Cooking questions from a rank amateur

[RSincere]

Hey all, I already introduced myself a little bit in the "What's for Dinner" thread, so here I'll just say that I've been teaching myself to cook for the past 10 years or so, but only cooking meat for the past 2 years. I started with the sub-Sandra Lee style 10 years ago (eccchhhh) and now I'm going through the book "How to Cook Everything" and trying lots of recipes from there. I am very much a slave to a recipe, I am not naturally talented at cooking like most of you seem to be. I have some questions that I haven't found the answer to--it would be great to get some guidance!

1. I tried capers for the first time yesterday. When a recipe calls for 1 tsp. capers, it seems like exactly one caper would fit in a teaspoon. I'm supposed to chop it, right? I mean, duh. But when I do that, it gets kind of pasty and won't "sprinkle" on the top of the food, and you don't taste it.

2. I have a slab of mystery meat in my freezer. It is in a Ziploc baggie, looks to be about a pound to a pound and a quarter. Whatever it is, I wouldn't have paid more than $3/pound for it, and it was most likely on the low end of $2/pound, because I rarely if ever pay more for meat. I don't think it's sirloin, I had some sirloins in another part of the freezer and it doesn't look like those. Any suggestions on how to cook it so as not to waste it?

3. I can't drink alcohol. I opened a bottle of red wine for a pan sauce last night. I only used 3/4 cup. I know you can put it in the fridge, but how fast do I have to use it now? I mean, this bottle will last me a loooooong time, given that most recipes I have call for 1/4 cup here and there. I have read that you can freeze wine in cooking portions, is that true?

4. Why do my hamburgers fall apart in the pan, so I have to serve loose-meat sandwiches? I would like to be able to flavor them. As of now I buy the pre-formed patties, those turn out okay if not a little too well-done.

I know I have more questions, but I'll try to annoy y'all in small doses. Thank you!

[Big Bunny]

1) Some capers are teaspoon-sized, others about the size of bb-s. I love capers and always use more than the rx calls for, anyway.

2) Label packages - always - not sometimes like I do. Almost any piece of meat that size will respond to being braised.

3) Freeze the wine in an icecube tray, then throw the cubes into a baggie.

4) I love Marion Cunningham's version of the Fannie Farmer cookbook. Get it and learn how to make almost anything "normal." TVP always falls apart.

BB

[mark922]

1. I tried capers for the first time yesterday. When a recipe calls for 1 tsp. capers, it seems like exactly one caper would fit in a teaspoon. I'm supposed to chop it, right? I mean, duh. But when I do that, it gets kind of pasty and won't "sprinkle" on the top of the food, and you don't taste it.

2. I have a slab of mystery meat in my freezer. It is in a Ziploc baggie, looks to be about a pound to a pound and a quarter. Whatever it is, I wouldn't have paid more than $3/pound for it, and it was most likely on the low end of $2/pound, because I rarely if ever pay more for meat. I don't think it's sirloin, I had some sirloins in another part of the freezer and it doesn't look like those. Any suggestions on how to cook it so as not to waste it?

3. I can't drink alcohol. I opened a bottle of red wine for a pan sauce last night. I only used 3/4 cup. I know you can put it in the fridge, but how fast do I have to use it now? I mean, this bottle will last me a loooooong time, given that most recipes I have call for 1/4 cup here and there. I have read that you can freeze wine in cooking portions, is that true?

4. Why do my hamburgers fall apart in the pan, so I have to serve loose-meat sandwiches? I would like to be able to flavor them. As of now I buy the pre-formed patties, those turn out okay if not a little too well-done.

I know I have more questions, but I'll try to annoy y'all in small doses. Thank you!

1. Capers come in all sizes. The smaller ones are actually better for flavoring and texture. It sounds like you have fairly large capers. These can easily be used up in tartar sauce or in tuna salad.

2. If you don't know what the meat is, then just toss it. You have said you couldn't have paid very much for it, and if it's that unidentifiable, it's probably way past its prime.

