Chef Blog

You don't have to be born in a fisherman's family to appreciate the magnificence of salmon. Just thinking about its gorgeous pink flesh and soft, melt-in-your-mouth fatty flavor makes even the most sophisticated people drool.

Some people save the fish for special occasions like a fine dining experience or a dinner party at home. But salmon is such a versatile and nutrition-packed protein that it's worth including in your weekly menu. That said, you have to cook it perfectly to get addicted to this stuff!

People usually get intimidated by the protein, which stops them from purchasing that beautiful 3lb slab of goodness. But it's not that difficult; in fact, it's easier than washing a food processor! You just need to learn the basics and have a few easy salmon recipes up your sleeves (or screenshot on your phone).

So, we thought, why not dedicate a post to the king of fish? And here we are discussing four easy salmon recipes that you have to try at least once. We will also teach you the tips and tricks to prepping the fish for your recipes. So, let's get started, shall we?

 

Types of Salmon

Before cooking salmon, you need to know which salmon to cook with. Does that make sense? Let me explain! When you need boneless chicken, you have the choice of opting for the chest piece or the skinless thigh piece, right?

Similarly, you have various choices for the type of salmon you want to cook with. Thanks to the fish's anadromous nature, these variants differ in textures and flavor profiles. Even though there is no hard and fast rule for which type of salmon you should use in your dishes, it is only fair that you are aware of the options you have.

Here are the six most popular varieties of salmon available at local supermarkets:

King salmon

Pink salmon

Silver salmon

Atlantic salmon

Sockeye salmon

Chum salmon

Here is a little about each salmon variety, so you know what you've got to work with!

1- King Salmon

King salmon is the best-tasting of all the salmon varieties. They have higher fat content and a white to deep red colored flesh jam-packed with flavor. King salmon is a treat to serve with butter-roasted potatoes.

2- Pink Salmon

Because the fish gets a prominent hump on their back when they breed, pink salmon is also available in the market under the name "humpies" or "humpback salmon." They are the most common fish that you'll find in the Pacific Ocean.

Pink salmon is usually canned, but you may also find fresh, frozen, or smoked varieties. As the name suggests, pink fish have pale pink sides and flesh. Because of its low-fat content, pink salmon works best when smoked and paired with sourdough bread and dill sauce.

3- Silver Salmon

Popular for their silver skin, silver salmon features deep red flesh. Their texture is more delicate than the King salmon, but you won't find much of a difference in terms of flavor. It works best when BBQ-ed or broiled.

4- Atlantic Salmon

Coming from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic salmon is a farmed fish variety high in Omega 3. You can taste its natural flavors by smoking it and using it in wraps and sandwiches.

5- Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon are known for their deep, rich flavor and vivid red-orange flesh. You don't need to do much with the fish - season it with herbs and bake with veggies to get the best flavor.

6- Chum Salmon

Despite being a less popular salmon option, chum salmon is still a tasty treat. They have sharp canine teeth and are also called Dog salmon or Silverbite salmon. They have a pale to medium-colored flesh with the least fat content of all the salmon varieties.

They are usually sold canned or frozen, so you can extract the most flavor from them by smoking and mixing them in a salad.

 

How to Prep the Salmon

Regardless of how you are cooking your salmon, you have to prep it first to extract its natural flavors. Here is a simple three-step procedure that you have to follow before marinating your salmon in your favorite spices:

Step 1: Clean the Fish

No matter the type of salmon you are using, the first step is to wash its skin under cold water to remove any dirt. Pat it dry using a kitchen towel and let it sit for five to ten minutes to firm up.

Step 2: Locate and Remove the Bones

Even though you can cook the fish bone-in and remove them as you eat, it is better to remove the bones beforehand if you are serving it to guests. Lay the fish fillet skin-side down and feel the thin, flexible bones by running your palm along the flesh. Remove the bones using tweezers or fish pliers and discard them.

Step 3: Marinate

Rub your fish with salt and pepper and marinate it with spices or dressings of your choice. If your marinade has citrus or vinegar in it, don't let it sit for more than half an hour, or it will start to fall apart.

 

Easy Salmon Recipes

Salmon is one of the proteins with a strong flavor profile, so you can cook it all fancy-schmancy or just with a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil. You can also cook in various methods; pan fry it, deep fry it, bake it, grill it – the fish won't disappoint you!

While salmon is a meal in and of itself, it also makes an excellent base for sauces and glazes. Here are some of the easy salmon recipes that you have to try:

Recipe 1: Garlic Butter Baked Salmon

Salmon slathered in garlic butter is always a win among the crowd. While garlic butter salmon is usually pan-seared, our baked salmon variant is equally delicious. This recipe yields soft, juicy, and tender fish with burnt crisp edges, fit for a fancy dinner.

Steps to Follow

1- Cut some potatoes in half and season them with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and a splash of oil. Line them on a baking tray and pop them in a preheated oven at 400℉ for 45 minutes.

2- Once done, set your potatoes aside and bake your asparagus for eight minutes. Asparagus is optional, but it will balance the acidic flavors of the fish and garlic butter sauce. You can substitute it with broccoli, although we doubt anyone will!

3- It's time to put the fish on the grill! Rub the protein with minced garlic and place it skin-side-down on a bed of thinly sliced lemons. Roast it for 15 minutes at 450℉, flipping it on between.

4- Combine melted butter and lemon juice in a bowl and pour it over the freshly baked fish and veggies.

Recipe 2: Salmon Sushi Bowl

Beautiful salmon cooked in a heavenly ginger and garlic marinade served on a bed of rice topped with spicy mayo may not be the typical sushi rice fusion, but it's no less heavenly! Here's how you can cook this amazing dish in no time:

Step to Follow:

1- Marinate your salmon fillets in sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

2- While it's marinating, cook brown rice and prepare the spicy mayo. Take some creamy mayo and add as much fiery Siracha as you can handle. Balance the flavors with a dash of rice vinegar.

3- Next, pan-sear your salmon for 90-seconds on all four sides. Add the leftover marinade to the pan and sear the fish for an additional 15 seconds to lock in the gingery flavors.

4- Add rice to your bowl and layer other toppings like cucumber, avocado, and seaweed. Place your salmon on top and top it off with some spicy mayo.

Recipe 3: Mediterranean Avocado Salmon Salad

This salmon recipe is a delightful take on your favorite Mediterranean salad. This salad will refresh you on the hottest days with smoked salmon, cucumbers, olives, avocados, and feta dressed with lemon herb dressing.

Steps to Follow

1- Mix 1/3rd cup of kosher salt, a cup of brown sugar, and four cups of cold water in a container. Add your fish and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.

2- Take your fish out, rinse it under cool water and pat it dry. Leave it on a cooling rack for one to two hours until it develops a shiny film called a pellicle.

3- Put it in a preheated smoker for two to three hours, basting it with maple syrup, apricot jam, or honey after every hour.

4- Once the fish is done, it's time to assemble your salad. Add sliced onions, cucumbers, crumbled feta olives, cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, eggplant, salad leaves, beans, artichoke, and avocado.

5- Prepare a simple dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

6- Cut the fish into chunks and mix it with the veggies. Drizzle your lemon and herb dressing and serve!

Recipe 4: Blackened Salmon Fajitas

These Blackened Salmon Fajitas are a simple weeknight dinner that you can prepare in 30 minutes! Don't like sautéed peppers, onions, or tomatoes? Substitute it for something else! That's the charm of this dish – its customizability.

Steps to Follow

1- Season your salmon with lemon juice and Cajun seasoning.

2- In a non-stick pan, heat two tablespoons of oil and cook the salmon over medium-high flame for four minutes per side.

3- While the fish is cooking, slice tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Remove the fish from the pan and add the veggies to the same skillet to sauté them for around five minutes.

4- Shred your salmon; add it back to the skillet and mix.

5- Prepare a simple sauce using yogurt, lemon juice, and cilantro. Add some hot sauce as well if you like.

6- It's time to assemble some fajitas! Heat your tortillas spread some sauce on them, add the salmon mixture and drizzle it with the sauce.

 

Health Benefits of Salmon

Salmon tastes not only delicious but also has several health benefits. Here are some facts regarding salmon's health benefits:

1- All the six types of salmon are incredibly nutritious and provide a wide range of nutrients, particularly omega-three fatty acids.

2- Salmon is an excellent protein to include in your diet because it aids in the prevention of diseases including cancer, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease.

3- Salmon's high vitamin B12 content is important for preventing heart failure.

4- Each serving of salmon contains 8% of the daily value of Vitamin A, which helps improve vision.

5- Salmon, a sugar-free protein, helps prevent diabetes, obesity, and cholesterol.

Best Knife for Cutting Salmon

To prepare a restaurant-style salmon dish, you must have a restaurant-style fish cut. And everyone knows you can't have the proper fish cuts without the best knives. Luckily, we have suggested two of our personal favorites to help you save the time of searching for the tools:

1- Imarku Deba Knife 7"

The Imarku Deba Knife is the perfect kitchen tool for professional chefs and enthusiastic home cooks. It features an ergonomic pakkawood handle that offers the ideal grip and comfort when cutting fish.

