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Ozcook

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Posts posted by Ozcook

    Induction + Pre-heated Cast Iron

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by Ozcook (log)

    Robirdstx, I did season the Lodge 12" CI skillet in the oven and it came out great. However, that is not an option for the Matfer carbon steel skillet as it has an enormous handle which makes it far too big to fit in either of my ovens. I may have to go down the BBQ route (when Winter ends here).

    • Like 1

    Induction + Pre-heated Cast Iron

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted · Edited by Ozcook (log)

    Many thanks for the replies. I was most concerned about the thermal shock of placing a pre-heated CI skillet on the induction surface, so thanks boilsover for your advice. As to temperatures, Cooks Illustrated suggests placing the CI skillet in an oven until the oven reaches 500F which I'm guessing is not the same as the skillet reaching 500F unless it was left in the oven at that temperature for some time. The reason for oven pre-heating is to ensure that the skillet is evenly heated which is unlikely to occur on most cooktops.

     

    I was attempting to get past the smoke point to season the Matfer carbon steel skillet as that is necessary for the seasoning process in a new pan but I only had limited success because the Miele induction kept cutting out due to overheat protection. My thermoworks infra-red thermometer was showing up to 450F at the centre and as little as 280F at the sides so I only got some seasoning in the centre.

    Induction + Pre-heated Cast Iron

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    (1) I have a Miele Induction cooktop and a recently purchased Lodge Cast Iron 12 inch skillet. I have been poring over recipes from Cooks Illustrated and many of them recommend pre-heating the skillet in a 500F oven and then placing the skillet on a cooktop (no mention of glass cooktop or induction). Before I go ahead and try this, am I running the risk of damaging the cooktop by placing a pre-heated CI skillet on to the (Schott Ceran) surface?

     

    (2) A related question is that, on admittedly little use of the Lodge CI so far, I have triggered the overheating feature  of the induction cooktop resulting in the burner in use shutting off. I have not used the burner any higher than 7 out of 9 and even then and for about five minutes for pre-heating. This is frustrating to say the least. I have had the same problem with a new Matfer 12" carbon steel skillet while trying to season it.

     

     

    Searzall--After the Honeymoon?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I have a Searzall which I use about twice a week, mainly for putting a crust on beef or lamb. I like it for small jobs but it can be a pain for large jobs. My main problem is that I live in Australia. I cannot buy replacement screens here. Amazon will sell me a Searzall and a Bernzomatic TS-8000 but not replacement screens (they don't ship replacement screens to Australia). I sought assistance on the Searzall forum but that forum is dead: Searzall forum

    Sous vide squid gone bad

    in Cooking

    Posted

    If you mean squid (and not baby octopus) I have found that frozen squid tubes cooked sous-vide for 3.5 hours @ 138F (~59c) produces tender and tasty results. However I don't use frozen squid from China - which seems to be a common source - so I don't know if that cooks differently.

    • Like 1

    Cooking with the Searzall

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by Ozcook (log)

    Has anyone tried searing a sous-vide steak with a sandwich grill either with or without a searzall?

    I am reasonably happy with the Searzall but it can be time consuming doing 4 or more steaks so I wondered about speeding up the process by putting the steaks onto a sandwich grill and finishing them with a Searzall.

     

    It may be that sandwich grills don't get hot enough to do much good but I thought I would ask before experimenting.

    Wine Spoilage

    in Wine

    Posted · Edited by Ozcook (log)

    i haven't had that experience with Australian shiraz (and I have had plenty). I agree with the suggestion of decanting leftover wine into a half-bottle and storing that in the refrigerator. A glass of red wine can be brought to room temperature by putting it into the microwave for about 12 seconds on medium power (depending on the power of your MW). Then swirl.

     

    The best method I have found for wine storage is using the aircork (aircork.com). Remember to rinse the balloon after use and store the wine in the refrigerator.

     

    Cheers!

    What Are You Cooking Sous Vide Today? (Part 1)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    If you work long hours, it's nice to know you're coming home to something that'd ordinarily take a while--e.g. short ribs, pork belly. Duck confit is nice, too, although I think the killer app is octopus. When I'm catering for my family I tend to use both of my circulators--I'll have one dealing with meats and the other handling vegetables. Or one on reheat duty and the other cooking things that can only be prepared last minute. If you can't find value there, well, the problem isn't with the unit itself.

    Chris, I would love to know your recipe for octopus. Last time I tried it SV I used frozen baby octopus and guessed the time. It came out soft and mushy.

    The Searzall by Dave Arnold

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I am finding this device more and more appealing to me considering I live in a studio apt with no range hood. Searing steak in a ripping hot cast iron skillet is great and all, but the smoke is outrageous. How much smoke does this put out for searing steaks?

     

    None that I have ever noticed.

    Tips for Using a Convection Oven?

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    You are of course correct that convection oven is not identical to a water bath sous vide cooker.

     

    However, a convection oven with PID temperature control can give you precise temperature control just like a water bath, and circulating hot air will promote thermal conduction and even temperature distribution just like a water bath sous vide cooker.

     

    The fact that circulating hot air will dry out food is precisely an advantage for certain kinds of cooking.

     

    I do chickens this way regularly, convection oven at 160F  until internal T gets to 140F, then set convection temperature to 450F. The convection air dried skin gives me incredible cracklin skin, yet the meat remains tender and moist.

     

    dcarch

     

    Very interesting. Have you done a turkey this way? Do you cook the chicken trussed, untrussed or butterflied?

    Cooking with the Searzall

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Returning to the original question, I have a Searzall and have made several attempts at browning poultry skin.  Maybe there's some trick I have yet to discover, but so far it's not been successful.  I can get brown without scorching, but the skin retains a fair amount of water and fat below the surface, so the texture is flaccid rather than crisp.  The tool is good for other things, but not this one AFAICT.

     

    Thanks, that was the info I was looking for.

    Homemade Mayonnaise: Technique, Troubleshooting, Storage

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I am having trouble with avocado oil mayo. It hardens in the fridge and tends to split because of that. The texture is also strange after hardening. Is there any way I can prevent hardening? I use whole eggs. 

    I have never had a problem with avocado oil mayo, but I only make the mayo with one third avocado oil and two-thirds light olive oil.

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