On 6/28/12, Dena Polston <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 6/28/12, marilyn deweese <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hi Tina, do you have a question?
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dena Polston" <[email protected]>
>> To: <[email protected]>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 10:46 PM
>> Subject: Re: [CnD] helpful hint: thickeners
>>
>>
>> On 6/26/12, marilyn deweese <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> 11 Commandments of Crockpot Cooking
>>>
>>> Thought I'd share ....
>>>
>>> Crockpot's are a safe and wonderful way to make a meal. In fact, they
>>> might be the only cooking appliance you can leave on while you're out of
>>> the
>>> house quite a testament to their safety. The key to creating a delicious
>>> slow-cooked meal? Knowing the rules. Follow these 11 principles, and
>>> you'll
>>> be creating warm, hearty recipes all year long:
>>>
>>> 1. Temperatures must reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safe
>>> slow cooking. (The low heat on most models is about 200 degrees F.)
>>>
>>> 2. To keep foods out of the food danger zone, always use fully thawed
>>> meats. Don't use whole chickens or roasts; cut the meat or poultry into
>>> chunks to ensure thorough cooking.
>>>
>>> 3. For best results, a Crockpot should be between half and two
>>> thirds full.
>>>
>>> 4. Resist temptation to open the lid during the cooking process --
>>> each peek you take will add an additional 15 to 20 minutes of cooking
>>> time.
>>> Also curb your urge to stir; it's usually not necessary.
>>>
>>> 5. Cooking on low heat takes about twice as long as cooking on high
>>> heat. A general rule of thumb is that "low heat" means about 200 degrees
>>> and
>>> "high heat" is about 300 degrees.
>>>
>>> 6. The ceramic insert in a Crockpot can crack if exposed abrupt
>>> temperature shifts. Don't put a hot ceramic insert directly on a cold
>>> counter; always put a dish towel down first. Likewise, don't put a
>>> ceramic
>>> insert straight from the refrigerator into a preheated base.
>>>
>>> 7. You can certainly just pile food into the Crockpot and turn it
>>> on, but some recipes come out a lot better with a little prep time.
>>> Browning
>>> meat especially ground meat -- and sautéing vegetables in a skillet
>>> before
>>> adding them to the Crockpot will greatly improve the flavor of your
>>> meal.
>>> If you dredge your meat in a little flour before browning, you will get
>>> a
>>> thicker sauce.
>>>
>>> 8. For high altitude cooking, add an additional 30 minutes for each
>>> hour of time specified in the recipe. Legumes take about twice as long
>>> as
>>> they would at sea level.
>>>
>>> 9. Fat retains heat better than water, so fattier foods, like meat,
>>> will cook faster than less fatty foods, like vegetables. For more even
>>> cooking, trim excess fat off of meats. If you're cooking a dish with
>>> both
>>> meat and root vegetables, place the vegetables on the bottom and sides
>>> of
>>> the insert and put the meat on top.
>>>
>>> 10. Dairy products, like sour cream, milk, or yogurt, tend to break
>>> down in the Crockpot. To prevent this, add them during the last 15
>>> minutes of cooking.
>>>
>>> 11. If you're adapting a favorite recipe to the Crockpot, there are a
>>> few things you should keep in mind:
>>>
>>> - Liquid is not going to evaporate, so cut back on the liquids by about
>>> 20 percent.
>>>
>>> - If you're using herbs, select whole leaves and spices, and use half
>>> the normal amount.
>>>
>>> - If you're using ground herbs, add them in the last hour of cooking.
>>>
>>> Source : The All-Around-Cooking list on yahoogroups.com. From Richard.
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Cookinginthedark mailing list
>>> [email protected]
>>> http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
>>>
>> starch thickeners Notes:
>> These silky powders are used to thicken sauces, gravies, pie
>> fillings, and puddings.
>> They're popular because they thicken without adding fat or much flavor.
>> Tips:
>> To avoid lumps, mix the starch with an equal amount of cold liquid
>> until it forms
>> a paste, then whisk it into the liquid you're trying to thicken. Once
>> the thickener
>> is added, cook it briefly to remove the starchy flavor. Don't
>> overcook--liquids
>> thickened with some starches will thin again if cooked too long or at too
>> high a
>> temperature.
>> Cornstarch, arrowroot, and tapioca are the most popular starch
>> thickeners.
>> They
>> have different strengths and weaknesses, so it's a good idea to stock
>> all three in
>> your pantry.
>> Starch thickeners give food a transparent, glistening sheen, which looks
>> nice in
>> a pie filling, but a bit artificial in a gravy or sauce. If you want
>> high gloss,
>> choose tapioca or arrowroot. If you want low gloss, choose cornstarch.
>> Cornstarch is the best choice for thickening dairy-based sauces.
>> Arrowroot becomes
>> slimy when mixed with milk products.