The Deba Knife features a long seven-inch single bevel design, which is no less than a double bevel knife. Its stainless steel blade is sturdy and sharp, so you don't have to butcher your fish. You can use this knife to cut your salmon's head, break its bones, and gut and fillet it.

Pros

Comfortable handle

Sharp and sturdy blade

Multipurpose tool

Fast cleaning

Anti-stick properties

Cons

Heavier than other fish knives

2- Imarku Sushi Knife 10"

The Imarku Sushi Knife is ideal for filleting, slicing, and deboning not only salmon but any large Pacific fish! It features a 9.45-inches sturdy and durable high-carbon stainless steel blade.

The handle is crafted of high-quality pakkawood and measures 5.6 inches in length. It is well-balanced, ergonomic, and sanitary for better handling and functionality. The best part is that you don't need to follow a five-step routine to ensure your fish knife lasts long enough. You only have to make sure not to wash it in the dishwasher – take care of that, and your Sushi Knife will live longer than you can expect.

Pros

Water-resistant wooden handle

Versatile option

Well-balanced design

Longer edge

Cons

Not suitable for dishwashers

 

The Bottom Line

With these knives, you will be cutting salmon like a pro in no time! And cutting the fish is only the initial step. Once you have a clean cut of the magnificent fish and our easy salmon recipes in hand, nothing can stop you from making a better salmon dish than Gordon Ramsay.

Don't let the intimidation of cooking this nutritious and delicious fish for quick evening meals. Try these recipes and watch as people ask when you will be holding your next signature salmon dinner.

Avocados are reckoned indispensable for many recipes and cuisines. Mexican food, for example, would not be the same without guacamole. In addition, these fruits serve as a great butter replacement (after all, they're not called "butter pears" for nothing!)

 

However, avocados can become a hurdle for impatient people, considering how long they take to ripen (about 4-7 days at best). Luckily, you can bypass nature's course by employing some "tricks", particularly if you have guests on the way.

 

In this article, we'll be disclosing how to ripen an avocado faster by following several methods and some methods you would want to avoid. We'll also provide some helpful information regarding this peculiar fruit, such as its ripening stages and preservation techniques.

 

Before we proceed with the main topic, though, we would like to elucidate a few facts about avocados.

 

The 3 Stages of a Ripe Avocado

 

As with all living things in nature, avocados have a defined life cycle and a maturity process. Avocados grow on trees, but they will not begin their ripening until they're harvested.

 

As they're freshly picked from the plant, they will be too hard to use and won't budge to any opening attempts. Within a few days, you will notice that the skin gets mildly darker and softer. At this point, we could start delineating the stages of ripe avocados as follows:

 

 1.From Pre-Conditioned to Breaking (Bright Green to Dark): 

Most of theavocados sold at the grocery store are, at the very least, within this early phase. This particular phase is called "breaking" because the cell walls of the fruit - consisting of rigid layers of polysaccharides (sugars) - start literally breaking down, thus increasing overall softness. Breaking avocados are bright green and hard to the touch at first but ought to darken later on and deform by about 2 to 3mm when you press the skin with the thumb using moderate force. They should be left on the counter for at least 4-7 more days to be deemed slightly edible.

 

2.Firm Ripe (Dark): 

They warp 2 to 3mm with slight pressure and develop a darker shade of green. They're suitable for slicing and adding to salads or sandwiches at this stage. Avocados might remain in this state for 2-3 days at room temperature.

 

3.Ripe to overripe (Black): 

These deform very quickly with minimal hand pressure and are greenish/brownish-black (or virtually black in extreme cases). They can be sliced, smashed, spread, and work great for guacamole and green sauce! Keep in mind that they must be used immediately, for they tend to rapidly develop unsavoury brown spots, signalling that they're already overripened. You would also notice that the avocado is past its best-by date when its skin begins to turn wrinkly and dry.

 

How Can You Tell If an Avocado Is Ripe?

 

Whenever you head over to the grocery store to pick up avocados, you need to ensure that they're soft but not too soft.

 

Squeeze them gently using the palms of your hands (if you squeeze with your fingers, you'll end up with brown spots on your avocado). If the palms sink slightly as you press, then the avocado is "good to go".

 

The fruit should look green on the inside as you remove the stem cap. Alas, if the flesh has a brownish appearance, it's overripe and not apt for consumption.

 

If the stem cap can't be easily removed with your fingernail, you shouldn't force it. Please wait for a day or two until it's tender and resilient, or choose another avocado instead.

 

Moreover, pay close attention also to the avocado's color. The ones with the darker shades of green are usually the safest bets (make sure they're not too dark, though.)

 

Sifting by color certainly helps, or at least initially. Nevertheless, this won't guarantee that you'll pick the ripest avocado of the bunch. The most secure way to ascertain ripeness is by ultimately grabbing them to test their consistency.

 

4 Ways to Ripen an Avocado

 

1.Nature's way:

Provided you're not in a rush, and you could leave your avocado to ripen over the counter. If the skin was already deformable when you bought it, it should not take more than a week until it's primed for action.

 

2.In a paper bag

Ethylene gas is a plant-based hormone sorely responsible for ripening many fruits (including avocados, of course).

 

By placing your avocado in a sealed paper bag, the ethylene gas it emits will get trapped and reabsorbed by the fruit, effectively speeding up the ripening process by allowing its cell walls to break and become malleable. It could still take 3 or 4 days, but don't sleep on it!

 

 3.With other fruits

This method won't work with just any fruit, but only with climacteric ones, as in, those that increase ethylene gas production as they ripen, such as bananas, apples, or kiwis. Non-climacteric fruits like grapes or strawberries would not be of much use.

 

To make the most out of the ethylene gas emissions from those other fruits, both the avocado and the other fruits would have to be placed together inside a folded paper bag, similar to the previous method we described.

 

The avocado, under these conditions, will absorb not only its ethylene gas but also that of the neighboring fruits, which naturally translates into a much faster ripening rate when compared to the second method (usually shortening the ripening period by 1 or 2 days).

 

 4.In a bowl of rice

The rice will perform roughly the same function as the paper bag. It will trap the ethylene gas produced by the avocado, enabling its reabsorption.

 

This will also shield the avocado from outside moisture. However, it's not clear whether moisture does considerable damage to an avocado. From what we could gather, mould is not typically a major concern with avocados that ripen at room temperature over the counter.

 

Tips on How to Ripen Avocados Quickly

 

Avocados should generally be bought already ripe if you want to elude annoying waiting periods. In various circumstances, we're faced with the unfortunate event of not finding a ready candidate.

 

The methods we explained above would profit people who are not bound to a tight schedule, albeit for those who can't afford to wait more than a few minutes. There is an even faster "shortcut".

 

It will, nonetheless, involve some sacrifices in the flavor and texture department because, honestly speaking, you'll not be ending up with ripe avocado, but, instead, with merely a softer one. Essentially, this is an in extremis measure for people who need a last-minute solution.

 

Some folks will claim they're ripening the avocado with this technique, but this is simply not the case because ripening involves much more than merely making the fruit softer. Keep reading if you're willing to take your chances amidst the setbacks we just mentioned.

 

Without further ado, the procedure is quite simple:

 

• Preheat the oven to 200º F.
• Use a piece of foil to wrap the avocado and place it over a baking sheet.
• Pop the avocado in the oven for approximately 10 minutes (or more, depending on its hardness).
• Withdraw from the oven and allow the avocado to cool down at room temperature.
• Stow the avocado in the refrigerator and wait for it to cool a bit further.

 

Can You Ripen an Avocado in the Microwave?

 

This is one course of action you'd want to avoid. One of the major hindrances of using a microwave is that it doesn't heat evenly, creating the infamous "cold zones". Undoubtedly, consistency will suffer as a result, and you'll have to deal with mushy and smelly avocado.

 

Notwithstanding, cutting the avocado in half beforehand could help matters. You may not be capable of completely sidestepping the issue. Still, you'll reduce the chances of cold spots on the avocado's inner flesh.

 

After splitting the avocado, cover each piece in plastic wrap and expose them to 30-second microwave sessions until they're soft enough. Afterwards, immerse the avocado pieces in ice water to halt the cooking process.

 

How Do You Store an Avocado?

 

A refrigerator might be an excellent option to store an avocado after it's ripe properly. Wrap it in plastic and place it on the corresponding fridge tray.

 

If you cut it in half, leave the pit and wrap the halves together in plastic. You may squeeze some lemon juice over the pit to enhance longevity.

 

Unfortunately, you won't be able to preserve your ripe avocado in the freezer. The water content of avocados is very high, meaning that ice crystals will assuredly form and spoil the flavour and consistency of the flesh. You have no choice but to consume the remainder within the next 3-5 days of refrigerator time (or less, depending on how ripe it was at the storage time).

Should we blanch avocados before storage?

 

Some people would swear by blanching, positing that this would delay the appearance of brown spots. The underpinning argument is mainly that avocados contain an enzyme that reacts to outside air, called polyphenol oxidase (PPO), triggering the browning phenomenon.

