Cooking

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Re: Cooking

Postby mancityfooty » Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:29 am

I wanted to make some pulled pork and found this recipe:
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/perfect-pulled-pork-slow-roasted-seasoned-savory.html
8 hours in a brine, and then usually about 12 hours in the oven.
It comes out like this:
pulled pork1.jpg
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pulled pork2.jpg
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I've done it several times now and it comes out great every time.
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Re: Cooking

Postby Tuli » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:43 pm

I made some homemade chicken nuggets today. Actually I've made them like this several times before and they turn out great every time! It's really easy.

What I used:
500g of chicken breast
1 egg
About a thumb-sized stick of ginger. A big, manly thumb!
A couple cloves of garlic
Breadcrumbs
Sesame seeds
Salt

So first, gotta cut the chicken into small nugget-sized pieces. Then grate the garlic and the ginger into a nice mush. Put the egg in a small bowl, add a teaspoon of salt and whisk for a bit. Then add the garlic and ginger and mix it all together. In a bigger bowl, put the breadcrumbs and sesame seeds for breading and mix. I like to use a bit of each but you can choose whichever. Now starts the labor-intensive part: gotta dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then coat them with the breading (Plastic gloves would make this more pleasant). After that it's time to turn up the heat! I use only a bit of oil and fry them on the pan (not really into deep-frying). When you see one side is starting to get brown a bit, flip them over. When both sides are slightly browned, the meat should be fully cooked through. Serve with your dip of choice, my favorite for this is homemade sour cream garlic dip because I think the flavors mix nicely.

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Re: Cooking

Postby Andropov4 » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:52 pm

I'm sure your chicken nuggets are delicious, but if they don't come in dinosaur shapes, I want nothing to do with them.
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Re: Cooking

Postby Tuli » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:57 pm

That's the beauty of homemade chicken nuggets, you can make them in whatever shapes you want! ;)
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Re: Cooking

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Mon Aug 24, 2015 1:23 am

This is one of the bunless burgers I made tonight:

Image

(From bottom to top)

A bed of tater tots
Sauteed mushrooms and onions
Sirloin burger, medium
Melted American cheese
Ketchup and Mustard
Tomato slice
Shredded iceberg
Bacon

And it was amazing.
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Re: Cooking

Postby MisterKrinkle » Fri Apr 15, 2016 5:39 pm

I'm going to be making crawfish cakes (like crab cakes but with crawfish tail meat) with parsnip fritters for a Boucherie my program is hosting. Then next Friday I'll be making prime rib chili for a chili cook off.

It's going to be extraordinarily fun, and I have lots of time to make my dishes perfect. There will be pictures coming soon.
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Re: Cooking

Postby Pedgerow » Fri Oct 29, 2021 6:34 pm

I can't cook at all. I have become more adventurous in the past couple of years, eating foods for the first time such as "a whole fish with a head on it" and, more recently, "a watermelon", but I'd still advise the rest of you against eating anything I have prepared, because as far as I'm concerned, it's enough to just warm it up until it's edible and leave it at that, which is hardly the Michelin chef way.

I had a doctor's appointment today, so I booked the whole day off work, and decided to tackle one of my most adventurous missions in the culinary world: I was going to make my own pizza. I bake bread sometimes, so I assumed making dough would be similar, and I've watched the man in Domino's make a pizza and it didn't look too hard when he did it, so I bought anything I didn't already have (in some cases twice; apparently the tomato sauce is passata and tomato puree wouldn't do it) and got to work.

Making the dough is hard because every website with instructions tells you how to make four or five pizza bases at once, when I only needed one. So I hope you like totally guessing at how much flour, salt, sugar, water and yeast you need. But that's all you need. If you bake bread like I do, you have all this stuff already, and if you hate kitchens even more than I do, you'll still have everything except yeast, which supermarkets usually have in one of the aisles you never walk down. So it's really easy to make a pizza base. You can do it!

(Websites do tend to conceal that you're meant to let the dough rise. They say it takes five minutes to make pizza dough, then one of the steps is "leave the dough to rise for two hours." I went to my doctor's appointment and it had inflated enormously when I got home, but then it deflated immediately when I picked it up, so perhaps you really could do it in five minutes and I was just letting it expand for no reason).

