Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[tino27]

Food Safety: Meatloaf

In the United States there are a lot of urban legends regarding the dangers of stuffing a raw turkey in advance of roasting it for Thanksgiving, allowing harmful bacteria to flourish in the cavity.

What about mixing a meatloaf in advance?  One that involves raw egg, milk, bread, herbs, grated cheese, ground turkey and pork and vegetables that are either raw and chopped or previously cooked and cooled? 

Might one do this in the morning, pop it in the fridge and then slide it into a hot oven in the evening worry-free, or can you only freeze an uncooked meatloaf in advance to avoid food poisoning?

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I specifically make my meatloaf and meatballs a day in advance to develop the flavors. But then, I'm no food safety specialist.

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As long as you keep the final meatloaf is kept below 40 deg F or above 140 deg F, you are considered safe. So, if I were you, I'd mix everything together straight from the fridge and then immediately return it back to the fridge once it's molded.

[eskay]

Alton Brown did a show trying to solve the turkey-stuffing dilemma, I think the method they used was to heat the stuffing before it went into the turkey so that it would hit the final temp at the same time as the turkey.

Ah here, found the recipe. That said, I suppose it's the technique that's the important part.

[Naftal]

hello- I have a stupid question What is the difference between a terrine and a pate? From my reading it seems like the only difference is the type of container one uses as a mold . Can this be right ?????

Edited October 4, 2007 by Naftal (log)

[Bueno]

This is ridiculous just how stupid my question is, but anyway, it's pissing me off.

I purchased GOLDEN BOY FISH SAUCE for the first time today (I usually use "Squid" brand or 3 Crabs) and it has this funny seal on the lid that I have no idea how to open. It's hard to explain, but if you've ever purchased this brand, you know what I'm talkin' about. It's plastic, with a thin disc, and then what looks like a plastic button. I tried prying it off with a knife, pushing the button, turning it, everything!

It's like a fishy Fort-friggin-Knox!

[C. sapidus]

This is ridiculous just how stupid my question is, but anyway, it's pissing me off.

I purchased GOLDEN BOY FISH SAUCE for the first time today (I usually use "Squid" brand or 3 Crabs) and it has this funny seal on the lid that I have no idea how to open.  It's hard to explain, but if you've ever purchased this brand, you know what I'm talkin' about.  It's plastic, with a thin disc, and then what looks like a plastic button.  I tried prying it off with a knife, pushing the button, turning it, everything!

It's like a fishy Fort-friggin-Knox!

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Slice off the raised plastic disc with a knife. It will leave a hole big enough to dispense fish sauce by drips. If you are like me, you will enlarge the hole so that you can release great gushing glugs of fish sauce.

[Bueno]

Thank you very kindly. I feel like such a buffoon.

I'm with ya! If I could, I'd insert a faucet into the bastard.

Edited November 2, 2007 by Bueno (log)

[Fugu]

hello- I have a stupid question What is the difference between a terrine and a pate? From my reading it seems like the only difference is the type of container one uses as a mold   . Can this be right   ?????

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My understanding of pate(paste in French) is that it is generally made to be spreadable but can also be sliced. An example would be smoked salmon pate or chicken liver pate. I use a combination of cream, butter or cream cheese in these pates, although some would consider them to be mousses because of the cream.

A terrine, on the other hand, is moulded and best sliced into portions. Meat terrines usually have a thin skin of pork fat, while vegetable terrines woulds have a leek, eggplant or zuchinni as the exterior. Galantines are similar to terrines in that they are moulded and usually wrapped in the skin of the main ingredient, ie. Duck and chicken galantine.

I make a scallop terrine, mushroom and a lobster terrine that do not use a skin of any sort and is made with a mousse mixture, go figure. These terms seem to be used loosely and most label everything as pate.

Pate en croute is pretty much straightforward, some forcemeat encase in pastry. Once baked, a cavity forms and flavoured(aspic) gelatine is poured in to fill the cavity through the top vents on the pastry.

edited to change terrine to galantine.

Edited November 3, 2007 by Fugu (log)

[Naftal]

Thanks!

I have another question for those of you who are science-minded:Apart from differences in taste, is there any reason why I cannot use olive oil in all recipes that call for melted/liqufied butter and if I should not do it, which types of recipes should I "not do it" in?

[andiesenji]

Some recipes are made with ingredients with very delicate flavors. You can usually substitute an oil but it should be one with neutral flavor - grapeseed oil is probably the one with the least flavor.

However, if the butter is going to constitute a significant part of the flavor in the recipe, you really shouldn't use an oil.

In many bakery producs you should use butter because it affects the texture.

There was a discussion about this very subject about a year ago but I don't remember the title of the thread. You might try using the search function and select topic titles only, to reduce the number of hits.

Here is one of the discussion threads.

and Here's another.