 

Blanching deactivates the aforementioned enzyme through heat. This also works for various greens and squashes such as zucchini.

 

If you wish to try your luck at blanching, prepare a pot of boiling water and quickly submerge the pieces of avocado in it for a few seconds (10 or 20 should be enough). Next, throw these pieces in ice water to stop them from cooking. Afterwards, continue with the normal storage process.

 

Conclusion

 

Hopefully, throughout the length of this brief guide, we were able to clarify how to ripen an avocado fast and how these fruits should be commonly treated.

 

In the end, you decide what route to take to make the most out of your avocados. However, we strongly suggest that you abide by the slower ripening methods unless you have no other choice. Otherwise, you'll be missing out on a delightful meal.

When you walk into a supermarket, it may be tempting to simply pick up the first tray of ground beef you see, run it by the register or the self-checkout lane, and be on your way back home. After all, they can't be that different, right?

Absolutely not!

As with everything, there are always a few key factors you have to keep your eyes peeled for to ensure you're making the best possible choice for your ground beef. Read on in the following to find out what they are.

How to Buy the Best Ground Beef

Color

The color is one of the quickest ways for you to judge the quality of ground beef. If the beef is gray or starting to gray, you definitely want to stay from picking up that beef—it's already gone bad, or at least going bad. Especially if the meat is exposed to the air (as most containers are airtight) and it does not regain its color.

If the color is a bright red, it's generally safe to assume that the meat is fresh and readily used for cooking.

Smell

As with most meats, the smell test is another easy way to sniff out ground beef that's spoiled. Even if you've never smelled spoiled meat before, your nose is conditioned to react negatively to smells like that as an evolutionary mechanism against food poisoning. Trust us, you'll know it when you smell it.

Source grind

Source grind means the part of the cow that the ground beef comes from. With ground beef, it can be difficult to tell at a glance what exact cut it is—and different cuts are used for different dishes. You don't want to end up with the wrong cut!

There are four varieties of ground beef you'll see at the grocery: ground round, ground sirloin, ground chuck, and ground beef. The first three are source grinds, whereas ground beef is just generic ground beef taken from a variety of different cuts.

The ground beef's source grind can influence its taste, texture, and leanness. Speaking of leanness...

Lean-to-fat ratio

Your lean-to-fat ratio is the division of lean meat and fat in your ground beef. Depending on your needs, you might want a little bit leaner, or you might want more fat. The source grinds all correspond to different lean-to-fat ratios. Hamburgers, for example, favor fattier ratios. The lean-to-fat ratios for the different source grinds are as follows:

Ground sirloin: 85% lean, 10% fat ("85/15")

The leanest of all source grinds, ground sirloin is taken from the middle of the cow. It has the lowest fat content, which makes it the healthiest option. However, be aware that this also makes it dry out quickly. It also does not hold together like ground chuck, meaning it falls apart if shaped, as patties are in hamburgers.

If the term sirloin is familiar, it's because this is the cut of meat you'll find used in steaks such as the porterhouse or tomahawk.

Ground round: 90% lean, 15% fat ("90/10")

Ground round is taken from the round primal cut, which is near the cow's rump. At 15% fat, ground sirloin is great for tacos and pasta sauce. These have fewer calories as well due to a lower fat percentage than ground chuck while still retaining flavor, making them a great meat choice for heavy dishes like pasta and tacos.

Ground chuck: 80% lean, 20% fat ("80/20")

This is a cut that's found around the neck and shoulder. With a higher fat percentage than other source grinds, this makes ground chuck ideal for hamburgers, because it is easier to shape and is juicier than either ground sirloin or ground round. The extra fat gives the ground chuck an extra boost of flavor that leaner cuts of meat otherwise wouldn't have.

Do-It-Yourself

If the different source grinds laid out above don't quite have the ratio you need, then you can go to a butcher and discuss what kind of tailored grind you need. The great thing about ground beef is that it's easy to look for exactly the kind of ground beef you want.

 

If you're looking for ground beef that's a bit more flavorful and easier to work with, you can opt for high-fat ground beef; if you're looking for healthier options, you could opt to use leaner meat. This is all possible as long as you have a meat grinder or can ask a butcher's shop to do the grinding for you.

Ground beef is a versatile portion of meat that you can feature in a variety of meals. It's used in hamburgers, spaghetti bolognese, tacos, steak tartare, meatballs, and so many more! The finely-chopped (or minced) beef is tender, easy to eat, and can be added to any dish that needs a bit more meat.

With such versatility, it's an important and basic chef's skill to know how to cook your ground beef the right way—sufficiently brown and flavorful!

 

Tools Required to Cook Ground Beef

In order to get that nice, brown finish on your ground beef, you have to consider your choice of tools and your methods.

For your skillet, stainless steel or cast-iron will work better than a non-stick for this method; the trick is to not move the ground beef too much. This gives it a nice crust as the pan has time to heat the ground beef, and stainless steel or cast-iron skillets do a good job here. On non-stick pans, ground beef will slide around more, making it more difficult to apply a lot of heat to a specific part of the beef.

You can use whichever cooking oil you're comfortable with; personally, we prefer olive oil! If you've cooked before, you may have already heard of all the benefits that come from using olive oil.

With its ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol, this is a good cooking oil to use to offset the fat and grease from ground beef, which means you can still have a dish on the healthier side without restricting yourself with the ground beef that you use!

 

How to Brown Ground Beef in a Skillet

When you have the meat in the pan, spread out the ground beef across the surface of the skillet so that it cooks as evenly as possible. Leave it there for a moment so that it has time to crust the beef, which gives it more flavor and extra texture.

We're sure you're excited to get to the recipe, so let's dive right in! At the end of the article will be a quick buying guide to help you locate and select the best possible ground beef for you.

With that out of the way…

 

Recipe: Ground Beef for Tacos

Before we begin, it's important that you have all the ingredients you need within arm's reach. This minimizes distractions, allowing you to focus on cooking completely. Use the following list as your checklist to make sure you have everything on hand:

• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 1 tbsp of cooking oil
• 1/4tsp of table salt (if desired)
• 1/4tsp of black pepper (if desired)
• skillet
• spatula

Preparation

Before anything else, make sure you've had your ground beef out on a plate around 20 minutes before you start cooking to give it time to come to room temperature. Doing this allows the beef to breathe and makes it easier to cook it more evenly.

If your ground beef is frozen, leave it in your refrigerator—not the freezer—overnight beforehand. You can then leave it out for 20 minutes before cooking, so it comes to room temperature.

When handling raw beef, cleanliness is of the utmost priority. Make sure that you've washed your hands and sanitized your skillet, bowls, chopping boards, and knives before you handle the meat. Even your countertop should be sanitized.

When using a knife to cut the raw beef, make sure you don't reuse it on the beef after using it to cut other ingredients, such as vegetables, as this can easily contaminate your raw meat. If you have only one knife and need to go back and forth between your meat and other ingredients, make sure to wash between each use. Yes, it's important.

Raw beef products are susceptible to bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. If you ingest beef that hasn't been cooked all the way through or beef that's been exposed to this bacteria, you are most certainly going to have a bad time!

If you've prepared steak before, you might be used to cooking beef rare or medium-rare. The same methods cannot be used for ground beef—it must be cooked all the way through to avoid any potential health risks!

Preheating

Pour out your tablespoon of cooking oil onto your skillet and spread it out so that it coats the entire surface area of the pan, and allow it to heat up for about 2 minutes.

Cooking Proper

1. When the 2 minutes have elapsed, the oil should be hot enough for you to now add the ground beef. Pour out the ground beef onto the skillet, and—just like with the cooking oil—spread it out across the surface of the skillet such that it covers the entire skillet.
2. Having a thinner layer of meat allows the meat to cook through faster and more evenly, rather than just having it in a tall mound in the middle with only a small surface area exposed to the heat.
3. After that, let the ground beef patty sit as it is for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Leaving it as is allows the beef to cook more thoroughly, giving it a nice brown color. This will also give it a good crust, which adds texture to the beef.
4. Once enough time has elapsed, start breaking the meat apart into smaller portions. You can start flipping the beef over to cook the other side. With these smaller clumps, you can target parts of the beef that haven't been cooked all the way through.
5. One easy way to identify undercooked portions of the beef is to look for the color pink: browning is generally a good indication that meat has cooked properly, especially darker browns. Err on the safe side by cooking meat that carries a lighter shade of brown than is normal for ground beef.
6. Take note that beef browns at 155 degrees Fahrenheit, but bacteria are killed off at 161 degrees. An extra 5 minutes to cook all the way through should do the trick. To be sure, aim to cook your ground beef to about 165 degrees F.
7. With the meat now cooked through, you'll want to drain the grease/oil so that your beef isn't so greasy. Have a strainer out and pour off the oil into a heat-resistant and disposable container. Leave a little bit though, so that your ground beef isn't too dry.
8. Never pour oil down the drain! Once thoroughly drained, you can begin stirring in the pepper and the salt to season. Stir the beef thoroughly to spread the seasoning.
9. At this point, you can take the beef off the fire and use it as you like in whatever recipe you have in mind!

