Measuring Chart

Handy Measuring Chart

Brining Tips for the Turkey Bird...

It's a classic Thanksgiving scene: A beautiful showpiece of a turkey graces the center of a Dwell-worthy tablescape, with its blistered golden skin glowing brightly like a first-place trophy. The sharpest of knives is drawn, the bird's aroma amping up the anticipation of that first bite. And, finally, when that bite happens . . . wait, what the #%!&? It's stringy, flavorless, dry, and not even gravy can save it.

Brine Basics
At the most basic level, brining refers to presalting protein before it gets cooked. Think pork shoulder, chicken legs and even fish. Salt loves water, and when it's sprinkled onto the skin of these proteins, it draws out the water and then fills that empty space with salty brine. While the salt is creeping inward, it is simultaneously breaking down the meat, tenderizing and allowing it to retain moisture. When the poultry is cooked, proteins coagulate and prevent the absorbed liquid from escaping, ensuring juicy and flavorful meat. This is never more necessary than with a Thanksgiving bird.

Team Wet Brine vs. Team Dry Brine
There are two schools of brining, wet (where meat is submerged in a salty liquid) and dry (where meat is given a nice salt rub). Both produce a great bird, but chefs will go to the mat for their team.

For a wet brine, dissolve salt in water, often with sugar, to create a well-seasoned liquid. Food science author Harold McGee suggests using a 5 percent salt solution (by weight) for an optimal job of tenderizing. That translates to roughly a scant three tablespoons of salt per one quart of water. Of course, this number slides up and down depending on how long the turkey sits in the brine. (Be warned: If a turkey sits in the brine for too long, it will turn into a salty and almost-mushy piece of meat.)

On the other end of the spectrum, dry brining also helps achieve juicy, flavorful meat and has the added bonus of not requiring a giant bucket to let your turkey brine away in. Chef Matt Lambert of The Musket Room in New York strongly supports dry brining his turkey, saying this method offers a more controlled flavor and ensures a better sear. He breaks the turkey down, then places the legs and breasts on a large tray lined with parchment paper and seasons the meat "reasonably heavy and lets it stand until the salt is completely dissolved, about one hour."

Flavor: What Aromatics Do Chefs Recommend?
Brining isn't just about keeping turkey moist; it's also a time to infuse the meat with flavor. George Mendes of Lupulo submerges his turkey in a brine made with warm spices, like cinnamon and star anise, before basting with a Spanish paprika marinade and roasting it.

More Turkey Brine Tips
Dry out wet-brined turkeys. After the turkey has soaked in the brine, rinse and let it dry. Thorough drying of the turkey ensures crispy, golden skin when the bird's roasted.

Be aware of cooking times. Brines are a curing method, and curing is a form of cooking. Brined turkeys cook faster than those that have not been brined.

Turkey Tips for the perfect bird

Roasting a turkey is easy. Roasting a juicy turkey with perfectly blistered golden brown skin? Not so easy. But it can be. Follow these five tips, and you'll be responsible for a flawless Thanksgiving turkey your guests will always remember.


Brine and Dry
You must brine your bird using either a wet or dry brine. Both produce a seasoned, juicy turkey, but in different ways.

• A wet brine is a salt solution in which you submerge your turkey for four to 48 hours. As the turkey soaks, the salt draws out moisture and replaces that lost moisture with seasoned brine, adding flavor and tenderizing the meat.
•  A dry brine refers to a salt cure that you slather onto the bird and then let sit overnight in the fridge and/or at room temperature for one hour before going into a hot oven. The salt works like the wet brine, but because there is no additional liquid, the bird's own juices yield a more pronounced meaty flavor and a crispier skin.

The Perfect Rack

DIY your rack instead of buying one, like George Mendes of Lupulo does for his Portuguese Roast Turkey. Layer the bottom of your roasting pan with carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf. As the vegetables cook, they release steam, helping keep the turkey juicy and preventing the bird from being overcooked. 

Tricks to Avoid Overcooking

Never put a frozen turkey, or even a refrigerated one, directly into a preheated oven. Let the turkey sit at room temperature for at least one hour to raise its internal temperature. This will ensure even cooking from skin to bone.
Always use a meat thermometer to take the temperature of the thickest part of the turkey, located around the thigh, avoiding the bone. The ideal final temperature for a juicy turkey is 165°. The meat will cook an additional 10° as it rests, so remove the turkey from the oven when the temperature reaches 155° to 160°.

Photo: USDA via Flickr

Now, this is important: Breasts cook faster than the legs. Different tactics can be used to avoid overcooking the breasts. Food science writer Harold McGee puts ice packs onto the turkey breasts while letting the bird sit at room temperature before roasting. Mendes removes his turkey from the oven when the breasts reach 155°, lets it rest for 20 minutes and then carves off the breasts. Then he returns the turkey to the oven and continues to roast it until the legs reach a slightly higher temperature, around 160°.