3. With burgers, the trick is to form a ball, then gently flatten it out, working from the center. Try to work the meat as little as possible, but make sure the patty holds together before you put it in the pan. Also, don't be afraid to use just a little bit of oil to lube up the pan, if you aren't cooking in a well-seasoned skillet (and if you aren't, you should be). Last but not least, don't try to flip too soon. Let the burgers form a nice brown crust before you try to flip them.

[Toliver]

Regarding the wine, if it's been open too long without doing the ice cube trick, you can always use it to make your own vinegar. There's a vinegar-making discussion around here somewhere.

As for the loose meat burgers, what fat content is your beef? If your hamburger is too lean to start off with, it can fall apart on you when cooking/eating. The fat in the meat act as a sort of binder as it cooks.

You can also add an egg to the meat as a binder, too.

[rich]

If the size of your caper is a teaspoon, it's probably a caper berry. Buy the small size (about half the size of a pea).

Edited June 21, 2004 by rich (log)

[RSincere]

Thanks for the responses.

I didn't know about the smaller capers. I will look for those the next time I go grocery shopping.

About the mystery meat, it's not that it's unidentifiable as meat, it's just that I am not good at figuring out what a cut is supposed to look like, and I can't remember what I bought. From now on, I'll label everything! I'm torn between braising it and throwing it out. It's at least a couple of months old.

I just buy the regular ground chuck from my butcher, it's $1.69/lb. I'm assuming that's a pretty high fat content. I think I'm trying to flip it too often. When I put chopped onions in it, maybe I should mince them or grate them? Maybe my chopped pieces are too big? I will try the "ball" trick. I don't have a well-seasoned skillet; I have a hodgepodge of scratched up teflon frying (?) pans from thrift stores and some of my mom's old pots and pans from the '70s. I have learned that I need to use oil

I only opened the wine yesterday, so there is still time to freeze it.

Thanks again, everyone, for your help.

[balmagowry]

The good tiny capers are usually labeled "Nonpareil Capers," and you'll usually find them in tiny expensive jars. If you love them as I do and are daunted by the price, take heart and look further - there are a lot of places where you can buy these tiny capers by the pint or the quart, and amazingly cheap. Best deal I've seen is about 5 bucks for a quart jar - brand was Victoria, I believe. Costco often has them - so do more and more supermarkets in these parts, though not as cheap (but still a way better deal than that tiny overpriced jar - and the capers are just as good).

Toliver's point about the fat content of your hamburgers is an important one, not only as regards making them hold together, but also in the matter of making them taste good. I never use anything leaner than 80% for a burger - leaner than that and there isn't enough of a burger flavor to 'em. Also, while I concur with Mark922 about forming a ball and about not over-handling the meat, I would add that the moment when it is a ball is the moment for handling. If at that point you get it sufficiently squished together so that the texture of the outer surface becomes a bit smoother and tighter, you can tell that it will hold together well. Then no need to flatten it much until it's actually on the grill or in the skillet; and even then, save some of the flattening action for the second side - by that time the first side will already be cohesive and will help the rest stay together, if you see what I mean.

EDIT: if your mystery meat is only a couple of months old, it certainly isn't too old to use. Maybe if you take it out and let it defrost it will be easier to tell what it was. Even if not - might as well do something with it, if only making Mystery Stock. What the hell - those mystery packages sometimes hold delicious surprises! BTW I very often freeze meat with its original packaging - even if I've repackaged it first I keep the part with the label and stick it where it will be visible and legible when I encounter it again.

Edited June 21, 2004 by balmagowry (log)

[Suzanne F]

Personally, I would not put raw onions into my hamburgers because they won't really cook by the time the burgers are done. However, if you wish to persist in that foolishness grate them, so they are in the tiniest possible pieces and have a prayer of cooking.

But caramelized onions on top, now that's another story. Use the Google feature here to find the thread on caramelized onions. Sooooooooooooooo wonderful!