I do recommend you buy a pizza tray for your oven. I don't know if you can do it without one (I was afraid I would make the world's nicest-looking pizza, then it would just collapse and drop all the toppings on the floor as soon as I tried to lift it into the oven). In addition to having somewhere to put your pizza, the tray is also round, meaning you can shape the pizza base into a more normal pizza shape. Otherwise, it really won't be round. Don't even think about trying that spinning trick they do on TV. You're not Gordon Ramsay. And let's face it: even professionally-made pizzas often aren't perfectly round.

Some more hardships I encountered: how much of each topping do I need? You can buy pepperoni slices, but again, you get enough for about ten pizzas. I know what my cooking is like. I might not live past the first one. In terms on onions, you need a quarter of one onion. Not half an onion; it sounds fine but you wind up eating most of it while cooking because it's far too much to cover a pizza. Chillies are up to you. Put the tomato sauce on the pizza base, move it around with the back of a ladle like the man in Domino's did, then add your other toppings. Then add cheese.

This is where it gets hard if you're a terrible chef like me. What type of cheese do they put on pizzas? The supermarket had like 50 different types of cheese, and I do not sit at home recreationally eating cheese on its own, so I was in trouble. They had mozzarella, but that's a special one that gets included as a topping in addition to the regular cheese, so it can't be that one. I had to make a call. Not a phone call to any of the dozens of people I know who could immediately help with this quandary; this was my pizza and they weren't going to kill its unique soul with their "expertise". I made a judgment call. I bought parmesan.

With hindsight, I think this was wrong. The pizza tasted weird. All my other toppings tasted awesome, however, so it sounds like I very nearly did it all correctly. It didn't matter that my pizza base was not of uniform thickness; it came out thin and crispy and not burnt, but it did feel flimsy and not as filling as a professional pizza. But if you're less of a hefty glutton than I am, it would probably be perfect. Overall, when an online recipe for pizza dough says "this makes four pizzas", maybe use 1/3 of that to be safe.

All in all, it was nice enough that I would willingly attempt this again at some point. Possibly even soon, since I now have a fridge full of passata and coriander and chillies and pepperoni slices that I have no use for except if I make a couple more identical pizzas.

Obviously, this wouldn't be a food post without a photo of the honestly quite tasty crime scene, so here you go. That's parmesan on top of the pepperoni; I can't remember what layers pizza toppings go in, but grated parmesan doesn't really work as a top layer:

cooking pizza from scratch.jpg
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Re: Cooking

Postby cmsellers » Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:28 pm

FYI: You can freeze pizza dough, though I too always just made a smaller amount, but I only ever made pizza at home once every few months at most.

You clearly don't like pepperoni as much as I do.

The cheese you need for pizza is mozzarella, but it's low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, which is very hard to find, at least in the US. I've found two sources in central Houston (one being Amazon Fresh) and none in Austin or suburban Houston. However, here in Texas you can get Oaxaca cheese, which when whole milk (some of it is part-skim) is very similar. You might be thinking of fresh mozzarella, which is sometimes an additional topping, or y'all might just do things differently in Britain.

One of the big difficulties of cooking pizza at home is that it requires an oven temp of 500° F, and without a brick oven, opening your oven will immediately lower that dramatically, but a pizza stone can help get a crispier crust.

Something else to try: as someone who does not like tomatoes, onions, or the sauce made from them, I use either olive oil, crushed garlic, and ricotta as a base, or pesto. Ricotta is also commonly used as an extra topping even for people who like tomato sauce. Pesto is fantastic. I think my father also once made a pizza with mole negro, though I don't know if you can find that in Blighty.
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Re: Cooking

Postby iMURDAu » Wed Nov 03, 2021 12:50 am

We get "fresh" dough from the store. It comes in frozen but its not a big deal because its usually thawed when they stock it.

Whole milk mozz is def the best cheese to use like sellers said.

My wife cooks pizza in a sheet pan. Rectangular pizzas are the shit because I'm the only one in the house who likes corner pieces and I get 4 of them.