Edited November 3, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[plk]

I use Earth Balance margarine when I want the flavor of butter, but can't actually use butter. It's made with olive oil and some other oils, but tastes buttery and doesn't have the negatives of normal margarine. I don't prefer it to real butter, but it works well for a substitute.

[Toliver]

This question isn't about cooking but I figured it would feel at home in this discussion. It's more of a Food Science question but since that eGullet forum hasn't been developed yet:

Why do people use bread boxes and how do they work?

It's just a box to hold bread, right? Does it prevent the bread from drying out or getting moldy? If so, how? Or was it a place, in days of old, to put bread where mice couldn't get to it (like a pie cabinet)?

I live in an area where it's often over 100°F during the summer months and it can get down to about freezing in the winter months. Bread would never survive residing in just a bread box here so I put it in the refrigerator. It does get dried out which is fine since I usually just toast it.

So why a bread box?

[RAHiggins1]

My Mom always told me you salt for 2 reasons.

1) flavor

2) it raises the boiling temp of the water, and pasta tastes better and cooks faster in hotter water.

She could be wrong, but I'm not going to argue with her.

I was never good at science but isn't boiling water at a constant temperature of 212 F/100 C? It can't go higher. I think.

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Blatantly stolen frm http://www.miniscience.com/projects/Saltwater/index.html

Problem:

How does table salt affect the boiling temperature of water?

Research:

Many cooking recipes give you the instruction of adding salt to the water when boiling something. This can do many things to the water and there must be a special reason why they tell you to add salt to the water. This experiment will show us how salt affects the temperature of boiling water.

Hypothesis:

Adding table salt to boiling water will cause the water to boil at a higher temperature.

Material:

· Table Salt

· Distilled Water

· 2 Quart Cooking Pot

· Pint measuring cup

· Teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons

· Thermometer

· Stirring spoon

Procedure:

1. Boil one quart of distilled water on a stove.

2. Measure the temperature of the boiling water. Record the highest temperature reading.

3. Measure out table salt using a kitchen measuring spoon. Level the spoonful.

4. Add the measured salt to the boiling water and stir.

5. Measure the temperature of the boiling water with the salt in it. Record the highest temperature reading.

6. Repeat it now with two spoons of salt.

Record And Analyze Data:

Temperature of Boiling Water 212.9° F

Amount of salt added the first time 1 spoon full

Temperature of boiling water after salt was added 215.6°F

Amount of salt added the second time 2 spoon fulls

Temperature of boiling water after salt was added the second time 218.3° F

[andiesenji]

This question isn't about cooking but I figured it would feel at home in this discussion. It's more of a Food Science question but since that eGullet forum hasn't been developed yet:

Why do people use bread boxes and how do they work?

It's just a box to hold bread, right? Does it prevent the bread from drying out or getting moldy? If so, how? Or was it a place, in days of old, to put bread where mice couldn't get to it (like a pie cabinet)?

I live in an area where it's often over 100°F during the summer months and it can get down to about freezing in the winter months. Bread would never survive residing in just a bread box here so I put it in the refrigerator. It does get dried out which is fine since I usually just toast it.

So why a bread box?

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The bread box was to keep rodents and insects away from the bread. However some breadboxes had ventilation holes, usually small enough to keep out most insects (except for ants that could get almost anywhere). I have several, of various types (yet another collection) and none really keep bread from staling.

I never refrigerate bread, although I do store it in the freezer. I use the Cambro or CamSquare containers, which are virtually airtight and seem to keep the frozen bread, particularly sliced bread, in better condition.

I don't worry about keeping unsliced artisan loaves (or partial loaves) crusty, because it is easy to restore the crustiness. I store them in Zip-Loc bags.

When I want to use the bread, I preheat the oven to 400 F., when it has reached temp, I briefly run the loaf under the cold water faucet - trying to avoid wetting the cut surface if some has been cut off - then immediately placing the loaf directly onto the oven rack.

Large loaves will refresh in 18-20 minutes, smaller or partial loaves in 15 minutes.

Try it, I am sure you will be surprized at how fresh the loaf seems, as crusty as when first baked.

[annieC]

[quote name=andiesenji' date='Nov 6 2007, 03:03 PM

The bread box was to keep rodents and insects away from the bread. However some breadboxes had ventilation holes, usually small enough to keep out most insects (except for ants that could get almost anywhere). I have several, of various types (yet another collection) and none really keep bread from staling.

What about the electric bread boxes? I saw one last week at a resale shop and had a chuckle. Though later I was kicking myself for not picking up to use a proof box- nice small stainless steel box with low temp heat element already built in...sounds perfect for a small proofer.

[andiesenji]

If you mean The Brisker, it keeps crackers and cookies crisp but doesn't do much for bread

Edited November 7, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[jmcgrath]

This question isn't about cooking but I figured

Why do people use bread boxes and how do they work?