[RSincere]

I would add that the moment when it is a ball is the moment for handling. If at that point you get it sufficiently squished together so that the texture of the outer surface becomes a bit smoother and tighter, you can tell that it will hold together well. Then no need to flatten it much until it's actually on the grill or in the skillet; and even then, save some of the flattening action for the second side - by that time the first side will already be cohesive and will help the rest stay together, if you see what I mean.

But when you do it that way, how do you keep it from getting really overcooked on the outside and still flat-out raw in the middle? I like my meat really rare, but burnt on the outside and cold in the middle is not what I'm aiming for. That happened to me when I tried to do them like Sara Moulton did on TV, really thick.

Personally, I would not put raw onions into my hamburgers because they won't really cook by the time the burgers are done.

See, this is why I need to be here. I'm glad you told me this. I do love caramelized onions, I will check out that thread because I don't think I've ever done them right.

NEXT QUESTIONS:

Any tips on simmering? This sounds stupid, but whenever I have a recipe that says something like "cover and simmer for 20 minutes," I groan. I can't seem to find that space between the liquid just steaming but not bubbling, and a full-on boil. I end up varying between the two states for 20 minutes and hoping that does the trick. I do have a gas stovetop so I can't use the electric burner excuse.

My next situation: I used a fork to pierce open the plastic on a container of raw chicken. The fork didn't go into the chicken, but of course the plastic had chicken germs on it or whatever. I went to the sink, turned on the water, and rinsed the fork briefly. Then I absentmindedly used that same fork to stir up a jar of chicken base! The base is kept refrigerated. Do I have to throw away that whole jar? I had just gotten it from Sam's Club.

Thank you again, to all who are patient enough to help me with this stuff. I do read a lot and research on my own, if not, my questions would fill pages and pages! It's so wonderful to have experienced people to talk to.

[Al_Dente]

I'm torn between braising it and throwing it out.

I think I'm trying to flip it too often.

Braise it! You should be able to make something cheaply, so what's the harm in giving a braise a try?

Try not to flip much. Ideally, I think you should only have to give it one flip, though a second one might be necessary should the first side not be as cooked as you'd like.

[phaelon56]

1. Yes - the big ones are caper berries and I'm surprised that you ended up with those. I throw them into fish dishes and seafood stews for flavor and that sort of thing but most stores seems to stock only the small capers.

2. If the meat has been on there for a year or less and does not have noticeable freezer burn it should be okay for a stew. Thaw it out, cut into chunks and braise with some of the leftover red wine and some beef stock. Throw in a few potatoes, some carrots, onions and celery in with it. Braise for an hour or two and then thicken the stock. Even older beef that is a cheaper cut can work pretty well as stew.

3. I don't drink either. I buy Sutter Home or a comparable brand of Merlot and Chardonnay (or Sauvignon Blanc) in four packs of 8 oz bottles withh screw caps. It's perfect for making sauces, reductions, poaching fruit etc. When I use half of the 8 oz bottle the remainder keeps well enough in the fridge for a week or two.

4. I've never made hamburgers at home but the suggestions made already are good ones. Be careful with the egg - it works but a little goes a long way. If you still have problems try sticking the patties in the freezer for about ten minutes before throwing them in the skillet. They won't freeze but they'll firm up that way and it might help.

[balmagowry]

I would add that the moment when it is a ball is the moment for handling. If at that point you get it sufficiently squished together so that the texture of the outer surface becomes a bit smoother and tighter, you can tell that it will hold together well. Then no need to flatten it much until it's actually on the grill or in the skillet; and even then, save some of the flattening action for the second side - by that time the first side will already be cohesive and will help the rest stay together, if you see what I mean.

But when you do it that way, how do you keep it from getting really overcooked on the outside and still flat-out raw in the middle? I like my meat really rare, but burnt on the outside and cold in the middle is not what I'm aiming for. That happened to me when I tried to do them like Sara Moulton did on TV, really thick.

