Absurdly, stupidly basic cooking questions (Part 2)

[CaliPoutine]

I used the buttermilk and the cake came out fine.

[kayb]

From a pie-crust novice: when one uses dried beans or rice as weights when pre-baking a pie crust, can said beans/rice still be cooked as normal? Or should they be set aside and designated as "pie-crust-baking weights"?

[Kerry Beal]

From a pie-crust novice: when one uses dried beans or rice as weights when pre-baking a pie crust, can said beans/rice still be cooked as normal? Or should they be set aside and designated as "pie-crust-baking weights"?

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I keep mine in a jar designated 'pie weights'. I think the dehydration would be an issue with cooking them later.

[sheetz]

Here's something I've wondered about: Why do the instructions for the Reynolds oven roasting bags say to put a tablespoon of flour in the bag? I use them all the time omitting the flour and everything comes out just fine. Is it to help prevent sticking?

[heidih]

Here's something I've wondered about: Why do the instructions for the Reynolds oven roasting bags say to put a tablespoon of flour in the bag? I use them all the time omitting the flour and everything comes out just fine. Is it to help prevent sticking?

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I would think it is to create instant gravy with the juices. Since I never read directions I never noticed that

[sheetz]

Here's something I've wondered about: Why do the instructions for the Reynolds oven roasting bags say to put a tablespoon of flour in the bag? I use them all the time omitting the flour and everything comes out just fine. Is it to help prevent sticking?

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I would think it is to create instant gravy with the juices. Since I never read directions I never noticed that

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I'm sure that's not the answer because the flour doesn't get blended into the juices. The few times I have added the flour it just forms pasty lumps.

[andiesenji]

It's to keep the bag from sticking to itself where there are folds because if it does stick together and steam builds up inside it won't allow for enough expansion and will pop.

If something has sufficient fat in it, it generally won't stick but it has happened to me with a turkey breast.

[judiu]

Ok, when you peel shallots, there are normally two sections inside. I have recipes that call for A shallot. Is that one or both of the sections? Does it really matter if I were to use both? I'm very fond of onion-y flavors!

[MSRadell]

Ok, when you peel shallots, there are normally two sections inside. I have recipes that call for A shallot. Is that one or both of the sections? Does it really matter if I were to use both? I'm very fond of onion-y flavors!

The two sections count as one shallot. Actually I've seen some with three sections and the same thing applies. It's kind of like comparing a clove to a bulb of garlic.

[Chris Amirault]

This, along with the problem of vast differences in size (especially if you shop SE Asian stores), is yet another reason to sign onto the Kitchen Scale Manifesto -- or at the very least indicating amoungs of chopped or minced shallots by volume.

[HowardLi]

Why don't they make non-stick sealed cooktops? They'd be so much easier to clean.

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The PTFE (teflon) in non-stick coatings breaks down under high heat plus it's susceptible to mechanical damage, so it probably wouldn't last long. Plus super-heated teflon releases stuff into the air that you're probably better off not breathing.

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"High heat" as in what we're cooking with? So you're saying it breaks down in our pots and pans, as well, using this same heat to cook with.

What about an anodized coated stove top? Is that any better?

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No. Food contains water, which boils at 100 degrees C (will vary because of impurities). It will not allow temperatures above that until water boils away, at which point some local areas without water will heat above the boiling point. This is the reason why you should not use high heat on empty pans.

There is a small temperature gradient (variation) between the heated bottom of the vessel and the inside of the vessel where the food is, but where it counts (the inside surface), the temperature matches that of the food.

Anodized surfaces are very safe; they are simply strengthened oxide coatings of aluminum. Beware that they can still be susceptible to acid attack just as regular aluminum is.

[judiu]

Ok, when you peel shallots, there are normally two sections inside. I have recipes that call for A shallot. Is that one or both of the sections? Does it really matter if I were to use both? I'm very fond of onion-y flavors!

The two sections count as one shallot. Actually I've seen some with three sections and the same thing applies. It's kind of like comparing a clove to a bulb of garlic.

