Current sales, deals, and bargains (Part 2)

[rotuts]

@TdeV

 

Im hoping you can cut out a dose

 

from Fz , w a small sharp knife.

[blue_dolphin]

3 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@ElsieD, how are you going to take a PORTION out of the frozen 16 oz tubs?

 

I'm not @ElsieD, but I've been using those tubs for quite a while and usually keep the "in use" container in the fridge and any spares in the freezer. The stuff is kind of a gel and even from the freezer, it should be possible to use a sharp spoon like a melon baller, grapefruit spoon or the like to scoop out a portion.  

[fledflew]

8 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@ElsieD, how are you going to take a PORTION out of the frozen 16 oz tubs?

I buy the demi by the one pound tubs and dilute it to usable strength in batches.  Usually 1 cup base to 4 cups water.  It takes a while to dissolve and it can be tricky when using small amounts, so the batch process works well for me.  A bit of simmering and whisking is involved.  Once it is prepped, I cool it off, portion into ice cube trays as well as freeze some flat in a tray so that I can break pieces off as needed.  

 

[rotuts]

I tasted a demi and a concentrated stock 

 

both chicken.

 

there demi had a deeper flavor than the stock.

 

this makes a bit os sense as the demi ( should ) have a lot more mallard'd flavors.

 

everything else being equal.

 

the TortedS  had a very deep flavor .

 

one might like this for this sort of thing , or stick w lighter flavored stock.

Edited March 26 by rotuts (log)

[lindag]

EverythingKitchens.com is having a Breville sale.

Check it out.

[ElsieD]

54 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@ElsieD, how are you going to take a PORTION out of the frozen 16 oz tubs?

I assume that since they are quasi-gels, they would be scoopable.  Am I wrong?

[ElsieD]

42 minutes ago, rotuts said:

53 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@ElsieD

 

did you mean 2025 ?

 

Thank you.  Fixed it.

[fledflew]

Just now, ElsieD said:

I assume that since they are quasi-gels, they would be scoopable.  Am I wrong?

I can only comment on the demi glace, as that's the only one I have experience with.  They are scoopable, but also very dense and a bit sticky.  I usually have to use my finger to push the concentrate off the spoon after scooping it out.  If you've used better than bouillon, it's like that but way more dense and gooey - almost gumdrop like.  

[rotuts]

Sooo ...

 

as there are a number of Experienced Users 

 

of the MTG demi here 

 

does it Vac?  or just explode ?

[fledflew]

43 minutes ago, rotuts said:

Sooo ...

 

as there are a number of Experienced Users 

 

of the MTG demi here 

 

does it Vac?  or just explode ?

I'm not sure that I understand your question, "Does it Vac?"  Like can you vacuum pack it?  If that's what you are asking, then yes.  I do dilute it down to the recommended ratio of of 1:4 first, freeze in cubes (Ice cube tray), and then vacuum pack the frozen cubes in bags so it doesn't freezer burn.  I also freeze it in sheets (poured into quart sized freezer ziplocks, squeeze out the air. and lay those flat to freeze).  I end up with about 1/4" thick sheet of frozen demi and I can break off small pieces as needed.    

[ElsieD]

41 minutes ago, fledflew said:

I'm not sure that I understand your question, "Does it Vac?"  Like can you vacuum pack it?  If that's what you are asking, then yes.  I do dilute it down to the recommended ratio of of 1:4 first, freeze in cubes (Ice cube tray), and then vacuum pack the frozen cubes in bags so it doesn't freezer burn.  I also freeze it in sheets (poured into quart sized freezer ziplocks, squeeze out the air. and lay those flat to freeze).  I end up with about 1/4" thick sheet of frozen demi and I can break off small pieces as needed.    

Do you happen to know if one freezes the undiluted semi-glace in ice cube trays, how hard it is to get them out? 

[dtremit]

7 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Do you happen to know if one freezes the undiluted semi-glace in ice cube trays, how hard it is to get them out? 

 

Might be a good use for a silicone ice cube tray or Souper Cubes 2TB tray

[fledflew]

10 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Do you happen to know if one freezes the undiluted semi-glace in ice cube trays, how hard it is to get them out? 

I haven't done it myself, but I think it would be messy getting the undiluted demi into the trays - it's pretty thick and sticky stuff.  You might have to use an icing spatula or something like that to smear in and fill up the ice cube trays.  As @dtremit mentioned in the previous comment, flexible silicone trays are the way to go.  

Another option would be to spread out the undiluted demi on a silpat into a sheet, freezing that, and then cutting it in to cubes for portioning.  

 

Side note, is a separate MTG demi and stock base thread appropriate at this time?  

[blue_dolphin]

16 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Do you happen to know if one freezes the undiluted semi-glace in ice cube trays, how hard it is to get them out? 

