Meat Doneness Chart

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm

Beef and Lamb Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Rare 120 to 125 degrees F center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion Medium Rare 130 to 135 degrees F center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion Medium 140 to 145 degrees F center is light pink, outer portion is brown Medium Well 150 to 155 degrees F not pink Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Ground Meat 160 to 165 degrees F no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout Poultry Cooking Temperature Chart Poultry (Chicken & Duck) 165 degrees F cook until juices run clear Turkey NOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts. 165 degrees F juices run clear - leg moves easily Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey) 165 degrees F Pork Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Medium 140 to 145 degrees F pale pink center Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket 160 degrees F and above medium to well done Sausage (raw) 160 degrees F no longer pink Ham Raw 160 degrees F Pre-cooked 140 degrees F

Fish and Seafood Cooking Temperature Chart Fish (steaks, filleted or whole) 140 degrees F flesh is opaque, flakes easily Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin 125 degrees F cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Shrimp Medium-size, boiling 3 to 4 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Large-size, boiling 5 to 7 minues cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Jumbo-size, boiling 7 to 8 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Lobster Boiled, whole - 1 lb. 12 to 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 3 to 4 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 15 to 20 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Baked, tails - each 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, tails - each 9 to 10 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Scallops Bake 12 to 15 minutes milky white or opaque, and firm Broil milky white or opaque, and firm Clams, Mussels & Oysters point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open

Chicken Doneness

thttp://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--329/chicken-checking-doneness.asp

Chicken - Checking Doneness

Checking doneness is accomplished in basically the same manner regardless of the cooking method you are using. Some methods are more accurate than others and some are more suitable in regard to the cooking method and to the cut of chicken. Shown below are the most common methods for checking doneness. Thermometer: Using a thermometer is the most accurate method for testing doneness of the chicken. A regular meat thermometer or an instant read thermometer can be used. A regular meat thermometer is inserted before placing the chicken in the oven or other heat source and remains there throughout the cooking time. An instant read thermometer is used to check doneness once the chicken is cooked. The chicken is taken away from the heat source and the instant read thermometer is immediately inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh (it should not be touching a bone). The thermometer provides a temperature reading in approximately 15 seconds. Internal Temperatures for Proper Doneness Whole Chicken - Thigh Area 175° - 180°F Whole Chicken - Breast Area 170° - 175°F Chicken Breast and Wings 170° - 175°F Chicken Parts - Dark Meat 180°F Ground Chicken 170°F Stuffing Inside Whole Chicken 165°F Note: If the proper temperature is not reached, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Piercing: Another method for testing doneness is to prick the chicken with a fork or the tip of a knife and check to see if the juices that escape run clear. If the juices have any pinkish coloring, the chicken is not done and should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Visual: The visual method of determining doneness is to make a small slit with the tip of a knife into the thickest part of the chicken and then pry the slit open. The meat should be opaque with no signs of pink coloring. If the meat shows any signs of not being done, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking.

Fish Temperture

Fish (steaks, filleted or whole)- 140 degrees (flesh is opaque, flakes easily)

Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin - 125 degrees F (cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor)

(http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm)

Crock Pot Temperture

• The LOW setting is about 200 degrees, and the HIGH setting is about 300 degrees.

crockpot info @ http://busycooks.about.com/od/slowcookerrecipes/a/crockpot101.htm

Roux Tips

Roux Proportions:

• 1 tbsp flour to 1 tbsp butter

How thick do you want your 1 cup of liquid?

• thin: 1c liquid, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp butter
• medium: 1c liquid, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp butter
• thick: 1c liquid, 3 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp butter

(info from tiptionary book under "sauce")

Brining Explained

Brining

Brining Explained

Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it is cooked. Through water retention, brining allows a longer time for collagen to be broken down without drying the meat out. This water retention also lubricates the individual fibers of the meat.

A brine is basically a salt solution into which you place your desired meat. When brining meat, there is a greater concentration of salt and sugar outside of your meat (in the brine) than there is inside the meat (the cells that make up the flesh). The law of diffusion states that the salt and sugar wiill naturally flow from te area of greater concentration (the brine) to lesser concentration (the cells). There is also a greater concentration of water, outside of the meat than inside. Here, too, the water will naturally flow from the area of greater concentration to lesser concentration. This process is called Osmosis. Once inside the cells, the salt, and to a lesser extent, the sugar will cause the cell proteins to unravel, or denature. As the individual proteins unravel, they become more likely to interact with one another. This interaction results in the formation of a sticky matrix that captures and holds moisture. It is this matrix, that when exposed to heat, will gel together (coagulate) and capture and hold the moisture from leaking out as the meat cooks.

