I'm not sure why the rush.

Pecans are not a cheap ingredient where I am, and I actually have to slow myself down from using too many.

A perhaps unusual preparation is to grind your pecans and coat whatever your main is with them as if the pecans were bread crumbs.

This could be done with egg plant, for example.

As an omnivore I really enjoy fish coated with ground nuts.

One of my favorite ways to do green beans is to roast them under a broiler with onions and pecans until all ingredients are toasty and golden.

Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts, and with a replacement for heavy cream my recipe could be made vegan.

Google appears to agree that this is a definite option for vegans.

Another excellent recipe

if you can save your pecans for fall is a pumpkin pie base with a pecan pie topping.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

So decadent.

There are many options out there.

I rarely make cookies without pecans.

In fact, my ideal cookie is pecans held together by cookie dough.

I love pecans in muffins.

They also taste good in quick breads - zucchini, banana, and many others.

You can also grind the pecans and use them with white or whole wheat flour in a bread recipe.

Pecan pie, obviously Pecan brittle Candied pecans Grind to make a pecan crust for fish/chicken Chocolate chip pecan cookies Pecan banana bread feel free to edit this list Also, freeze them in an airtight bag and they'll last for a long time.

you could make pecan butter!

that takes a lot of pecans, i'm sure.

This one is hard to answer because you said "I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans".

I'm second guessing myself wondering if all the things I do are "regular" or not.

Seriously though-

this shouldn't be a problem

and I don't think you should try and waste them all at once just because you have them.

As I'm sure you know, most recipes call for a relatively small amount.

Pecans stay good frozen for a long time (I've done a year with no noticeable effects).

Stuff I do with Pecans

but again they're all normal:

Throw in some in cereal and yogurt,brownies,banana bread,pie (very infrequently!

That's a bit rich)various saladschopped with a vinaigrette on cooked veggies,Any recipe that calls for walnuts as I never have them.

You can use pretty much any nut in pesto.

It'll taste different, but pecan pesto probably wouldn't be bad.

You could try a sweet dish called charoset .

Most recipes call for a cup or so of walnuts, but I always use pecans instead, and it comes out great.

One good thing about using freezing pecans is that after you freeze them, you can make pecan nut flour by tossing your pecans into the food processor.

Freezing the pecans allows the nuts to not turn into pecan butter when you grind them.

With the pecan nut flour, you can substitute it in lots of baking recipes for a richer flavor.

I've found it to be a great additive to vegan recipes to give pie crusts, cakes and cookies a more moist texture.

Just replace 1/4 of your regular all purpose flour with the pecan flour.

You can make a great vegan cheesecake with Tofutti (homemade vegan cream cheese), using pecan nut flour in your crust, and topping with toasted pecans and maple syrup.

I'd recommend that until you use them, you may want to consider storing them in the fridge or freezer, since the oils can go rancid, causing an off taste.

Particularly with two pounds of them, you may not use them up in time.

My wife makes Mexican Wedding Cookies, from 'The Joy of Vegan Baking'.

These are very addictive.

Besides the pecans, everything else is a basic pantry item (flour, sugar, vanilla extract, etc).

Fruitcake.

Okay, well, not exactly

-- my mom makes what she calls "pecan whisky cake", which is essentially a fruitcake -- nuts, fruit (well, just sultanas aka.

golden raisins) and bourbon.

Then it's wrapped in cheesecloth and misted every few weeks with more bourbon over the course of 4 months.

(but I'd just toss 'em in the freezer, 2

lbs doesn't take up much space, assuming they're already shelled)

I have 2 big pecan trees in my garden, which supply endless amounts of pecans.

So I have a similar "problem".

And although pecans can stay tasty when stored in a dry place, they do loose their taste over time (~ after a year, although they're still good for cooking).

Basically, what I like to do with my pecans is just eat them raw (without toasting, without salt, without sugar, just open them up one by one and eat them).

Fresh pecans don't need any additions as they taste incredible when fresh.

The fact that you have to peel them one by one, slows down the pace of eating, so by the time you've eaten 6-7 you're pretty full and tired of peeling :)

Also, I just bring a bag of them to work and watch my colleagues enjoy pecans.

It's actually became similar to a "water cooler effect" where everybody just hangs around the pecans, eating them and talking while taking a break.

Which is much better than eating waffles as we normally do when pecans are not around.

Question: I just bought 2 pounds of pecans from a friend who received them from a fresh source. I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans, but short of making more or bigger dishes that happen to have some pecans in them, what are good things to do with 2 lbs of pecans?  I should mention that I'm vegan, so veg-friendly suggestions particularly welcome.

What can I do with 2 lbs. of pecans?

You can eat them raw or store them in the fridge or freezer until you use them, since otherwise the oils can go rancid. Pecans can be used in fruitcakes, pie, muffins, cookies, charoset, pecan brittle, pesto or pecan butter. Pecans can also be used as a crust to coat fish, chicken and other foods or ground into flour.

Pecans go well in many recipes. You can use them in muffins and banana bread, to make butter and pesto or ground up to make a crust. They will keep for a long time but can also be frozen.

You can use pecans in many recipes such as muffins, fruitcake, pecan pie, banana bread. You can also grind them up and use like breadcrumbs or make a butter or pesto.

They will keep for quite a while, but think about freezing some.


I noticed the term "just washed" in the question.

My suggestion is -- don't wash them before peeling.

Wash them after peeling.

Water is what makes them slippery -- if anything, dirt adds traction as you're peeling.

(and I tend to do one end, then the length of it, slowly rotating, then the other end ...

no idea if that's faster or less slippery ...

but for carrots, I always do the fatter end first, as I find it'd harder hold a peeled skinny side while peeling the fatter end)

I know this might sound crazy, but is your potato peeler old or dull?

Sometimes a nice new peeler does the trick.

Also, I'll sometimes hold the potato with a paper towel if it's slipping in my hands.

This may sound like a silly answer, but it actually isn't: just do it faster.

I've worked in professional kitchens, a lot of the time on prep shifts, and although there are lots of great tricks for prepping vegetables, the single thing that helps the most is to simply concentrate and move your hands faster.

Build up your speed slowly so you don't cut yourself.

And of course be sure you have a very sharp peeler.

But mainly, work on slowly increasing your tempo until your hands are a veritable blur, and it won't seem like such a chore anymore.

If the potatoes really are shooting out of your hands, you might try something as simple as loosening your grip.

When I peel potatoes, I don't even squeeze with the hand in which I'm holding it.

Generally, putting a lot of pressure on anything when working with knives or other sharp implements can be risky.

A different idea, don't peel them at all.

I can't think of a dish where I wouldn't rather have the earthy, crispy, chewy skin of a potato.

Just run them under water and lightly brush the dirt off, cut out any eyes, and be on your way.

This is somewhat of a non-answer, but it's how I approach most tedious cooking tasks.

You might have good luck with holding the potato similar to how a football is held for a field goal kicker - place one end on the table and hold the other end with the fingers of your left hand (if you're right handed), essentially sitting the potato vertically, and peel down from top to bottom.

You'll still have to pick it up to get the ends, but you should be able to get 90% of the potato done this way.

To keep the potato from slipping off the counter, rest it on a paper towel.

Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island presents and even easier method in this video .

Basically, you score the potato all the way around, put it in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drop it into an ice bath...and the skin will just come off.

Very cool!

Of course, you'll want to reserve this method for potatoes that are going to be mashed or otherwise need to be softened for one reason or another.

If you don't mind buying a device specifically for this there are some pretty cool potato peelers on the market, but it might not be very cost effective unless you eat a lot of potatoes!

Also, you can hold the potato with a towel, or if you have one, one of those "jar openers" that is just the round silicon grip improver.

Those work great!

Question: Whenever I have to peel potatoes, I spend much of the time fighting the slippery, just-washed potatoes and keeping them from shooting out of my hands...what's a good way to peel potatoes more efficiently/easily?

How to Peel Potatoes

You could try a new peeler or peeling them before washing them, or just loosening your grip when holding them. Another idea is not to peel them at all.

While it is not necessary to peel a potato at all, you can also try washing them after peeling and investing a new peeler that is sharper.

Wash them after peeling instead of before.


If you pinch off the basil flowers as they start to grow, the plant will produce more leaves.

(Yes, this is a horticultural answer, but it will help you make more yummy dishes with the leaves.)

If you wanted to use them in cooking, I would recommend putting them in a sachet (a small pouch made of cheesecloth/muslin tied with cooking twine), as I know some people who don't actually like to eat the flowers, but enjoy the bitter tang they'll add to a dish.

They are edible, however, so if it turns out you like them, they make a beautiful garnish for a salad.

I'm not a huge fan, so I generally stick with Martha's suggestion and keep them pinched so the plant produces more leaves.

Once the flowers appear, the plants energy and resources become more dedicated to flowering, and the leaf growth suffers.

As mentioned in my comment on Martha's answer, I find that when the leaf growth suffers, the flavor of the leaves suffers as well.

This site recommends putting the basil flowers in olive oil, shaking, and leaving on a window sill for a month to make a light basil olive oil.

I've never tried this, and I'm interested, though I'm a little wary of leaving olive oil in a clear container in the sun for a month.

The general idea seems cool, though.

I love basil flowers.

They are so much fun

and I use them all the time.

I have noticed that different varieties of basil at different times of the summer/growth stage will result in more bitter or delicate tasting buds.

You'll just have to experiment, but I have definitely had some really floral tasting flowers this summer.

I'll throw them into a pesto for a more complex, slightly bitter flavor - I just make sure to pick off any woody stems.

They are a beautiful garnish for just about any stonefruit (plums, peaches, nectarines) -

how about roast some fruit, serve with ricotta and some honey...with basil flowers?

They are gorgeous in salads or panzanella....

anything with tomatoes.

