Saturday, August 29, 2009
Barbeque Techniques: Two Methods to Consider
When it comes to barbequing, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use...
When it comes to barbeque, there are two main thought for the techniques that you can use.
The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners. The lid is not closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly cooked to perfection using this technique. If sauces are required, they can be added before, during the cooking process, or after grilling.
The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as thick steaks or a pork shoulder. When you cook using this method, cook the food away from the actual source of heat. A water pan of some kind needed in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. Use the temperatures around 250ºF. During cooking, the lid remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning. This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.
It’s important not to cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will split out before the collagen is able to melt. This result your cut will be dry and tough. However, you cannot cook too slowly or you risk a bacterial contamination. Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.
If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat. If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.
As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.
Barbeque
Where does America barbecue? According to the survey, 89 percent prefer to hold family barbecues in their backyards, compared with 3 percent who prefer a public park or picnic area. This shows that barbecues are a great way to bring the family together, entertain friends and family and enjoy the summer nights-right in the backyard!
A few simple tips, courtesy of Hormel Foods, can make your next grill-out even easier:
1. Marinate is a must:
Marinating meat adds flavor and tenderization before cooking. Every marinade should contain an acidic ingredient, such as vinegar or wine; an oil, such as olive or canola; and seasonings, such as herbs and spices. For a no-mess solution, try a pre-marinated variety of Hormel Always Tender pork.
2. Barbecue in bulk:
Got leftovers? No problem. Barbecue meals freeze well, and often become more flavorful when the sauce and spices are reheated at a later date. Once you have fired up the grill, cook as much as your pit can handle since your food will maintain its flavor for future meals. Then keep in refrigerator, reheat and just add sauce for a delicious leftover treat.
3. Fire up a fast-cooking feast:
As most people spend more time in cooking rather than spending time with guests, I recommended you to get a pre-cooked variety of barbecue meat, like Lloyd's barbeque fully cooked ribs, which cuts cooking time to less than five minutes. Just heat and eat and enjoy!
4. Decorate your deck:
Minimal meal preparation time gives you a chance to focus on the details. To make your barbecue spectacular, provoke the mood by hanging lanterns around the yard, blending a signature summertime cocktail and presenting the meal on brightly colored plates. It will result your guest to have a pleasant time there.
Now that you have know the trick and tip in barbeque, it's easy to step outside and cook dinner on the grill. A relaxing backyard barbecue dinner will melt the stress of the workday away. Here is a sentence for you: Your family will love the meal, and you'll love the convenience.
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Monday, August 24, 2009
Choose Your Chopping Board
Summary:You use it everyday in the Kitchen. If not looked after, it can make you sick – And yet you probably never give it a second thought.....The Chopping Board.....
You use it everyday in the kitchen. If not looked after it can make you sick, and yet you probably never give it a second thought.A Chopping Board is a large board you use in the kitchen for chopping, cutting and preparing food on.
While purchasing a new board, there are a huge variety of materials to choose from – timber, glass, marble, plastic. This resulting a confusing choices to choose from.
Glass and Marble type cutting boards may look good but they play havoc on your knives. The hard surface will quickly blunt your knife and damage it’s edge.So, keep your glass and marble boards for serving food only.
When it comes to wooden and plastic boards, even the experts are troubled dividing which is best. It mainly comes down to personal preference. And mine is, plastic.
Plastic boards are lighter, and it come in various colors and are dishwasher safe. Whereas, wooden boards are generally heavier and less inclined to slip. They are also more attractive and sometimes can be used to serve food at the table.
Whichever type you choose, it is imperative you clean it well. Dangerous bacteria can breed on your board and cause food poisoning.So, recommend scrubing your board after every use, with hot water and detergent in particullarly. Next, allow it to stand and drip dry. Your board should be completely dry before been used again.It’s a good idea to have more than one board, to avoid cross contamination. Have one for raw meat and one for other foods.Or take it to the extreme and do what the professionals do.
Use 5 different colored boards:-
Red – Raw Meats
Yellow – Poultry
Blue – Seafood
Green – Fruit and Vegetables
White – General
So, if you board is starting to look a bit worn off, then it's probably time for a new one. And now you will be well informed to choose the right one for you.
Happy CookingLisa "The Crock Cook"a-crock-cook.com
Tea Found in the Market
Tea is one of the most famous after food drinks in the world, but still very few people are aware that there are four genetically different flavours and types of tea one can find in every supermarket. Each tea is made out of different ingredients and each tea has its advantages and disadvantages. Below is the explaination.
The 4 type of tea are :
1) Black tea
2) Green tea
3) White tea
4) Oolong tea
The similiarities of these tea is that all are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves however, are not considered as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea varies lies in the process of producing them. In addition, each type of tea has different flavor and various health benefits.
1) Black Tea
The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. It is served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it does not have any calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.
2) Green Tea
The lightest oxidized tea has been popular in Asia, particully China, Japan and Korea. Recently, it increased its popularity in the West as well due to it's rumors on its health benefits. It is proven that drinking green tea can lower your cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase your metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. Mostly served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point.
3) White Tea
White tea is rarest among all and the most expensive when compared to others. White tea is origin from Fujian province of China. The white tea is made from young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, with inactivate fermenting and drying. It is known as white tea since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer. So, it's costly.
4) Oolong Tea
The most traditional Chinese tea since it companys Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.
Find out how to choose your Chopping Board
Are You Professional A Chef Material?
Each day in Food Network, Rachael, Paula, Emeril and others zip around their kitchens preparing quick recipes of incredible food. In split second, they have make up to three or four dishes that look so delicious you can nearly smell them from the television. You might thought something alike "I can do that" in your brain, so you start daydreaming about the glory of becoming a professional chef. Can you do it? Are you professional chef material?Similar to all great things, receiving the title of respect of chef requires time. Both formal education and hands-on experience need time to cultivate in order to bring your skills to the level of a professional. That means culinary school and an apprenticeship or externship may be essential as part of your training.
Here is some common characteristics of Great Chefs
Some of the great chefs are found in Hollywood, California. Culinary arts school instructors in this area of the country are quick to tell ambitious chefs what characteristics act as a critical character in their quests after professional status. From personal observations of those in California who have attended a cookery school and reached the degree of Executive Chef or Master Chef, the first two traits that leap out are hard work and creative thinking.
Becoming a chef will require commitment to the time and tasks of completing culinary school, working through an externship and bringing in years of experience through frontline work in restaurants. As you build your cooking and baking skills, you'll incorporate the physical tasks of chopping, slicing, mixing and others into the creative chores of developing recipes and plating your dishes with unique presentations.
The result is a multisensory feel of sight, smell and taste that rightfully brings joy to those who ate what you have cooked.What else is needed? Of course, the ability to operate as part of a squad. Yes, although you have seen Rachael and Emeril being solo on their shows, actually they have an entire staff behind the scene that helps them. A professional chef must be capable to give out duties, monitoring the work of other people, organise every footstep of the dishes and culminate the efforts of everybody involved into marvelous dishes that is served warm, fresh and punctual.
A love for food is also required to be a great chef. Do you ever asking about how different seasonings and textures work unitedly? Are you always trying out to find new combinings of spices, herbs and sauces that bring out the flavor of your dishes? This curiosity and love of food will certainly work in your favor as you strive toward your goal.Do you possess a few or all of these characteristics? Then who knows, with some proper training and experience, one day, you may owns your own restaurant or be the future generation of great chef!
Check out on Tea Available in Market