That's all there is to cooking ground beef! It might take a bit of tweaking according to your stove, as everyone has different stoves, but once you've found the appropriate heat, you'll have perfectly browned ground beef every time!

 

Conclusion

We hope you've learned plenty from this article! Knowing how to prepare ground beef and select ground beef at the market are powerful skills that should be a part of any budding chef's culinary repertoire. Ground beef is a versatile ingredient — it's easy to find, inexpensive, and cooks quickly. Whether you're making burgers or tacos, the options for ground beef recipes are endless.

Equipped with this knowledge, you'll find yourself more capable of diversifying your recipes and dishes by adding a ground beef component to them, especially ground beef that you know how to finetune to your needs!

When we go to the grocery store and find coconuts in the fruit section, it's all too easy to think they are ready to be opened. On top of that, what are the best ways to open a coconut at home that are easy and don't ruin your kitchen utensils? If you've ever wondered how to crack a ripe coconut, this guide will tell you everything you'll ever need to know beforehand.

 

How to choose a coconut

No matter what size coconut you find at the store, they aren't all considered ripe or ready to be opened. And unlike many other fruits that come from a tree, these are considered Drupes, a sub-category known better as fruit stones. So choosing the best drupe is learning what to look for when choosing. Unlike thumping a watermelon, these two have a lot more in common than you've been led to think.

 

How to tell if coconut is ready to be opened

An average watermelon will be filled with plenty of water within the sweet meat inside. Thumping it with your forefinger should resonate like an echo just like Jello does when you flick it. This is a good indication that the water content is high enough. When choosing a coconut, you need to give it a good shake. Listen for a nice sloshing sound inside which tells you how much liquid is still inside.

 

The more your coconut sounds filled with water (actually coconut milk), the fresher it will be for picking. Less water is not a good choice and can even have become spoiled from the lack of water content. The exterior color must be a golden brown with no green or color or mold spots showing on the three dark spots (the eyes) on the base of your coconut. Smelling these spots is also a sign of detecting mold that could be growing inside.

 

There is virtually no smell and may even smell wood-like rather than a coconut smell, telling you the coconut is ripe. The most common coconut you'll likely see at your store is the version that has the green husk removed exposing only the nut itself. Another version often has more water inside and is great for drinking but hardly has any coconut meat. De-husked coconuts are better for using the meat and liquid for cooking.

 

Tools required to open a coconut

You don’t need any complicated tools to open a coconut at home in your kitchen. However, there is the right utensil for every job. You'll want a chef knife, a paring knife, a cutting board, and some handy kitchen towels. The towels are placed on your cutting board so your coconut doesn't skate around or slip when you are starting to crack open a coconut. As an option, you can also place a kitchen towel underneath your cutting board to dampen the sound.

 

You should also have a portable ice pick or a Phillips head screwdriver. These are used to make holes where the coconut eyes are located. You should also have a simple potato peeler and cheese grater. This will come in handy when you want to clean up and grate the meat of your coconut.

 

Different ways of opening a coconut

There are many techniques to open a dry coconut that we will discuss here. Aside from using a brick to crush your coconut, some people prefer to save the coconut shell and use it for home crafting or Tiki Party décor. Some people might prefer to glue the shells back together and display these as a bowl full of coconuts. No matter what you'll decide, here are the best methods.

 

The best way to crack or open a coconut

The first method is relatively simple since this is called the 'Whack Job'. It starts with placing your coconut onto a cutting board with a scrunched-up kitchen towel placed in the middle. Place a towel underneath to dampen the blow on your counter likewise. You then place a coconut that's been emptied already and lay it sideways like an egg. Most coconuts will be slightly oval-shaped but if yours isn't, make sure (the eyes) are lying horizontal to you.

 

Now you take a chef knife and turn the blade upside down. You want to strike the middle of the coconut directly in the center using the dull spine rather than the blade. Center the spine to hit further back toward the blade handle and give the coconut a good whack! Now rotate your coconut one-quarter turn and repeat again with a whack. Hold onto one side of the coconut so it doesn’t slip away and keep whacking until a crack forms and can be pried in half easily.

 

Another straightforward method calls for putting an emptied coconut into a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. It will crack naturally and need to cool before you can handle it. The meat can peel very easily from the husk-like hard rubber to be sliced or diced. Later, it can be left to dry so you can grate the coconut meat for desserts and added to all sorts of recipes.

 

How to extract the water

You will need a pointy object such as a Phillips screwdriver or a portable ice pick. Just before you start having flashbacks of “Basic Instinct”, handheld ice picks are ideal for poking the eyes of a coconut (which are quite soft) so you can drain the liquid easier. A screwdriver will work the same if you use a mallet or meat tenderizer to poke all three holes on the base of your coconut.

 

Once all of these holes are opened, you can drain the water, called coconut milk into a small bowl for cooking or enjoying as an energy-filled liquid. You need to shake the coconut back and forth to empty all of the liquid, which is clear like water but has the unmistakable aroma of coconut as soon as you smell this.

 

How to extract the meat

Between the husk of the coconut shell and the firm, white meat of a fresh coconut can be removed using different methods. A spoon or butter knife will separate the meat from the husk if you prefer. You can also use a pointy tool such as a paring knife to get a better edge that lifts up faster. Once this is done, a spoon works great just like you are scooping out the meat from an avocado.

 

The meat will be very firm, similar to soft leather but no crispier than old radishes. This is where a sharp knife will slice up large sections so you can either let it dry as you like or prepare it as a tasty snack. One of the more interesting facts about coconut meat is the brown skin that comes from the lining of the husk. This can be removed using a potato peeler as soon as it comes from the husk.

 

How to store coconut?

Coconut can be easily air-dried and placed into a food dehydrator. If you’re looking to preserve coconut for long-term storage, a freeze dryer is recommended. Dried coconut can be used for soups or desserts and many recipes call for coconut. The best way to store coconut is inside a sealed package with as much air removed. You can use a vacuum sealer to help preserve the flavor so it doesn’t get stale.

 

It can also be frozen so that this is best preserved inside a freezer bag but the critical part is that the air must be removed so there isn't a chance it becomes covered with ice crystals that will spoil your coconut over the next six months. A cool dry play such as a pantry is best where no light will make dried coconut prone to getting stale or losing flavour.

 

Recommended knives to open a coconut

The optimal knives you can purchase always depend on what you can add to your kitchen. The most practical knives include our best paring knive and chef knife. Anything else depends on your needs in your kitchen. You can always choose a paring knives set that makes a complete collection if you like kitchen accessories. This way, you can decide which knife set will work in your favour to complete the various kitchen tasks you need.

 

What are coconuts good for?

Many people are looking for healthy additions to their diet, yet- fewer people understand how coconuts are essential for a healthy diet. Learning how to open a coconut is not as hard a task if you like cooking. But when it comes down to enjoying why a fresh coconut will be healthier than you think, why not get around to cracking open some ripe coconuts in your kitchen soon enough?

Getting to Know Bok Choy

Bok choy may have a wide range of flavor, size, and color. Those with larger leaves are best for salads and soups, while those with smaller heads are best for stir-fry meals. When you're out shopping, look for bok choy with bright green leaves and crisp stems that are free of holes or discoloration. Concentrate on the crunchiness of the bunches and avoid those that are rubbery or dried out at the stem or those that are turning brown at the borders.

As the name suggests, another popular variety is baby bok choy, which is smaller and picked earlier than other bok choy kinds. It has stronger stems and smaller leaves than the standard type, as well as a milder and more delicate flavor than the standard version. When you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen making supper, the fact that you can cook the entire thing without pulling the leaves apart is really convenient.

When you get home, put the bok choy in a bag — preferably a reusable one— press out any leftover air, seal the bag, and store it in your refrigerator's produce drawer to keep it fresh. Fresh stalks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

How to Clean Bok Choy

Using a sharp knife, cut away the base of bok choy. To prepare the bok choy for cleaning, first split it into individual pieces. Cut away the base of the vegetable, which should be around 2- to 3-inches (5- to 7.5-cm) long, with a sharp knife. Because the root of the bok choy is rough and contains dirt, it should be discarded after cooking.

Separate the stalks by pulling them apart. After removing the bottom of the base, the stalks must be separated from one another. To prepare the bok choy, gently pull each stalk from the plant's base using clean hands and place it in a bowl. Depending on whether you're boiling the bok choy or integrating it into a dish, you may need to separate the leaves and stems first. You should do this once you've cleaned it.

To protect the bok choy from withering, cover it with water. Fill the dish with enough water to thoroughly submerge the bok choy stems once you've separated them. Make sure to use cold water to avoid wilting the leaves. If you're washing a lot of bok choy, you might want to put the stalks in an empty sink and fill them with water to keep them from overlapping too much when you chop them.

After swishing the bok choy around, let it sit in the water for a few minutes. After you've sprayed the bok choy with water, gently spin it around with your hands to remove any dirt that has gathered on the stalks. Enable the bok choy to sit in the water for about 10 minutes to allow all of the dirt and sediment to settle at the bottom.

