Norm Matthews

I understand how important it is to weigh the flour and have a proven formula for consistent results. What I see most often though are recipes being very specific about the amount of water but lacking any information about what kind of flour to use. Until one has experience in being able to know by look and feel that the dough it right, it is equally important to let newcomers know that the recipe works best with a flour that has a given protein level. PS according to Shirley Corriher, ambient humidity plays a negligible role in flour absorption of moisture.

OK then. Now I know.Thanks all. Since hydration is a ratio of water to flour, then I can see Shalmanese point. A given amount of water to a given amount of flour isn't really very informative since the kind of flour determines what amount of water is needed to make a dough. For instance, King Arthur bread flour will require several tablespoons less water to make an optimal dough than, say, White Lily All Purpose flour. A good hydration level for KA flour dough would make a batter with the other one.

I see where people talk about bread recipes and mention a % of hydration. How do you figure that? When I make bread, I start with the amount of water or other liquid in a recipe then add the dry ingredients and rapid rising yeast to a cup of flour and beat it with a whisk on the KA mixer until aerated. Then I switch to a dough hook and add flour without measuring. i add a little at a time until the dough hook will work the flour without the dough sticking to the bottom of the bowl... well, not stick too much. Then I let the KA knead the dough for a few minutes before turning it out with a little flour to knead until it is smooth and elastic and can be rounded to form a smooth and stretchy top. At that point I oil and cover in a bowl until risen. I like my method because I can vary what I add like some milk or potato flour or egg and or oil and not worry about changing the recipe because I always add flour until I get a proper dough. So I do not understand what it means or how one figures 'hydration' percentage.

I always slash after the last rise and just before it goes in the oven. It does tend to heal if slashed before the last rise. and the cut is fairly deep. Note the one cut that was not very deep. The gap widens with the oven rise.

Correction: He made cheesesteak sandwiches instead.

My son's cousin is here from California to visit her dad and other family for a couple of weeks. He was visiting her at noon and brought back some Korean food for us. There are some yaki mandu and dulkgogi (?sp) we also have a couple of flat iron steaks in the refrigerator and he is going to make some bahn mi sandwiches.

It worked for me. I always put the egg in an old fashioned pyrex glass custard bowl, lower the bowl in the water and let a little in, then carefully slip the egg out and then with a spatula, turn the white over the top of the egg. This time I just slipped it in when the water was starting to bubble, took it off the heat and covered it for 4 minutes. It worked just fine but I think it cooks quicker if the heat stays on and the water simmers slightly. The whirlpool method works but isn't practical for me because I usually poach two or three eggs at a time.

I love poached eggs too. I just slip them in 'nervous' not bubbling water until the whites are set. I will try your method today.

Dinner tonight was a stuffed pork loin. I looked at some recipes then used some of the ingredients in a couple different recipes to make the stuffing. Son liked the stuffing, Cassie was so-so about it. I used baby bella mushrooms, sweet onion and an unripe pair. I may add bread crumbs next time. And maybe some vermouth. Also on the menu was mashed potatoes, half russet, half gold, with cream and butter, carrots roasted with the pork and spinach. The spinach was kind of bitter even though they were all small and young leaves. Gravy was flour, butter, evaporated milk and chicken broth with a little nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Thank you Kayb Those meatballs do look delish. I think having them with ravioli is a great idea.

Yesterdays left over bread made todays sandwiches.

Dinner is over. Here is how the rib roast looked when cut into.

A very good friend sent me some rye flour from King Arthur and I made the recipe on the back of the package, baguette style. Kids both work at Country Kitchen until 9pm and I'll have this standing rib roast ready for them, pulled at 135º, salad with dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and malt powder. Sauce made with sour cream= (heavy cream and vinegar) and horseradish. Meat is currently resting -covered- for the 30 minutes or so until they get home.

I had to go out of town and the place I went has a popular chain Italian restaurant named after a fruit orchard. I went early so I could eat there and still have time to do some antique shopping before keeping my appointment. I ordered Chicken Parmesan. They were busy and the food took a very long time. By the time it came, I barely had time to eat before getting to the other place. The chicken was burnt on the bottom. I only took one bite and noticed it. I called the waiter. He offered to take it back but there was no time for that. I told him I didn't want to call the manager. He took the food away. I was sort of filled on the salad and bread sticks anyway. Then the bill came and the chicken was on the tab. THEN I wanted to see the manager. Everything was straightened out in the end.

nikkib thank you.

I have baked bread and pizza before on a baking stone in the gas grill but both my tanks are empty and it is like 27º outside. Once I heated one side of the grill and not the other and the stone broke because it was heated unevenly. Your way should help keep that from happening again. BTW the brackets arrived today.

Menu yesterday (company) Cuban steak with chimmichuri sauce. Louisiana shrimp with dipping sauces, French bread, corn and bean salad, broiled tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms and fried sweet potatoes. I didn't take pictures last night but here are pictures of the same dished I prepared on earlier dates. Cassie made the rice. Not pictured are some fried sweet potatoes. broiled tomatoes and the broth from the shrimp used for dipping.

Menu today (company) Cuban steak with chimmichuri sauce. Louisiana shrimp with dipping sauces, toasted French bread, corn and bean salad, broiled tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms and fried sweet potatoes. It is all still cooking so no pictures.

Perhaps 'appalled' was too strong a word. i was just shaking my head at the suggestion of brining a pork butt then adding liquid smoke when neither were really needed. Well and properly smoked pork shoulder (butt) is delicious without either being necessary. Oven slow cooked with a BBQ sauce added is good too.

I have already said that I really like the mayacoba beans. If you like navy beans, you will like these better, in my opinion.

I would be shocked to learn that paper towel are not food safe. I think they are. I have used them as strainers in a pinch too. I have also used paper coffee filters, metal coffee filters and cheese cloth lined sieves and colanders.

The whole gist of what I was attempting to say is that brining is not really necessary for pork shoulder that is properly smoked because of fat content and that real smoke is preferable to bottled smoke, in my opinion. BR I didn't name the individual because I didn't have his permission to do so, not because I was trying to manulipate anything. Since he posted in a public forum, I guess I can give you the link to the "anonymous individual" and some of the discussion that followed. I think you are finding an excuse to put down the topic and jumping to your own conclusions by taking an individual statement and dismissing it by associating it with equally broad vague statements about research and the press. However, I agree that it is unfortunate that the press tends to comment- sometimes wrongly- on the synopsis of the research instead of publishing the whole technical aspects of testing, hypotheses, methods, procedures and results but that is an unfortunate fact of life. . Here is a discussion with the original person 'not named above" with a lay panel about the article. http://forums.cooking.com/showthread.php?t=8113&highlight=liquid+smoke Here are a couple of excerpts. Originally Posted by Norm Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't liquid smoke made with natural smoke just like any other smoked product such as chipotle peppers? Yes, Norm, but in manufacturing more of the nasties tend to be included than you'd deposit on food smoked naturally, requiring filtering and such in the liquid form. Therein lies the problem- having to remove components, and how well it is accomplished. __________________ The process for distilling LS tends to increase the benzo/benzine forms is what I read..and those are the worst.

I have ordered those brackets. Going to give it a try when the weather is nicer and I've got my tanks filled.

Cold smoking is an entirely different thing. It does not really cook the meat per se.

Kansas City and Southern style BBQ ribs are done when they flop when picked up and you can tear the end bone off with a little effort. The meat should come off the bone with a little tug. If it is falling off the bone then it is over cooked.