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1500 questions
15
votes
4 answers
How to deconstruct a pumpkin
In a fit of pumpkin-bread-craving I bought a pumpkin (labelled "for cooking" instead of "show"), only to realize I have no idea what to do with it. I already plan on scraping the seeds out and roasting them, but how can I convert the vegetable in…
Dorrene
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5 answers
Why do you shred cheese before adding it to a sauce?
I know it melts faster, but tearing cheese into rough parts and adding it to a white sauce melts just fine. Is there a specific reason to why you should shred cheese before adding it to a sauce?
Bar Akiva
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15
votes
11 answers
How do you keep turkey from getting too dry?
It's Thanksgiving up here in Canada, and I'm wondering what can be done to keep the breast meat on a turkey from being too dry?
Ward
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15
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3 answers
What is this flat metal sieve that came with my pressure cooker for?
What is this tool used for and how to use it? It came with a pressure cooker I've bought...
Augusto
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8 answers
Can I Brown Beef For Slow Cooking the Night Before
Many slow cooker recipes suggest that beef be browned before being added to the slow cooker, which is definitely better for the flavor of the dish. I've always believed that this browning must occur just before adding to the slow cooker for food…
justkt
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15
votes
2 answers
Why not to cut into the meat when scoring duck breasts?
Every recipe about searing duck breasts I've seen says that you should score the breasts cutting through the skin, but not too deep: you should avoid cutting into the meat. I do follow this instruction but don't completely understand why. What harm…
DrTyrsa
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votes
3 answers
How do I *safely* use an aruvamanai
The aruvamanai is an indian kitchen multitool used by my grandmother's generation consisting of a fixed curved blade on a roughly boat shaped block. Its typically used by placing it on the floor, somehow holding down the block and pushing the thing…
Journeyman Geek
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15
votes
2 answers
What can cause honey to crystalize quickly?
Yesterday I opened a sealed jar of raw honey (blackberry). Over the course of a not-very-long meal (at which the honey was being used as a condiment) I watched it go from liquid to crystalized. I've had honey crystalize after having been opened…
Monica Cellio
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votes
2 answers
Can I cut chili powder with Paprika?
I live in Africa, but cook with US recipes often. I have found that the locally available chili powder is MUCH more intense than it is in the US. So much so that making a custom taco seasoning yielded some near-inedible heat. For the moment I have…
Brian
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15
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9 answers
Can I make Crème Brûlée using a flambé?
I've made Crème Caramel/Crème Brûlée several times and don't have too much trouble with it. I'll be making them for company this weekend and thought it would make for a nice spectacle to flambé them. But, I don't have a lot of experience in that…
Aaronut
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15
votes
2 answers
What does "crowding mushrooms" mean?
I heard on a film the other day that you shouldn't crowd mushrooms when cooking them? What does this mean and how do you avoid doing it?
Bluebelle
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5 answers
Using a paper towel as a splatter shield: Great idea or terrible accident waiting to happen?
I recently watched a friend cooking, and he used a paper towel as a splatter shield:
This seems like a very convenient solution, since you can just throw away the paper towel afterwards, as opposed to conventional splatter shields, which are a…
Heinzi
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votes
5 answers
Why do you need to peel peaches to can them?
I am going to be canning a bunch of peaches tonight, and I know that you have to peel them first (and I know how to do it easy), but I got to wondering, why do I have to do it?
I have always done it. That is the way it was taught to me by my…
Vaccano
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2 answers
What is a "nonreactive" pan?
I just realized the recipe I use for Chardonnay Beurre Blanc requires the use of a "small nonreactive saucepan."
In the past, I have used my 1.5 quart All-Clad saucepan without problems.
What sort of pan materials should I avoid?
Similarly, I've…
JustRightMenus
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15
votes
6 answers
What is the fastest/easiest way to prepare potatoes for mashing?
I've always thought that mashed potatoes should be a really simple thing to make. But I find that with all the peeling, quartering, boiling, not to mention the incredibly messy cleanup, it's actually quite an arduous and tedious process.
Assuming I…
Aaronut
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