Finally, my favorite thing to do is use them to make basil flower ice cream.

Steep them along with basil leaves in a plain ice cream base and remove them once you have achieved the flavor you desire.

Keep in mind the flavor will develop if you let the base sit overnight (which I recommend) and

it will also continue to strengthen a tad as it sits in the freezer.

This is generally not a problem if you are making a small batch at home, but more of tip for professionals.

Yes, you can use them just as you'd use basil leaves.

They're generally milder tasting and more decorative in your dish.

Also - from flowers to seeds - a new harvest is also an opportunity.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw

Vinegar.

Pinch off the blossoms and pack them in a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal and keep in the fridge for a few weeks to flavor through...

Then discard the blossoms and use the vinegar for dressings or marinades.

Delicious stuff...

Use sparingly though!

If you grow African Blue Basil, you'll have a TON of flowers that are not at all bitter at any time.

We use them in all kinds of cooking, but our favorite use is to make Basil Bud Ice Cream.

Literally the best ice cream I've ever tasted.

The flavor of these flowers is the basil itself with strong floral overtones that mesh well.

Great fresh as a salad topper too.

Honestly, you haven't lived until you try growing African Blue Basil.

Everyone raves about it and everything we make with it.

Just finished a MONSTER batch of pesto to keep us through the winter.

Best plant I've ever grown, bar none.

We had about 50-60 plants this year.

Also, definitely top them as they grow in tridents and by topping them, you cause them to bush out a lot more dramatically.

Using basil flowers in my fresh tomatoes I'm cooking down to can is Excellent!

Strong in flavour

but I like that.

If you don't dilute it! :-)

Dry basic flowers can be used to make a awesome little potpourri pouch or a small sachet :)

Basil flowers can be eaten, for instance in soup.

I love putting the flowers along with lavender, lemon balm and mint in some water and once it almost hits boiling point putting it on low then drinking as tea.

Super yummy.

I plant Basil along with my Tomatoes to deter insects.

One Basil Plant every fifth Tomato Plant, and it really works quite well.

I keep cutting the flowers off until near the end of the Tomato season, and then let them go.

I have some African bushes that are three feet tall, and app.

three feet in diameter.

I usually give most away as either fresh, or I hang them in the shed to dry for people who like to preserve them.

We do use some for flavoring, especially when we can Salsa or other Tomato products like juice, soup mix, etc.

I grow Queen Siam Thai Basil and Genovese Basil.

I use the flowers in soups and pesto mostly

and I don't notice them being bitter or making the leaves bitter once the plants start flowering.

The flowers do seem to have a condensed flavor.

I do however snip the basil leaves while they are young and smallish since the taste seems cleaner and fresher when small.

Question: I have tons of basil in my herb spiral.  However, this stuff is precious, and I always feel bad when I throw away the basil flowers when I make pesto sauce.  Is there a way to use the basil flowers when cooking?

What uses are there for basil flowers?

They are edible, so you could use them as a garnish for salads or stonefruit, make basil flower ice cream or put them in a bottle with olive oil or white vinegar.

Basil flowers are edible and you can use them like basil leaves. They are great as a flavouring for ice cream or to top salads or fruit.

Basil flowers are edible and are great as a garnish for salads and stonefruit. You can also use them as a flavouring for ice cream.

You can use them for flavouring oil or vinegar.

You can use them just like basil leaves.


Like many crafts which originated in Japan, their sushi training more or less creates sushi artisans.

If you just want to make a snack, you'll have plenty of ability given a basic review of techniques.

You should focus your learning on understanding food-safety, getting the rice right, and making the roll not fall apart.

The rest is just levels of mastery which you need not approach in your kitchen in order to experiment and enjoy a good dish.

I make sushi with friends about once a month, and it's not too difficult.

The thing that took us the longest to get right was the rice, and we got that down after a few tries.

It'll probably take a while to figure out the amount of vinegar you like in it, and how long to leave the seaweed in it while it's cooking.

For nigiri, I've got a little plexiglass box for molding the rice, which makes it somewhat easier to get it a regular shape.

It probably wouldn't be too hard to find one, if you're really into making nigiri and don't want to just do it by hand.

We also tried making tamago (sweetened omelet) from scratch last time, and it came out really well.

We weren't able to make it the proper thickness and have it cook properly, so we ended up making a bunch of very thin layers, stacking them, then rolling them up and slicing them.

We've started making sunomono as well, which makes a good opening to the meal.

Thinly-sliced cucumber, mackerel, and a little bit of miso dressing cut with some mirin (sweetened rice wine).

Sometimes we throw a little seaweed salad on top, as well.

To be a professional, yes there are schools in Japan that take several years to complete including lengthy apprenticeship requirements.

That said, I've taken a 3 hour sushi class

and I can make sushi rice, maki, nigiri, and hand rolls just fine.

They sometimes lack a little in the appearance department though.

Personally-

I use the sushi rice recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" and it worked on the first try.

You should definitely not be afraid to try it.

It took a couple tries getting the technique right for making the rolls but it's a fun family activity as the children get to pick their fillings, etc.

If you haven't seen it already, check out the sushi documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

He is 86 years old and a national treasure of Japan.

Even he, himself, says he has not mastered sushi.

He dreams all the time of how to improve his techniques.

Hence the name of the movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi".

I was able to successfully make my own sushi after two attempts.

The hardest thing to grasp is the amount of labor and techniques needed for the rice.

I first had sushi while living in Australia and watched a food tv show about Outback Bush cooking, with a Bushman cook.

I watched him make maki rolls by hand with fish he caught.

After I saw that, I decided I wanted to learn.

It's worthwhile to research how to prepare the rice correctly because 50% of sushi is pure rice.

Good luck!

Question: I've read somewere in the net that sushi is an extremely difficult food to prepare. It will take at least one year just to learn to cook the rice, and ten year to complete the experience.  It's so difficult? To do a comparison, one could prepare a decent home sushi like one can prepare a decent home dish after some years of home cooking?  It's more like a western chef that needs anyway to study and practice for a long time?

Is sushi so difficult?

A basic review of the techniques should be enough to make sushi without difficulty. The sushi rice recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" is not difficult to master.

You can make basic sushi quite easily with just a little practice.

Making basic sushi is quite easy to master and you don't have to be afraid of not mastering all the techniques.


Here are a few things that have worked for me: Brush oil on the dough before applying toppings.

(Already suggested) Scoop out the seeds and guts and then dice your tomatoes instead of slicing.

This should get rid of some of the moisture.

Add cheese and then place tomatoes on top.

Stretch your dough evenly and not too thin.

I usually don't precook tomatoes (sauce at least) because it ends up getting gummy since they get cooked twice.

I always pre-cook my crust for 3-8 minutes, depending on whether it's thin crust or not.

Works great for what you're describing

but I prefer it even when not using fresh tomatoes,

I like a slightly crispier crust.

Never tried pre-cooking the tomatoes - you could squeeze them, maybe in a ricer, but you're going to lose some texture and a lot of flavor, I would guess.

Thin layer of olive oil on the crust before you add the sauce.

Just drizzle on a little bit and then make sure it's evenly applied with a hand.

Whenever I use fresh tomatoes on pizza, I always put them on the pizza immediately after cooking the pizza.

That way they stay recognizable as fresh tomatoes instead of just turning to mush.

I pre-cook the crust for 90 seconds (>=450 degrees F) on a pre-heated pizza stone.

Problem solved!

I like to slice them about 1/4 inch thick and then drizzle with olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic, liberal salt and pepper.

Bake on a sheet tray lined with parchment or silpat, until they start to release a lot of that juice, drain that juice off (save for other uses or sauce!).

Then let cool before adding to pre-baked pizza (so they don't fall apart) with the other desired toppings.

As long as the pizza doesn't take longer than 30-45 minutes they shouldn't brown too much, and you will get a more intense tomato flavor with your slices.

Question: Whenever I make a pizza with fresh tomatoes on it, the juice from the tomatoes turns the crust to mush.  I think I must be doing something wrong - do I need to pre-cook the tomatoes to get rid of excess juice? Or maybe pre-cook the crust instead?  Is there any way to keep pizza from getting soggy when using fresh tomatoes, or is this just a problem with using fresh tomatoes as toppings on pizza, and there is no way to prevent it?

Keeping pizza crust from getting soggy from fresh tomatoes

Make sure the dough is stretched evenly and precook it for a few minutes first. Brush a thin layer of olive oil on the dough before adding toppings, or add tomatoes immediately after cooking the pizza.

Start by brushing the crust with olive oil. Then you can pre-cook the crust before adding toppings. For fresh tomatoes, add them just as the pizza comes out of the oven.

Brush your crust with olive oil before adding the toppings.

Make sure your dough is not too thin. Pre-cook it so it is already slightly crispy.

With fresh tomatoes, put them on just as the pizza comes out of the oven.


I like to take a nice center cut pork loin and cook it in a slow cooker (crock pot) for 8 hours in homemade bbq sauce.

When it's done, take it out, use two forks to shred it, then put the shredded pieces back into the sauce to coat.

Mmmm...homemade pulled pork.

Freezes really well in individual portions, too.

Another option is to use it to marinade a nice rack of ribs or three, bake it on a very low temperature for a few hours (or as long as a day), and then grill or broil them to finish.

I'd say the rib meat probably freezes well too - but ribs never last that long in our house!

BBQ sauce pizza w/ chicken, red onion, cheddar/american, etc...

As sauce for enchiladas, tacos, quesadilas, etc.... BBQ wings.

A

spicy, cheesy casserole w/ corn, green beans, pasta, etc... Add some to spaghetti sauce for a kick.

Obviously, sauce for just about any meat.

The weather is a bit warm for it, but I use bbq sauce in my chili when I make it.

