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fandomhigh2016-03-28 11:51 pm
sharp_as_knives) wrote in fandomhigh2016-03-28 11:51 pm
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Beginning Gourmet Cooking Techniques | Tuesday, period 1
Hannibal was back up front this week, with more demonstration foods. "We began discussing safety two weeks ago, with dairy and eggs. Now we'll be discussing dealing with meat. There are far too many sorts to deal with them all, so we'll cover some of the more common."
Not necessarily his favorites.
He set out dishes as he spoke. "Fish, beef, chicken, and pork. The first thing to remember is to keep your cold foods cold, and your hot foods hot. Between forty and one-hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit is where bacteria thrive. Never keep your food at those temperatures for longer than an hour; heat it or cool it. As with the dairy, buy this toward the end of your shopping and bring it straight home."
He nodded at the meats. "For the most part, if meat is spoiled, you'll smell it." He held up a hand. "I won't subject to you that this time. However, bacterial contamination is also dangerous, and you may never detect it. All you can do is buy your meat from reputable vendors." Or hunt it yourself. "Check that the color and smell are good. Fresh beef will appear bright red, not brown. Fresh pork will be pink; fresh poultry, off-white or cream colored. Fresh fish will not smell 'fishy'."
"With all meats," he continued, "keep cooked foods and raw meats separate. Wash your hands and your utensils before switching between them. And be very careful with foods you won't be cooking; you don't want to spread bacteria to them from something else."
He tapped the plate with the beef. "Each cut and each type of meat has its own cooking guidelines, but again, you want to heat it to above one-hundred-forty degrees, and you want to keep it there. Do not thaw and freeze and cook and freeze..." he looked pained at the thought. "Once it's begun cooking, finish it."
"So." He tapped the counter. "Today, you will be roasting a chicken, making a stir-fry with beef, cooking a pork chop, and broiling fish. Season them or add whatever other ingredients you like, and cook them any way you want within the bounds of the lesson. But handle them properly and learn to use the meat thermometers. Ask if you have questions."
Not necessarily his favorites.
He set out dishes as he spoke. "Fish, beef, chicken, and pork. The first thing to remember is to keep your cold foods cold, and your hot foods hot. Between forty and one-hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit is where bacteria thrive. Never keep your food at those temperatures for longer than an hour; heat it or cool it. As with the dairy, buy this toward the end of your shopping and bring it straight home."
He nodded at the meats. "For the most part, if meat is spoiled, you'll smell it." He held up a hand. "I won't subject to you that this time. However, bacterial contamination is also dangerous, and you may never detect it. All you can do is buy your meat from reputable vendors." Or hunt it yourself. "Check that the color and smell are good. Fresh beef will appear bright red, not brown. Fresh pork will be pink; fresh poultry, off-white or cream colored. Fresh fish will not smell 'fishy'."
"With all meats," he continued, "keep cooked foods and raw meats separate. Wash your hands and your utensils before switching between them. And be very careful with foods you won't be cooking; you don't want to spread bacteria to them from something else."
He tapped the plate with the beef. "Each cut and each type of meat has its own cooking guidelines, but again, you want to heat it to above one-hundred-forty degrees, and you want to keep it there. Do not thaw and freeze and cook and freeze..." he looked pained at the thought. "Once it's begun cooking, finish it."
"So." He tapped the counter. "Today, you will be roasting a chicken, making a stir-fry with beef, cooking a pork chop, and broiling fish. Season them or add whatever other ingredients you like, and cook them any way you want within the bounds of the lesson. But handle them properly and learn to use the meat thermometers. Ask if you have questions."
Re: Learn about meat, ask questions!