Latest Cooking Answers

How to reduce bitterness of Basil?

I had some fresh Basil which was going dry, so I decided to make it into a sour cream dip (don't ask me why I didn't think of making a simple pesto before I add

Advice on time for cooking potatoes au gratin?

So, I was following a recipe in an Amish cookbook that was pretty minimal on details: Baked Pork Chops Put a layer of thinly sliced potatoes into a b

Is Indian food more expensive to prepare than Chinese food?

Based on my subjective experience, Indian food at restaurants is more expensive than Chinese. This seems to hold across restaurant classes, low end takeout is a

Food safety concerns regarding cooked steak stored in the fridge

I'm thinking of cooking some steak and storing it for later use in a cold salad. If I cook it to medium rare and cut it into strips and store it in the firdge,

Maillard in a Pressure Cooker

I was reading about frying in On Food And Cooking this weekend and it mentions that frying works so much better than oven cooking because oil has a far higher s

Baker percentages, weights, volumes, and such

So a basic bread recipe might look like (off top of head, not sure if these amounts make any sense) 100 Bread Flour 30 Water 1 oil .... I know the flour i

Ingredients of Root Beer

I want to make root beer, what are the ingredients required to produce that signature flavor?

How can I reproduce a "gamey" flavor?

I have fond memories of deer hunting with my uncle when I was younger... not only for the thrill of the hunt (as I'm sure most do), but also for the spoils: ven

Making Tomato Sauce from Tomato Paste

I've been trying, on-and-off when I have time, to make tomato sauce from a 5 1/2 oz can of tomato paste, but haven't figured out the right proportions of ingred

What is the criss-cross pattern on top of peanut butter cookies used for?

I've been making peanut butter cookies, but skipping the step of pressing the top of the cookie down with a fork. What does this step do for the cookies?

What "actually" tastes (and cooks) like chicken?

I have been allergic to chicken my entire life, and I am looking for a chicken substitute for a variety of recipes. Of course I've heard the old saying that "e

How do I start juicing?

A recent question tipped me off about juicers. I have heard of them before, but I had always written them off as TV informercial gadgets that were not really us

How Can I Tell If Meat Has Been Brined?

My wife and I were eating some rotisserie chicken the other night and she commented something to the effect of "I think they brined this because I can taste the

How do I keep soup from being bland?

I've been experimenting with soups recently and trying different recipes, and I've found that I often come out with a good soup that's a bit too bland in taste.

Chuck or "stew" beef labeled in the super market

Preliminary So I found this simple pot roast recipe here. I have cooked this plenty of times, but for some reason lately, the 'stew' or chuck roast beef is tur

What flavorants stand up to long cooking?

My answer to this question (link) prompted a question in my own mind. I wanted to share some tips regarding when to add herbs, spices, aromatics, etc., and had

What type of Rice is best for Indian Style Rice Pudding?

What type of Rice is best for Indian Style Rice Pudding?

What determines if the handle of a pan gets hot while in use?

About three years ago, we replaced a one 10" skillet with another, both Macy's Tools of the Trade anodized aluminum teflon skillets. (The teflon coating didn't

How can I add meat into a completed tomato sauce?

Yesterday I was cooking for someone and was planning on making a bolognese sauce, but when it came to start cooking (ie. after doing my mise en place), she aske

Can I store suet or home-rendered tallow at room temperature for a year?

This weekend I will be in possession of 100 lbs of beef suet (which I'll be getting from a butcher friend) and plan to render it into tallow. I can't even begin

How can I efficiently render 100 lbs of suet into tallow in a home kitchen?

As I mentioned in another question, I'm about to undergo a 100 lb suet-to-tallow rendering process. The problem is, as much as I love tallow, I've never render

unused drink packets

So I have a lot of those drink packets that you just add into a bottle of water and shake. It's pretty much adult kool-aid. A while ago my wife and I went a l

How to cook fall-off-the-bone beef spare ribs in oven or on stove top?

All, I would like to cook spare ribs to a fall-off-the-bone consistency. I don't have access to a grill. I know how to do that with pork shoulders (dry rubbe

How deeply should I peel sweet potatoes?

When peeling sweet potatoes, should I just peel the outermost layer, or should I be peeling off the white part as well till I hit the orange inside? Should I ke

What is the most effective way to extract mint flavor for a Mojito?

How can one prepare mint for a Mojito a way that will optimally extract its flavor? Are there any other factors that are important while making the drink?

Substitute for bell peppers in meat dishes

I recently became addicted to the taste of fried bell peppers (green specifically because that's what's cheapest) as an ingredient in meat dishes. However, in m

Is it okay to salt beef before or while cooking it?

I recall reading that you should not salt beef until after it is cooked or it will dry the beef. Yet I see recipes that call for salt in a beef marinade. Is it

Is Spaetzle a pasta or a dumpling?

Is it a pasta or a dumpling and what is the difference? To me, a pasta is smooth and shaped and doesn't have any "filling" (but can have ingredients added to

Is it normal to see flames inside my self-cleaning oven?

I spilled some sauce in the oven, so I decided to clean it today. I wiped the bottom and glass door, but the rest of the stuff was crusty and stuck to the botto

How can I know when a thick simple syrup is done cooking?

When making a thick simple syrup (1 part water, 1 part white sugar), how can I know when I've cooked the sugar for long enough? Is it possible to overcook this