 

Bok Choy Slicing

Bok choy is one of the most delicious tastes offered to us by Asian cuisine, but how do you cook it? You are not alone if you have wondered how to chop bok choy.

The bok choy plant's base should not be used. Slice cleanly through the stalk approximately two inches from its lowest point with a sharp knife or Brisket knife (and use caution!). Remove the two-inch portion.

The simplest way to prepare bok choy is to not chop it. There are numerous Asian dishes that call for full bok choy leaves (think Thai, Korean, or Cambodian cuisine). To maintain the stalk (which is high in nutrients), separate the leaves carefully by cutting through the stalk where the leaf meets it.

Recipes for bok choy soup may ask for it to be halved, diced, or divided into leaves. To make it correctly for your recipe, follow the proper set of instructions below.

Bok Choy Should Be Cut In Halves Or Quarters

1. baby bok choy, halved Cut baby bok choy in half lengthwise.

2. Trim the root but leave it intact so the leaves don't fall off.

Bok Choy, Cut Into Leaves

1. Remove the root end.

2. Separate the leaves.

Bok Choy Sliced

1. Remove the root and separate the leaves.

2. Stack the leaves on top of one another and cut them in half lengthwise.

3. Cut the leaves diagonall

What is The Appeal of Bok Choy?

Health

Fighting cancer, supporting healthy bones, supporting a healthy cardiovascular system, maintaining blood pressure, fighting anemia, supporting healthy eyes, supporting healthy immunity, enhancing the skin, supporting healthy digestion, promoting healing, and fighting inflammation are just a few of the impressive health benefits of bok choy.

The advantages of bok choy were employed by ancient Chinese doctors to cure fever, cough, and other disorders in this area. It is believed to have a cooling effect and can be used to reduce inflammation both internally and externally - on the skin.

Bok choy has traversed the world with immigrants; its seeds were marketed in America in the 1800s. Bok choy may be eaten fresh, although it is best prepared in Chinese cooking. Similar to spinach, baby bok choy is simpler to eat raw.

Some Claims for Bok Choy

• Cancer prevention.
• Improves bone health
• Maintains blood pressure control
• Beneficial to cardiovascular health
• Increases immunity
• Improves skin health
• It lowers inflammation.

Taste

Bok choy has been likened to Swiss chard, however, the latter has a harsher, bitter flavor. If you enjoy salads, you might assume that Bok choy is the ideal salad element. In addition to its juicy and crunchy texture, bok choy pairs well with arugula and radicchio.

Bok choy is also known as white cabbage and has a flavor similar to green cabbage. Consider it a moderate vegetable with a more powerful flavor in the higher green regions.

Is Pak Choi the Same as Bok Choy?

A sort of Chinese cabbage known as bok choy (American English) or pak choi (British English). Chinensis variants lack heads and instead have green leaf blades with lighter bulbous bases that form a cluster resembling mustard greens.

If you're not familiar with slow cook barbecue, then you won't understand that beef brisket requires several hours and continuous heat to become a mind-blowing taste experience. If you have heard of corned beef, this is essentially salt-cured brisket. It's often reserved for corned beef and cabbage but is not limited to many other savory recipes.

Craving and savoring sweet, ripe, and juicy peaches are nature's greatest treats during the summertime. This stone fruit is also easy to eat — just grab a napkin because it will be messy. Of course, to savor the freshly picked peaches, the first thing to do is cut them even though you could eat them like how you eat an apple. There are some dishes in which cutting a peach is necessary, like when you make a peach crumble or canning peaches.

Unlike any other fruits, cutting a peach is slightly complicated due to the nature of its skin and stone. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to do so., Before we take the necessary steps to cut a peach, we should first know how to choose a perfectly ripe peach, which we'll discuss below.

 

Tool You Will Need

Using a durable, sharp paring knife is the tool you will need to cut a peach. Its hard-sharpened razor edge will ensure stability and an effortless way to cut a peach. Also, you will need a cutting board to slice the peaches. These tools are necessary when you cut a peach.

 

How to Choose a Peach

A ripe peach quickly goes from firm to overripe in a couple of days. It should not give too much of its skin; it will compress slightly but not too squishy. However, if you poke it and it's squishy, the peach is overripe and will rot very soon. You will also know if it's underripe and won't be ready to eat if it doesn't give its skin such a feeling.

Smelling a peach also helps you know if it's ripe and good to eat; it will give off a pleasant, sweet peachy smell. It will also work if you want to know just by simply touching it; if a peach is heavy for its size and in your hand, it's a good sign that your peach is tasty.

There's a range in the ripeness of the peaches that will determine their use. If the peach is firmer, you could use it for baking, while the one on the riper side is good to eat fresh.

 

How to Cut A Peach Step by Step

There are two kinds of peaches; a Clingstone peaches and a Freestone peaches. The Clingstone Peaches have a pot or stone that clings to the fruit, and it's hard to remove and often used for canned products, while the Freestone Peaches have pits that fall away easily from the fruit. Markets usually have stocks of freestone peaches.

Now, if you want to peel the skin of a peach before cutting it, there are two ways for you to do that;

1. You can do blanching to remove the skin of a peach

It's a technique that involves putting the fruit in boiling water for a brief time; then, you will put it in an ice bath to remove the fruit. This process will help loosen the skin and be easy to remove. Blanching works well with ripe peaches, in which the skin is already loose. If ever the skin is still firm, then using a paring knife is the other method to peel off the skin of a peach.

2. You can peel the peach using a paring knife

If the peach is firmer, you may want to use a sharp paring knife instead. While holding the fruit in your non-dominant hand, you slide the paring knife's blade under the skin toward the top, just like peeling off an apple or a potato. Make sure that your fingers are out the way so you won't get hurt.

Once you are done removing the skin, you can now start to slice the peeled peach in any size or form you want, like chunks, cubes, or minced. It all depends on where you are going to use a peach.

If you are cutting a freestone peaches, these are the steps on how to cut them;

1. First, while holding the peach vertically with its stem upwards, using a sharp paring knife, insert its blade carefully until you reach the pit. Then, roll the peach around the paring knife while ensuring that the edge is still touching the pit until you reach the original cut.
2. The next step is to put down the paring knife and hold the peach in the palm of your hands. Then, twist it so you can separate the two segments. At this point, you can pop the pit off using your fingers. If the pit is sticky, you could use a knife to loosen the pit before removing it using your fingers.
3. Finally, you can start slicing the peach based on the thickness you desire to have. Depending on where you're using it, you could also cut it into cubes, halves, chunks, or any size.

 

Delicious Peach Dishes

There are so many recipes that you could do using your freshly ripe peaches. You could make smoothies or fruit salad, even desserts. If you are still thinking about what to make, here are some peach dish recipes that you can find online and you might want to try:

Peach Pie

This dish is a pie that can be baked made from fresh ripe peaches and simple ingredients. The recipe is simple, and it's great to have during summer, especially during peach season.

What you will need are:

• One package pantry (15 oz) for a nine inches pie
• one beaten egg
• Five sliced peeled peaches
• lemon juice, just 2 tbsp of it
• flour
• white sugar, use only one cup of it
• teaspoon of the ground cinnamon
• teaspoon of the ground nutmeg
• One-fourth teaspoon of salt
• two tablespoon of butter

Procedure:

• It's important to line the bottom and the sides of a nine-inch pie dish with a pie crust. Then, brush some of it with a beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soft. Make sure your oven is at 450 degrees F while you do this.
• Place the sliced peaches in a bowl, sprinkle them with the lemon juice, and mix it gently. You'll need a separate bowl to mix the sugar and all-purpose wheat. Then add the peaches and mix gently. Then, after you've mixed everything, pour it into the pie crust and dot it with a bit of butter. Cover the bottom crust and fold the edges. Frost the edges or press them with a fork dipped in egg to ensure they stay shut. Then, spread the rest of the egg on the top crust and cut a few holes to let the steam out.
• Bake it for ten minutes in the preheated oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and then bake for another 30 to 35 minutes until you can see the crust is brown, and the juice bubbles through the vents. Cover it with an aluminum foil halfway through baking if you see the edges turn brown too fast.
• Once done baking, cool it before serving. It tastes better warm than hot. Now you can enjoy this peach summer treat with your family and friends!

Peach Smoothie

This recipe is a healthy and peachy smoothie that will make you feel refreshed during the summer! You will need frozen peeled peaches, frozen bananas, milk, nonfat Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger.

You will get a blender, put all the ingredients into it, and then blend it until you reach the smoothness. Easy steps. And now, you can enjoy this healthy peachy smoothie anytime, every day!

There are more recipes where you can use a ripe peach, and you could even create your own recipe if you want to.

Peach ice cream is perfect if you want a peach dessert after a big meal! If you have homemade vanilla ice cream at home, you could add your sliced fresh ripe peaches to it. These two sweet things are the perfect combination for each other and will delight you, your friends, and your family. If you don't have the ice cream, you could just make a peach ice cream from scratch using the peach ice cream recipe you could find online or just create your own version.

Aside from pies, smoothies, and ice cream, there are more dishes you could make using peaches like appetizers, drinks, cobblers, pizzas, salad, and many more. You will not run out of ideas on what dish you will make.