When cooking meat to a temperature of below 120 F, the protein bundles within the meat, will shrink in size and moisture loss will be minimal. Once you go above this temperature the moisture loss will start to increase significantly. This first 'sweat' is from the water stored between the individual cells being released. Once you go above a temperature of 140 F there will be a second 'sweat' and further loss of moisture as a result of the individual cells actually breaking down.

As a result of the brining process the raw meat will typically gain about 20% in weight, as a result of the water, salt (sodium) and sugar which have entered the cells. The increased concentration of sodium in the cells actually increases the ability of the proteins to stay bonded together during the cooking process. This effectively means that the normal temperature at which meat cells break down (140 F), resulting in moisture loss, is increased, and the brine constitutes the first moisture loss, not the actual juices of the meat.

Brining is regarded by many BBQ'ers as mandatory for all forms of poultry. It is also widely used when smoking various forms of meat and seafood such as smoked salmon, pork chops, ham, bacon, corned beef and pastrami. It is not recommended for use with traditional barbecue cuts such as brisket, ribs and pork shoulders, as it will make them all taste like ham !

Recipe for a Basic BBQ Brine

• 1 Quart water
• 1/2 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 1/4 Cup + 2 tablespoons Morton Koscher salt OR 1/4 Cup table salt
• 1/2 Cup Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.
Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.

Recipe for a Basic Hi-Heat Grilling Brine

• 1 Quart water
• 1/4 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 3 tablespoons Morton Koscher salt OR 2 Tablespoons table salt
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.
Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.

Recipe for a Basic Poultry Brine with Added Seasoning

Through the process of brining one is able to produce cooked meat which is not only more moist, but also more flavorful. If you add seasonings to your brine, they too will pass into the cells of the meat as part of the brining process.

• 1 Gallon water
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 T crushed or minced garlic
• 1/2 T onion powder
• 1/4 cup pepper
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 oz maple flavoring

Mix the ingredients above together making sure that all the salt is well dissolved into the water.
Cover your poultry completely with brine and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from brine and rinse with fresh water inside and out. Smoke at 275 F to an internal temp of 170 basting with butter every few hours to give you the golden brown skin.

(http://www.3men.com/allabout1.htm#Brining)

BBQ sauces

3Men Barbecue Sauce Tips

• Sweet sauces being used as a glaze should only be applied in the final stages of cooking, or they will burn on the outside of the food
• A barbecue sauce should complement the food, not overpower it
• When making a sauce, try to use fresh ingredients whenever possible
• Write down what you do, while you make a new sauce so that you can repeat it – or not repeat it!
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients, when making barbecue sauces
• If you have tomatoes in your sauce, be careful not to burn them while cooking your sauce they will leave a bitter taste
• Just like slow cooking meat, cooking your sauce with a low heat over time is better than quickly with high heat
• Recognize that as your sauce ages the spices will change in taste. The day after you make your sauce it may taste great, but then two weeks later it may taste bland
• Always refrigerate your sauce when storing it
• We believe that the ideal barbecue sauce should taste sweet, then sour, and finally hot

(http://www.3men.com/allabout1.htm#Barbecue%20Sauces)

BBQ meats internal temperature

(http://www.3men.com/allabout1.htm#When%20Is%20It%20Cooked?)

• temperture of bbq is something i never understood...
• i always thought its done at the med-rare mark, but in fact, bbq needs to be way past well done for it to be fall off the bone
• this is why my pulled pork never pulled...needed much more heat so it falls off the bone and shreds on its own
  

Fresh Egg Test

from Michael Chiarello's show:

1. drop egg into water...
2. if it floats, its old, if it sinks, its fresh
3. reason is because air enters into old eggs giving it a an air bubble
   

from http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/EggsFloat.htm

Egg shells may seem pretty solid, but they are in fact slightly porous. Old eggs float in fresh cold water because of a large air cell that forms as the egg cools after being laid. As the egg ages, air enters the egg and the air cell becomes larger and this acts as a buoyancy aid.

Generally, fresh eggs will lie on the bottom of the bowl of water. Eggs that tilt so that the large end is up are older, and eggs that float are rotten. The tilting is caused by air pockets in the eggs that increase in size over time as fluid evaporates through the porous shell and oxygen and gases filter in. The older an egg gets the more gas builds up inside it. More gas = more floating!