Also in America we eat pepperoni slices right out of the bag so leftover pepperoni is a bonus to us.
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Re: Cooking

Postby jbobsully11 » Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:39 pm

bump

I've been gradually trying to increase my cooking skills (which range from "put food in the microwave and push buttons" all the way to "put food in a pan on the stove and move it around a bit until it changes color/texture"). To that end, I bought a subscription to the Yummly app, which has some good recipes at varying skill levels.

I tried cooking bratwurst the other day after marinating it in cheap citrus beer (per the recommendation of a few different websites), and I... wasn't impressed.
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Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
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Re: Cooking

Postby NathanLoiselle » Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:34 pm

Does anyone know how to prepare brains? I'm asking for an anonymous zombie.
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Re: Cooking

Postby jbobsully11 » Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:12 pm

Whatever you do, be sure to cook them thoroughly. The zombie probably doesn't want to get a prion infection, and those need higher temperatures (around 900 degrees Fahrenheit or 482 degrees Celsius) to denature than you need to kill ordinary pathogens.

I hope you have access to a pizza oven.
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Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
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Re: Cooking

Postby jbobsully11 » Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:40 am

I was going to post a recipe for a lamb shank that I cooked a while ago, but I can't find it.

So instead, I'll just say I made deep-fried breakfast calzones today that were pretty good (well, one was; the other is in my fridge). I had been putting it off because I wasn't sure how much fun dangerous it would be to stand over a pot of boiling oil, but it wasn't bad with a lid (mostly) on. I kind of had to do it today, because the pre-made pizza dough I got a while ago was about to expire (I split one Pillsbury can in half). I didn't put anything fancy in them; just some scrambled eggs (four all together), sausage, bell peppers, onions, and hot sauce. I'd been meaning to try it for a while, so I'm glad it came out well.
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Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
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Re: Cooking

Postby jbobsully11 » Sat Oct 21, 2023 2:40 pm

Three things:

Almost every year since my sister and her husband moved into their house, they've hosted a chicken wing competition in late summer, and almost every year, the same neighbor has won. They didn't have it this year, but next year... will probably be the same.

Anyway, I started with a copycat KFC breading recipe that I found online and tweaked it from different online sources and my own experience, and I like how it comes out. I deep-fry the wings in a pot on my stove, but I imagine cooking them any other way should work (just don't ask me for times/temperatures for that). I have some other recipes I'm going to try, and I'm open to any ideas anyone else has (particularly for a sweet, probably ketchup-based sauce).
Spoiler: show
The wings are refrigerated in a brine with some herbs overnight (at least 8 hours, but in my experience, it doesn't change much if you leave them in for 24), then deep-fried around 325 degrees Fahrenheit (<165 C), though trying to keep the oil at a constant temperature in a pot on the stove isn't exactly easy. The mildly concerning thing for me is that I've read a number of recipes that call for much longer cooking times at higher temperatures (usually 12-14 minutes at 350 or so), but mine burn (a lot) when I do that. Anyway, these don't come out pink and they haven't killed me yet, so *shrug*.

I've read that table salt and MSG mixed in a 2:1 ratio often works better than salt alone, and having tried it, I happen to agree. Any use of the phrase "salt mix" refers to this ratio.

marinade:
  • 4 c water
  • 4 t salt mix
  • 1 T rosemary
  • 2 t thyme
  • 1.5 t basil
  • 1 T Better than Bouillon roasted chicken base
  • 1/4 c vodka (the evaporation helps when frying)

Mix all the brine ingredients except vodka and bring to a low boil while stirring to combine all the flavors. Remove from heat and allow it to return to room temperature. Add the vodka and soak chicken wings for 8-24 hours as stated above.


breading:
  • 3/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c long-grain white rice flour (brown rice flour doesn't taste as good; I tried it once)
  • 2 t celery salt
  • 2 T garlic salt
  • 1 t onion powder
  • 1 t cayenne pepper
  • 1 T smoked paprika
  • 1 T white pepper
  • 2 t salt mix
  • 2 T cornstarch

Add breading ingredients to a large container, cover, and shake until thoroughly mixed.

egg wash:
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 c water

After the allotted time, make the egg wash and beat until well-mixed while heating the oil. Coat chicken thoroughly, then immediately roll around in flour mixture. If the breading sticks easily, drop them directly in the oil for six (EDIT: 6-8) minutes; if not, put them in the fridge for half an hour and cover any bare spots before frying. The oil will go down a bit in temperature, so turn up the heat to bring it back to 325.