Remember to take all of our suggestions, even the best ones, with a grain of salt, as it were - or to adjust them to your tastes. More to the point, remind us (as you just did me) that not everyone shares our tastes! See, I like my burgers well-crusted on the outside and barely-cooked on the inside - so the approach I described works for me. The difference between that and the extreme contrast you describe is only one step in each direction, which corresponds to a very small difference in the degree of flattening. If only slightly flattening the ball doesn't do it for you... then try flattening it a bit more on the next one. If you really don't have an instinct for this sort of thing, you will have to develop one by trial and error - believe it or not you really will eventually acquire a "feel" for getting these things cooked to your satisfaction - but you can expect to over- and under-cook a few batches in the process. You'll get there.

Oh - the other important point - the heat of grill or griddle. You want it good and HOT when the burger hits it, so that you get a good crust. But in the interests of getting the insides a little more cooked, there's no law that says you can't turn it down a little once the crust has formed on both sides.

Personally, I would not put raw onions into my hamburgers because they won't really cook by the time the burgers are done.

See, this is why I need to be here. I'm glad you told me this. I do love caramelized onions, I will check out that thread because I don't think I've ever done them right.

Actually, I do put in raw onions sometimes - if I'm in the mood for raw onions! it can happen - just as some people like a slab of raw onion on a hamburger, some people like bits of one in it. Another possibility: sauté your onions a bit before mixing them in. Another, if you're in the mood for something a bit fancier: sometimes I like to mix in bits of raw onion, capers (those tiny ones discussed up-thread), and a little Dijon mustard, to semi-emulate the kind of burger you get when you're using up leftover steak tartare. (Don't try this one until you've mastered the holding-together thing - the mustard will tend to make it less cohesive, so you want to be pretty comfortable with your technique first.)

Any tips on simmering?  This sounds stupid, but whenever I have a recipe that says something like "cover and simmer for 20 minutes," I groan.  I can't seem to find that space between the liquid just steaming but not bubbling, and a full-on boil.  I end up varying between the two states for 20 minutes and hoping that does the trick.  I do have a gas stovetop so I can't use the electric burner excuse.

I generally just set the flame under the pot at the lowest level I can get without having to worry about it blowing out the moment my back is turned. As long as the pot is covered anyway, as in your example, the temperature will be pretty consistent. If you're simmering uncovered you may occasionally need to adjust it - usually not, though. In most cases you've brought it to a boil before turning it down to simmer, right? so you know it's hot enough to give off steam. That tiny flame will be hot enough to keep it going.

My next situation:  I used a fork to pierce open the plastic on a container of raw chicken.  The fork didn't go into the chicken, but of course the plastic had chicken germs on it or whatever.  I went to the sink, turned on the water, and rinsed the fork briefly.  Then I absentmindedly used that same fork to stir up a jar of chicken base!  The base is kept refrigerated.  Do I have to throw away that whole jar?  I had just gotten it from Sam's Club.

Others here may disagree with me - I tend to have pretty relaxed notions about these things. I figure the base is just as OK as the chicken - after all, you're not going to eat either one without cooking it enough to kill whatever critters may (or may not...) have been lurking in it. If it were me, I wouldn't worry about it.

[phaelon56]

Forgot to mention - one thing that seems ot help when trying to really sear the outside of something in a skillet is ot have a bit of weigh ton it. When I saear yellowfin tuna steaksI press down on them with a flat stiff spatual the entire time they're cooking (which is only about two minutes on the first side and 90 seconds ont he second side). I've seen commercial places use some sort of a metal with on burgers that were on the griddle so apparently there is a method to the madness.

I've run into that simmer/boil dilemma and can often solve it by placing a lid on the pot and moving it over so there's an open space at one edge. I turn the heat down low enough so that it is below a simmer and then put the lid on. The extra heat that's contianed byt the lid will raise the bubbling toa simmer l;evel that can be adjusted by just sliding the lid a bit mor or less.

By some people's standards I'm probably way too careless about kitchen sanitation. I do keep a clean kitch but don't worry too much about the little stuff. I have never ever become ill from anything that I ate or prepared in my own kitchen, including a few things like stews made from meat that had started to develop just a bit of a rank odor (I was broke and it was the only food I had).