Start Hot, Then Double Drop
Always start with a hot oven. To achieve perfectly blistered, golden brown skin, preheat the oven to 475°. After the turkey goes in, immediately reduce the oven temperature to 425° and cook for 20 minutes. Drop to 350° and continue to roast until done. Oh, and you'll need to invest in an oven thermometer to know the exact temperature of your bird as it cooks.

Give It a Rest
Resting a turkey is not optional. It's as necessary as any step in this process. Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes and up to one and a half hours after taking it out of the oven and before carving. This ensures maximum flavor and juiciness. Covering with foil isn't necessary and risks steaming the skin and overcooking the turkey, which, of course, is very bad.

Shrimp Etouffee base by Zatarain's

I normally don't make Shrimp Etouffee being its almost as time consuming as making gumbo. with that being said ... I was at Foodtown doing my grocery shopping and run across Zatarain's Etouffee Base which was on sale for 1.50$ a box. So i justified it by saying if it taste like crap you only spent a 1.50 an maybe 5$ for frozen popcorn shrimp. Into the basket it went.

Well much to my surprise it was very simple to make, you use 2.5 cups of water, 2 tablespoons butter and 2 table spoons tomato paste and mix in the base. instruction said to cook on simmer for 15 mins then add shrimp and cook another 15 mins, then serve over rice. On my stove simmer is more like trying to heat a pot of water w/ a box of matches, slow and unproductive. so i kicked up the heat "BAM" and 15 mins later added shrimp then another 15 for the shrimp to cook.

So into a bowl it went w/ rice and a dash of hot sauce

i have to say i was very very impressed, it was flavorful and had just the right amount of heat before i kicked it up a know w/ the hot sauce.

Score 1 for Zatarains

So next time you happen to pass the Zatarain's section in your grocery store pickup a box. i have seen it as low as 1.50$ a box to 3$ a box. Regardless of the cost its a keeper in my book.

If Meat Changes Color, Has It Gone Bad?

What Causes Meat and Poultry to Change Color?

From red meat to poultry, here's why meat can change color and what it means.

Red Meat

Appearance no doubt plays a big part in what we think of as fresh, and in the case of red meat, you probably equate a bright-red color with freshness. This color is a result of the protein in meat called myoglobin, which turns into oxymyoglobin and produces a vivid red color when it comes into contact with oxygen.
Not all red meats are the same color, though — color is influenced by factors like diet, sex, exercise, species, and especially age, which can produce darker-colored meat.
Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red, as you've probably seen when pre-formed hamburger patties start to turn gray, but are still red or pink inside. Color changes can also occur if raw meat is frozen, where it can fade or darken in color.

Poultry

Raw poultry can sometimes have a bluish tone to the meat or bright-yellow skin, which might seem strange if you're used to pink iridescent meat and whiter skin. As with red meat, the color variations result from differences in diet, breed, exercise, and age. Poultry can also change in color when frozen.

So Is It Safe to Eat?

The good news is, even if there's a color change — which might not be as visually appetizing — the meat or poultry is still perfectly fine to eat if stored properly in the refrigerator or freezer and consumed within a safe period of time (up to two days for ground meat and five days for other cuts).
What you really want to watch out for even more so than color change, is meat or poultry that has a bad odor or is sticky, tacky, or slimy to the touch. Let your other senses be your guide in these instances.

5 Fast Fixes for Cooking Fails

• I still cry whenever I slice onions

Chilling the onion for an hour in the refrigerator before chopping. The cold temperature slows the formation of the sulfur compounds that are released when the onion is cut. If you chop quickly enough while the onion is cold, you may not tear up at all

• How can I save an oversalted dish

Serve it over an unsalted starch or grain, such as rice, potato puree, polenta, or quinoa. Accompany the food with a sweet, fizzy wine, like Prosecco or Champagne, or even sparkling water. Bubbles cleanse the palate of salt, which means every sip refreshes your taste buds.

• I'm making guacamole, but the avocados are hard as rocks

Place avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana, then leave the bag on a sunny windowsill for 18 to 24 hours. Together, the banana and the avocados release a large amount of ethylene gas, which can hasten ripening. If you can't wait a day, try this trick from California avocado grower Carol Steed: Place 2 peeled, pitted avocados in a blender with 1 cup peas (fresh, or frozen and thawed); pulse until smooth. The peas will help soften the consistency of the unripe avocados but won't affect the flavor.

• I accidentally made dinner too spicy

There are a few ways to tone down overly fiery food. Sara Moulton, a chef and the host of Sara's Weeknight Meals on PBS, says sugar is an unobtrusive antidote—especially for soups, chilies, and stews. Add it in ½-teaspoon increments, and taste after each round. You can also dilute spiciness by adding more of the main ingredient.If you're cooking meat, add some more meat." Another option: Plate the dish with a garnish of soothing dairy—like a dollop of cool ranch dressing alongside way-too-hot wings.

• My pots have baked-on stains

To remove interior spots, put an inch of water and 2 drops of dish soap in each pot and bring to a boil. Let the liquid simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, then pour it out and scrape off loosened bits with a plastic spatula.

Is It Safe?

