What's cooking? part 4

STEVIE'S FIRST STEAK!!!! I cooked this (testing w a thermometer like every 30 seconds) and it turned out GREAT and now I have gone from feeling v unsure to v confident in my steak-cooking abilities over the course of like 15 minutes. I can cook a steak!!!!!!

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5803-steak-with-ginger-butter-sauce

Why is "cooking a steak" an art form?? It seemed so incredibly straightforward: heat pan real high, add oil, add steak, turn ever 30-60 seconds, use a thermometer to check for doneness, you win

kasha + fried eggs is one of favorite winter breakfasts

Idk what kind of chicken salad uses a vinegar dressing, so yeah I'd def go with oil/lemon/dijon mustard/maybe some fresh thyme?

grilling a steak is the art form, it's man's work, truly the one form of cooking that the ladyfolk will never master

*pokes charcoal with a stick, scorches steak*

Cooking one steak isn't too crazy, but cooking a couple and trying to get them all to appropriate levels of done-ness without overcooking is always really difficult for me.

i'm no longer vegetarian but we still cook vegetarian/vegan at home, i feel pretty confident cooking all kinds of things but meat & seafood intimidates me a lot

Ppl make a big whoop about cooking steaks because steaks are expensive and they want to feel superior. It's not actually that hard. I cooked a steak last night without a thermometer and it turned out great. Don't let blowhards intimidate you from doing anything - ever!!

never use oil when i cook steak, personally

i don't think it's difficult but many many people do it badly or haven't a clue what they're doing.

I haven't seen it, but apparently a video exists of someone castigating Jamie Oliver for coming from a position of privilege when it became obvious she didn't understand how to boil a pot of water

I have trouble believing this happened as described, but... maybe

Many people do lots of things badly -- shouldn't stop them or others from trying!! I'm on a NO INTIMIDATION kick rn, you'll have to excuse me

Well yeah, they have to try!

I have faith that notional lady could boil water. It's in her grasp.

(do not attempt to grasp actual boiling water)

I only added oil bcz it was a stainless steel pan. I am still learning how to stainless steel -- can I fry w/o oil??

why would you not use a cooking fat

alternative would be using cast iron or a seasoned surface afaik

I advise using a charcoal grill that has never been cleaned

the lil bit of fat added by cooking a dang steak with oil/butter is well worth the improvement in flavor/browning

in for a penny in for a pound m8

the birth-death loop is best realized with a dollop of butter

my cast iron is kinda fucked up rn, i need to reseason it

If I'm cooking something like steak or frying the outside of chicken thighs or something before putting it in the oven I usually rub the meat with a bit of oil rather than putting oil in the pan. I don't know why I do this, maybe because I'm often rubbing it with seasoning or spices? Does it make any difference?
Cooking steak in butter is A++++ though

just don't really feel like you need oil on a steak and it doesn't boost the flavour imo, worsens it in some cases, i read this somewhere and have followed it since - i use a cast iron griddle pan.

it's good to tip it on its side and sear the fat.

steak and butter is nice for sure.

Many people do lots of things badly -- shouldn't stop them or others from trying!! I'm on a NO INTIMIDATION kick rn, you'll have to excuse me

yeah i wasn't saying people shouldn't try, just that even though cooking steak is easy this doesn't mean the message on how to do it is out there. i also thinks it takes a decent bit of practice/tolerance of smoke to appreciate how hot the grill should be.

one of the most satisfying things to cook.

I've got a (fairly old) Tefal frying pan that I've totally fecked by frying a steak on high heat that was rubbed with a mix of spices including a fair bit of brown sugar. Steak was ace but I've been trying to get the burnt stuff off for days.

i have had the same griddle for like 8/9 years - i tend to put it on the biggest gas ring and by the end my entire flat, which is open plan is filled with smoke. feel like a big steak in a tefal-type pan would be sort of tricky but i don't have a cast-iron pan

sugar is a bit of a nightmare at high heat - puts me off grilling indoors with marinades or whatever.

Oil all over the pan can go smokey, which is why it's a good idea just to put oil on the steak before it goes in the pan. If you must :)

dont know where else to put this - https://whywearesuingchristopherkimball.com/

Today on America's Test Kitchen: A Poll

making a spicy tomato chickpea soup. kind of a basic tomato soup, but with cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric & garlic. and subbing leeks from fm in for onion. cooking 'banzos from scratch now (wish i had a pressure cooker, but reckon it'd hardly ever get used). half of the soup gets pureed which i think will make it rule. gets some nooch added at end.

Nooch?

nutritional yeast!

oh come on

got a olive bread dough on the rising. has chunks of provolone and a buncha kalamatas. made dough with freshly milled spelt flour from the farmer's market bread god that mills his flour weekly. gonna try to braid it which i've never tried before. hope it doesn't just turn into a lump.

omggggggggg

I had some freekeh. With stock, spinach and parsley it was fine.

Since there's not a Thanksgiving 2016 cooking thread I've seen: Gumbo simmering on the stove, got bacon-wrapped dates in the 450 degree oven into which I also absentmindedly threw...a pair of scissors w a plastic handle. Fished out what I could, will scrape the rest later I guess.

thanksgiving called off, inlaws had stomach flu :/
pumpkin pie & cheesecake all mine to eat

i have a pumpkin pie baking in the oven but now i want cheesecake as well

i will pass on the baked scissors though

yeah that sucks LL

it made me feel better about putting the cheese away in the cultery drawer

lol

It's ok! I got most of the melted plastic with a trash spatula and only got a tiny burn the size of a piece of rice on my knuckle. Overall, coulda been worse! The gumbo had the darkest (but not burnt) roux I've made so far (this is probably my 5th try or so)

dark roux is A+ achievement!!
i always punk out early

Bummer your Tgiving got cancelled VG! More pie for u!!

yeah i was kinda bummed but every cloud has a dessert lining :)

a just one more little sliver lining

i'll be making a lasagna, Brussels sprouts, and a spinach salad real soon now. dessert is in the oven already.

You might wanna throw some scissors in there for that smoky melted plastic flavor :)

sounds daring and innovative, but I'm more of a traditionalist