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1500 questions
24
votes
7 answers

How to grill without an actual grill

Clarification: The term "grill" is used here with the US-based term for grilling, which may differ from other countries such as Great Britain and Australia, where it is typically called a "barbecue"; Ideally it is a direct flame against one side of…
thanby
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7 answers

I need to quickly and safely thaw frozen ground beef, what are my options?

Since reading the answers to my question about defrosting meat on the counter I've been good about giving my meat time to defrost in the refrigerator. However, my plans for tonight have changed and I'd like to defrost some ground beef that is…
ahsteele
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24
votes
11 answers

How to warm plates before serving?

I realize that serving on warmed dishes is preferable to serving on cold/room temp dishes, so as not to leach the heat out of your freshly-cooked food. How can I warm my plates? I have two kinds of dishes: ceramic (cheapo from a department store)…
JustRightMenus
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24
votes
5 answers

Blown sugar globe with smoke enclosed inside - is it a plausible candy to make?

There is a candy called "smoke sugar", that was made by a character in a story - it was a bubble of blown sugar, with a breath of hickory smoke in the center. The ingredients as listed were powdered sugar, grape acid (equivalent to citric or…
Megha
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24
votes
6 answers

Onion and Garlic, a no-no?

I had an Italian flatmate once who was on the brink of lynching me when he saw I used garlic and onion in one dish. He said that - at least in Italian cuisine - thats an absolute no-no. You can use both, but never together. Especially with…
Hans Meiser
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24
votes
11 answers

Does adding salt help water boil faster?

I've always heard adding salt to water makes it boil faster. Is this true? If so, why? If not, why do people do it?
Steve Vermeulen
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24
votes
8 answers

What is the difference between expensive wine and regular wine?

It's fairly known at most supermarkets and stores you can get regular, cheap wine. However, at some stores who dedicate themselves solely to liquor and spirits, they sell incredibly expensive wine, even up to $2k from where I've been. As someone…
yuritsuki
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24
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3 answers
24
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11 answers

How to make extra crispy and crunchy breading like KFC?

I'm wondering how I would go about making extra crispy chicken breading like they do at many places like KFC and the like. Is there a certain ingredient that makes the breading like that? Any assistance would be very much appreciated, and feel free…
24
votes
4 answers

Why is sugar a wet ingredient?

The last time I checked, most sugar is really dry (unless it's something like brown sugar). So why is it categorized as "wet"?
Dave DeLong
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24
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26 answers

What's the most effective way to mix a jar of natural peanut butter?

When you buy a jar of natural peanut butter, it typically has a layer of oil on top, which has separated: Mixing it can be messy and time consuming. Aside from slowly and patiently mixing it with a knife, are there any tips and tricks to make this…
Flimzy
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24
votes
1 answer

Why is expired frozen chicken safe to eat?

It seems to be a widely held belief that that freezing chicken, and then defrosting, cooking, and eating it much later (well past the expiration date) is a perfectly fine thing to do. What makes it safe? And are there any food safety hazards to…
Ana
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24
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9 answers

How do I practice piping icing without wasting icing and money?

Is there some cheaper alternative to real icing so I can avoid wasting good icing and money while practicing? Or can I avoid having to throw the practice icing away? I do not want to waste good butter just to practice my piping skills =)
Shin
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24
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4 answers

Can I leave uncooked rice sitting in water for an hour or longer before cooking?

I'm prepping for a dinner party. And I put uncooked long grain brown rice + oil + water in a pot, as usual. But I'm not cooking it right this minute. The rice is sitting in the pot with the water. Can I leave it as is for an hour or two before…
samthebrand
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24
votes
5 answers

Does microwaving destroy nutrients in food?

After answering this article, I did some research on microwaving killing vitamins and nutrients in food. I very quickly learned that this is a touchy subject, even among nutritionists, and nobody (at least, nobody I saw) seems to have a "this is the…
stephennmcdonald
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