Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[Smithy]

50 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I have a 10 day old seeded sourdough baguette which I never cut into.

I'm wondering if I can use this baguette to make a Panzanella (Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Salad)

 

or whether I should just buy a new baguette

(I don't want to break anyone's teeth)

 

 

I think you should be able to make a nice Panzanella with it, provided your tomatoes are juicy enough. The whole idea is to let the bread soak up the juices of the tomatoes and dressing.

[heidih]

On 2/19/2022 at 12:46 PM, heidih said:

When I made a beautiful pork butt last weekend I had so much clear fat in the roasting pan. I ladled it into a jar not sure if to save or not. I'd not done that before and just wanteed it contained to toss. As you can  see from the image the fat rose and at the bottom are congealed juices. I think the fat is sealing the juices, but should I freeze or ok to store in fridge. i do wantt use the bottomllayer but don't want to puncture the "seal".  The pork sat on orange w/ rind slices and rosemary sprigs, and was rubbed with garlic and Mexican oregano.  I used a bit of the fat this morning to saute onion and garlic for my crock pot split pea soup. The kitchen smelled wonderful so I'd lke to keep the jar, safely, as I foresee excellent uses. Pleny of room in both fridge and freezer.Thoughts? 

(i rotated it enough to make me dizzy and it keeps thumbing its nose at me - but I think you get the point)

Updating that I of course did not follow direction. Put in fridge. Used all the fat over several dishes. Seems contradictory, but truly the fat had a clen taste but still provided a lovely legacy of the aromstics from the roast. Once I got down to the jello layer I froze the jar. Took it out yesterdayand used in a simle pork bone broth based souo with vegetables and egg noodle. Amazig depth and satisfying. And I'm alive  

[kayb]

Food safety question. I moved a vacuum-sealed package of ground beef from freezer to fridge last week (midweek, I think). It's been there ever since. No color change. No puffing or swelling in bag. Can't testify to smell as it's still vac-packed. Safe to go ahead and cook, possibly 8 days after removal from freezer?

 

[pastrygirl]

1 hour ago, kayb said:

Food safety question. I moved a vacuum-sealed package of ground beef from freezer to fridge last week (midweek, I think). It's been there ever since. No color change. No puffing or swelling in bag. Can't testify to smell as it's still vac-packed. Safe to go ahead and cook, possibly 8 days after removal from freezer?

 

 

I'd think so, because it would have still been frozen for the first few days, then kept at a safe temp.  And you're going to cook it ... but I never buy ground beef, would you not normally expect  it to keep a week? 

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, kayb said:

Food safety question. I moved a vacuum-sealed package of ground beef from freezer to fridge last week (midweek, I think). It's been there ever since. No color change. No puffing or swelling in bag. Can't testify to smell as it's still vac-packed. Safe to go ahead and cook, possibly 8 days after removal from freezer?

 

 

I'd open it. If I didn't like the smell I'd (heh) chuck it then. I think it should be plenty safe, based on your description.

 

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

 

I'd think so, because it would have still been frozen for the first few days, then kept at a safe temp.  And you're going to cook it ... but I never buy ground beef, would you not normally expect  it to keep a week? 

 

Unless it was vacuum-packed, I don't think I'd keep ground beef in the refrigerator that long. I may have done it, can't swear either way though. 

[lindag]

2 hours ago, kayb said:

Food safety question. I moved a vacuum-sealed package of ground beef from freezer to fridge last week (midweek, I think). It's been there ever since. No color change. No puffing or swelling in bag. Can't testify to smell as it's still vac-packed. Safe to go ahead and cook, possibly 8 days after removal from freezer?

 

If it came from my freezer to my fridge I wouldn't be overly concerned but I keep both at super-cold temperatures...the lowest I can set them; I think -4 in the freezer and 34 in the fridge.  So I guess a lot depends on that.

[SLB]

So, my survey late last night found that all internet affirmations that latkes can be happily frozen are talking about already-cooked latkes which are then frozen.  

 

Is there some reason nobody freezes their latkes raw but pattied-up??  Does something bad happen to potatoes in the freezer???