We do ribs in an oven (no grill, but this works great on a grill if you have it) for about 2 hours wrapped in foil, remove foil, and add barbecue sauce at the end to cook on.

We do a spice rub to begin with.

Truly tasty!

We make our own pizzas and one thing we like to do is mix BBQ sauce with the tomato puree to go on the base - gives it a bit of a twist from normal pizza.

Also, often I'll squirt a bit into shepherds or cottage pie with the meat to make it a bit different from normal.

I haven't tried it with barbecue sauce, but I've had good luck freezing other sauces.

Could you freeze it in batches large enough for one generous order of barbecued meat?

Question: We found a nice recipe lately for barbecue sauce and made 3 variations to test out. The problem is: now we have ~3 pints of homemade barbecue sauce that we need to use before it goes bad. (It won't last nearly as long as store-bought stuff with all of their preservatives).  What are some tasty ways to use up our new sauce?

What to do with barbecue sauce

You can cook meat in it, add it to pizza and pasta sauces, chili, casseroles and other dishes. It can also be used as a sauce for meats, enchiladas, tacos, quesadilas etc. Finally, you can freeze it in individual portions.

You can use it to baste roasting meat, and mixed into other recipes like spaghetti or pizza. It also freezes well.

It would be a good sauce for roasting any meat.

You can use it on pizzas, tacos, in a casserole or in spaghetti sauce.


For me, the best use is making beans.

I find that home cooked beans have a much better taste and texture than from cans.

The pressure cooker can make them in just about an hour from the moment you pour them in the pot to perfectly tender, and no presoaking is required, so I don't have to plan a day in advance.

It's a convenience and a time saver.

The high pressure simply raises the boiling point of water which raises the cooking temperature.

Anything you need to boil (but not evaporate) for a long time will go much faster using it.

Of course without the lid it is also a nice heavy pot.

Canning requires the higher temperature to kill botulism spores but most recipes that call for a pressure cooker will simply take longer.

If you haven't used it in 10 years you are probably fine getting rid of it.

You could send it to me for example. :)

a) Send it to me :) b)

Pressure cookers are good for cooking something like lamb shanks (or other tough meats), which would normally take several hours of braising before becoming tender.

In a pressure cooker, you could probably do it in less than an hour.

I like to use mine as a high pressure steamer.

Pour a 1cm layer of water into the pressure cooker, put a small rack in (came with my pressure cooker) and heat the cooker until the water boils, put your veggies on the rack, close the cooker and cook for two minutes or so on the highest pressure.

Never tasted broccoli that was so fresh.

You could use a steam oven to get the same mode of preparation with more convenience, but it's very pricey.

Pressure cookers use higher pressure to raise the boiling point of water, which means that you can cook at a higher temperature.

That leads to shorter cooking times.

It is especially useful for making braises, stews and stocks.

My personal favorite recipe to make in a pressure cooker is Alton Brown's Pressure Cooker Chili.

I've made the recipe without a pressure cooker and it takes 3-4 for the meat to become nice and tender while the pressure cooker can do it in 25 minutes.

You can use it to make a version of risotto that doesn't take any stirring.

You can make vegetables soup in minutes.

Steel cut oatmeal, very fast too.

Basically anything that would stovetop cook for hours can be done in 20-35minutes mostly.

We did oxtail soup for dinner just last night in an hour, start to eating.

And vegetables can be steamed to perfection in just a few minutes, with some danger of overcooking.

pressure cooker is one of my MUST HAVE in my kitchen because aside from saving me a lot of time tendering my meat

but it also save your electric bill for electric stove.

Laura at plawingwithfireandwater.com uses her pressure cooker to make a cream croquant.

Pour 35% cream in your cooker to 1/2 an inch, cook for ten minutes at full pressure.

You will get a crunchy caramelized bit of gorgeousness made solely with cream.

Pressure cookers generally are ideal for food items that require moist cooking methods that take a long time.

Generally, the can be employed in lieu of: Long boiling or simmering, as with beans or brown rice Stews and other braises Long steaming

Question: We were just clearing out our kitchen and stared at this brand new, unused pressure cooker we got for our wedding over 10 years ago!  We've never felt the need to use it before.  I know it's supposed to be able to cook things really fast, but is this really an essential appliance?  We're debating if we should give it to someone else.  Before I do that though, I think I want to try it a few times. What kinds of things would best demonstrate its usefulness?

What types of cooking are pressure cookers most useful for?

Pressure cookers are convenient and save time, effort and energy. They are good for steaming or for making stocks, stews and soups, and can quickly cook lamb and other meats that would otherwise take hours to become tender. You can also make a risotto without needing to stir.

A pressure cooker will reduce cooking time and is especially useful for recipes that need a lot of cooking time.

Pressure cookers are good for cooking something like lamb shanks (or other tough meats), which would normally take several hours of braising before becoming tender.

pressure cooker is one of my MUST HAVE in my kitchen because aside from saving me a lot of time tendering my meat

but it also save your electric bill for electric stove.

Pressure cookers generally are ideal for food items that require moist cooking methods that take a long time.

I like to use mine as a high pressure steamer.

It is especially useful for making braises, stews and stocks.

You can use it to make a version of risotto that doesn't take any stirring.

You can make vegetables soup in minutes.

It saves time and electricity for recipes that need moist cooking and a lot of time.

You can use it for steaming vegetables. It is good for quick soups and stews and for risotto with no stirring.


The tools I use the most are: Tongs, Spatula for stuck things, A small towel to apply oil, thermometer, a long handled basting brush a brush to clean the grill with spray bottle with water (for flare-ups)

In addition to what others have said, you should have TWO of each meat-handling tool (tongs, mainly).

That way you can use one to handle raw meat, and one to remove cooked meat.

The basic things that you need are: Grill brush to clean the grate Large tongs to get food on and off of the grill With that, oil to oil the grate, fuel, and quite possibly aluminum foil you will be grilling.

A grill basket of sorts can be very useful.

Metal skewers for making kebabs are great if you like that sort of thing and don't want to spend a long amount of time soaking wood skewers

so they don't burn to a crisp.

Tool-wise: spatula, tongs, grill brush (for cleaning) and a basting brush.

If you're using extremely hot fire or high flames there are grill-safe mitts you can buy.

This isn't a tool, but I find buying cedar (or other wood) planks for grilling fish and other meats and veggies on are invaluable.

Similarly, applewood or hickory chips for smoking.

As you get more advanced, there are rotisserie attachments for most grills, but they can get pretty pricey.

I agree with justkt that metal skewers are extremely useful, as well as the grill basket for certain fish and veggies.

If you're using charcoal, a spray bottle with H2O can be handy for flare-ups.

Otherwise, I think others have the bases covered.

I have a wide, flat knife that can be used as a spatula; I find it really useful.

Everything else has pretty much been mentioned, but I would suggest a pair of tongs with decent teeth on them.

It's very disheartening when that burger or steak slips out of your grip and into the coals or onto the ground.

An additional tool that will make grilling much easier is a veggie basket; basically it looks like a saute pan with holes poked throughout it.

Aluminum foil can be your friend, but these little guys are much more flexible.

Question: What are some grilling tools that a beginner should have when purchasing a new grill?  Additionally, are there tools that are useful for the more advanced outdoor cook?

What are some grilling tools that everyone should have?

The most basic tools are tongs, a spatula, a grill brush for cleaning, a basting brush, a thermometer, a water spray bottle for flare ups and a grill basket for veggies. It can be useful to have two of each meat-handling tool, especially tongs.

The basic tools are tongs and a spatula. You could also get a basting brush and a grill brush to clean the grill. A grill basket is also a good addition for vegetables.

You will need tongs and a spatula, a grill brush for cleaning, a basting brush and a grill basket for vegetables.

You should have two of the meat handling tools.


I'm confused.

You don't want fake smoke but you don't want to use wood?

Are you asking for a synthetic substance you can burn that will not be worse for the environment than burning wood?

First of all- burning wood is not bad for the environment- that carbon has not been sequestered and so it would be released into the atmosphere anyway when the wood decayed.

Secondly-

mesquite is a cancerous weed here in Texas

and I encourage everyone to smoke with it to restore the damaged ecosystem.

Thirdly-

You can't fake the taste of smoking with wood.

That's the point.

Even liquid smoke is actually made by distilling real smoke.

(I originally posted a comment and decided to modify it into an answer.)

i made a smoked salmon recently that used tea leaves (from tea bags, specifically chai and a black tea with citrus), and it was very subtle and awesome.

highly recommended.

i used, i believe, 3 tea bags total, plus 2T of brown sugar and 2T of white rice in a lightly folded foil packet.

I believe that cooking on a plank of wet wood will give you some of the flavor of smoking without actually burning the wood.

But I don't think the flavor will be nearly as strong.

it is possible to smoke foods with products other than traditional wood chips.

however i have achieved best results by mixing with wood.

i like ginger (sliced the same size as a wood chip), star anise, cinnamon stick (broken to roughly the same size as a wood chip), garlic, thyme (soaked in water), tea

(i enjoy using jasmine tea), rosemary, peppercorns (soaked in water), citrus peel, chips from wine casks or bourbon cask.

any type of woody plant stalk will do as well.

There are many different woods used for smoking throughout the world, each giving a characteristic flavor, intensity, and color to the foods that are smoked with it.

You are not going to get the "hickory smoked" taste by using anything but hickory.

Here is the list of common smoking woods given by Nathan Myhrvold in Modernist Cuisine Vol 2 : grapevine straw ash, elm, hornbeam, chestnut tea leaves alder apple cherry, peach corncob heather (dried) mahogany thyme, marjoram, or sage (dried) walnut linden birch, poplar,

willow hickory pecan laurel rosemary, dried beech juniper camphor laurel oak mesquite Additionally, in some areas where vegetation is less available locals use dried manure or peat to smoke meat.

