Cooking concept from CI

The concepts are from the science of good cooking, by cook's illustrated.

1.  Gentle Heats prevents overcooking.

 For large roasts, where exterior meat can easily overcook and dry out before the center reaches the target temp. Low heat is the way to go.  It also retains juices in the meat.  But moisture retention has its downside, the interior may look pale.  (see concept 5.)


2. High heats develops flavor

 Maillard reaction(the French scientist Louis-Camille Maillard)


3. Resting heat maximizes juiciness

 Different size of meat, and different method of cooking the meat, will effect the optimal resting time.  The hotter the heat, the more resting time might benefit.


4. Hot food keeps cooking

The size of the the food, and the amount of heat used for cooking matters.   big chunk of heat will retain more energy in the interior, than say a pork chop.  400 degree will put out more heat than 200 degree, thus after the food left the stove, the internal temp will have effect. 


5. Some proteins are best cooked twice

 Stove top cooking, like searing, gives out great heat in one direction, downside, moisture loss; oven cooking is slow but promote even heat, and retain moisture better.  How to combine the two is essential.


6. Slow heating makes meat tender

The internal temperature is not the sole factor for how tender the meat is, but enzyme in meat, (cathepsins) will help break down the meat tissue to make it tender.  But the temperature have to be held below 122 degree F, for long time.  


7. Cook tough cuts beyond well done

 Tough cuts(like pork tenderloin) has little collagens.  By cooking them beyond well down, the collagens will be converted to gelatin, which can hold 10 times of moisture in weight compared to 1 gelatin.  Thus makes meat more tender.


8. Tough cuts like a covered pots

Braising works by long cooking time and low heat.  It changes the texture of the meat so it taste soft and tender, which makes meat seem moist.

9. A covered pot doesn't need liquid

This one is talking about Dry Braising in the oven, with a covered pot.

10. Bones add flavor, fat, and juiciness

Talking about meat cooked with bone-in.

11. Brining maximizes juiciness in lean meats

Brining meat changes it's structure of protein, which makes meat more tender, retain more moisture, and salt penetrate meat deeper.


12. Salt makes meat juicy and skin crisp

Brine meat makes skin hard to be crispy and browned.  So sometimes, dry salted meat provides different perspective.


13. Salty marinades work best

Salt penetrate further than any other marinades ingredients.  Most of the other ingredients could only affect the surface.  One of the best marinades is soy sauce based, because of it's salty contents.


14. Grind meat at home for tender burger

Home ground meat gives us more choice on textures, fat contents, and flavors.  These elements depend on the cut of meat we choose, how fine we want to grind the meat, and how tightly we want to pack our ground meat.  (Cut the cut of meat to pieces, then put in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, then we can grind them in the food processor.  The book recommend the chuck for best ground beef patties, sirloin comes the second, round is the worst.)

15. A panade keeps ground meat tender

In the book, what they called panade, is a mixture of white bread and milk, mashed up together and becomes homogeneous.  Basically, adding starch into the ground beef, along with milk, which contains lactose, which is  sugar and can help browning the beef patties.


16. Create layers for a breading that sticks

The standard procedure for breading the meat(pork chops or chicken breast), (or coating), flour, egg, then bread crumbs still holds true!  The alternative is switch flour to cornstarch, then swap eggs for buttermilk.  Buttermilk can create a lighter coating compared to egg's sometimes hefty presence. 


17. Good frying is all about oil temperature

 Frying at 325 degree  for french fries is recommended.  Frying oil have at least 5 stages, each stage can produce different results.  Five stage of frying oil: break-in(too fresh), fresh, optimum, degrading, and runaway(dark, smelly, and prove to smoking).  The book recommend a mix of 1 used frying oil to 5 fresh frying oil.  Store the frying oil in air tight container in refrigerator,or in a freezer.  Note:  Exposure to air and light hasten the rate of oxidative rancidification and the creation of off flavor and odors.  But by experimenting between storing in dark cardboard, refrigerator, and freezer for two months, the oil from freezer wins hands down!  So cold temperature is also a huge factor in storing frying oil! 


18. Fat makes eggs tender

On making an omelet, frozen cubed butter in eggs can slow down the coagulation of protein in eggs during cooking.  This will result a tender omelet in texture. 


19. Gentle heat guarantees smooth custards

Custards is a mixture of milk, or cream and egg yolk.  It's main use is for dessert.  Because of the different temperatures of coagulation pf egg yolk and white, a low and slow heating for custards becomes necessary.  The book even suggested water bath method, called bain-marie.  Because water's boiling point never exceeds 212 degrees F, plus the moisture, it's a good way to be egg based dessert creamy and smooth on the surface.


20. Starch keeps eggs from curdling

One more way to keep eggs based dessert from curdling.



21. Whippped egg whites need stabilizers

The cream of tartar, an acid, can alter the electric charge on the proteins of the egg whites, in tern reducing the interaction between protein and molecules.  Although this delays the formation of the foam, the result is a much more stable, and hold more water as well.  The other thing for whipped egg whites is the timing of adding sugar.  Adding too early, the foam will be hard to form, adding too late, then there would be little sugar left for sugar to dissolve.


22. Starch helps cheese melt nicely

Used in anything with a cheese sauce, like macaroni and cheese to lasagna.


23. Salting vegetables removes liquid

No explanation needed...


24. Green vegetables like it hot--then cold

To keep the color?  Can be related to Concept 4.


25. All potatoes are not created equal

They tested red bliss, yukon golds, and russets.  Russets has more starch, they can absorb more water, best for mashed potatoes; the red bliss is on the other end of spectrum, easily holds its shape, absorb less water than russets, best for potato salads.  Yukon is right in the middle.  There's also two different kind of starches involved, Russets has more amylose, red bliss more amylopectin.  Yukon again falls in the middle.