"Best by" and "sell by" dates are just a suggestion and a best guess. Don't throw away perfectly good foods because the label says so. The link below is a useful guide which can tell you what foods last forever and which ones you should err on the side of caution with. 


Still Tastie

How to Defrost Any Meat

The freezer is one of our favorite assets in the kitchen. We've constantly got ours stocked with frozen sausages, fish, ground beef, and other proteins that make quick weeknight meals in a pinch, all without having to run to the grocery store.
There's just one thing: Integrate a freezer pantry into your home cooking and you'll need to become a defrosting pro. Yes, cooking directly from frozen is technically an option, but doing can result in watery protein and an overall loss of quality.
Essentially, you've got three choices when it comes to safely thawing protein. Which one you choose comes down to how much time you have.

IDEAL: The Refrigerator

Say you've got all the time in the world and really planned ahead for tomorrow night's dinner. If that's the case, the absolute best and safest way to defrost your frozen meat is in the refrigerator—your meat will defrost at a consistent temperature that's below the USDA's magical safety mark of 40 °F.
Simply place your meat—either in its plastic packaging, or removed and covered with plastic wrap—on a plate in your fridge the night before you plan on cooking it. The plate ensures that any moisture produced during the thawing process doesn't end up all over your fridge. Check back the next night and you'll find perfectly thawed pieces of chicken, fish, or steak ready to get seasoned and cooked. If you're working with a larger piece of meat like a whole chicken or a roast-size cut of beef you'll want to allow more time to ensure the meat thaws all the way through.
Really want to get ahead? Ground meat, stew meat, poultry, and seafood will be safe in the fridge for an additional day or two after defrosting; beef, pork or lamb roasts, chops and steaks can keep for 3 to 5 days.

IN A PINCH: Cold Water

More often than not, this is the situation: We get home from work and need to get dinner on the table in less than an hour. In these cases, place your protein in a resealable bag and submerge it in a large bowl of cold tap water. Just as with the refrigerator method, thawing times depend on the size of the protein. Small items like sausage, boneless chicken breasts, and thin cuts of steak such as skirt will defrost within an hour. Thawing larger cuts will take 2 to 3 hours, and you'll need to change out the water every hour to ensure things stay cold.
If you have a change of plans and decide you don't want that chicken breast you've been defrosting in cold water for dinner, make sure you cook it through before putting it back in the fridge or refreezing.

Leftovers Are Actually Good For

Your Leftovers Are Actually Good For

Tossing things prematurely happens more often than you might think (the USDA says almost a pound of food is wasted per person per day). Are you jumping the gun?

Egg, Tuna or Chicken Salads

We were surprised to learn that homemade egg, tuna or chicken salad can last up to seven days in the refrigerator. Just remember that your fridge should be set to 40 degrees or colder, says Jen Tong, global managing director of integrity and process excellence for a division of the public health and safety organization NSF.

Cooked Meats

Poached chicken, grilled steak and roast pork tenderloin all keep well for three to four days in the fridge, says Tong. She recommends putting the items in the refrigerator within two hours, since the less time the food spends at room temperature, the better (and safer).

Pizza

Just as with cooked meats, pizza is usually good for three or four days in the refrigerator. (Wrap it tightly to keep it tasting fresh.)

Soups and Chilies

Whether you've made a pot of minestrone, chicken noodle or chili, when it comes to soups and chilies, there are almost always leftovers (and often, the meals taste even better after a day). You can keep enjoying them for three to four days once refrigerated, says Tong. The important thing is to get the temperature down quickly to keep the food in a safe temperature zone (below 40 degrees, or above 140).

Everything—and We Mean Everything—Else

While three to four days is a good rule of thumb for most leftovers, there are exceptions (for instance, leftover raw shellfish, such as ceviche or sushi, has a lifespan of just one to two days). For an easy way to determine whether to toss something, there are a number of free apps that can help; one is Is My Food Safe? (a collaboration between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods), where you can scroll through by category, say, desserts, and go from cakes to puddings. Another is USDA's new FoodKeeper app; among other features, it lets you enter the date you made something and then receive notifications when the food is nearing the end of its recommended storage time.

How-to…Cook an Egg

You think it’s such a simple thing, but a perfectly cooked egg is actually kind of an achievement, particularly when you’re trying to get a specific result. Anyone who has served their share of rubbery scrambled eggs knows that well. That said, they’re also awesome. They’re cheap, they’re packed with protein and healthy fat, and throwing one on top of pretty much anything makes pretty much anything better. Here’s a goop tutorial, along with some really important information about buying eggs, including what those labels on the cartons actually mean.

Boiled

1 egg
water

Fill a small saucepan three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil.
Using a spoon, gently slide in the egg and set your timer.
Keep an eye on the water while the egg cooks, and try to maintain a soft boil.

• For a soft-boiled egg with set whites and a liquid yolk set for six minutes.
• For a perfectly hard-boiled egg with a slightly soft center set for nine minutes.
• For a completely cooked through yolk set for ten minutes.

When the timer goes off, remove the egg to an ice water bath for one minute to stop the cooking.
Crack, peel, and enjoy.

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