Carefully lower your eggs into fresh cold water (do not use salted water) using a spoon:

• If the egg stay at the bottom - it is fresh.

• If the egg is at an angle on the bottom - it is still fresh and good to eat.

• If the egg stands on its pointed end at the bottom - it is still safe to eat but best used for baking and making hard-cooked eggs.

• If the egg float - they're stale and best discarded.

The final test: To make sure the egg is not spoiled, break it into a clean bowl and check to make sure it doesn't have a bad odor or appearance.

Egg shells may seem pretty solid, but they are in fact slightly porous. Old eggs float in fresh cold water because of a large air cell that forms as the egg cools after being laid. As the egg ages, air enters the egg and the air cell becomes larger and this acts as a buoyancy aid.

Generally, fresh eggs will lie on the bottom of the bowl of water. Eggs that tilt so that the large end is up are older, and eggs that float are rotten. The tilting is caused by air pockets in the eggs that increase in size over time as fluid evaporates through the porous shell and oxygen and gases filter in. The older an egg gets the more gas builds up inside it. More gas = more floating!

I am glad to now know how to determine if an egg is bad or not, but I did want to set you (and your readers) straight on why egg floats. You are partially correct, however, it is not the fact that air is getting into the egg that makes it float. It is the fact that mass is leaving the egg. Since the eggshell does not expand or contract, the density of the egg is only dependent on the mass of the egg (density equals mass divided by volume and the volume of the egg is constant). If the egg weighs less than the amount of water displaced by the egg it will float. If it weighs more, it will sink. It does not make a difference if there is more or less air in the egg. For example, if the inside matter (yolk and whites) were replaced with a steel ball of equal weight, there would be a lot of air in the egg. But the overall weight of the egg would be the same (actually it would be slightly heavier since air does have a weight associated with it and now you would have more air in the egg) so the egg would still sink. The reason why an egg floats is because as it decomposes, water vapor and gases are released through the porous shell. This is what causes the yolk and whites to shrink which in turn makes the air cell larger. Some ambient air enters the shell as the water vapor and decomposition gasses leave, but overall the mass of the egg is reduced. More mass is going out of the shell than coming in through the shell. More mass leaving = less weight = more floating!

Pressure Cooker Times

MissVickie.com meat pressure cooker times:


(http://missvickie.com/howto/times/howtomeat.html)



Fastcooking.ca's Pressure Cooker Times:



Meat Pressure-Cooking Instructions:

(http://fastcooking.ca/pressure_cookers/cooking_times_pressure_cooker.php#meat_and_poultry)

Beef Roasting Times

(http://www.askthemeatman.com/prime_rib.htm)

Cooking by Minute per pound method: (For roasts 6 pounds and up)

• Rare: 12-13 minutes per pound

• Medium-rare: 14-16 minutes per pound

• Medium: 17-20 minutes per pound

These times are approximate as all ovens cook differently.
Resting periods: Allow at least 15 minutes for a 2-4 pound roast
and 25-30 minutes for 6 pounds and up.

Bread Baking Problems + Tips

for all breads:

http://www.baking911.com/bread/problems.htm#HOW%20TO%20GET

for bread machines:

http://www.baking911.com/bread/problems.htm#breadproblemsmachine

Slashing: The scoring of some breads before baking is done for a couple of reasons. First, for a beautiful visual appearance and second, this scoring allows the dough to expand quickly during baking so it reaches its maximum volume. It also prevents a "blow out" from happening if bubbles appear under the crust and then burst. Slashing was used historically to also give a distinctive slash to a bread baked along with others in a French communal oven. Since the bread of each household would be mixed with others, a distinctive slash was one way to tell the loaves apart. For regular and large-sized breads: After the shaped Sourdough or Sponge dough rises, glaze and slash top 3-4 times with sharp knife, lightly sprayed with vegetable oil, to prevent dragging. Cut each about 1/4 inch deep at a 30 degree angle. To slash small breads, such as rolls, you can snip a crisscross with kitchen shears. Cut the dough about an inch deep into each roll. You can also slash it if desired.

A BREAD LOAF IS DONE BAKING WHEN: If the bread loaf is taken from the oven just because the outside looks done, the inside may be underdone. To test: My favorite and most accurate way to do test whether a bread loaf is done is to place an Instant Read Thermometer dead center in the bottom of it. If it reads between 190 - 210 degrees F, the bread is done. Another way to test for doneness is to turn the bread out of the pan and tap its bottom and side. If the interior sounds hollow, the bread is done. It should also be evenly browned and smell just wonderful !!