 

Peachy-Keen Cooking

If you have peaches and want to use them in any recipe you will make, always remember that you will need a sharp paring knife to cut the peach and a good quality cutting board. Using a dull paring knife to cut a peach is less efficient and dangerous. Peaches are so juicy that using a cutting board with good quality and sturdiness is a must to prevent them from slipping when you start cutting the peaches.

When you are using good equipment, it will guarantee good results. After all, we all want happy results with good delicious peach dishes to eat.

 

In culinary school or a cooking course, learning how to Julienne is one of the most popular subjects to look forward to. Learning how to make Julienne cuts the right way is essential whether you're going to school to polish your knife skills or improve your culinary abilities. In this article, we'll go over the fundamentals of Julienne and the tools you'll need to perform this technique.

 

What is a Julienne?

The Julienne cut is a French knife method for slicing vegetables into tiny matchsticks and planks. In addition, cutting veggies on the diagonal and stacking and cutting them into long, thin strips is a speedier method of chopping vegetables. In the absence of a ruler, the best approach to determine the size of your hand is to look at it.

 

As a general rule, the top portion of a thumb or index finger is one inch long. From the tip to the first knuckle, this section is comprised. It's advisable to measure your finger to prevent this from happening. Tiny and precise julienne cuts are often employed with hard fruits or vegetables like apples and beetroot because of their small and accurate sizes.

 

This short incision ensures fast and consistent frying and marinating. By chopping veggies into little bits, they provide salads and other foods with a nice crunch and texture. Check your kitchen drawer for a cutting tool if you already own a food processor. When you begin cutting the vegetables, you'll have a stack of precisely sliced veggies.

 

How is Julienne Used in Cooking?

Using a julienne cutter, you may cut vegetables into uniform lengths, allowing them to marinade or cook evenly and quickly while remaining crisp. In addition to enhancing the flavour of dishes, julienned vegetables may be used in the kitchen. Consider how crunchier salads, sides, and rainbow vegetable stir-fries would be if you used julienned carrots instead of grated carrots.

 

The julienne cut is ideal for cooking vegetables because it allows them to cook rapidly and uniformly while also integrating well with other meal ingredients, such as sauce. The julienne strips of a vegetable may be used as a salad garnish or as part of a whole dish, such as salade chinoise if the chef so desires.

 

What is the Right Size and Dimensions of Julienned Vegetables?

The length and thickness of the matchsticks vary on the kind of vegetable. Depending on the variety, they should be 2 inches long and 1/16 inch thick. The distance between the tip of your thumb and the top knuckle of your thumb may determine how long an inch is if you don't have a ruler.

 

Vegetable slices that are approximately 1/16th of an inch square and about 2 inches long may be made using the Julienne method. Peeling and washing the vegetable are prerequisites for this step. Next, you'll need to top and tail it before cutting it into a rectangle or square. Repeat cutting it into 1.5 mm (1/16th inch) thick slices once you've finished cutting it out. Pieces stacked on top of each other may be used to create 1.5 mm (1/16th inch) wide sticks.

 

The measures above are often called a "fine julienne" by chefs. In the culinary world, this sort of cut has been referred to as "a typical julienne," which is about the same size as "fine." A more typical measurement is 3 millimetres by 3 millimetres, more often referred to as an "allumette." When it comes to the ideal serving size for various dishes, chefs and teachers will have their preferences.

 

Tools You Need to Julienne

1.A kitchen cutting knife/Julienne peeler

To cut vegetables into juliennes, you'll need a sharp knife, just as you would for any other form of a cut in the kitchen. All home chefs should be familiar with basic knife skills. Food processors, julienne peelers, and mandolines may provide the same results as a knife. A julienne cutter is an excellent option if you don't plan on chopping a lot of food. Most of the time, there will be a julienne cutter on the kitchen counter.

 

2.Utility Knife/Chef's knife

To cut items into little bits, you need always use the proper knife. It depends on what you're doing with these knives: chef, utility, or santoku. The chef's knife is the most popular, with a blade length ranging from 8 to 10 inches. Almost any meal can be rapidly sliced through with it. In other words, it has been sharpened on both sides of its slightly curved cutting edge. Because of its versatility, it may be used for various uses. Use it for other chores, which makes this an easy decision.

 

Chefs use santoku knives, which resemble paring knives in appearance. It is a Japanese product. Japanese knives have a single, 12- to 15-degree bevel on the cutting edge and are often straight. A double angle is also common among western knife makers, allowing for more precise cutting. Using a smaller and lighter knife than a regular knife is excellent for chopping food for an extended period.

 

Despite its small size, this knife can be used for various tasks. It features a blade that ranges in length from four to seven inches. In terms of blade length, it is smaller than a chef's knife but more significant than a paring knife. A utility knife is ideal for cutting gala apples, radishes, or turnips since it is tiny enough. A longer knife would be inconvenient, such as a chef's or santoku. It's true, as you say.

 

 3.A wood cutting board

Cutting on a cutting board is the only way to cut julienne. A hardwood cutting board is an ideal option since there are a lot of tiny cuts and pieces to produce. Small fruits and vegetables may generate quite a bit of food when they're chopped into thin strips. Wooden cutting boards can self-heal. Fibres reunited after cutting provide a smooth, durable surface that bacteria and mould have a hard time penetrating and growing on. The ideal cutting board for julienne and other knife cuts is made of wood as big as your kitchen space will allow.

 

How to Achieve Julienne Cuts With a Knife

A standard julienne or knife-only slicing method would be good to start if you want to present the basics. Carrots are often julienned because the technique softens and lightens the thick veggie.

 

You may begin in one of two ways: Of course, you are under no obligation to complete this step. It all comes down to the final product or food being created.

 

Remove the top portion of the carrot and the end of the tiny root. Trim the ends to a neat pair of symmetrical triangles. Cut the remainder of the carrot into 2 to 3-inch lengths. If you have any leftovers, you may use them in another dish or bulk up a salad for lunch.

 

To flatten one side of a carrot segment, cut a little bit off the length of the piece. It's easy to have a flat side like this. Afterwards, cut another small slice perpendicular to the previous one, and repeat the process for the second piece. Make a second, thinner cut. It's the same with the second thin slice. Repeat the same procedure on each side. Having a little bit of carrot in your hand indicates that the carrot has been correctly "squared-off" or "regularized." After that, make sure everything is centred.

 

Cut each rectangle into 1/16- or 1/8-inch-long strips to do this. The strips will be divided into more petite strips for the following stage, cutting them into smaller ones. Avoid making the planks uneven in any way possible.

 

After that, it's only a matter of stacking and chopping the veggies. Each piece of wood should be cut into boards of equal width. Stack the boards, one on top of the other. Matchstick-like carrots are the result of this method. Afterwards, you'll be able to brag about your accomplishment. Carrots julienned to perfection have served their purpose.

 

How to Achieve Julienne Cuts with a Peeler

When peeler blades are not being used, the plastic cover should be switched over to prevent them from becoming dirty. If you're looking for a specific item in your kitchen drawer, avoid accidentally touching a blade.

 

It might be helpful to hold the vegetables in place while you're making the slices using a julienne peeler on a cutting board. When you're holding small, spherical vegetables in your hand, your thumb, palm, and other fingers are at risk of being cut.

 

If you use a julienne peeler, probably, you won't be able to peel all of your vegetables at the same time as you would want. The peeler should be put aside when you cannot cut through the vegetable without getting stuck. Using a knife, finely slice the remaining vegetables to make a salad.

 

The julienne peeler only works with a limited number of veggies. Complex meals rule here since there aren't many tender ones in this dish.

 

How to Julienne an Onion

Here are 7 Steps to Julienne an Onion:

 

1. Make sure to remove the top and bottom layers before peeling.
2. Starting from one of its ends, cut the onion in half vertically.
3. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut the onion carefully in half lengthwise and place the cut side down on a work surface.
4. You can chop vegetables into matchstick-sized pieces by angling your knife 45 degrees away from the cutting board.
5. Each time you make a new cut, you'll notice that the angle of your knife changes.
6. When you get to the center of the onion, your cutting board should be at a 90-degree angle.
7. The onion will begin to tremble around halfway through. Keep slicing until the onion is completely gone.

 

Red onions are a stunning addition to any salad, so try them out next time you prepare one.

 

How to Julienne Carrots

Carrots may be sliced in two ways: using a julienne peeler or a knife. It's good to get a carrot peeler if you plan to chop up many carrots (or other veggies, like zucchini and cucumbers). Both inexpensive and practical, they are an excellent choice. Carrots are a breeze to chop up when you have one of these handy.

 

Julienne cut with a peeler

Place a giant carrot on a flat surface with the long side facing down. After that, cut it into strips using a peeler. Peel the carrot, starting at the thick end and working your way to the thin end. Very thin carrot matchsticks may be made by doing this. A thin carrot can no longer be chopped into strips by repeating the operation. That's all there is to it!

 

The ends of carrots may be left on if they have them, saving you time. Carrots may be secured with their support.

