Gugny Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Its a more accessible version of the Modernist Series which is basically an all encompassing scientific review of cooking methods, equipment, and ingredients. Modernist at Home is really good at breaking down why you do what you do so you're not chained to recipes. It does provide some nice base recipes and frameworks from which you can add your own spin. I'm not sure you really need to own it, as much of it is dedicated to sous vide cooking, but if you can I'd suggest sitting down and reading it at a book store and taking a few phone pics of recipes. It got the ball rolling for me in terms of the possibilities of pressure cooking, ghetto sous vide rigs, and cooking with substances you normally wouldn't see outside of a highschool chem lab, but I don't reference it that often. Plenty of sites on the web explain the same concepts for free now that I know what I'm looking for. http://modernistcuis...-387-and-6-192/ http://forums.egullet.org/ Cool, thanks. Yeah, it definitely looks like more than anything I need and/or would use extensively. Not to mention, I'm not enough of an enthusiast to drop that much coin on a cookbook. But it certainly is interesting. I've never used a pressure cooker in my life, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Speaking of, I've been playing around with Modernist Cuisine at Home, very cool book. Modernist mac and cheese is a mainstay at my BBQs and now I can't imagine not owning a pressure cooker. I've been debating picking this up. Might have to float it out again around the next birthday or holiday. As I mentioned to chef in the farmers market thread though, I don't have space for a lot of the gadgets I already want in my tiny kitchen, so I imagine reading up on cool techniques I couldn't try for awhile potentially might drive me nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Cool, thanks. Yeah, it definitely looks like more than anything I need and/or would use extensively. Not to mention, I'm not enough of an enthusiast to drop that much coin on a cookbook. But it certainly is interesting. I've never used a pressure cooker in my life, by the way. Me neither until I bought one in February. The PC cuts cooking times down by crazy amounts and makes other more intimidating, labor intensive dishes more like fire and forget. Short ribs take 1 hour of braising, not 5 hours. Risotto perfectly cooked in 5 minutes, no more stirring for an hour. Collard greens done in 20 minutes, stems and all. Mad at Uncle Sam, uhhhh...what I mean is that the possibilities are endless. It puts so many options in play. Normally you have to plan the night before to pull off a 6 hour braise and have a meal on the table. With a PC you can decide to have short ribs at 3PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 BTW, whatever smoker you go with , you need this http://www.amazon.co...t/dp/B004IMA718 Almost 100 % of the thermometers in grills and smokers are for chit. The one in my egg was off almost 60 degrees. First 3 months I kept over cooking stuff, till I got that maverick This is great as you set ranges for grill temp, as well as continually taking the meat temp at same time. As they say, "if you are looking, you ain't cooking. good lord...ya'll are way too upmarket for me. here's the book i've been using http://www.amazon.com/BBQ-USA-Recipes-Across-America/dp/0761120157/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369333930&sr=1-8&keywords=american+barbeque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 good lord...ya'll are way too upmarket for me. here's the book i've been using http://www.amazon.com/BBQ-USA-Recipes-Across-America/dp/0761120157/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369333930&sr=1-8&keywords=american+barbeque like the comment upthread - various kinds of chemistry going on around the grill. im a fan of both the social and the mad scientist sides of cooking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 like the comment upthread - various kinds of chemistry going on around the grill. im a fan of both the social and the mad scientist sides of cooking. Where the mad scientist side really comes out is my curing box. All sorts of funky molds and smells come from that thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 http://www.tubechop.com/watch/1207985 Chemistry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Where the mad scientist side really comes out is my curing box. All sorts of funky molds and smells come from that thing. I assume a DIY project to make it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Where the mad scientist side really comes out is my curing box. All sorts of funky molds and smells come from that thing. That sounds very healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 That sounds very healthy. I detect some sarcasm there. I don't think you'd care for Roquefort cheese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I detect some sarcasm there. I don't think you'd care for Roquefort cheese. Or a washed rind triple cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Me neither until I bought one in February. The PC cuts cooking times down by crazy amounts and makes other more intimidating, labor intensive dishes more like fire and forget. Short ribs take 1 hour of braising, not 5 hours. Risotto perfectly cooked in 5 minutes, no more stirring for an hour. Collard greens done in 20 minutes, stems and all. Mad at Uncle Sam, uhhhh...what I mean is that the possibilities are endless. It puts so many options in play. Normally you have to plan the night before to pull off a 6 hour braise and have a meal on the table. With a PC you can decide to have short ribs at 3PM. Bet it can't cut down on the hour and a half required to make a perfect retatta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I assume a DIY project to make it? I pretty much followed this. I bought a stand up freezer only because it was the cheapest they had at Best Buy. http://mattikaarts.com/blog/charcuterie/meat-curing-at-home-the-setup/ Before I rigged this up I just hung them in my small wine cooler. The humidity was too low so the casings dried out a bit and they didn't get moldy but it still worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I pretty much followed this. I bought a stand up freezer only because it was the cheapest they had at Best Buy. http://mattikaarts.com/blog/charcuterie/meat-curing-at-home-the-setup/ Before I rigged this up I just hung them in my small wine cooler. The humidity was too low so the casings dried out a bit and they didn't get moldy but it still worked. hadnt seen those exact ones, but similar before. good share still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Bet it can't cut down on the hour and a half required to make a perfect retatta. Impossible. hadnt seen those exact ones, but similar before. good share still. I have not put the fan in there however I may just do that. I've had an issue with mold. When I first used it I got a real nice white even mold on my sopressata but the last several batches have had green/grey mold on them. I've washed them off and they've been fine but the white mold does impart a nice flavor. I think the lack of a fan with air circulation might be the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Or a washed rind triple cream. Can you imagine him seeing a room of curing Smithfield hams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I have not put the fan in there however I may just do that. I've had an issue with mold. When I first used it I got a real nice white even mold on my sopressata but the last several batches have had green/grey mold on them. I've washed them off and they've been fine but the white mold does impart a nice flavor. I think the lack of a fan with air circulation might be the issue. from the reading ive done, that seems to make sense as far as the likely solution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 from the reading ive done, that seems to make sense as far as the likely solution It's weird seeing the first few batches I made had no issues without the fan. I'll be making some in a couple of weeks and we'll see. I've got pork belly curing now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanNC Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I've had a Weber Smokey Mountain for a long time and I've been itching to upgrade but I haven't yet. I smoked some ribs last weekend that turned out fantastic. As far as thermometers go, I find this to be indispensable for grilling, smoking and brewing: http://www.amazon.co...words=thermapen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 BTW, whatever smoker you go with , you need this http://www.amazon.co...t/dp/B004IMA718 Almost 100 % of the thermometers in grills and smokers are for chit. The one in my egg was off almost 60 degrees. First 3 months I kept over cooking stuff, till I got that maverick This is great as you set ranges for grill temp, as well as continually taking the meat temp at same time. As they say, "if you are looking, you ain't cooking. FYI those thermometers can be calibrated so look at that before splurging on an expensive probe thermometer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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