[FauxPas]

53 minutes ago, SLB said:

So, my survey late last night found that all internet affirmations that latkes can be happily frozen are talking about already-cooked latkes which are then frozen.  

 

Is there some reason nobody freezes their latkes raw but pattied-up??  Does something bad happen to potatoes in the freezer???

 

Don't raw potatoes sometimes turn black when frozen? But there's also a textural thing, I think. They can become mushy after thawing. I only freeze cooked ones, but not even sure why that is. I think I was just told not to freeze raw sometime in the past. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by FauxPas (log)

[SLB]

I am embarrassed to report that one can find the answer to this question by googling "freezing raw potatoes".

 

I have nothing to say about why I didn't think about that option until @FauxPas's kind response.  

 

Did I mention, it was late?   It's been raining for three days, maybe that's it.  

 

I don't know about me, y'all.

 

But that is another thread . . . .

[TdeV]

I've just unearthed a couple packets of short ribs from the freezer. The seal has failed and the ribs look a little freezer-burnt.

 

Would you cook them or throw them out?

 

I was thinking of braising them. Foolish?

[Smithy]

25 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I've just unearthed a couple packets of short ribs from the freezer. The seal has failed and the ribs look a little freezer-burnt.

 

Would you cook them or throw them out?

 

I was thinking of braising them. Foolish?

 

It depends on the circumstances. I would cook them anyway, unless the materials for braising were super high-priced or special and difficult to come by. Freezer burn is distasteful if you can taste it, but it isn't dangerous. I taste it much more readily than my husband, so he's been happy (or at least happier) with meals I'd prepared and found too freezer-burned.

 

And yes, I think braising is the way to go. Make an excellent sauce!  

[lindag]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

I've just unearthed a couple packets of short ribs from the freezer. The seal has failed and the ribs look a little freezer-burnt.

 

Would you cook them or throw them out?

 

I was thinking of braising them. Foolish?

 

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

 

It depends on the circumstances. I would cook them anyway, unless the materials for braising were super high-priced or special and difficult to come by. Freezer burn is distasteful if you can taste it, but it isn't dangerous. I taste it much more readily than my husband, so he's been happy (or at least happier) with meals I'd prepared and found too freezer-burned.

 

And yes, I think braising is the way to go. Make an excellent sauce!  

I would absolutely cook them

[heidih]

24 minutes ago, lindag said:

 

I would absolutely cook them

But I'd be inclined to give the a pre-cook bath for  a couple miniutes in a boil of water doused with soy sauce - a "funk eliminator". Then braie ir simmer away with flavorful stuff.

[georgeabshire]

Would it ruin the fluffiness?

 

[pastrygirl]

Not necessarily.  Chocolate mousse, chocolate souffle, and other fluffy chocolate things exist.  The temperature of the chocolate is important, it needs to be warm enough to not immediately set up when added to the cooler batter. 

 

 

[Orbit]

This is a cooking-related question: I just bought an All Clad stainless steel frying pan. Does it need any kind of seasoning? Is there anything I should be aware of in caring for it/using it?

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, Orbit said:

This is a cooking-related question: I just bought an All Clad stainless steel frying pan. Does it need any kind of seasoning? Is there anything I should be aware of in caring for it/using it?

No seasoning needed.  Do be generous with oils in order to avoid sticking. (A houseguest once used my largest All-Clad skillet to cook eggs for a house full of guests. He meant well, but the cleanup was awful! My large nonstick skillet would have been a better choice for eggs, but he was already cooking by the time I arrived in the kitchen.) Handwash if you want to keep that beautiful exterior shiny. Enjoy the sauces you'll make from the fond!

Edited June 3, 2022 by Smithy
Corrected spelling errors (log)

[Alex]

11 minutes ago, Orbit said:

This is a cooking-related question: I just bought an All Clad stainless steel frying pan. Does it need any kind of seasoning? Is there anything I should be aware of in caring for it/using it?

 

Those pans taste much better with some sort of strong seasoning, e.g., berbere. If instead you decide to cook with it, seasoning the pan isn't necessary.