 

Julienne cut with a knife

Now, what if you don't have a peeler? Honestly, it's not that big of an issue. If desired, carrots may be sliced into thin strips using a knife. The more time you put in, the better your knife skills will wow your friends and family. Even so, you'll end up with precisely formed matchstick-shaped carrots. Here's how it's done, step by step:

 

First, remove the carrots' outer layer. A dish of halved strawberries is then ready. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the carrot peels, and then discard them.

 

Finally, turn the carrots over so the long side faces up on a chopping board. After that, chop the carrots finely. All of the carrots' tops should be removed. Then, using a sharp chef's knife, cut each one into two or three pieces. Move the carrots to a more accessible location. The length of each should be between 2 and 3 inches.

 

Depending on the size of your carrots, you'll need to adjust the quantity and size of the carrots you use. Cut each piece lengthwise into thin boards.

 

It may be sliced into matchstick-thin matchsticks with a keen knife. Continue the procedure with the remaining planks. If you want to speed things up, you may stack the planks and cut them one at a time.

 

How to Julienne Soft or Irregular-Shaped Items

It is possible to julienne tomatoes, even if this is not regularly done. Tomatoes that have been halved should be your starting point. Using a baking sheet, place one-half skin-side down on the other. Make a slit between the tomato's seed and its flesh with a chef's knife. Use a single motion with your knife to keep cutting through the seed's flesh. Place the tomato skin-side down on a chopping board before slicing into strips. The seeds from the tomato might be used for something else. Salads without tomato seeds benefit significantly from this technique.

 

Conclusion

Food cooks faster and more evenly when using basic kitchen cuts. It's also a bonus that the plate's uniformity enhances the aesthetic of any meal served on it. It may seem complicated, but the delicate cut may be completed in a few simple stages with a bit of care.

 

You may also julienne in various ways, depending on the kind of food you're cutting and the available time. To become a matchstick expert, you can start with doing a Julienne with a knife first and experiment with other techniques after you've completely mastered the traditional way.

 

Investing your time in making good-tasting bread requires skill, various quality ingredients, and an excellent baking oven. Baking your loaves in a dutch oven is the perfect way to begin your cooking journey. Dutch ovens are investment cookwares you should have in your kitchen.

With this kitchenware, you are not limited to cooking unique stews, sauces, or soups but can also create the best crispy golden loaves you will continuously crave for. Step up your A-game and finish this article to start kneading your dough straight in your dutch ovens!

How to Bake Bread in a Dutch Oven

Before anything else, let us get to know first the star tool of bread baking. Dutch ovens are used in various ways, such as frying, steaming, and making stews and soups. However, its function is not limited to those cooking methods. These cookwares are also for use in baking your favorite staple food. If you are not a kitchen bystander or a baker in your house and you don't know what a dutch oven is, then stop reading this for a while and look for this cookware description in your kitchen.

Dutch Oven does not look like the typical oven you imagine. Imagine a stockpot with a broader base, lidded cooking pot for heavy-duty use on a stovetop or oven. Its thick walls are ideal for caramelizing and even add a browning effect to whatever recipe you are cooking.

It comes with a heavy lid and short handles on both sides for a more effortless transfer of food and to maintain a balanced hold in your cooking pot. With this description, you might think, how can this cookware make a good-tasting bread without even having similarities with the typical ovens we have. Fret not because here's how.

1. Prepare your dough 

Some people find the limited size, space, and shape a dutch oven can offer. Since the dough follows the pot's design, you can only shape your dough in two similar ways-- oval and round. After this step, give your dough a nice cold rest to give it ample time to rise.

Since yeast does not trap the flavor of the dough a room temperature, giving your dough rest in the fridge will help ease this problem. Ideally, give it an overnight sleep in your fridge for better results. Once you take out your dough, shape it bases on your liking.

The keys are gentleness and right rolls and folds for a round shape. Put your dough on a heavily floured flat surface and lightly press it to a 1-inch thickness. Gently stretch your dough by folding 1/3 of it to the center. Stretch the right side out, fold, then do the same on the other side.

Roll your dough away seam side down, turn it 90 degrees, then pull again until you form a French-shaped bread ball. In a bowl heavily dusted with flour, place your round shape dough seam side up, then loosely cover it with a towel for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

If you wish for an oval-shaped dough, roll, fold, and shape your dough the same way and thickness as you did with the round one. Gently stretch your dough by folding 1/3 of it to the center. Stretch the right side out, fold, then do the same on the other side.

Roll your dough away seam side down, and cup the dough around with both hands into an oval shape. Turn it 180 degrees, then pull again until you form your smooth desired shape. In a bowl heavily dusted with flour, place your round shape dough seam side up, then loosely cover it with a towel for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

2. "Score" your dough for the best results

Get your sharp blade, a knife, a razor blade, or lame, then stroke a shallow 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep slit in the middle of the dough. We "score," slash or slice the dough to push the gases in a specific direction during the baking process. This is to prevent creating an unpleasant bubbled top and, of course, to make a tasty loaf.

3. Preheating and Baking

When your dough has less than 30 minutes left to rise, preheat the empty dutch oven for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 500F. Be sure to heat it with the lid on top, and don't go over 30 minutes of preheating to avoid scorched loaf bottom. The humidity will form steam that will keep the dough moist. Since the container is sealed, the dough will continue rising in its initial baking stages. The result of the score will come out beautifully during the baking process.

Apply an ample amount of vegetable oil coating and flour as you bake. Bring your dough over the pot, put it seam side down, and shake it to settle the dough evenly unto the pot. Bake for not more or less 25 to 30 minutes with the lid, and another 5 to 10 minutes or until it creates a nice brown color without the top. Remove the loaf out and let it cool before slicing.

Why Bake Bread in a Dutch Oven or Combo Cooker?

The Dutch oven provides an experience like a professional baker. Because of the material of the Dutch oven, from its container up to the lid that traps the steam from the bread upon cooking process, heat is conducted evenly. It creates a temperature-stable condition which makes it suitable for baking.

The trapping of the moisture inside the pot allows the bread to arise completely, enhances the pleasing golden brown color of the end piece of bread, and provides a glossy shine exterior. A closed pot makes bread-baking simple and more efficient.

Additionally, to produce a crispy bread crust, steaming is the key. Steam is a crucial element for baking loaves in the pot. Without it, the dough will expand, dry out, or bake too quickly while forming a stiff crust which is not what we want. Allowing steam to bake your bread will slow the pacing of crust formation and increase the volume of the loaf for the reason that it will enable the dough to expand before it sets.

Unlike the professional oven, the steam comes out due to its design or feature. With a Dutch oven, you will only need a lid to let the water from the dough become steam and cook the bread out of it.

Lastly, Dutch ovens provide an elegant, rich color for slices of bread. The striking color of the bread is sometimes why it's mouthwatering. The process "unlocks" sugars that can enhance the color appearance of the end piece of bread during baking.

The steam also allows starch that will form a narrow layer over the bread which will create a beautiful shine on its crispy exterior. This process of starch gel is called gelatinization. Do not overly thicken your starch gel, or you'll possibly get a burned result.

 

General Baking Periods and Temperatures

Remember that environmental conditions can affect the pot's temperature, so you need to adjust the heat accordingly. Preheating for about 30 minutes to an hour at 450F could be with a lid or without is an essential process upon baking in a Dutch oven. You must consider checking the brand of your pot since each manufacturer designs dutch ovens differently.

As you proceed with the baking process, use oven mitts to load your doughs in and into the oven. Bake the dough covered for 20 minutes at 450F. After that, remove the lid and let it cook for another 10 to 20 minutes longer until you're one. Your loaves should be about 205F when cooked. You may use a temperature checker to know if it registered the right temperature.

 

How to Prevent Burning the Bottom of Your Loaves

Baking or cooking at high temperatures is one of the main reasons why your loaves burn. Generally, if you bake in a dutch oven, it will always produce darker bottoms regardless of how you try to prevent it. What you should do is avoid baking on your baking stone directly. Extensive heat after preheating will burn the bottom of the dutch oven quickly; as a result, it will burn your loaves as well. This is why you should check and modify temperature consistently.

The brand of your dutch oven matter here. If you have already tried baking or cooking in it and notice that it burns quickly, drop down your preheating temperature and time. For example, for a suggested hour of preheating at 450F, you may reduce it to 45 minutes at 425F (218C). Adjust the temperatures to bake your loaves without undercooking or burning the bottom.

Moreover, you can try a blocker such as a baking sheet or baking stone that will help insulate your dough. When you place your pot near the bottom of the oven, it gives out extensive heat for your dough. The use of insulators will balance the thermal mass between your dough and the element responsible for heating in your oven. Put your dutch oven in between racks-- the insulators at the bottom rack, and another one is placed above the middle rack.

Another method you can use is by utilizing coarse cornmeal or wheat bran. This adds an extra thin insulation layer between your Dutch oven and dough. Sprinkling an ample number of coarse corn after preheating and before you put your dough will help absorb heat from the pan.

Another way to prevent burning the bottom loaves is to double your parchment paper. Put two layers of parchment paper on top of your proofing basket with the dough. Place the parchment papers into the dutch oven, and slash the dough before baking the bread. The additional layer will help your dough insulate.