Other sources: http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Woods.htm

The best alternative to wood chips is a new product called Smokin-os and they are sold on Amazon.

They give great smoke and are very simple to use.

All you do is preheat your grill and put one on the grill surface where you put your food.

They are made of fruitwood trimmings that are normally piled and burned.

The trimmings are ground up and then extruded under high heat and pressure putting the wood back together denser (up to 2 times more dense) than it was in its natural state.

Therefore it takes less of it to produce a lot of rich smoke.

Its the only product that I'm aware of in the market.

This process is done using heat and extreme pressure to bind the wood back together using the woods natural resins.

Question: I am looking for alternatives to using wood chips for smoking meats.  I would like the process to actually smoke the meat.  Liquid smoke/marinades are not what I'm looking for.    Has anyone heard of any projects or items that could be used?  I'm thinking of a more environmentally friendly way to smoke meats without relying on wood such as apple, cherry, hickory or mesquite.  The cost of obtaining these woods in some parts of the world make it cost-prohibitive.

Artificial Wood Chips/Smoke for smoking meat

Nathan Myhrvold lists the following common smoking woods in Modernist Cuisine Vol 2:   grapevine  straw ash, elm, hornbeam, chestnut  tea leaves  alder  apple  cherry, peach  corncob  heather (dried)  mahogany  thyme, marjoram, or sage (dried)   walnut  linden  birch and poplar. Smoked salmon with tea bags can taste good, and  any woody plant stalk can be used for smoking.

Teabags or any woody plant can be burned for smoking. You can also you a plank of wet wood.

You can smoke using any woody plant stalk like thyme or marjoram. You can also use teabags.

Try placing your meat on a plank of wet wood over the heat source.


Red Burgundy wine is made from Pinot noir grapes, so a Pinor noir from another region probably will work well.

Wikipedia describes Pinot noir as “light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant”, so any wine with those characteristics, such as a light Zinfandel or Shiraz/Syrah will be similarly substitutable.

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Julia Child says it should be made with a full-bodied young red wine.

She lists the following options: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux Saint-Émilion, Burgundy, or a Chianti.

I've made it with a Bordeaux and can attest to it being delicious.

It would change the flavor profile enormously, but making the equivalent of Boeuf Bourguignon with beer would probably be quite tasty.

I've had great success in the past using a chianti.

I'd had success with Cabernet Sauvignon before (South Australia).

I tend to associate "full-bodied" (and hence better for cooking since delicacy isn't relevant) with Cab Sav and Shiraz varieties far more than, say, Pinot Noir.

Could be the characteristics of the local wines, though.

I'd be surprised if the choice of wine made a huge difference to the dish, however, as long as you didn't stray too far from the criterion of "ordinary red wine".

Try a Fuzion Malbec.

It's a cheap Argentinian that stands up really well.

In Ontario, it's about 8 bucks a bottle, and anything comparable is at least 12-15.

For god's sake, don't be cooking with a 30-50 pinot.

That's for drinking!

Try a Ribera del Duero ; you may be surprised.

I certainly had a very delicious Boeuf Bourguignon in Calais one cold and wintry evening.

I complained that it was clearly not made with red wine and was rather pale and anaemic.

The chef came out smiling all over his face. "

Mais oui, monsieur, it ees my mother's own recipe.

White burgundy from my home town."

He showed me the bottle.

It said Grand Cru on the label.

So I proceeded to try to hide in my seat.

It was followed up by an excellent Roquefort from his cousin's place down in the Auvergne and he insisted I must have a good red wine (Burgundy) with this, on the house.

So we drank the whole bottle between the two of us!

Memorable evening!

You need some liquid that is as tasty as wine.

Perhaps some beef consommé (Can o' Campbells!) would do the job.

I would add a bit of red wine vinegar, or balsamic, to make it a little bit acidic.

I've not tried it but my uncle was telling me

he's started using cider for this, googling turns up a few beef in cider recipes so he may not be losing his marbles just yet!

Question: Traditionally a Burgundy wine is used for  Beef Bourguignon . What are alternative replacements for this dish?

What are some alternative wines for Boeuf Bourguignon?

In  Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Julia Child says it should be made with a full-bodied young red wine. Possible options include Bordeaux, Chianti, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fuzion Malbec or Ribera del Duero. Other liquids that are as tasty as wine can be used, including cider and beer, although this could change the flavour profile significantly.

You can use any full-bodied red wine. A Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Malbec or Chianti are all good options.

You can use any full-bodied red wine. Alternatively, you can try beer or cider.

Try a full-bodied red wine like a Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti or Malbec.


My fried rice started getting closer to east coast restaurant style when I started doing a couple of new things: Use Chinese 5 Spice Powder

- Like Indian Garam Masala, this is a spice mixture that is so common in Chinese cooking that it's sold pre-mixed.

I've started using it in a lot of my chinese cooking.

It makes a big difference.

Add a bit more soy sauce -

This seems to be where most of your coloring comes from, so judge by look.

Use some sesame oil

- I find sesame oil provides a nice flavor element in asian dishes.

Use more oil while frying the rice

- I use a mix of sesame and vegetable or canola.

This makes it quite a lot greasier than I was making it, but it's closer to restaurant style.

Let the rice sit while frying - Once the rice is in the wok, I don't stir it too much.

This lets some of the rice on the bottom get a bit more fried than if you stir frequently.

Hope one of those helps.

A basic ingredient of Chinese fried rice which nobody seems to be aware of is stock .

That's right

, you heard me right.

Chinese fried rice is made with stock .

I kid you not.

You should consider it an indispensable ingredient.

You can make a simple stock out of a stock cube and some hot water.

You add the stock after you put the rice in the frying pan/wok.

Another basic ingredient is scrambled eggs.

You should fry these separately from the rest of the ingredients and add them at the end of the cooking.

What you're missing is monosodium glutamate (a.k.a. MSG, Accent , or flavour enhancer).

Trust me: my girlfriend is from Hong Kong.

Using stock, as The Galloping Gourmet suggested, is right on the money as most commercial stock contains MSG.

It's molasses, not more soy sauce, that you're after.

Use day-old rice and start with 1 teaspoon of molasses (less if the amount of rice is small), and add more to taste.

You can always add more molasses but not take away, so be careful.

They use DARK soy sauce.

One tablespoon per 3 cups rice is ideal.

Stores like Whole Foods and Central Market carry it.

It makes the rice much darker.

Also, add large pieces of onion (1-inch by 1-inch) crispy tender.

Some people add peas.

Stir in scrambled eggs.

Not sure about East Coast

but I know as a Chinese-Canadian that Oyster Sauce is a traditional ingredient in most fried rice dishes.

That would shortly explain the darker color and savouriness.

Source:

My parents from southern China

This is from a Polynesian Chinese restaurant owner and his daughters who are chefs as well.

It's black Chinese molasses or sweet sauce.

This is found mostly in New England Chinese restaurants.

You take rice cook it the day before and refrigerate overnight.

You need a gas stove or high temp wok to obtain about 400 degrees.

Stir fry your scallions, egg, shrimp, bean sprouts etc in the molasses, soy sauce(sparingly), neutral oil, like grape seed, and whatever seasonings you like in the pan.

Add a little more molasses and put the rice in.

The whole idea is to flash fry it at this point, hence the high heat and very brief cooking time.

About a minute or two.

That's how it's done.

I just released a trade secret, but it is soooooo good!

Try Maggi Asian Seasoning or Golden Mountain Seasoning.

My wife worked at Dan Chan's in Fitchburg in the 70's.

She said they used a dark thick Oyster sauce.

It was my favorite.

Can't get it here in North Carolina either.

They use a yellow rice.

Like the Californian, I too hate flavorless light-colored "fried rice."

I am from the city of St. Louis, Missouri where the fried rice is dark, rich in flavor, not sticky (from stock during cooking), nor tasteless (from cooking fresh rice).

While it is true that you want to make your fried rice with day-old cold rice, you want to add ingredients such as:1) seasoned wok oil2) chopped onion3)

mix in a separate cup 1 pkt of fried rice seasoning mix,

DARK soy sauce, 1 tsp molasses, and 1 tsp fish sauce or oyster sauce.

Add mixture to your rice when stir-frying over high heat.

Stir-fry until even in color and temperature.

You can add scrambled eggs and green onions afterward if desired.

Never add lots of liquid to the wok when stir-frying pre-cooked rice unless you enjoy soggy rice clumps.

The Chinese restaurants never serve clumped up fried rice because you can not get an even brown color throughout. Enjoy!

Dark Mushroom Soy Sauce is specifically the sauce.

I call it antimatter because it is WAY BLACK.

First, use whole grain par boiled rice.

It is somewhat oval in shape.

Do not use fluffy rice.

I use garlic oil, good soy sauce, some oyster sauce and some MOLASSES, that is the secret ingredient.

Add it all to the rice.

fry up

diced fatty pork then on a very hot wok add all the ingredients.

Stir frequently for a minute or so.

Add diced scallion.

I know what everyone means and it is frustrating searching for the recipe that anyone on the East Coast probably takes for granted.

I have never achieved it.

I am attempting to figure it out.

Kekap Manis is a sweet and thick soy sauce.

So to all those who might sneer at the molasses, do not doubt.

I understand that if you cannot find the Kekap Manis it can be achieved by equal parts brown sugar and soy sauce, boiled till syrupy (Credit Recipe Tin Eats).

Now this makes sense.

The traditional Indonesian rice is called Nasi Goreng.

The rice is dark, not sticky and it really is not fried at all as we might think: it is tossed in and heated with the aromatics and whatever else you actually fried first..

I understand that many if not most regions use shrimp paste.

This is also not available easily.

Nevertheless with these basic concepts in mind, this has to be close.

