Latest Cooking Answers

Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good?

At the vegetable market, I noticed some sellers cutting away the wilted parts of lettuce, to sell much smaller, but green portions. I wonder if they are cheatin

Shore caught crabs

I caught 4 small shore crabs (green crabs) yesterday and took them home to eat. They were alive in the bag until I got home and I out them straight into the fre

Is it okay to slow cook sausage casserole without pan frying the sausages?

We haven't got an oven/hob at the moment due to kitchen refurbishments and I'm currently slow cooking sausage casserole in a 2.5L slow cooker. There's about 6-8

How can I make my Oreos crispy again?

Someone1 didn't re-close the Oreo bag properly, and now the remaining cookies are kinda... not-quite-crispy. They're not soft, but they have this chewy side to

Why does my glaze soak into my doughnuts?

I fried up some yummy doughnuts and let them cool. Shortly after glazing them, I noticed that the glaze has soaked into the doughnuts. How can I prevent this fr

What is cold-pressed honey?

I've heard mention of cold-pressed honey - what does that actually mean? Would it make the honey any different? Honey isn't pressed like olive oil.

What is the correct mixing method for this kind of batter?

I made a pie according to the following instructions. While it did turn out good, I'm not sure if the mixing method is sound. It called for beating two eggs wi

Can alcohol and salt lengthen the shelf life of vegetables in room temperature?

My refrigerator is small, so often I have to keep some vegetables outside the refrigerator, in room temperature. I was wondering, whether spraying alcohol and/o

Making baking powder substitute with baking soda and powdered citric acid

I have no baking powder, but I do have baking soda and powdered citric acid. Can these be combined to substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder? If so, how mu

Brining multiple chickens

I'm attempting to brine multiple, however I am confused as to whether my brine will be sufficient. When I usually brine a single chicken I measure the weight of

When *brewing* Irish coffee in a drip coffeemaker or French press, do I need to use more Irish whiskey?

Back in the early 1980's I received a very nice coffeemaker as a gift. (Okay - it was very nice for the 1980's.) There was a small recipe booklet that came with

What cooking techniques depend on controlled temperature between 100 and 120 degrees celsius?

Many preparation techniques rely on controlled temperature. Sous Vide, Chocolate making, etc. I am trying to identify specific techniques that have their range

How can I make the most of this stewing hen?

For the longest time, I've been keeping my eyes open for a stewing hen. I make very good Chicken and Dumplings, and I've always heard that I could make it reall

What are the benefits of whisking when making muffins?

What are the benefits of whisking when making muffins?

What are the effects of salting a thin steak that's grilled on a pan?

What are the effects of salting a thin (1/4" to 1/2") beef steak right before being seared on a pan, compared to not salting at all? (there are no other spice

Food Safety Question - Refrigerator Temperature

The temperature in my refrigerator has suddenly increased and seems stuck at 55 degrees (12ºC) no matter how I set it. Clearly something is wrong but it's

Why does oil burn when put into a hot pan?

I was trying to make the scrambled eggs based on the answer found here. I set my stainless-steel pan on the burner and set the burner about halfway between medi

Chosing 2 pans - the most versatile solution

I'm mot a noob cook, but it's the first time I'm buying myself a proper kitchenware. I have a hard time deciding which frying pan would be the best form me. In

What is the optimal steep time for cold-brewed coffee?

When cold-brewing coffee (such as a Toddy) at room temperature, what is the best steep time. Would a 1 or 2-hour steep time yield a decent cup of coffee? Does

How did Cardinal Mazarin give name to a Swedish cake?

Mazarin is a classic Swedish pastry, well known in neighbouring countries as well in lots of variations. It seems that - as one with a bit of historic backgroun

Evenly sauteing green beans

I like to saute green beans. In case it matters for answering, I saute them in canola oil and soy sauce. I always end up with some of my green beans perfectly

Chinese alternative to Olive Oil?

I'm actually in china and here olive oil is expensive and difficult to be found. I need it to fry slightly onion/garlic for ex. to prepare tomato sauce. What c

Is putting meat in the fridge to marinate necessary?

I watched some cooking videos and sometimes I see that in order for the pepper, salt, sake, or whatever go into the meat, the meat needs to be put in the fridge

Why is fish not considered as meat?

While reading a thread on cooking, an old question popped into my head: I am an Asian and had no problems with dishes with both meat and “fish.” But

Toads with a flat batter-y

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

Should I fry the chicken first or should I pressure cook it first?

I fried the chicken breast in the oil till its surface was brown and then I pressure cooked it. The result was hard chicken. I found it quite difficult to chew.

How to peel, cut and prepare prickly pears without getting the thorns in your skin?

Peeling the cactus pear fruit, or better in known in some grocery stores as the prickly pear (or Tuna, Indian fig) can be painful, because of thorns on it. The

Brined chicken - too salty

I brined chicken breasts overnight. When I grilled them they were too salty to eat. Any suggestions for the ones I brined and froze?

Can I sterilize homemade mustard jars in the oven?

I make home made mustard and sell at market stalls. It's been interesting - and growing. I am trying to fine tune my process. The mustard is a fermented prod

can shortening be used to replace lard in baking bread?

I have a bread recipe that calls for lard. Is it possible to replace it with shortening and still get the same soft texture in the bread.