After you remove the chicken from the oil, dry on a wire rack so one side doesn't stay soggy (it will if you put it directly in a bowl or on a plate). Wait at least five minutes, then serve.

While I was exploring different recipes, I started wondering how hard it is to make ketchup itself. It turns out it's not too bad if you start with canned tomato paste, although I should have simmered it for longer (or let it get a little hotter).
Spoiler: show
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1/4 c honey
  • 1/2 3/4 c white vinegar
  • 1/4 c water
  • 1 t sugar (optional; I thought it was too sweet with this)
  • 1/4 1/2 t onion powder
  • 1/8 1/4 t garlic powder
  • 3/4 1 t salt

Mix ingredients, bring to a boil, simmer for (at least) 30 minutes.

Today, I made onion rings. The recipe is below:
Spoiler: show
  • 1 large onion (I used a white onion, but other types should work)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 t cornstarch
  • canola oil or vegetable oil (something with a high smoke point and no flavor)
  • about 6 fl oz beer (The recipe I found said about 12 fl oz, but it came out too thin. The batter should be thick, so don't add too much. I used Killian Red because it's cheap and I like it, but supposedly any kind that isn't watered down crap will do. Keep in mind it will affect the taste of the onion rings. If you prefer, seltzer or lemon-lime soda is probably fine.)

Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Pour some oil in a tall pot (about 1-2" [2.5-5 cm] of oil is fine), put the lid on, and start heating it up on the stove. Slice the onion into rings about 1/2" wide. To keep the cooking times consistent, only use two adjacent layers of the onion at a time.

The oil is hot enough when you can flick some flour into it and hear it sizzle right away (about 300 degrees Fahrenheit/149 degrees Celsius). Gradually stir the beer (or soda) into the dry mix right now (you need the carbonation for the batter, and if you add it any sooner than this, it will go flat). Coat your onion rings in the batter, quickly drop a few of them in the oil at a time, and cook them for 1-2 minutes per side. Let them dry/cool off on a paper towel for about five minutes and serve.

I thought I'd add some other spices to the batter, but I didn't use enough, so they just tasted normal (which was still good). For what it's worth, I used mustard powder, garlic salt, and smoked paprika.


(edited for clarity, and better ratios for ketchup)
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Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
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Re: Cooking

Postby jbobsully11 » Sun Nov 12, 2023 11:11 pm

A while ago I made jerk sauce. Today, I put it on some chicken wings that I fried.

sauce
1 T vegetable oil
2 T minced onion
1 c water
1 t cornstarch
1/2 c dark brown sugar
1 T white pepper
1.5 T cayenne
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t salt mix (from the last post)
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t sage
3/4 c ketchup (I used some that I made)
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
2 T white vinegar
2 T hot sauce (I used mild)
2 t lemon juice
2 t Worcestershire sauce

I also used a few drops of applewood liquid smoke, but I couldn't taste it at all. Maybe try 2 tsp if you want, or a stronger flavor (I hear mesquite works well with chicken). *shrug* I thought I read a little goes a long way, but apparently not that little. If anyone wants to put in their $0.02, I'm open.

Mix 2 T water with the cornstarch in a small bowl. Put all the other wet ingredients in a medium saucepan, add the dry ingredients, stir and simmer on low heat until combined (about 30-40 minutes). Put in an airtight container (I have mason jars that I sterilize with hot water right before use).

Anyway, I brined the wings in 4 c water, some salt mixture, about 1/4 c vodka, and 1 t liquid smoke for just over twelve hours, deep fried them at 325ish for about eight minutes like in the last post (without breading), and dipped them in the sauce. I thought they were good, but people who like spicier wings might disagree (I would give these a solid "medium"). Use more intense hot sauce and maybe black pepper instead of white.

I also had an apple cider-based sauce left over that came out a lot thinner than I had hoped, so I mixed that in the jar when I was done and shook it up. But that's for another day.
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Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
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