Dust coarse corn on your pan before dragging the parchment with the dough. Of course, check your parchment paper's quality to avoid scorching problems as you bake.

Advisable Combo Cookers and Dutch Ovens

The essential requirement a Dutch oven must-have for a great baking experience is that it is oven-safe and has a tight lid. You must check in with your manufacturer to ensure the preheating safety methods of your pot since some cookwares like these are not compatible when preheated empty.

Below are recommended cookwares you can check to give you an idea upon which combo cookers and Dutch ovens to purchase.

5-Quart imarku Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Red/Blue Color

If you are searching for the best among all other Dutch ovens on the market, the 5-quart imarku Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven in Red or Blue is your choice.

This cookware is a versatile combo cooker that can be used for several cooking methods, such as boiling stews, sauteing veggies, and frying meats, aside from its bread baking capabilities. With its enormous 5-quart capacity and size of 17.91" by 13.82" by 7.72", you can surely feed many guests and family members on any occasion you want.

This Dutch oven is made out of a crack and scratch-resistance enameled cast iron durable enough to distribute heat in your dish evenly and to last a lifetime quality performance. Imarku's Dutch oven comes with a self-basting lid that circulates steam within the cookware to bring out the dish's most flavorful taste and a wide ergonomic handle for sturdy grip upon cooking.

You can also effortlessly clean your enamel surface without seasoning your cookware. It is compatible with several heat sources such as gas, electric, ceramic, and induction cooktops. With France's premium materials, indeed, your cooking experience with imarku's Dutch oven is the finest you can experience.

Conclusion

There is so much a combo cooker can offer to you. When it comes to steam baking, the Dutch oven is your best friend. Regardless of your ingredients' quality or baking skills, dutch ovens will do the magic for you. With the valuable methods and tips provided above, you can now start your bread baking journey by baking bread in a Dutch oven. For beginners, you can follow a recipe that can help you create the perfect tasty bread in your kitchen like a master baker in the comfort of your home.

Zucchini is a versatile veggie that makes entry during the summer. You can find them at vegetable gardens and farmer's markets. Besides, grocery stores are filled with zucchinis ready for you to load up and start cooking.

 

When it is about cooking a tender cut of beef, the less you experiment with it, the better. And, this is what filet mignon is all about. The melt-in-mouth texture that you get from this recipe is different from other cuts. For many people, it is the best piece of meat that they can have.

While it is easy to cook, considering the high price tag you should do it in the right way. A perfectly cooked filet makes a bold statement for someone who breathes recipes. Read on to find more about how to cook this marvelous recipe utilizing all the tips and tips right in your home.

What Is a Filet Mignon?

It is the smallest part of the tenderloin and is regarded as a cut of steak that comes with a hefty price tag. That’s because of two reasons: it constitutes around 2% of the total animal and has a great texture. The best part about filets is that when you don’t use it solo, it can work best with other cuts like the T-bone.

Typically, the T-bone constitutes the strip steak on the denser part of the bone whereas the filet is on the smallest side. Besides, if you aren’t sure of what you want, perhaps you may choose a T-bone to have them both.

No wonder filet mignon is considered the right choice. It is the tenderloin’s smallest cut that runs along the lower part of the animal’s spine. Because the flesh has little to no work, the part is very tender. It is quite different from other cuts like ribeye.

However, filets will lack a certain amount of fatty flavor that you can find on other cuts. But the best thing about them is that you can have a piece of meat that’s cut like butter and delicious from every aspect. Also, you need to prepare it in the best way possible to derive ultimate taste.

How to Prepare a Filet Mignon?

Preparing a filet doesn’t involve complex steps. The first thing that you should do is bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Hence, remove it from the refrigerator thirty minutes before you plan to cook it. Although it is a small step, it creates an even cook.

When you place the cold meat in the hot skillet, it tends to get chewy and tough. Moreover, when you are paying a high price for a tended filet, you have to cover that extra mile to retain its texture. Besides, if you are wondering about bacteria infestation on the piece of meat after keeping it for thirty minutes, don’t worry.

This isn’t enough time for the harmful pathogens to multiply and spread. Pat the piece of meat dry nu using a paper towel. When you remove extra moisture, it makes a flavorful and delicious crust. Next, season the piece with kosher salt and black pepper (freshly ground) on all sides generously.

This is all you need to prepare a delicious filet. Besides, you can go beyond pepper and salt by adding another layer of spices or herbs. If you want extra flavor you can go with them, but it isn’t a necessity. Lastly, get ready to cook. If you intend to use an oven, preheat it right now. Also, keep a meat thermometer close at hand.

Tools You Will Need for Cooking Filet Mignon Recipes

Here is everything you need for a happy searing.

1. Cast iron pan

Unless you are grilling, a cast iron pan is the best option to cook the meat. It is inexpensive, cleanup is easy, and it gives you an amazing sear. While a 12-inch skillet might be perfect, you can go big as well.

2. Meat thermometer

When you are cooking the best meat, having the right temperature is important. Besides, if you are spending on an expensive steak, you have to look for something that’s fine-tuned. So, choose a thermometer that tells you the difference between cold and hot temperatures perfectly.

3.Tongs

When it is about flipping the piece of meat, you need a set of tongs. Moreover, they are reliable and dishwasher-safe. Also, they won’t pinch your finger if you have the right one.

4. Knives

If you are looking for that perfect cut, a pair of good knives is all you should want. There is no shortage of great knives and if haven’t any in your kitchen, get the right one for you.

Searing the Filet

If you aim to have a wonderful crust on the filet, sear the piece of meat in a heavy, hot pan typically made of cast iron. Place the pan over heat and keep it that way for some time. Add a small amount of high heat, neutral cooking oil like canola oil.

Stay away from using olive oil. That’s because olive oil tends to have smoke points that can cause the piece of meat to burn quickly while it is still cooking. After the oil shimmers and right before it starts to smoke, put the steak into the pan.

As such, oil won’t splatter. If you are cooking a piece of meat that’s about eight-ounce, you have to cook it for a minimum of about three minutes on both sides. Keep the meat in a still position for a few minutes. Use tongs to lift the meat.

Take a look at it and find out whether it has a dark brown sear at its bottom. If so, flip it. However, if the meat sticks, the searing isn’t done the right way. The best way is to leave it for a minute or so and it will release on its own.

Repeat the process to sear another side. When you notice a nice crust, the filet is almost done. Now you got two choices: either you finish it in the pan or place it in a pre-heated oven.

 

Finishing the Filet in the Pan

Use a technique called “baste & roll” if you choose to finish the filet in the pan. After every part of the filet is seared nicely, turn it on its side and slowly begin to roll the filet around the cast-iron pan. And, when the whole thing turns brown, probably you should baste it.

Add two pieces of garlic, a clove, and two tablespoons of butter. Besides, you can add certain types of woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme in the pan. Let the butter melt for a couple of seconds before you tilt the pan slightly towards you so that the butter comes at the lower end.

Use a spoon to baste the filet with the butter. Drench the mignon and repeat it for around a minute. Use the thermometer to find the temperature in the filet’s center. If you are looking for a medium-rare, a temperature from 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit is needed. Or else, continue to baste and roll until you reach there.

Finishing the Filet in the Oven

As mentioned above, this is another way of finishing the piece of meat. Although basting and rolling take some effort, finishing the filet in the oven might be an easy option for you. To ensure that you do it in the right way, preheat the oven.

Try to keep the temperature at about 450 degrees. When you are done flipping the piece of meat on the pan, move the entire content inside the hot oven. After 5 minutes or so, use the thermometer to check the filet’s temperature. However, measure the temperature from the centermost part of the filet.

 

Resting and Serving

Before serving this delicious recipe, you should have a clear understanding of how long to cook the meat. In general, there should be a difference of about 10 degrees between two steak temperatures. Also, allow the piece of meat to sit idle for some minutes before you slice them with one of the best knives on a cutting board.

To cook a well-done mignon, it should have a temperature between 155 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit before resting. For medium-well, cook it for about 150 degrees Fahrenheit and for medium, cook it at about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides, for medium-rare, allow it to cook for about 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit and for a rare filet, set the temperature at 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whenever the filet reaches about 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, take it away from heat. Moreover, a wire rack could be handy. So, if you have one, make use of it. The flow of air surrounding the steak prevents the crust from oversteaming.

As such, it preserves the crust that you have seared hard enough to achieve. Allow the filet to sit for around ten minutes. The internal temperature tends to rise and help the juices to distribute. As a result, it brings the piece of meat to a perfect medium-rare.

Because filet mignon is mild in taste, you can have it with anything that you like to serve. However, most of the time, it is served with sauce and herb butter. It includes soy-mustard, easy béarnaise, or homemade sauce. The best way to serve the filet is to cut across the grain.

A Dutch oven can support many cooking needs. You can use it for searing, baking, and cooking. However, all the credit goes to its exceptional heat retention properties. If you are new to Dutch ovens, you can go through the following. We will know more about this cookware. We will cover its pros and cons, use and care instructions and a few alternatives to this cookware.