26. Potato starches can be controlled

For mashed potatoes, a light and fluffy finish is important.  By gently mashing potatoes by hand, the sticky starch amylose will not be easily released from the granule.  But amylose can be released using food processor, which cut through if not all but most the  granule.

note: vinegar in water helped potato keeping it's shape, baking soda is the opposite.  


27.  Precooking makes vegetables firmer

(Some) vegetables contain an enzyme called pectin methylesterase, which is active between 140 and 160 degree F.  This enzymes caused the pectin in the cell walls to more readily linked with calcium ions, which are already presented in the the vegetable's structure.  This link causes the pectin to become stronger, making vegetable less prone to break down.  The book experiment on carrots using 3 method, the first one is baked 425 degree F in oven uncovered for one hour.  The second one is covered for 15 minutes, uncovered for 45 minutes in 425 degree F.  The third one is using a water bath cooking carrots for 30 minutes first, then 425 degree F oven for 45 minutes.  The first one lost most water, the third one lost the least.  It helped the to preserve the water and thus create a better texture.

(Browning and caramelization, is different.  caramelization is more for vegetable, it's a chemical reaction with sugar in the vegetables.  Browning involved proteins which is also called maillard reaction.)


28. Don't soak beans, brine them.

The skin of the bean would be tough even  after soaking.  Tough skin on the bean would explode during cooking.  The salt in the brine water will replace the magnesium and calcium ions are replaced by sodium, causing the pectin to breakdown, which soften the skin of bean.    When cooking the bean with a little bit of salt, along with brining bean with salt, the bean will come out smooth skinned, and soft.


29.  Baking soda makes grain and bean soft

Alkaline environment can break down pectin wall.  Just don't use too much.


30. Rinsing(not soaking)  makes rice fluffy

Not so sure about this one...


31. Slicing changes onion and garlic flavor

Because it cuts the cell wall and thus release more flavor.



32. Chile heat resides in pith and seeds

Self explanatory.  :p   To preserve fresh chile, brining (1 Tb of salt per cup of water) is the way to go. 


33. Bloom spices to boost their flavor

Blooming is a technique where you take some spices and heat them up in oil to release and amplify the flavor of the spice.  Other ways to boost the flavor is grinding, and toasting(not for black pepper). 


34. Not all herbs are for cooking

 Some herbs are strong enough to be cooked for a long time and still remain in the dish, ex: rosemary, oregano.  Some are more delicate, like basil, parsley,  and cilantro, that quickly dispersed when cooked. 


35. Glutamates, Nucleotides add meaty flavor

Glutamates(谷氨酸鹽)  (Monosodium glutamate).  Some example:  醬油, 豆瓣醬, 味精 cheese, 番茄...

 Nucleotides(核苷酸)

Chicken, Pork, anchovies has certain nucleotides, inosinate, that can amplify the glutamates.  


36. Emulsifiers make smooth sauces

 Emulsifier is something that can combine water and oil.  Examples of Emulsifier, egg yolk, mayonnaise, mustard. 


37. Speed evaporation when cooking wine

Cooking temperature and time, as well as additional ingredient that can absorb liquid, will greatly impact final alcohol content.


38. More water makes chewier bread

The book showed 50%, 68%, and 80% hydration in dough.  The difference is very visible.  80% hydration cannot rise at all.  There're holes, but not rise.  50% hydration has not holes, but holds the shape together like a fist.  68% looks like a normal bread.   Depending on the preference on chewiness, the book made a pizza dough using 90% hydration dough!  (Interesting note:  internal temperature for baking bread is less consequencial than the appearance!)


39. Rest dough to trim kneading time

Full aware of this concept...  This is however, an irreplaceable concept.  The book thinks that adding salt after autolys is a better way to go.  They also experiment on which stage to freeze the dough yields the best result.  The result is between 1st proof and 2nd proof. 


40. Time builds flavor in bread

Time and Temperature, put the bread dough in the refrigerator so it yeast will work longer, slower, produce more flavor.

(side note:  refrigerate maple syrup once it opened.)



41. Gentle folding stops tough quick bread

 Mixing batter or dough leads to gluten formation.  So, depending on the preference, don't mix too much.


42. Two leaveners are often better than one

Baking soda is an alkali, it can interact with an acidic ingredient, eg, buttermilk, produce CO2.  Baking powder will can create bubbles when heated in the oven.  Baking soda also created a more alkaline environment and triggered maillard reaction too.  


43. Layers of butter make flaky pastry

Use techniques like, lamination, or fraisage to make flaky dough.  


44. Vodka makes pie dough easy

The gluten have a hard time to form when alcohol is present.  Vodka works wonder here.  


45. Less protein makes tender cakes, cookies

Watch the protein content for flour.  Making cakes and cookies can use a mix of cake flours and all purpose, no bread flour.


46. Creaming butter helps cakes rise

Creaming butter in cool temperature will help them to hold air.  The room temperature butter will have harder time to hold air.


47. Reverse cream for delicate cakes

Reverse cream is mixing fat and flour together so to prevent gluten formation.  But I need to know more about this method...


48. Sugar changes texture(and sweetness)

White sugar can produce crispy cookies and brown sugar will produce chewy ones.


49. Sugar and time make fruit juicier

Added sugar can draw out juice from fruits, change its texture as well.  I consider this concept weird...  :p  

50. Cocoa powder delivers Big flavor

Cocoa power can give out chocolate flavor not even dark chocolate can deliver.