Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[Katie Meadow]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

True (I've seen similar reports), but the legal shark fin market is in sharp declne. President Xi banned it from all official entertainment (where most fin was eaten) both nationally and at local level. Also, a growing public awareness of the horrific harvesting methds has had an effect.

 

Yes, there will still be black market supplies, but they too have been curtailed. How far new attitudes will take things, remains to be seen.

Okay, that makes me feel a teensy bit better. I'm having one of those days when everything grim comes flying out of the walls. I just bailed on a sci-fi movie that was just too depressing.

[MaryIsobel]

 I am cooking two prime rib roasts for my daughters' and soon-to-be SIL's birthdays tonight. Two because they were on sale for the mind blowing price of 5.99 Cdn/lb but the largest they had were about 6 pounds. I am feeding 4 young men, my 2 daughters and my husband and myself. I'm sure the boys could polish off a 6 lb roast between the 4 of them.

Sooo, my question is this: I have had great success with the method of cooking 5 minutes per pound at 500 degrees, then turning the oven off and leaving it with the door closed for 2 hours. One roast is 5.7 pounds, the other is 5.3 pounds. Would you average it out and cook them for 27.5 minutes at 500? Or would you add some time due to the fact that there are two? They will be room temp going in and I have a large enough roasting pan that they can keep their distance from one another.

[ElsieD]

11 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

 I am cooking two prime rib roasts for my daughters' and soon-to-be SIL's birthdays tonight. Two because they were on sale for the mind blowing price of 5.99 Cdn/lb but the largest they had were about 6 pounds. I am feeding 4 young men, my 2 daughters and my husband and myself. I'm sure the boys could polish off a 6 lb roast between the 4 of them.

Sooo, my question is this: I have had great success with the method of cooking 5 minutes per pound at 500 degrees, then turning the oven off and leaving it with the door closed for 2 hours. One roast is 5.7 pounds, the other is 5.3 pounds. Would you average it out and cook them for 27.5 minutes at 500? Or would you add some time due to the fact that there are two? They will be room temp going in and I have a large enough roasting pan that they can keep their distance from one another.

 

I don't know the answer to your question but who had the prime rib roast for sale?

[rotuts]

@MaryIsobel

 

\ound very interesting

 

 I hope you might share some before and after pics.

 

thank you

[MaryIsobel]

18 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

I don't know the answer to your question but who had the prime rib roast for sale?

Our local Co-Op. Best meat anywhere around and honest-to-goodness butchers that will do anything for you.

[MaryIsobel]

12 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@MaryIsobel

 

\ound very interesting

 

 I hope you might share some before and after pics.

 

thank you

I'll try - can get a bit crazy at serving time.

 

[AlaMoi]

theory holds that two will cook the same as one . . .

they may vary a bit because there is meat mass to absorb the heat when the oven is turned off....

[MaryIsobel]

The roasts turned out well - somewhere between medium rare and rare which is how we like it. They read 127 when I took them out. With the method that I used, there is no resting time. I didn't have a chance to take a photo, but before I heat up the remaining in au jus for beef dip tonight, I'll try to remember to take a picure.

[MaryIsobel]

Here 's the after  picture. Both roasts were AAA prime rib; one was 5.3 lbs, the other 5.7. Salted and left uncovered in the fridge for about 36 hours. Out of the fridge to come to room temp for about 2.5 hours. Cooked them at 500F for 28 minutes, turned the oven off (and threatened expulsion from my home to anyone who opened the oven before 2 hours was up.) It was just perfect for our taste - I mentioned that we like it between rare and medium rare which is really hard to express in a restaurant! Served with au jus, garlic smashed potatoes, roasted sprouts and caesar salad. Beef dip and caesar salad for dinner tonight. Will make beef and barley soup with the remaining meat and bones. 

[MaryIsobel]

37 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Here 's the after  picture. Both roasts were AAA prime rib; one was 5.3 lbs, the other 5.7. Salted and left uncovered in the fridge for about 36 hours. Out of the fridge to come to room temp for about 2.5 hours. Cooked them at 500F for 28 minutes, turned the oven off (and threatened expulsion from my home to anyone who opened the oven before 2 hours was up.) It was just perfect for our taste - I mentioned that we like it between rare and medium rare which is really hard to express in a restaurant! Served with au jus, garlic smashed potatoes, roasted sprouts and caesar salad. Beef dip and caesar salad for dinner tonight. Will make beef and barley soup with the remaining meat and bones. 

My cutting board looks filthy in this picture - I can assure you that it is white when washed - I guess it was the outside of the beef that gave it that disgusting look!

 

[ElsieD]

Can I make and cook scalloped potatoes a day ahead of when I want them and re-heat before serving?