Some Quick Notes on Storing Bread:

If you'll be using your bread within a few days, wrap the loaf so that it's airtight and store at room temperature.

If the loaf is made with perishable ingredients, like meat or cheese, wrap the bread and store it in the refrigerator. Breads that aren't made with perishable ingredients should not be stored in the refrigerator; it will make the bread become stale more quickly.

If you'll be keeping your bread for more than a few days, seal the loaf in a freezer-proof bag. The bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thawing frozen bread will take about 2 to 3 hours at room temperature, or about 6 to 8 minutes on the defrost setting of your microwave. If you slice your bread before freezing, you can toast it straight out of the freezer.

To warm bread, wrap loaf in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 30 minutes. Unwrap bread in the last 5 minutes to produce a crisp crust. Thaw frozen bread thoroughly before warming in oven.

(http://www.baking911.com/bread/101_bake.htm)

Bread Tips 2

(information read from hamelman's bread book)

Importance of steam in baking bread:

• reason is steam allows the bread to rise once put into oven
• bread rises only when dough's surface is moist...once it gets hard, the bread can no longer rise
• steam enhances color, gives the crust a nice sheen, and gives the bread better volume
• steam cools the surface of dough allowing for a longer time to caramelize and rise
• think my bread is denser than i want because it doesn't have enough steam...not enough steam no dough doesn't get to rise and puff up the inside to give it a better texture...
  

How to pre-steam a home oven:

1. stick a cast iron pan into oven as oven is preheating...
2. boil some water on the stovetop
3. when oven is done preheating, moisten oven by placing ice cubes onto another pan into the oven
4. score the bread and mist the surface lightly
5. load the bread into oven and pour boiling water into cast iron pan and shut door asap
6. when bread starts to show color, open a crack in the oven door slightly to allow the oven to dry up. this ensures that the crust is thin and crisp
   

Do i need to vent the oven???

• books say that it keeps the bread's crust crisp and thin...in my experience, the crust is about the same either way...just that the bread into the oven gets more even head throughout with the door open
• i feel that it depends on the amount of steam is in the oven...
• normally i just squirt some water into the sides of the oven so by the time the bread browns, its already very dry so no need.
• if i follow the above method for steaming, i think i would need to open the door a crack for atleast a few minutes to dry out the oven from all the steam
  

Bread Tips

Bread doneness test:

Continue baking for 20 to 22 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaves; a hollow sound means they're done. Or, insert an instant-read thermometer into the bread, and if the internal temperature is 205°F to 210°F, the bread is done.

http://www.gardenguides.com/1064-bread-ever.html

bread baking problems: http://www.baking911.com/bread/problems.htm

Coffee Tips

from tiptionary:

• use 2 level tbsp of coffee for 6 oz (3/4) of water
• for stronger coffee, use 2 level tablespoons for each 4 oz (1/2 cup) of water
• standard coffee cup holds 6 oz water
• a mug holds 10-12 oz water
  

Meringue Tips

• blend 1 tsp cornstarch with the sugar before beating it with egg whites
  
• add 1/2 tsp baking power to sugar before adding to egg whites for high rise meringue
• adding sugar to egg whites before soft peaks will elongate amount of time it takes to flush and possibly decrease the height
• acid helps stabilize the egg whites by solidifying it...
• most books call for cream of tartar as the stabilizing agent...but can substitute with lemon juice or vinegar (1/8 tsp per egg white)
• eggs easier to substitute when cold, but egg white easier to whip when at room temp...therefore, after separating, place at room temp for 30min before whipping
• egg whites in meringue is usually raw when eaten...problem is just that it weeps

idea:

• what if i solidify the meringue after its been whipped in the refrigerator before putting onto cold pies...therefore it will be same temp as cold pie filling and won't weep???
  

cream of tartar substitute:

Substitute the cream of tartar for an equal amount of lemon juice or vinegar. The amount for substitution should measure about 1/8 teaspoon per egg white.

(http://www.wikihow.com/Substitute-Cream-of-Tartar)

custard tips

• rule of thumb: 2 egg yolks or 1 whole egg for every 1 cup of liquid
• custards start off slow, but there's a thin line between good thick custard and scrambled eggs
• highest heat should be med-high
• when small bubbles on surface, u can turn off heat