Question: I've been living in California for about 14 years and really miss the Chinese fried rice I would get at Chinese restaurants on the East Coast (Boston in specific).  The fried rice I get at Chinese restaurants in California is much lighter in color and flavor.  I thought adding more soy sauce would do the trick.  There's definitely something else in the mix.  The rice that I'm trying to emulate has more of a malty, savory taste to it.

How can I make Chinese Fried Rice like they do on the East Coast?

The ingredients you are referring to could include Chinese 5 spice powder,  Maggi Asian Seasoning or Golden Mountain Seasoning, sesame oil, stock, MSG, black Chinese molasses or sweet sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce or fish sauce.

Chinese fried rice is made with stock. It also uses 5 spice and sesame oil. The missing ingredients could be dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and molasses. You could also be missing MSG.

Try using Chinese 5 spice, asian seasoning and sesame oil.

You either need dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, molasses or a mixture of the 3.


Yes, and I find it taste better.

When I make lasagna I will not fully cook the pasta.

Instead, I keep a pot of boiling water and I dip the pasta into it to soften while I'm assembling the dish; the pasta is in the water for less than one minute.

The pasta seems to absorb more of the sauce, keeping the flavor but making a dish that does not fall apart as easily.

Absolutely, it will work!

You can keep it in the refrigerator, ready to bake, for a couple of days.

It also works very well to freeze it at that point, to defrost & bake at a later date.

The only catch is that the baking time may need to be extended a bit, since you'll be working with a product that is refrigerator-cold, as opposed to freshly cooked.

I would cook the lasagne and then re-heat the next day.

If you assemble the lasagna while the sauce(s) are warm then you will find that the pasta starts to curl up.

My wife and I have made lasagna for over 100 people on a few occasions.

The way we have done this is to make several full pans of the product and then freeze them down for later use (up to two weeks).

We have seen great success with his technique.

As far as making it one day and then cooking it the next (without freezing), this is actually a real good way to do it.

However, I wouldn't wait more than 48 hours, as the breakdown will start to occur at this stage.

We did this when I worked prep in a restaurant.

Half cooked the pasta and pre-cooked the meat layer.

Assembled it cold and refrigerated over night.

It took about 45 minutes to cook on 350 f.

It was also covered in plastic wrap first

then a layer of tin foil.

This helped keep it moisture while storing and cooking.

It does seem to taste much better.

It will most certainly work.

In fact, re-heated lasagne can taste better than it would straight off the stove.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw

I prepared lasagne last night uncooked and left in the fridge overnight, when i went to cook it the bechamel that i made has soaked in the uncooked lasagne sheets, wont do this mistake again

Question: I've always made it on the spot and cooked it then and there, but would like to make at home and take it to a large party the next day and cook it then - will it work?

Can you assemble lasagna one day, and then bake it about 24 hrs later?

Reheating lasagna is possible, and it can taste better the next day.

You can leave it, uncooked, in the fridge for 48 hours.

Cooking it the next day is definitely possible and may even improve the flavours.


Without a canner you are limited to canning high-acid foods.

Botulism spores don't die at 212F, the boiling point of water.

A pressure canner boiling water at 15PSI raises the boiling point to 250F or so which will kill the spores.

The bacterium cannot grow in a high acid environment and so high-acid foods such as fruit and pickles do not need to be processed in a pressure canner.

Look for recipes for such foods.

As use2199 said they will involve boiling the jars for a while to kill things.

An excellent resource is the Ball Blue Book that can often be found near the canning supplies in grocery stores.

It always calls for Ball products of course

but it has a ton of good canning recipes and instructions.

Don't experiment.

Botulism is not a fun thing.

Your lips get tingly

and then you die shortly aftwards.

Salsa, tomato sauce, and various pickled vegetables are typically all you can do if you want to have a shelf stable product using a boiling water bath.

Nowadays, many recipes add extra acid (vinegar or lemon juice typically) to tomato products to make sure that botulism spores can not grow because tomatoes today have been breed to be sweeter than in days past.

Freeze the food or spring for the pressure canner if you want to do low acid vegetables, meat, soups or stews.

Here are the things I'd have liked to know before I tried hot water canning:

It's not as straightforward as it sounds.

In addition to a large pot of boiling water and canning jars, you'll need a special rack.

You can buy a pot + rack combo, or just a rack that'll fit in a standard stockpot.

You'll also need special tongs; as I discovered, you can jury-rig something with thick rubber gloves and bbq tongs, but you'll get boiling water everywhere and be very frustrated.

Just buy a kit online, they're cheap enough.

You'll be instructed to use the oven to sterilize the jars.

You'll be instructed to use boiling water to sterilize the lids.

Don't sterilize the rings that hold the lid in place; they don't touch the inside of the jar anyway, and sterilization will make them very hot when you try to screw them in.

Everything -- EVERYTHING -- involved in the canning process NEEDS to be kept hot at all times.

Crack open a window; my kitchen got very uncomfortable once there were several pots of boiling water plus the stove all going at the same time.

I am working on a related question and I have discovered that there is an industrial process for canning at atmospheric pressure called "Flame Sterilization."

Flame Sterilization works using very high temperatures directed from one side, where the can is rotated rapidly to prevent one side of the internal contents from getting too hot.

This is achieved, apparently, by rolling the cans through the sterilization chamber.

The process is for low or high acid foods.

Because of the lack of pressurization, smaller, more robust cans are used that can withstand the high internal pressure generated.

However, should there be some kind of failure, for example a blockage preventing the cans from running through the chamber, the batch is at risk.

This means that over the years in the USA at least the Flame Sterilization process is now little used.

Apparently it used to be popular with small tinned preserved mushrooms.

What it does mean is that if this process is still being used somewhere in the world, then there is a supplier of cans intended for flame sterilization and resistant to explosion from internal pressures of 120C steam.

If you can find a supplier of cans for flame sterilization I would like to know, as this means that canning will be possible in an oil bath regulated at 120 or 130C.

The "Hot Water Bath" method involves completely submerging and heating jars in boiling water for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the type and amount of food.

Be aware that this method, unlike pressurised canning, will not kill Clostridium botulinum , so it may only be used for highly acidic food (with a pH of 4.6 or less) unless the jars will be stored at low temperature (below 3 degrees C or 38 degrees F).

I don't have a pressure canner either, so whatever I have that's not safe to can, I freeze in freezer jars.

(which I got on sale for less than three bucks for three last month)

Question: I'm debating canning but I don't have a pressure canner. I was just wondering what the best method to can would be since I don't want to get botulism and I want the canned food to last for a long time.

Method of canning without pressure canner?

You can use the 'hot water bath' method to completely submerge and heat jars in boiling water for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the type and amount of food. However, this will only provide shelf stable products for tomato sauce and various pickled vegetables.

It is not recommended to try canning without a pressure canner. However, you can try the water bath method as an alternative.

You can can pickled foods without a pressure canner.

A hot water bath will boil the jars for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the food.


Yes there are benefits!

This is one of my most used pieces of kitchen equipments.

Here is a list of benefits for a quality rice cooker: Never burns rice No

guess measurements for all kinds of rice Scheduled cooking Keep warm settings Uniform cooking When I cook rice on my stove, even at the lowest of heats, I get a thin layer of rice that has overcooked stuck to the bottom of the pot.

For the record I have the Zojirushi 5-1/2 cup induction rice cooker .

Best thing ever.

A dedicated rice cooker works by measuring the internal temperature as the rice steams and water boils away.

In my mind the greatest benefit is that different types of rice that have different cooking times will be cooked correctly in a rice cooker.

Another benefit is that you can start the rice early and the cooker will keep it warm after it's done cooking so it doesn't require babysitting.

The biggest down side is that it takes up a lot of space for one task.

If you don't make rice all the time or if you are already good at making rice in a pot then you probably don't need to waste the space.

We make rice all the time but my wife is good at making it in a pot.

When our rice cooker broke we didn't replace it.

It helps you cook large quantities of rice.

Whenever I need to make four or more cups of rice

I use the rice cooker.

I find it difficult to get it right on the stovetop.

The one benefit that everyone has missed is that the rice cooker leaves a very thin layer of rice in the bottom which is coveted by every golden retriever in the country.

Our dogs love our rice cooker!

Every important benefit has already been said.

I cannot live without it anymore.

I find it perfect expecially for brown rices.

and you can always use your rice cooker for a lot of different uses...

Check this article, it gave me a lot of inspiration: repurposing rice cooker .

(Rice cooker also saved my life when the gas cylinder one day magically became empty, leaving me without a stove for two days)

Question: For which reasons should I use a dedicated rice cooker, instead of cooking rice in a pot?

What are the benefits of using a dedicated rice cooker, rather than just cooking rice in a pot?

A rice cooker measures the temperature while cooking and provides a more even cooking without burning or overcooking at the bottom. The scheduled cooking and keep warm settings allow you to prepare the rice earlier and have it ready in time. You can also cook large quantities of rice with it.

A rice cooker measures the internal temperature and moisture of the rice to ensure uniform cooking. It is good for cooking large amounts and will keep it warm until you're ready.


Sumac is commonly used a tart flavoring element in the eastern Mediterranen region.

Historians believe that it was the common sour element in cooking for that area prior to domestication of lemons.

It is a characteristic seasoning element in Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad.

It's not usually available in the mainstream spice section of most grocery stores.

The best place to locate it is in mid-eastern markets, delis, upscale stores such as Dean & Deluca or online through P enzey's or the Spice House .

The fruit of some varieties is used in traditional Middle Eastern cuisine.

They dry it and use it like paprika (though it's flavor is more citrusy.)

Make sure you get the right kind .

Sumac runs the gamut between edible and poisonous.

It's used in Mediterranean cooking, though I don't know why more people don't use it.

There were shakers of it on each table at a restaurant I used to go to before its nearby location closed - http://www.sorrentogrill.com/ .

