TdeV

When I was first away from home, I had a great time cooking. I think I owned a few cookbooks, however, I've always liked to ad lib. At one point I realized that all my food ended up the same: some version of tomato-based pudding or stew. So then I bought Joy of Cooking and carefully followed the recipes. (I sometimes reference JoC, in part because I know where things are, or at least, that they exist). When I got married, I got two versions of Julia Child's How to Cook. It never got the same treatment JoC got though. Now I have a bookcase of cookbooks. Which I read for entertainment. When I'm trying something new, I peruse my book shelves and online, and collect a thrice or two of recipes. But I usually close all the books before I start cooking (except baking). My B-I-L, a good cook, is horrified by the idea! Works for me though.

From a person I used to work with, I learned about adding Worcestershire Sauce to the hole from the pit. Don't peel the avocado and eat with a spoon. Quite tasty! (I guess this is a riff on fish sauce?) What about avocados which have started to turn, i.e. they have brown/grey streaks through the flesh. Do you eat them? And would you serve them to company?

Hi Rob, your photos are lovely. FWIW, I don't use much social media, but I do use websites, so please rethink your idea of not putting information exactly where some people would look for it.

You sauté the mushrooms ahead of time, yes? And the sauce?

Here is Douglas Baldwin's post (though not very informative).

@EatingBen, once I had had lamb leg/shoulder done at 143F (62C) for 48 hours, I was hooked. Lately I've been using 131F (55C) for 24 hours following something Douglas Baldwin wrote about on an eGullet thread. Finish with a broiler or a blow torch. Divine, I tell you, divine!

Ann, that looks so totally delicious! I can find the three words (Parmesan, Crusted, Halibut) in search, but not the method. Could you please describe this method?

How did you cook them? On the stovetop? Setting? Oven? Oven temperature?

I'm very curious how this turns out. My long practise is to SV the lamb at low temperature for multiple days and then, a couple hours before dinner, to cook the rest of the tagine on the stovetop with a little pre-made stock.

@Raamo, looks intriguing! What are the ingredients? Title and author of the cookbook?

@weedy, I see you use a cooking rack (like this). I also note that you place the rack so that it is open at the top. (I have the open part on the side). How do you keep the meat packets under water?

@KennethT, thanks. What "issues", other than freezer burn, occur?

I have an unanswered question on the "Cook your way through your freezer" thread here so I thought to rephrase the question more generally (and widely). Reading on eGullet and elsewhere, it seems that meat frozen before cooking lasts 12-18 months, after cooking it lasts 12 months. Why is that? I mean, why not 5 years? Many recipes for baked goods (like bread) say they're good for 3 months. What happens to bread in the freezer which doesn't happen to a cut of meat? There are many soups in my freezer which have not been vacuum sealed which have been there a long time. I don't think there has been a degredation in flavour. But I admit, I'm not expecting one, so it's not so surprising that I don't find one. (I do recognize a big loss of flavour after about 3 weeks, but not so much between 3 months and 23 months).

Please explain, rotuts.

Paul, you realise that you're being tantalising with your descriptions, doncha? 🙃 C'mon, fess up, what's in it?

Paul, looks interesting. What is it?

Ha! @chefmd. Here's mine: Marinated buttermilk for 24 hours. Mine, however, was awful (really chewy). Not sure why.

@Okanagancook, I guess I didn't phrase my question well. What I really want to know is why not 5 years? Why is the cutoff at 12 or 18 months? Note that many recipes for baked goods (like bread) say they're good for 3 months. What happens to bread in the freezer which doesn't happen to a cut of meat?

I've not caught up with this thread (still have several pages to go), so I hope this question has not been resolved already. Many sites/writers state that a food will last 12 (or 18) months once frozen. Is this just a commonly held "wives-tale" or is there a basis for this "expiry date"? I ask because I have vacuum sealed cuts of fresh meat, some of which have I've not used for 12 (or quite a few more) months past the "1 year expiry date". There are many soups in my freezer which have not been vacuum sealed which have been there a long time. I don't think there has been a degredation in flavour. But I admit, I'm not expecting one, so it's not so surprising that I don't find one. So what's the story? And if anyone knows, surely it will be the folks on eGullet! 😀

Looks delish. What's in it?

Well, I now have more questions than answers! Any suggestions where I could go to read about hams? (I haven't heard a peep from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, though a wonderful smelling ham showed up via UPS today). 🙄

Thanks, @heidih. What's the difference between juicy, Smithfield or country ham?

@kayb, what's in the salad?

@ElsieD, how long for? And do you put anything else in the bag?

From my local university meat market (they raise the meat), I've bought a Valentine's special cooked Ham For Two (2.25 lbs) for about $7. From Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, for President's Day, I bought a special (50% off) Cooked Boneless Wigwam Ham (4.5 to 5.5 lbs) for $80. I like ham a lot and intend to do some testing. However, searching the internet (and eGullet) produces instructions to roast ham for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a 350F oven or so (coated with honey or mustard or other interesting stuff). Should one even be roasting a cooked meat? My experience with sous vide suggests that reheating meat tends to dry it out. What gives?