Random Food Questions Thread

[Cary Grant]



Will the high alcohol content of port make a difference?

Apparently inhibits bacteria- supposedly best with low alcohol ie 10-11%.

 

[edinatlanta]



I like them the way my mom made them - all thick and puffy and not particularly presentable.

thin? i would call them thick and puffy, but presentable

twss

 

[Douglas]



all thick and puffy

twss

not to you she didn't.

 

[Rambo]

What's the taste of pork loin like? I like the shoulder but the loin is much less *****. I can get it in bulk from Costco for relatively cheap ($2 or so a lb) so I was looking at it for bulk protein.

 

[Cary Grant]

Fairly plain, like an average chop. Some of the bulk packs come "marinated/injected" with a very salty solution, FYI.

Don't overcook or it dries very quickly.

 

[erictheobscure]

I've never been very good at cooking pork loin without drying it out, even if I monitor the temperature carefully. I've resorted to brining--I don't necessarily love the slight lunch-meat quality that results, but it's a lot better than super dry, flavorless pork.

 

[shibbel]

Are you referring to the texture when you mention lunchmeat quality? Do you find that it comes out mushy?

 

[erictheobscure]

Yeah, a little bit spongy.

 

[itsstillmatt]

It is my belief that people don't realize just how much food keeps cooking when removed from the oven or pan. It isn't 5 degrees farenheit, it is more like 12-16 or so, thus they take the meat out too warm and it overcooks. This is a disaster with pork. Anyway, I know what Eric means by lunchmeaty, but I think that is more common with a sugar and salt brine than with an all salt brine.

 

[erictheobscure]



It is my belief that people don't realize just how much food keeps cooking when removed from the oven or pan. It isn't 5 degrees farenheit, it is more like 12-16 or so, thus they take the meat out too warm and it overcooks. This is a disaster with pork. Anyway, I know what Eric means by lunchmeaty, but I think that is more common with a sugar and salt brine than with an all salt brine.

Huh, I guess I have always put a little sugar in my brines. Will try it without.

Also, I'm a real idiot about overcooking. For some reason, when I'm cooking my own food, I'm always afraid of making myself sick. Which I'm just about never worried about when I go out to eat and consume all sorts of raw, rare, or medium rare meats.

 

[itsstillmatt]



Huh, I guess I have always put a little sugar in my brines. Will try it without.
Also, I'm a real idiot about overcooking. For some reason, when I'm cooking my own food, I'm always afraid of making myself sick. Which I'm just about never worried about when I go out to eat and consume all sorts of raw, rare, or medium rare meats.

I never knew what the problem with brining was until foodguy described sweet brines as lunchmeaty as well. He is actually kind of an expert on brining, and not just in the SF universe.

 

[erictheobscure]



I never knew what the problem with brining was until foodguy described sweet brines as lunchmeaty as well. He is actually kind of an expert on brining, and not just in the SF universe.

Yeah, I've been meaning to do the dry salt rub chicken thing that you guys have mentioned.

 

[kwilkinson]



It is my belief that people don't realize just how much food keeps cooking when removed from the oven or pan. It isn't 5 degrees farenheit, it is more like 12-16 or so, thus they take the meat out too warm and it overcooks. This is a disaster with pork.

This. 10-12% carryover.

 

[shibbel]

I used my pressure cooker to make chicken stock today- flavor and clarity turned out pretty much the same as a stock that would normally take me 4 hours, only this was done in an hour.

 

[philosophe]



I used my pressure cooker to make chicken stock today- flavor and clarity turned out pretty much the same as a stock that would normally take me 4 hours, only this was done in an hour.

Welcome to the club. The pressure cooker is a godsend for stock.