I am very cautious about home canned foods if it's something I bought at a farmer's market or the like. I'm also fastidious about shellfish - if there's the slightest doubt about its freshness I'll throw it out. I suffered the effects of bad raw oysters once (from an upscale restaurant) and never want to live through that again.

[Jon Tseng]

burgers... i guess add egg as a binder... if they're then getting too sloppy try throwing in some breadcrumbs to soak it up (that last bit may be a bit heretical the other side of the pond... but thats almost certainly what they packet ones have)

the gourmet solution would be to buy some caul fat (lacy fat lining pigs stomach and use that to wrap the burgers...

J

[Bicycle Lee]

1. As far as the capers...if they are that big they sound like caper berries...which actually are not capers per se... But I could be wrong... Either way, you can chop them and then let them dry a little bit which aids in their sprinkle-ability...

2. The steak....well, I would thaw it and give it a thorough sniffing before it was planned on as dinner. Meat that has been frozen for a while can tend to have a bad taste...If you have dogs, just give it to them. And try paying more for meat...ie. getting better cuts...you will not be disappointed.

3. Red wine is fine just sitting out...I mean, people have cellars where they let that shit sit for decades... Light radiation breaks down some of the molecules over time, but you can keep it in a cupboard to avoid that. But sure, if you want to freeze it, go ahead...I prefer leaving it out, though. And cmon....do you think it would take that long to use it all in cooking? I can think of a hundred different dishes that use some red wine...

4. And burgers....ah burgers....of course, stop buying the premade ones... I prefer ground beef that is higher in fat (about 85%)... but beyond that, and egg yolk mixed in helps hold it together. Flavoring? Well, I sometimes crumble blue cheese into it as I mix...It becomes speckled with pockets of goodness that melt away as you cook....damn..I want one right now...

Worcestershire sauce too....that's nice...Although I try not to season my burgers too heavily.

Have fun

Hope this helps.

[NeroW]

Rachel,

These are all good tips! Thanks for starting this thread.

BURGERS:

As far as the burgers go, I only add a little egg if the meat seems especially crumbly or dry. Otherwise, I don't add egg to it. My dad adds egg everytime he puts a burger on the grill, but not for the stovetop. I've seen a lot of people do that, but I am not sure why. This applies to beef--when I am making lamb-burgers, I always add egg. It's just one of those things.

I have not used breadcrumbs.

At school we learned to let the un-pattied meat sit out on the counter until it comes to room temperature--we actually learned to do this with all meat, as meat at room temp cooks more evenly.

Then we season the meat (I use just salt, pepper, and Worcestershire), form the ball and flatten slightly as stated upthread. I stick my thumb into the middle of the patty to make an indentation. This makes it a little easier to get the spatula underneath it when it comes time to flip.

As balmagowry said, it is important to make sure that your pan or grill is hot enough when you put the burgers on. A good way to test the heat is to hold the palm of your hand just a few inches above the grill. If you can't keep it there for more than a few seconds, you're hot enough. Learning to better control your heat alone may help you with the overcooked outside/raw middle problem. Once you get a nice sear on the outside, as said upthread, there's no reason you can't turn your flame down.

Start with a thinner patty until you become more comfortable with heat control and degree of doneness. Eventually, you only want to flip meat once, but at first, you will flip it a lot--we all do

SIMMERING:

As said upthread, if you are bringing to a boil first and covering the pan, just turn the heat down as low as possible. It takes a little time to get used to your stove's particular quirks. Some stoves keep a simmer well, some stoves (like mine at home) have only two settings: Off and Inferno.

When I first starting learning to cook at home, I tried to use recipes that didn't call for covering the pot. I was so nervous about the simmer that I wanted to keep my eye on the bubbles at all times! Now I use simmering as an excuse to go out on the porch, have a cigarette, and a beer.