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Thanks for the info! I figured that 's the way it was, but enjoy my ideas being confirmed

[cathrynapple]

I bought some fresh fava beans, shelled them, blanched them, shocked them, etc. After blanching, I turned off the stove and pushed the pot of hot water to a cold burner and left it there while I finished the bean salad and we had dinner.

Afterwards I was cleaning up the kitchen and found the water in the blanching pot to be bright, bright red. It looked like raspberry koolaid. (after blanching the beans it had been a pale green.)

Why did this happen? It was a stainless steel pot.

[conor610]

Someone spilled food coloring/cranberry juice/blood into the pot?

[Kerry Beal]

I bought some fresh fava beans, shelled them, blanched them, shocked them, etc. After blanching, I turned off the stove and pushed the pot of hot water to a cold burner and left it there while I finished the bean salad and we had dinner.

Afterwards I was cleaning up the kitchen and found the water in the blanching pot to be bright, bright red. It looked like raspberry koolaid. (after blanching the beans it had been a pale green.)

Why did this happen? It was a stainless steel pot.

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I've noticed that when I add a lemon based vinaigrette to asparagus, okra or green beans it will turn red or pink. Perhaps it's a pH issue.

[HKDave]

It's more likely a metal ion issue. Fava beans contain anthocyanin and possibly anthoxanthins, both of which are water-soluble, so after cooking they end up in the water. And both react with metal. From McGee 2nd edition page 281: "And traces of metals in the cooking liquid can generate some very peculiar colors: some anthocyanins and anthoxanthins form grayish, green, blue, red, or brown complexes with iron, aluminum, and tin."

Even though your pot was stainless, it still could have leached some metal into the water over the time it was sitting on the stove. Or the metal could have come from a stirring spoon, strainer or ladle.

This is different than what happens to asparagus or okra... the pigment in those is chlorophyll, which as Kerry Beal noted, can change colour in the presence of acid. But with anthocyanin, a bit of acid does the opposite; it prevents the colour from changing.

[Peter the eater]

An absurdly stupidly cooking questions came up while watching an early episode of Top Chef.

You're doing a surf and turf meal using frog legs -- are they surf or turf?

[MSRadell]

An absurdly stupidly cooking questions came up while watching an early episode of Top Chef.

You're doing a surf and turf meal using frog legs -- are they surf or turf?

BOTH! That way it's a one dish meal.

[nakji]

I was putting together a simple marinade for pork skewers for the first grill of the season (w00t!) last night: lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, pepper and....I was reaching for the salt and then got paralysed - should I be putting salt into a marinade? I was intending to keep the meat in the marinade for about three hours. Should I have been worried about salt leaching moisture out of the meat? The meat in question was pork loin.

[ojisan]

Something that I find annoying: Why is canned broth sold by weight instead of volume? That can of Swanson Chicken Broth contains a Net Weight of 14 oz. Do the marketing departments believe recipes call for "a pound of broth"?

[Special K]

Isn't it 14 fluid ounces?

[Dakki]

I was putting together a simple marinade for pork skewers for the first grill of the season (w00t!) last night: lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, pepper and....I was reaching for the salt and then got paralysed - should I be putting salt into a marinade? I was intending to keep the meat in the marinade for about three hours. Should I have been worried about salt leaching moisture out of the meat? The meat in question was pork loin.

I've always used salt (plain or flavored) or a salty liquid such as soy sauce etc. in my marinades.

Wouldn't the same principle as in brining apply? I'm under the impression brining makes things moister.

[ojisan]

Isn't it 14 fluid ounces?

The can is "Net Wt. 14 Oz.(396 Grams)".

Swansons' boxed broth is "Net Wt. 32 Oz.(2 Lb.)(907g)".

[bmdaniel]

Something that I find annoying: Why is canned broth sold by weight instead of volume? That can of Swanson Chicken Broth contains a Net Weight of 14 oz. Do the marketing departments believe recipes call for "a pound of broth"?

The phrase "A pints a pound the world around" might help you here.

[Anna N]

Isn't it 14 fluid ounces?

The can is "Net Wt. 14 Oz.(396 Grams)".

Swansons' boxed broth is "Net Wt. 32 Oz.(2 Lb.)(907g)".

In "metric" Canada our broth comes in a 900 ml tetra pack!