[lindag]

3 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Can I make and cook scalloped potatoes a day ahead of when I want them and re-heat before serving?

How about doing them this way?

here.

[MaryIsobel]

When I want to get all fancy for company, I make this the day before: https://reluctantentertainer.com/potato-fennel-gratin-recipe/, then refrigerate it and cut it into circles or squares and gently reheat the next day. It is not fennel forward as the fennel sweetens as it bakes. People seem to love it and can't figure out what it is that makes it taste different from most scalloped potatoes.

[ElsieD]

16 hours ago, lindag said:

How about doing them this way?

here.

Genius.  Thank you.

[PetarG]

So I wish to get better at making pies, specifically the custard pie. I only have a tart pan (removable bottom) and thus pouring in a custard and then putting the entire thing into the oven is a bit tricky, unless I want to add way less custard. I use a 4:2:1 by weight milk (or cream), egg and sugar.

 

My question is - would pre-cooking the custard (instead of just scalding it) to a creme anglaise consisteny, and then baking help (because then it is more viscous, not going to overflow easily)? Should I then pre-bake the crust more? I will get a wide-edge pie pan ultimately, but I want to hear your experiences.

 

Pie dough is no problem though, I am okay at that.

Edited January 25 by PetarG (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

6 minutes ago, PetarG said:

then putting the entire thing into the oven is a bit tricky

I've always filled the shell about 3/4 full and then when it was sitting solidly on the oven Shelf, I poured in the rest of the filling.

Edited January 25 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[PetarG]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I've always filled the shell about 3/4 full and then when it was sitting solidly on the oven Shelf, I poured in the rest of the filling.

 

Looks like I'll have to re-arrange my living quarters a bit. I am in a small apartment and there's barely enough space between the oven and a cupboard to fully put in a sheet pan.

 

Wait, this is a cooking subforum. How would I transfer the preceding post to a pastry topic?

[Tropicalsenior]

2 minutes ago, PetarG said:

 

Looks like I'll have to re-arrange my living quarters a bit. I am in a small apartment and there's barely enough space between the oven and a cupboard to fully put in a sheet pan.

 

Wait, this is a cooking subforum. How would I transfer the preceding post to a pastry topic?

No, you have come to the right topic. You are bound to get more answers. If you don't have room for a sheet pan, I have a 12-in Pizza Pan that I use under any pie that I bake. It's not too big to handle and it catches any spills that might come out of the pie.

[PetarG]

22 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

No, you have come to the right topic. You are bound to get more answers. If you don't have room for a sheet pan, I have a 12-in Pizza Pan that I use under any pie that I bake. It's not too big to handle and it catches any spills that might come out of the pie.

 

Well I just tasted the pie after it cooled down a bit and it has a really eggy taste - I used whole eggs, should I use yolks instead? Kinda weird since I use the same ratio for creme caramel and the taste is never eggy. They do spend a night in the fridge though.

[Tropicalsenior]

16 minutes ago, PetarG said:

Well I just tasted the pie after it cooled down a bit and it has a really eggy taste

This is the recipe that I have used the last couple times that I made custard pie and it turned out beautifully. The ratio of egg to cream is the one that I have always used. It also explains in this article that custard pie that is over baked can taste like scrambled eggs. You want to bake it until there is still some jiggle in the middle.

This is also the method that I use. I do not cook the filling before I put it in the pie.

Edited January 25 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[PetarG]

Thanks. After a night's stay, the taste is way less eggy. A nice topping of sauteed apples with sugar would be a great adition. When you pour in the liquid custard, would you advise pricking the dough? I feel it may soak into the base, making it chewy. Dough is pricked to prevent rising of the base, which can also be prevented with weights.

[TdeV]

Thought I had notes about this, but I can't find any.

 

I recall someone stating that buttermilk never actually (really) expired, thus it could be used for cooking months after the expiry date.

 

In my case I want to marinate some chicken in it.

 

Is this an okay plan?

[lindag]

Just now, TdeV said:

Thought I had notes about this, but I can't find any.

 

I recall someone stating that buttermilk never actually (really) expired, thus it could be used for cooking months after the expiry date.

 

In my case I want to marinate some chicken in it.

 

Is this an okay plan?

 

Good question, I wonder about this too.  Can't tell you how much buttermilk I've thrown out simply because I never got around to using it.

[ElsieD]

I freeze buttermilk in 1/4 cup portions.

[rotuts]

@TdeV

 

Id toss out yhr buttermilk

 

why risk it ?

 

use some yogurt  for your marinade instead.

 

id you don't have yogurt ,  put a little lemon joke in some milk and use that instead.

 

or milk and any acid.