As @fledflew said, it's pretty thick and sticky.  I've never tried to heat it up enough to make it pourable. If it’s important for you to freeze it in cubes, I think I’d take it out of the tub and use a knife to slice it up into the needed size. 

[rotuts]

@ElsieD

 

Id sugest freezing ' as is '

 

my question about Vac'ing .

 

is taking the 1 lb tub , placing it in a freezer bag , 

 

open  , abit , and vac'ing , to prevent freezer burn.

 

then opening the bag , from Fz , taking out whaat you need right then

 

the re-vacc'ing , in the same bag , as you picked a bag

 

w headroom , and continuing on from their.

 

Ill try it tomorrow , w a small unit.    I don't know what the vacuum will do to the paste.

 

more later on that.

 

Id rather work from the concentrate , than add the step of dilution .

 

that step might not be imp[ortatnt to me .

 

certainly , this sale has produced many ideas here 

 

excellent I say.

[rotuts]

well, I hope you have a very large Personal Beverage

 

that you've well gotten into :

 

the WHPS purchased the last 10lb vat of 

 

 

can you believe that ?

 

 

and BTW

 

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

had the right idea :

 

purchasing all the 1 lbs via subscribe and save 

 

saving 5 % on the oder 

 

' every 6 months '

 

by then , there would not be any more .

 

now that's very savvy shopping 

 

it did occur to me earlier in the day.

 

maybe subliminally .

 

 

Edited March 26 by rotuts (log)

[fledflew]

@rotuts I have vacuumed the full strength demi paste once in the past, but it was in a bag after removal from the tub and smushed out into a sheet.  I was not able to break off pieces as needed - it was too dense.  If I wanted to use some, I'd need to peel away the bag, cut off what I wanted, and then reseal.  This causes more wear and tear on bags since it's being handled a lot and is a bit of a hassle.   

 

My reason for diluting is really to help dissolve and incorporate the demi faster when cooking.  The concentrate takes a bit of time and agitation to dissolve - it doesn't just melt away.  If I am making a pan sauce and add the full strength concentrate straight into the simmering pan sauce, I have to chase it around the pan and cook it for several minutes.  Often, those minutes spent simmering on the stove waiting for concentrate to dissolve reduced the sauce too much or cooked things longer than I wanted to.  Also, I wasn't a fan of spending time at the stove physically stirring the little nub of concentrate and scraping it off my spoon constantly.  Dilution to usable strength in batches solves those issues for me.  

[rotuts]

@fledflew

 

fine tips from your experience.

 

you are quite right in the the demi is very concentrated .

 

' more is always a bit better  '  might be an appealing idea

 

in the case of MTG demi :

 

' a bit less is best '

 

for a pan deduction sauce. 

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, rotuts said:

Soooo ... @Kerry Beal

 

what's inside that box ?

Not sure - I'll have to figure out what I bought when I open it. 

[ElsieD]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

well, I hope you have a very large Personal Beverage

 

that you've well gotten into :

 

the WHPS purchased the last 10lb vat of 

 

 

can you believe that ?

 

 

and BTW

 

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

had the right idea :

 

purchasing all the 1 lbs via subscribe and save 

 

saving 5 % on the oder 

 

' every 6 months '

 

by then , there would not be any more .

 

now that's very savvy shopping 

 

it did occur to me earlier in the day.

 

maybe subliminally .

 

 

What or who is WHPS?

[rotuts]

@ElsieD

 

Woods Hole Pellet Society

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/164538-cooking-with-a-pellet-grill/

 

[btbyrd]

If you're buying the small tubs for consumer use, the MTG stuff will last basically forever in your fridge. Like six months to a year. Just use clean utensils when you go in each time. If you wanted to freeze it in cubes, you could always dunk the bottom of the ice cube trays into warm water to help them release.

[chromedome]

20 hours ago, dans said:

I stopped by my local Home Goods (Marshall's or TJMax) and found they were selling Mauviel cookware. I saw both the copper and Inox.  I didn't have a micrometer with me so I couldn't tell if it was the 1.5mm, 2.0mm, or 2.5mm. They had cast iron handles and were pretty heavy.

LOL "Don't leave home without it..."

 

I'll have to take a look at my local Marshall's. I have no immediate need for anything, but if they have Mauviel at a manageable price I might talk myself into something. On second thought, I should probably stay out of Marshall's for a while. I might talk myself into something.

[Kerry Beal]

19 hours ago, rotuts said:

Soooo ... @Kerry Beal

 

what's inside that box ?

 

Here you go.

[ElsieD]

Is it possible to dilute the 16 oz. tubs say 1 part demi-glace to 1 part water and freeze that in ice cube trays?  @fledflew said uptrend he used a ratio of 1:4 but to save room I wonder if 1:1 or 1:2 might work.