Jinmyo

No cover means more and quicker reduction of the cooking liquid. That's about it.

That's right. Orange juice works well in a brine for pork belly for example, but not for chicken.

And it certainly doesn't hurt to brine with cider or citrus juices as well.

You bet. The brilliant thing is that searing creates flavour compounds, molecular combinations, that do not and cannot exist otherwise. Searing is a forge for flavours. Not searing often means that the dish will be less than it could be.

Sorry to complexify.

Mr. Toast, an excellent account. Thank you.

loufood, as someone else is sure to do so, I had might as well say that "sealing in the juices" is a canard. However searing does produce flavour compounds through what is known as the Maillard reaction. And is essential. I don't know anything about crockpots either.

How about mustard powder in the brine? I think it does flavour the meat a bit.

Very nice, Varmint. The smoked mozzarella grits are a nice touch.

Kristin, so how does Mom make them? Whose Mom?

Go for cast iron. But nonstick is good for eggs. Heating nonstick sans oil will cause the nonstick surface to peel. No such surface on underside of pan.

I find chimichurri covers over the basic beefyness I want from a ribeye, porter, or strip. But, yes, great on flank and skirt.

Mixed drinks are for tourists.

Arrrrrr.

Heron, get them salt-packed. Rinse, soak in milk or water for half an hour or more, cut out the innards, Bob's your uncle.

Ron, Dave's right. This is classic. And delicious.

Assuming we're talking about a restaurant situation, you may be giving them a $5 portion, but it's a $5 potion for which they've agreed to pay $30. How hard should you argue with them? In a resto situation, I wouldn't argue. But I would with friends or family. Having raised kids, I don't care that much about inane preferences.

Grant, to cook a $30 portion as if it were a $2.50 portion would mean I'd give them a $5 portion.

Jamie did that? I don't know whether to laugh or bite the veins out of my wrists. Let me think. Hm. Was pretty obvious, which is how I came on it. Otay. I'll laugh. As to lamb's fat, I know what you mean but I grew up on mutton so I'm fine with it.

Fry beluga caviar.

The name signifies that although the dish usually contains some meat, that Sakyamuni Buddha (erroneously regarded as vegetarian due to the 6th chapter of the Lankavatara sutra) would jump over a wall to eat it because it's irresitable.

A thing I do with a butterflyed leg is to get the oven pre-heated to 450. I sear the spread leg briefly on the griddle, then put it right on the oven rack with some vegetables to be roasted in a pan underneath. I usually marinade for about 4 hours, usually with some garlic, lemon, rosemary, crushed cumin seeds, ancho or guajillo chile paste, and some red wine. But I prefer bone-in.

Kristin, how easy is it to procure good Italian deli items in Japan? What city are you in?

In a professional context, give them what they want and make it the best damn over-cooked tuna they've ever had. But friends don't let friends eat over-cooked food.

Garlic, lemongrass, and bay broth with brunoise of celery, hard-cooked eggs, and ancho seasoned croutons. Shaved rutabaga slaw. Roasted asparagus atop slivers of red bell and poblano peppers with balsamico. Chopped liver (veal, rabbit, chicken) and pistachio pate with crusty pain de Pepin.