SANITATION:

I would only worry about this particular situation if you had left the fork fermenting in the chicken juice all day, licked it, and then used it to stir the base. Otherwise, unless you or someone in your home is immuno-compromised (i.e. HIV or cancer), elderly, or very young--I wouldn't worry about it.

[phaelon56]

Now I use simmering as an excuse to go out on the porch, have a cigarette, and a beer.  

Might we presume that in the NeroW household most meals are now based on simmering?

[NeroW]

Now I use simmering as an excuse to go out on the porch, have a cigarette, and a beer. 

Might we presume that in the NeroW household most meals are now based on simmering?

Actually, no. I can have a beer while I saute too, if I am so inclined.

[trillium]

The good tiny capers are usually labeled "Nonpareil Capers," and you'll usually find them in tiny expensive jars. If you love them as I do and are daunted by the price, take heart and look further - there are a lot of places where you can buy these tiny capers by the pint or the quart, and amazingly cheap. Best deal I've seen is about 5 bucks for a quart jar - brand was Victoria, I believe. Costco often has them - so do more and more supermarkets in these parts, though not as cheap (but still a way better deal than that tiny overpriced jar - and the capers are just as good).

I hate to be totally contrary in a thread where someone is just learning to cook, but having seen this said more then once-- its just driving me crazy. Smaller really isn't better when it comes to capers. I don't know where this myth got started, but I'm willing to blame it on some devious French plot until proven otherwise. The thing to look for in a good caper is fragrance and flavor, not size. Big ones usually have a bolder flavor then small ones and salted will taste more "capery" then those preserved in vinegar. I actually prefer bigger ones packed in salt. If you live in a larger city, any decent Italian grocery store will have them, and if you're very lucky, they'll be selling them bulk, with a nice high turn-over. They're worth a taste to see how you like them compared to those preserved in vinegar.

Here's a nice article on capers written by Ari Weinzweig. It goes over caper blossoms too.

And RSincere, I'm loving your posts. When I was just learning to cook Usenet was in its heyday and I found the most help and advice there then out of any books.

regards,

trillium

[slkinsey]

Ah, Trillium, once again you beat me to the punch. I was just trading through the thread thinking, "why is everyone saying smaller capers are better? some of the best capers are the big ones. I'll just scroll down and make sure no one else has poste-- d'oh!!"

Seriously, though, size has nothing to do with the quality of capers. The best capers money can buy, salt-preserved caperi di Pantelleria, are quite large.

[RSincere]

Well, crap. I do now have two jars of capers in my fridge. One says "Capers" and it's the big ones that aren't really round, and the other says "Nonpareil capers" and it's the little round ones that look like gallstones. They are both by the same company--Roland, I think--and both jars were $1.29.

Now, I have these Vlasic pepper stacker things and it says it's roasted red pepper strips. They are in liquid that includes corn syrup, though. The jar says to put them on sandwiches. Am I right that this isn't what I should use when the recipe calls for jarred roasted red peppers?

By the way, I live in a small town in Wisconsin, the "best" grocery store here being Super Walmart. I am finding more things when I go to a larger grocery store in Madison.

Edited June 25, 2004 by RSincere (log)

[Suzanne F]

Rachel -- re: the roasted red peppers -- I would use them in a recipe that called for roasted red peppers because that's what they are. But first I would rinse them well and pat them dry. And after I had used up the jar, I would buy a bunch of red peppers (when they are cheap, because I am cheap) and roast and skin them and put them away in the fridge in jars with oil or vinegar/oil. Or roast them, pack them in jars, and process them to keep them outside the fridge.

As for the capers: Roland is a reliable company, at least in that the big capers in brine and the small capers in brine will both taste like . . . capers in brine. Chop the large ones a lot, chop the small ones a little, and you'll get the desired effect.

The four years I spent in Beloit were years of learning -- not just to get a degree, but about cooking and eating. Anyone can make great food with great raw materials, as long as they don't screw things up. The better learning experience is making very good food out of less-than-perfect ingredients and being able to figure out what could be better, and why.