Anyways, my favorite thing to get there was the Braised Chicken on Wednesdays.

I would heavily sprinkle sumac on it!

The sumac gave a great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavor .

It was the reason I got the dish - because I knew I could have the sumac with it!

They also served warm pita with a yogurt sauce.

I would add sumac to that yogurt sauce , along with some salt, for a great way to start the meal.

You should definitely get some and experiment with it.

It's certainly not a strange taste, just a very pleasing combination of flavors you don't get from other spices .

If you ask me, it also has a hint of mushrooms.

Sumac is a major component in zatar, a Mideastern spice blend.

Goes very well with any meats, especially beef, goat, and lamb.

salads of any kind if you make any deep fried food (such as falafel) dip them once into sumac, it adds an amazing flavor on top of dips in meat loaf / meat ball type dishes

I asked the same question to one of my friend, we do not use sumac that much either.

He basically said whenever you eat onion use sumac.

I tried couple times it works.

You can add it to any salad.

I make onion salad with sumac, very easy.

Mix onion and sumac and squeeze it by hands.

It goes great with hot dog, burger etc.

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/10916/Dallas Homes For Sale

Question: A friend of mine told me she uses sumac (I am not sure she was teasing me, or what).Is sumac used in cuisine? If it is used, what is it used for?

What is sumac used for?

Sumac gives a  great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavour. It is used as a tart flavouring element in eastern Mediterranean cooking, including Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad. It goes well with meats and is used together with onion and zatar, a Mideastern spice blend.

Sumac is a spice that is very commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking with all kinds of dishes.

Sumac is a spice used in Mediterranean and middle eastern cooking. It can be used with meats and anytime you use an onion.

Sumac has a slightly acidic and salty flavour.


The main reason you put boiling water in the teapot before making tea is to heat up the teapot.

You dump out the now cooler water and then add your teabags and more boiling water, and the teapot will now be warm and not leech out the temperature from within it.

This results in tastier tea, but is totally not necessary if you didn't make enough hot water, or don't want to spend the time doing so.

Preheating the tea pot with hot water will also prevent the tea pot from cracking when you do add boiling hot water for the tea to steep in.

I will say that I have a fairly thick-walled tea pot, I rarely preheat it, and I've never seen any danger of cracking.

However, if I had a nice china pot, I would preheat it.

Better safe than sorry!

My mother and father were raised and lived in Wales and England from 1903-1923.

The homes were quite cold in the fall, winter and spring.

If you put boiling water into an extremely cold teapot it would crack and weaken the pot.

I have been trained to do this even when it is in the warmth of summer.

I have noticed that if someone pours boiling water into my bone china tea cups or mugs, that they will crack.

The china cups and tea pots should at least be at room temperature otherwise a warm rise is required.

Assuming it's clean beforehand, the only reason I can think to do this would be to keep the water hotter longer by heating the pot a bit (or, if it's a ceramic pot, to prevent the glaze from cracking...

I certainly wouldn't use boiling water for that though).

Tea should steep well before the water is too cool.

I don't see any reason to rinse the pot.

I don't remember whether I've ever seen a teapot or cup break apart the first time it was filled with boiling water.

But I have seen cups develop cracks.

Being wide open at the top, it's easy to see a new crack in a cup.

Pots are a different story.

The small openings limit both light and sight, so cracking may not become apparent until it works its way to the outside.

Once it works its way through, it will just keep getting bigger and the pot weaker.

I imagine none of us remember seeing a pot break apart because of modern improvements in the chemistry, molding, firing, and handling of china.

With fewer faults in the finished clay, the effects of rapid heating aren't so severe.

But an old-fashioned pot or cup deserves gradual pre-heating for two reasons.

The liklihood of faults due to manufacturing of older goods is one.

The liklihood of hidden damage due to long use is the other.

When you bring a teapot home from an estate sale or an antique shop, you may not be able to tell if there are already cracks inside the pot.

There may even be hairline cracks on the outside, so fine that you can't see them easily.

Whether inside or out, the cracks will surely suffer from boiling water unless gradually preheated.

I've come up with a quick and energy-efficient way to gradually preheat a china pot or cup.

While the kettle is on the fire, I put a small amount of cool tap water into the pot or cup, then pop it into the microwave for 20 to 60 seconds, depending on size.

When the kettle is ready, the pot or cup is ready.

Nuking a pot or a cup might seem like drastic pre-heating, but it is slow-w-w-w by comparison with the instantaneous heating that comes with boiling water.

This is tea-tasters' lore, on the basis that the best flavour is extracted from the leaves at a temperature as close to boiling as possible.

Heavy ceramic pots will absorb a lot of the heat from the water unless pre-heated, and a cooler extraction will be less efficient.

This is less important with thinner metal pots where heat absorbtion is less.

Pouring boiling water into a bone china or porcelain teapot without heating the pot first will cause the glaze to crack.

Question: Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water, or does that make no difference?

Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water before putting the tea leaves in?

Preheating a cold teapot stops it from cracking or weakening and keeps the tea warmer for longer.

Preheating the teapot before you put the tea in will prevent it from cracking and will keep the tea warmer for longer.

Heating the pot beforehand prevents it from cracking when you pour the boiling water in.

Heating the teapot beforehand helps to keep the tea warmer for longer.


In muffins and quick breads , I have found that you can actually substitute apple sauce for oil or melted butter.

This has worked very well for me!

Use the same amount of apple sauce that you would oil/butter, if not a bit extra.

There are a lot of considerations to make when substituting for butter since it plays several roles that depend on the baked good.

Creaming solid butter with sugar is essential for the texture of a cake, because that's where you make all the little pockets that air will blow up later.

Anything that you can similarly beat might substitute well.

Personally I'm considering experimenting with bananas in recipes like this.

Baked goods that use baking soda and don't require creaming are good candidates for having their butter replaced, especially if they just require melted butter.

This is where I'd be experimenting with yogurt or bananas or whatever else sounds interesting.

The way the fat melts determines how much a cookie spreads as it cooks.

A fat with a higher melting temp would make taller cookies, while using melted butter would make flatter cookies.

Oil would be a good substitute in recipes requiring melted butter, just remember that butter is 10-20% water.

In pie crusts, pastries, and biscuits, you build up layers of dough and butter when you roll and knead them, and this is what creates a flaky dough.

Lots of recipes use part butter and part lard for their different melting points to balance flakiness and tenderness.

Using any fat-free substitute would probably be disastrous but I haven't experimented.

This is the one place where I really wouldn't consider using bananas, because you need fat to separate the layers.

Lard has less saturated fat than butter, and it's great in pie crusts.

I can't speak to its other baking applications because I stick to butter for cookies and muffins and such, but experimenting with less butter when combined with lard to produce the total fat called for in such recipes might be worthwhile.

Also, About.com has an article on dairy-free baking that you might find useful.

It discusses when to use oil and when to use margarine (and when margarine is called for, there are some decent alternatives to traditional margarine on the market); the article has other great tips for baking, as well.

I use fat free Greek yogurt.

I found it as a recommendation when I was looking up Greek yogurt and everything I have made with it came out as good or better than with butter.

Use the same amount

Just use vegetable or canola oil.

You'll likely need to adjust your measurement a bit, you typically would use less oil than the equivalent amount of butter.

You may need to add a bit more water to compensate for the water present in butter (nearly 20% of butter is water).

Also note that the finished good will be textured differently.

Cookies will tend to be flatter because you cannot cream the sugar into the oil as you can with butter.

A way to reduce the use of butter is to make a spread combining butter and canola oil.

1/2 cup butter (softened)1/2 cup canola oil Blend until combined, store in a covered dish in the fridge.

Use like butter for baking or as a spread.

It has ~ half the saturated fat as butter and negligible amounts of trans fats.

Provides mono-unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

A compromise though and not what you asked.

I have found this to be a decent compromise.

I typically hate naming specific brand names but Smart Balance is a decent butter substitute for baking and is used in a 1:1 ratio.

Unfortunately, there will always be a texture difference because different fats react differently to heat, specifically how fast it melts.

Shortening, for example, melts between 115 and 117, meaning it melts pretty fast compared to butter, which melts between 90 and 95.

The faster it melts, the flatter your cookie is likely to be.

You can use coconut oil instead of butter or in addition to butter.

It will flavor the cookies or cake with a very mild flavor of coconut....use the organic brand of coconut oil.

Earth Balance ( see this site ) has excellent non-dairy, no trans fat butter sticks (1-1 substitute for butter).

I've personally baked with them dozens of times and they work wonderfully for everything from pie crusts to cookies and muffins.

1 banana can substitue for 1 stick of butter.

I recently tried this for a banana bread recipe & it worked great.

Added extra banana flavor & eliminated a lot of fat & calories.

I recommend using a fresh banana (not too ripe) so the texture is still firm.

Question: What can I substitute for 1 cup of butter in baking recipes (e.g. cookies, muffins, cakes, etc.)?  I'm looking for something that has less saturated fat (and  also doesn't have trans fat).  Update:  Since baking is less forgiving than cooking (i.e. if you don't use the exact amount of each ingredient the recipe might fail), could you please also include the amount you would need to use to replace  1 cup of butter ?

Butter substitute for 1 cup of butter for baking

Butter plays several roles depending on the baked good, but usually you can replace it with canola/vegetable oil or a mixture of oil and butter. Lard has less saturated fat than butter, and is good in pie crusts. In some cases, butter can be replaced with Greek yoghurt, bananasand even apple sauce in muffins and quick breads.

It depends on the recipe you are making. You can replace some of the butter with vegetable oil or lard. Bananas and apple sauce can also be good replacements.

You can replace some of the butter with vegetable oil. Lard also has less fat than butter.

It depends on what you are baking as butter has a different role in different things.


Soup freezes great in my experience.