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Bread boxes are even more obsolete than ice boxes. Freezing works quite well as long as the bread isn't fresh out of the oven from your local bakery. Very moist slices will stick together and not be separable unless you defrost the whole loaf.

Jim

[rezcook]

I've heard of folks being able to press on the steak and know its doneness.  What's the trick?

First, take a glass of cold water out to the grill to dip your finger in before you poke the meat. I do this because I am a wuss.

Best way I ever heard this described was the 'face' method. Dip your finger into the water, then poke the steak. If it feels like the middle of your cheek, it's rare. If it feels like your chin (soft but with some bounce-back), it's medium. If it feels like the tip of your nose, it's well-done.

I've heard the same thing about using your face for reference, but I've always used my earlobe to judge a rare steak - I find it works better since my cheek feels different every time I poke at it.

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I think the photo may seem misleading. To my understanding, take your right hand*, palm up, then touch your index fingertip to your thumb tip (like the OK sign). With the fingers of your other hand, feel the largish muscle just below the thumb. This is the "give" of a rare steak.

Now switch from the index to the middle finger. The muscle firms up a bit more, feeling more like a medium rare steak.

Next switch to the ring finger. More firm is similar to a medium steak.

Finally, touch the small fingertip to the thumb tip. That thumb muscle is now quite hard, feeling similar to a well done steak...

Although I find this interesting, I never found it to be very accurate. Not only do I get the feeling from my left finger touching the somewhat firm thumb muscle, but I also experience my thumb muscle being poked by the fingers of my left hand. My brain processes both at once and I then have a difficult time to parallel that to the steak thing...

*note to left handed people: start with your left hand palm up...

[eynkiora]

...Not only do I get the feeling from my left finger touching the somewhat firm thumb muscle, but I also experience my thumb muscle being poked by the fingers of my left hand. My brain processes both at once and I then have a difficult time to parallel that to the steak thing...

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Yeah! I have the same problem with this. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Also, different parts of the cow feel different from each other. A filet mignon is going to be softer than a piece of round steak, even if they're done to the same temperature, right?

[Toliver]

I have a question about molasses. Does it ever go bad?

I have an opened jar in my pantry that seems to have been in there since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Is it still good to use?

Or should I toss the jar?

[snowangel]

I don't think molasses goes bad, it's just if you have already opened it and poured some out, the lid will be glued to the jar!

Another question. What is cream of tartar, and what does it do? (As an aside, some lady in front of me at the grocery the other day was buying 12 jars of it!).

[mkayahara]

Cream of tartar is an acid that's derived from the wine-making process. In my experience, it's mostly used to stabilize whipped egg whites.

[moreace01]

Cream of tartar is an acid that's derived from the wine-making process. In my experience, it's mostly used to stabilize whipped egg whites.

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Right - I think it's often used in royal icings - sounds like the woman at the store was starting her holiday baking.

[andiesenji]

I have a question about molasses. Does it ever go bad?

I have an opened jar in my pantry that seems to have been in there since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Is it still good to use?

Or should I toss the jar?

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Molasses, like honey, can keep for many, many years. If it hardens or crystallizes, simply place the container in a water bath and heat it slowly until it is again liquid. This includes molasses made from sugar cane as well as various other vegetable sources.

My family has made sorghum molasses on the farm for many years and has some still sealed in crocks that was made before I was born (in 1939), recently discovered in a corner of the cellar. Still good!

Of course they now have modern machinery and it is cooked in closed vessels, instead of the open "pans" but the process and the end result is much the same.

[miladyinsanity]

I've heard of folks being able to press on the steak and know its doneness.  What's the trick?

First, take a glass of cold water out to the grill to dip your finger in before you poke the meat. I do this because I am a wuss.

Best way I ever heard this described was the 'face' method. Dip your finger into the water, then poke the steak. If it feels like the middle of your cheek, it's rare. If it feels like your chin (soft but with some bounce-back), it's medium. If it feels like the tip of your nose, it's well-done.

I've heard the same thing about using your face for reference, but I've always used my earlobe to judge a rare steak - I find it works better since my cheek feels different every time I poke at it.

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I think the photo may seem misleading.

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Misleading indeed.

I looked at the photo and was thinking, "shit, how did this person burn/scald his hand like that?"

[rooftop1000]

Cream of tarter is also often in cookies along with baking soda (as the acid)

I didnt have any the first time I made Snickerdoodles and mistakenly ran the chemical process through my head and decided I could use baking powder instead....Yummy little tendar puffy cookies were the result. Years later I found out Snickerdoodles are supposed to be flat and crispy. Bah I like my little puffs instead...

It is 2 tsp of baking powder instead of the Soda and Cream of Tarter that I use if anyone wants puffy little cinnamon cookies

tracey