 

Re caring for it, remember that it's not a hammer. Oh, and don't hit people or objects with it.

[Alex]

4 hours ago, Orbit said:

Is there anything I should be aware of in caring for it/using it?

 

Nearly everything you read, even from reputable sources, says that before frying or sautéing most foods you should heat the pan before adding oil. And nearly all of those folks say it's because the cooking surface has microscopic pores that close up when heated, ergo less opportunity for sticking. This notion might have been debunked somewhere, but I can't seem to locate it at the moment.

 

Harold McGee does indeed say to preheat the pan, but that's because "The longer the oil spends in contact with the hot surface, especially metal, the more time it has to be broken down by the extreme conditions and exposure to oxygen. Broken-down oil gets viscous and gummy, and even a slight degree of this can contribute to sticking and residues on the food." However, Kenji López-Alt says, "You may be asking why you can't preheat the pan, then add the oil, and the answer is that you can, technically. The problem is that without oil in it, it's very difficult to determine how hot a pan actually is. Starting with oil in the pan is a good indicator of how hot the pan is. We know that shimmering oil is hotter than pooled oil (it starts shimmering at around 300 to 400°F), while smoking oil is hotter still (depending on the type of oil, this begins at around 450 to 500°F). The oil is a built-in temperature indicator."

[haresfur]

23 hours ago, Alex said:

 

Those pans taste much better with some sort of strong seasoning, e.g., berbere. If instead you decide to cook with it, seasoning the pan isn't necessary.

 

Re caring for it, remember that it's not a hammer. Oh, and don't hit people or objects with it.

 

The All Clad pan is my go-to for tenderizing chicken.

[weinoo]

On 6/3/2022 at 1:04 PM, Smithy said:

Enjoy the sauces you'll make from the fond!

 

Just don't tell @rotuts!

 

On 6/3/2022 at 5:37 PM, Alex said:

However, Kenji López-Alt says, "You may be asking why you can't preheat the pan, then add the oil, and the answer is that you can, technically. The problem is that without oil in it, it's very difficult to determine how hot a pan actually is. Starting with oil in the pan is a good indicator of how hot the pan is. We know that shimmering oil is hotter than pooled oil (it starts shimmering at around 300 to 400°F), while smoking oil is hotter still (depending on the type of oil, this begins at around 450 to 500°F). The oil is a built-in temperature indicator."

 

How did we ever survive in the kitchen before Kenji was born? It's a miracle!

[Anna N]

On 6/5/2022 at 7:24 AM, weinoo said:

 

Just don't tell @rotuts!

 

 

How did we ever survive in the kitchen before Kenji was born? It's a miracle!

I confess that I used to be such a fan but the bloom is off the roses. 

[rotuts]

since a couple of things just came up :

 

this turned up via the SV thread , and an Rx for CkThighs SV 

 

w skin :   crispin up the skin :

 

""""  

 I find useful is one I got from Michael Voltaggio's sous-vide chicken recipe. In it, he presses the chicken thighs so that the skin lies flat, making it easier to crisp.

 

J. Kenji López-Alt

I also tried cooking it in various types of material. Cast iron and nonstick proved to be the most effective at crisping the chicken thighs without letting them stick to the pan (though nonstick showed a slight advantage in that arena).

 

for Informational Purposes .

[ElsieD]

I'm having my sister and her friend over for dinner on Saturday.  We are making homemade cannelloni including the pasta for a main course.  There will be freshly baked focaccia as well, but my dilemma is, what do I serve as a side dish?  Is a salad the only alternative?  It seems like the main course needs something else, but what?

[Smithy]

4 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I'm having my sister and her friend over for dinner on Saturday.  We are making homemade cannelloni including the pasta for a main course.  There will be freshly baked focaccia as well, but my dilemma is, what do I serve as a side dish?  Is a salad the only alternative?  It seems like the main course needs something else, but what?

 

I'd go for something green / light /raw. If salad doesn't appeal, what about a veg plate with dipping sauces (aioli, pesto, hummus, tzadziki) or an antipasto salad / plate? Either of those ideas could be served as a first course or on the side at the same time.