To freeze it for long term storage, you'll probably want it to be vacuum sealed.

In order to do this I freeze individual sized portions in Tupperware-style containers (make sure to leave enough room for expansion), and as soon as they're solid, vacuum seal those large "cubes".

They generally stack pretty nicely in our garage freezer.

In general soups should thaw and taste very good, some flavors even seem become stronger or seem to enhance and meld better with the freezing.

If you vacuum seal them as above you can throw them (still sealed) into a pot of boiling water for hot soup relatively fast!

As an aside, another great option with a leftover turkey frame would be to save it with previous odds and ends (carrot/celery ends, onion pieces, etc) in the freezer, and when you have enough make a simple stock.

You can then freeze the stock into cubes (in ice cube trays) for soup-making later, sauteeing veggies, in place of water for more flavorful rice, and a ton of other things.

I usually freeze soup in ice cubes trays and when the cubes are frozen, I transfer them to a freezing bag.

Small soup cubes defrost faster than big soup blocks, so when I come back home late and tired from work

, I can have a hot soup in a few minutes, just putting some cubes in a hot pan...

I freeze soup all the time.

The only issue I've ever had is that the texture of large pieces of vegetables can change slightly after they're frozen -- possibly because the ice crystals break cell walls.

I've noticed this particularly with potatoes and carrots.

But only large pieces seem to have this problem.

We freeze soup all the time, either in plastic containers or in freezer bags.

We haven't had any problems with noodles in frozen soups.

That will freeze (and thaw) just fine.

Soup usually freezes beautifully.

Some veggies may suffer a slight texture change, if that is a problem, you can just freeze the meat and broth, and add fresh veggies when you thaw and reheat.

Question: I am planning on making soup with my leftover turkey frame. I was just wondering if it is possible to freeze the soup and have it taste good when it is thawed. I am guessing it should be fine as long there aren't any noodles in the soup. Other than that the only ingredients called for are vegetables (celery, can of diced tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms) and spices.   What do you think?

Can you freeze soup?

Soup freezes very well, and can be frozen in plastic containers, freezer bags or ice cube trays before being transferred to a freezer bag. For longer storage, it may be better vacuum sealed. While the liquid part freezes and thaws well, the texture of larger pieces of vegetables may be affected as the cell walls break down. To avoid this, you can just freeze the broth and add fresh vegetables later.

Soup freezes really well. Larger vegetables may go slightly mushy so you can always freeze it without the vegetables and add them in later.

Soup freezes really well. Use vacuum packed plastic bags or ice cube trays or plastic containers.

The texture of larger vegetables may become slightly mushy. You can also freeze the just the broth and add vegetables just before serving.


Time has nothing to do with cooking risotto -- you cook it '

til it stops absorbing liquid.

I don't even cook by amount of liquid added, as it's more a cook-it-until-it's

-done type recipe.

When the rice stops aborbing liquid well, it's generally done, but an occassional check for texture never hurts.

Type of rice will affect things, as will elevation from sea level, temperature of the cooking vessel, and surface area of the cooking vessel.

See : Why do I need more time and liquid than my risotto recipe calls for?

How should I prepare Risotto

Altitude could be a problem.

Rice will take longer to cook at higher altitudes.

My suggestion is to continue cooking and adding broth until the rice is at the texture you desire.

Taste often.

If you want to make the cook time shorter, you can par-boil the rice.

Here is a link that explains how that is done.

The biggest mistake I see when people make risotto is they add way too much liquid.

If you add too much liquid most of it evaporates than gets absorbed by the grain.

While risotto is a "cook it until it's done" recipe

as @Joe stated, there are some "rules": 1/2 cup of stock per session and never stop stirring At about the 20 minute mark, with Arborio, it should be close to done, I usually start tasting at about the 15-18 minute mark

The right heat, as with most cooking, is paramount to a good outcome, you want a slow and steady simmer on when liquid is the pan

It is time to add more liquid when there is none in the sautee pan Without more details as type of rice, process, or whether you are strictly adhering to a recipe, it is a bit difficult to give you the best advice.

Short answer is that you forget about the time in any recipe, more or less.

When you get around a minute or so from the intended time you start tasting the risotto for doneness.

It should have a bite without being hard.

If you run out of cooking liquid and the risotto isn't done, just add more liquid.

If you are using stock and you don't want any more flavor from the stock, use water.

When you are happy with the mouthfeel, your risotto is done.

If you're not starting by cooking the rice in butter (and otherwise dry), that could be your problem.

If you already are . . .

try cooking it a bit longer before adding the liquid.

This helps get the rice cooking earlier and helps it absorb enough liquid.

Also note that risotto is supposed to keep a bit of an "al dente" feel to it.

If you cook it to mush, it's overdone.

I would make TWO specific suggestions: FIRST , you MUST toast the rice.

I begin with olive oil, where I brown my yellow onions and garlic.

As soon as this is complete, I add my SHORT-GRAINED rice (Arborio, Carnarolli) and "toss" the rice well until it is lightly covered.

Allow the rice to slightly toast before beginning to add your liquid.

SECOND , you MUST warm all your liquid BEFORE

you add it a ladle at a time.

This prevents the kernels of rice from breaking open.

If you use room-temperature or cold liquid, the risotto temporarily stops cooking when you add the liquid, until the mixture can heat back up.

LASTLY, an authentic Italian risotto is almost soupy in texture.

It is very creamy but not "lumpy" at all.

Good luck!

Bon Apetit!

Risotto Basics Risotto is made by heating rice so it absorbs liquid, the absorption rate is key.

Stopping cooking shortly before the rice is 'full' of liquid results in al dente risotto - stopping afterwards can result in a more liquid risotto.

Cheap arborio rice is often overdried and will not absorb moisture properly - resulting in a grainy texture regardless of how it's cooked.

If you have grainy textures no matter what you do, try switching brands of rice.

The ideal method for introducing liquid to your risotto is to make it 'thirsty', aka on the verge of running out of stock at all points, which results in parts of the risotto frying for periods instead of stewing in the liquid, helping to inculcate flavour.

You ladle in liquid as it's nearly gone, from another pot, which is keeping the stock hot (so it doesn't cool down your pan if you put it in cold).

Always fry the rice (in olive oil) before introducing the stock.

A light 'browning' will vastly improve the flavour and texture of the rice.

Learn to identify (by taste or sight) the level of absorption of the rice, so you know when to add extra ingredients such as chicken, beef, mushrooms, peas, zucchini, or broccoli, etc.

You can pre-cook them separately, but to a certain degree the rice's flavour will depend on what it is cooked with - and it removes flavour from the other ingredients, also.

Question: I've prepared risotto from scratch a handful of times in the last few months.  While I've been happy with the flavor, the texture left a little something to be desired.    In specific, it tasted like it was undercooked even though I ended up cooking the rice well past the time called for in the recipe.  Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

How can I make my risotto less firm?

You may be using cheaper arborio rice that absorbs moisture less effectively, or you may need to cook for longer than the recipe until it reaches the desired texture. Try cooking the rice in butte without other liquid first, then avoid adding too much liquid at a time to prevent evaporation rather than absorption.

Risotto cooking times depend on several factors. You should keep adding broth until it looks done. Don't add too much water at a time. It will absorb better if you let it dry out a bit before each addition.

There are no timings in risotto because you keep adding liquid until it looks and tastes done.

You should cook your rice in butter first. Don't add too much liquid at a time. It should be on the verge of drying out before you add the next ladle.

The problem could be the quality of your rice. It might be too dry.


Use a potato ricer .

Just fill it up with a big handful of spinach, and give it a good squeeze in the sink, or over a bowl if you like to drink spinach water.

It extracts a ton of liquid quickly, and is a breeze to clean up when you are done.

The important part is to work in small batches.

I just use my hands -- grab a handful, squeeze, set it aside, grab another handful, etc.

Most things that you'd be tempted to use just have too large of holes, and let lots of spinach bits through, (and I admit, I miss some spinach as I start getting towards the end

and it's mostly water), or they've got too small of holes that it's serious effort to use, and you have to work in small batches anyway.

So, if nothing else, my way leaves you with only your hands to wash, and no extra gear to buy.

The French method uses a conical strainer ('passoir conique').

It is solid stainless steel, with about a 6" mouth at the top, and holes to let the water through.

You simply push the spinach down as far as you feel is appropriate.

I use a sieve that can hang over the sink.

Put the spinach in the sieve.

On top of the spinach put a solid bowl, and in the bowl goes some weight.

I generally use whatever dry stuff I have lying around, which is normally lentils.

You can use blind baking thingies if you have them.

Wait for about 15 minutes.

I learned this from Rachael Ray - use a clean (no fabric softener) cloth.

Put spinach in small batches & squeeze.

Works great.

I use a never before used diaper.

use it to squeeze moisture out of shredded zucchini too.

After done, I soak the cloth in bleach water to remove the green stain then rinse the bleach out.

I use two identical plates.

On one plate you can put the spinach and with the bottom of the other plate you can squeeze out the liquid.

I use cheesecloth to squeeze my spinach.

I put all the cooled spinach in the cheesecloth and

then I keep wringing it until all the water is gone.

Then I discard the cheesecloth.

I make spinach pie all the time and had the same problem!

Here's my solution and it works better than anything I've ever tried!

I have a Waring Juice Extractor.

I take the blade disc that usually grinds the vegetables and flip it upside down.

Turn the juicer on and feed the cooked spinach into the juicer and it extracts darn near all the liquid from the spinach!

Works incredible.

Alternative Cooking Method: Flash Sauté

While frozen spinach can be more convenient, nothing beats fresh spinach (IMO).

Fresh spinach flash sautéd in EVO with minced fresh garlic, salt-to-taste and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This method alleviates the water left in the spinach because it cooks off in the high cooking heat.

Very flavorful to stuff pasta or as a side dish.

