clean cycle possible, three hours. When the lock disengages, the bricks are still as hot as a s.p.a.ce shuttle belly during reentry.

17.

I don't quite trust my oven, so when it beeps at me to say that it's heated, I always give it at least 5 minutes more.

18.

Yes, holding chicken in the zone can promote bacterial growth, but if you cook the chicken properly you'll nuke every one of the little nasties. This doesn't mean it's okay to leave raw meat lying around the house, but it does mean you can take the time to do what's right for the food, as long as you keep it isolated from any work surfaces and/or other raw or cooked foods.

19.

Whenever I work with poultry, I keep a latex glove on one hand for handling the bird and a clean hand free for messing with salt and the like.

20.

Since the cooking fat is added to the pan immediately before the food, the issue here isn't the smoke point as much as flavor. Flavor-rich oils like extra-virgin olive oil and walnut oil lose most of their flavor when they reach high temperatures, so to use them for sauteing is a waste of money. I usually saute in canola oil because its flavor is neutral. However, if you want to get some of the health benefits of olive oil, do your sauteing with "pure" olive oil rather than with extra virgin.

21.

As long as the b.u.t.ter's foaming you know that it still has water in it, and as long as it has water in it it can't get hotter than 212 F.

22.

Why off off the heat? Because if the pan is hot enough, when the water-based vinegar hits the pan a good bit of it is going to vaporize and exit the pan, taking microscopic droplets of the fat with it. If you're cooking over a gas flame, some of these droplets will ignite. Then, for a few seconds the whole pan will seem to be on fire. Such a sight can be exciting when viewed at one's favorite restaurant, but it can be a bit disconcerting when witnessed at home. the heat? Because if the pan is hot enough, when the water-based vinegar hits the pan a good bit of it is going to vaporize and exit the pan, taking microscopic droplets of the fat with it. If you're cooking over a gas flame, some of these droplets will ignite. Then, for a few seconds the whole pan will seem to be on fire. Such a sight can be exciting when viewed at one's favorite restaurant, but it can be a bit disconcerting when witnessed at home.

23.

Typically, when these foods are added directly to boiling water the temperature immediately drops, giving the food time to catch up, temperature-wise. In steaming, the food rarely touches the boiling water below, so no reduction of heat occurs. For starchy foods such a thermal onslaught would immediately gelatinize the outer layer of the food, rendering it hopelessly gummy. Also, starchy foods need water to wash away excess starch-something steam just can't do.

24.

The way I see it, if the liquid is thickened by solids or stock, it's a sauce. If it's thickened by starch, it's gravy.

25.

Chili powder usually includes oregano, coriander, cloves, dried chiles, garlic powder, and c.u.min. Chile powder contains nothing but dried ground chiles. The two are not interchangeable so always check that final vowel.

26.

Chipotles are nothing more than smoked jalapenos. Pound for pound, they bring more flavor to the party than any other chiles. Adobo is like Mexican barbecue sauce: herbs and ground chiles with vinegar.

27.

As noted in Searing, zillions of recipes include this step. Why? Because browning via caramelization and the Mailliard reaction produces myriad flavors. So, if it's so darned good why doesn't someone simply manufacture this stuff and bottle it so we can pour it on everything? Darned good question. But personally, I'm glad there's still something you can't buy.

28.

This does not mean I condone the thieving of chips and salsa from restaurants, but you get the point.