Salad spinner (centrifuge) for a non-destructive method?

cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw

I've most recently used a lemon juice squeezer and it worked perfectly!

One of these http://www.cajuncookingtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/lemon-squeezer.jpg Works a treat!

I use my vegetable steamer, open the steamer, put the defrosted spinach in and close the steamer.

Press until drained.

For frozen chopped spinach, don't open the bag.

Make tiny snips with scissors on one side of bag.

Place in bottom of sink and press all over, fold it, whatever works.

Less mess; no stained towels, no special equipment, and for those who may have arthritic hands, this works better than any other method I've tried.

I just "invented" this method today and will continue using it.

Question: I'm cooking a bunch of spinach for making a spinach and ricotta filling. I need to get as much water as possible out of the spinach, and I'd prefer not to make a big mess in the process. In the past, I've wrapped a few handfuls at a time in a towel and squeezed out the liquid. This leaves me with a messy, green stained towel and requires a lot of twisting that doesn't seem maximally effective.

What is the most efficient way to squeeze water out of cooked spinach?

The traditional French method uses a conical strainer with the spinach pressed down using a weighted bowl. Other options include a juicer, salad spinner, potato ricer or cheesecloth. It is important to work in small batches.

You can pass the spinach in a ricer or strainer. Alternatively, try a salad spinner or squeeze in a cheesecloth.

Try using a ricer, a conical strainer or put the spinach in a colander and press down with a weighted bowl.

Work in small batches and squeeze in a cheesecloth.


First, you have to peel the pineapple.

Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and set it upright on your cutting board Using a sharp knife shave the skin off from top to bottom, following the contour of the fruit

You then have two ways to cut it into either rings or chunks: Pineapple Rings

Next, you lay it sideways and cut it into slices as thick as you wish.

You then use a paring knife to cut out the corky centers of each slice.

You now have a pineapple ring.

Pineapple Chunks Next, cut it lengthwise down the center.

Cut out the exposed corky center.

This can be done with a V-shaped cut.

You can then break down the fruit into chunks as desired.

Here is a step-by-step guide with photos: http://howtocutapineapple.com/

Here is a step-by-step guide on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJJ-iQkbRNE

I never cut rings -- I always cut pineapple

so it's more like a pickle spear.

(I find it easier to grill that way) trim the bottom of the pineapple, so it sits flat on the cutting board.

(don't trim the top, it's a useful handle)

Hold the top, and take a sharp knife, and start at the top, slicing down along the outside edge ...

you start going out, then down, then back in, to follow the shape of the pineapple.

Depending on what you're going to be doing with it affects how deep you need to cut.

(I've never had a problem with the occassional little brown circle; if you want to cut those off, feel free, though).

cut off the top of the pineapple

set it back upright again, and cut it down the middle, then rotate 90 degrees and again, so you have 4 quarters.

slice out the center of each of the quarters ...

you should see a slightly lighter bit ...

that's the core, and it's kinda tough, so you want to take it out.

slice the quarters into sticks

, then chunks if you want.

munch on the cores you removed when no one's looking.

(it's not all core, so I kinda nibble on the edges)

All the other answers say "Step 1 - peel the pineapple.

" I don't do that.

Instead, I make what our family calls "boats".

In addition to being a pretty presentation, it's a way less messy way to handle the fruit; you're not wrestling with a peeled and juicy pineapple and you lose way less juice.

We cut pineapple this way even when we intend to toss the chunks into fruit salad or something.

Cut the pineapple lengthwise in half.

Do not trim or cut anything else off yet.

The leaves, bottom, all the skin are still on and you actually cut the top leaves in half too.

Cut each half lengthwise in half.

Now you have four wedges, each a quarter of a pineapple, each with a tuft of leaves at the top.

Lay a wedge skin-down on the board.

Make a vertical cut partway through (just to the skin) close to the bottom, separating the bottom you might otherwise have trimmed off from the main body of the fruit, but don't cut through the outer skin

Make a similar vertical cut by the top, again not cutting through the outer skin

Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, get under the corky triangle at the top of your wedge and cut it away.

Because the main part of the pineapple is still attached to the skin, this is easy to do Make a lengthwise cut (from the leaves to the bottom) straight down (from where the core was towards the skin) but as before stop when you reach the skin.

At this point your wedge has the core removed and has two spears that are only connected on one side to the outer skin.

If you want spears, slice underneath them to free them from the skin.

Assuming you want chunks, cut vertically repeatedly (again stopping just before the skin) to make the spears into smaller pieces, then slice underneath them to free them from the skin.

You can now turn the boat over and drop the chunks and juice into whatever you want the pineapple for, or simply put the boat on a plate and serve it to people.

Optionally, give them toothpicks to spear individual chunks with.

If you really want to show off, push every other slice to the left or the right so that the slices are staggered and easier to pick up.

There are some pictures at http://pinecreekstyle.blogspot.ca/2012/05/pineapple-boat.html though that person does the steps in a slightly different order than I do and takes the leaves off.

if you're not going to use a pineapple corer (which I don't), grab a sushi or a long sharp knife, and: deskin the pineapple like you would cutting a donair cut a square around the core push the core out

Now you have a hollow cylinder if you want chunks the type you put on a pizza: Cut the pineapple with the required thickness and then just chop it like you'd chop a tomato or mango

A slightly different technique than the one in hobodave's post.

a picture speaks a thousand words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViaOUTC3rY

this technique gives you a nice looking pineapple at the end, with the pieces able to be eaten like a lolly.

Pineapple Rings Pineapple Slicer

This thing is sweet.

Question: I wanted to cut up a whole, fresh pineapple, but wasn't sure exactly where to start without butchering it up badly - I wanted to cut it up into nice pieces!!  Are there any techniques that would work that would enable me to be able to cut it up into nice chunks?

How do you cut/process a whole pineapple?

A pineapple slicer and corer will make this job easier, but otherwise you can cut off the top and bottom, then shave off the skin from top to bottom while following the contour of thefruit, then cut a square around the core, push it out and cut the pineapple into rings.

Start by slicing off the skin and cutting down into the middle to remove the core.

You can buy utensils, such as a pineapple slicer, that will cut the pineapple into rings. Otherwise, start by slicing off the skin and cutting down into the middle to remove the core.


Overnight is ideal, but even an hour or two will help.

If you don't have much time, you can speed the processs by using hot water.

Tap water, and not salted - salt toughens the skin of beans if it used before they are cooked.

Most folks discard the soaking water, as it is thought to produce flatulence.

Also, if you have a pressure cooker, you can cook dried beans without a pre-soak and get great results.

I found this article in the LA Times with detailed experiments suggesting that soaking beans is unnecessary and it takes away the flavor and texture.

This website has an excellent chart showing the soaking and cooking times for various types of dried beans.

Some beans don't need to be soaked at all, while others need at least 8 hours.

I personally always discard the soaking water.

I don't like the flavors, and in some cases, colors that the water adds to the food, not to mention the dirt/rocks that settle to the bottom.

I normally soak and cook beans in filtered water, but that is only because the area I live in has lots of chlorine in the water

and I don't like the taste.

Throwing out the water also removes some of the starch so your beans don't foam so much when you cook them.

It depends on the beans: I soak garbanzo, kidney beans for 6-8 hours all others (pinto, navy, white, etc.

, I cook after 2-3 hours of soaking.

Here are the answers to your other questions: Should the water be just tap water, or salted?

Yes, just tap water will do.

Let the beans be immersed in the water and you should be able to put your fingers till your second knuckle.

No need for salt.

Should the soaking water be discarded or used later?

Discard the soaking water.

this will make the beans less flatulent.

For most humans, it behooves the digestive process to soak beans at least overnight.

Cooking beans w/o overnight soaking is asking for digestive malaise in most people.

An alternative to pre-soaking is pre-cooking.

I have 200g borlotti beans and tomato sauce in the oven right now in a covered casserole.

After three hours cooking at 110C

I'll take them out and leave them covered until I get home from work after which time they should be nice and soft.

I always soak beans because I don't like having to steam up the kitchen or leave them cooking for a long time.

Another Answer Here has a great table for soaking times.

Salt or no salt really only has to do with your personal preference, but I never do it because you can always add salt after, but you can never take it away.

I read an article once that said about 16 hours is the ideal amount of time--so 12 hours plus four more.

(so if you washed and soaked them at 7 pm on Monday, ideally you would drain and re-wash and cook them at 11am on Tuesday).

This is not always possible though, given everyone's busy schedules.

I usually aim for 8 hours or more, and try to keep it less than 24 hours.

Old beans may cook easier if you add a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water (rinse it away before you cook them) because it may help soften the skins and help the water get in there to soften them.

Instead of using all the cooked beans right away I freeze some to add to baked goods like muffins (mashed before they go in the muffins).

Question: I'm guessing there are different answers depending on the type of dried bean (pinto, kidney, navy, white, etc.) and I am interested in all of them.  So:  how long should dry beans be soaked?  Should the water be just tap water, or salted?  Should the soaking water be discarded or used later?  Thanks!

How long should dry beans be soaked before cooking?

While detailed experiments repored in an LA Times article support the claim that soaking is unnecessary and negatively affects the flavour and texture, it is usually thought to be important to avoid digestive malaise in most people. Beans should be soaked overnight and ideally for up to 16 hours, but even an hour or two will help. Use unsalted tap water to avoid toughening the skin of the beans and discard the water afterwards. If using a pressure cooker, beans can be cooked without soaking first.

You should soak beans for at least 8 hours in unsalted tap water. To cook in a pressure cooker, you don't need to soak.

You should soak beans for at least 8 hours.

Discard the soaking water as it contains excess starch and is harder to digest.

Some studies show that soaking is unnecessary and removes some of the flavour. You can cook them in a pressure cooking without soaking.