>> Choose arrowroot if you're thickening an acidic liquid. Cornstarch
>> loses potency
>> when mixed with acids.
>> Sauces made with cornstarch turn spongy when they're frozen. If you
>> plan to freeze
>> a dish, use tapioca starch or arrowroot as a thickener.
>> Starch thickeners don't add much flavor to a dish, although they can
>> impart a starchy
>> flavor if they're undercooked. If you worried that your thickener
>> will mask delicate
>> flavors in your dish, choose arrowroot. It's the most neutral tasting
>> of the starch
>> thickeners.
>> Tapioca starch thickens quickly, and at a relatively low temperature.
>> It's a good
>> choice if you want to correct a sauce just before serving it.
>> Substitutes:
>> roux (Higher in fat, but best for gravies, stews, and gumbos.) OR
>> instant flour (Use
>> twice as much. Flour turns sauces opaque, imparts a starchy flavor,
>> thins out if
>> cooked too long, and breaks down if frozen and thawed.) OR potato (Adding
>> grated
>> potato to soups or stews will thicken them.) OR nut flours (These have
>> a more pronounced
>> flavor.)
>> Varieties:
>> arrowroot starch = arrowroot powder = arrowroot = arrowroot flour
>> This starch thickener has several advantages over cornstarch. It has
>> a more neutral
>> flavor, so it's a good thickener for delicately flavored sauces. It
>> also works at
>> a lower temperature, and tolerates acidic ingredients and prolonged
>> cooking better.
>> And while sauces thickened with cornstarch turn into a spongy mess if
>> they're frozen,
>> those made with arrowroot can be frozen and thawed with impunity. The
>> downside
>> is that arrowroot is pricier than cornstarch, and it's not a good
>> thickener for dairy-based
>> sauces, since it turns them slimy.
>> Arrowroot also imparts a shiny gloss to foods, and while it can make a
>> dessert sauce
>> glow spectacularly, it can make a meat sauce look eerie and fake. To
>> thicken with
>> arrowroot, mix it with an equal amount of cold water, then whisk the
>> slurry
>>
>> into
>> a hot liquid for about 30 seconds. Look for it in Asian markets and
>> health food
>> stores.
>> Equivalents: One tablespoon thickens one cup of liquid. Substitutes:
>> tapioca starch
>> (very similar) OR Instant ClearJel® OR cornstarch
>> (Cornstarch doesn't impart as glossy a finish and can leave a starchy
>> taste if undercooked.)
>> OR
>> kudzu powder OR potato starch OR rice starch OR flour
>> (Flour makes an opaque sauce, imparts a floury taste, and can easily
>> turn lumpy.
>> Use twice as much flour as arrowroot.)
>> ClearJel® = ClearJel® starch = Clear-jel Notes:
>> This modified cornstarch is the secret ingredient that many commercial
>> bakers
>> use in their fruit pie fillings. Unlike ordinary cornstarch,
>> ClearJel® works well
>> with acidic ingredients, tolerates high temperatures, and doesn't
>> cause pie fillings
>> to "weep" during storage. ClearJel® is an especially good choice if
>> you're canning
>> homemade pie fillings, since it doesn't begin thickening until the liquid
>> begins
>> to cool. This allows the heat the be more evenly distributed within
>> the jar during
>> processing. This is such an important safety advantage that ClearJel®
>> is the only
>> thickener the USDA recommends for home canning. You can also use
>> ClearJel® to thicken
>> sauces, stews, and the like, though it's a rather expensive
>> all-purpose thickener.
>> One downside is that products thickened with ClearJel® tend to break
>> down if they're
>> frozen and thawed. If you plan to freeze what you're making, use
>> Instant ClearJel®,
>> arrowroot, or tapioca starch. ClearJel® is available either as
>> pearls or powder
>> from mail-order suppliers, but it's not yet available in grocery stores.
>> Substitutes:
>> Instant ClearJel® (Don't use this if you're canning a pie filling.) OR
>> tapioca starch
>> OR arrowroot starch OR cornstarch
>> cornflour
>> cornstarch
>> = corn starch = cornflour = crème de mais = maize cornflour
>> Equivalents:
>> One tablespoon (1/4 ounce) thickens one cup of liquid.
>> Notes:
>> This silky powder is used to thicken sauces, gravies, and puddings.
>> Like other
>> starch thickeners, cornstarch should be mixed into a slurry with an equal
>> amount
>> of cold water before it's added to the hot liquid you're trying to
>> thicken.
>>
>> You
>> then need to simmer the liquid, stirring constantly, for a minute or so
>> until it
>> thickens. Cornstarch doesn't stand up to freezing or prolonged cooking,
>> and it
>> doesn't thicken well when mixed with acidic liquids. Cornstarch is
>> called cornflour
>> or maize cornflour in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Don't
>> confuse cornstarch
>> with the finely ground cornmeal that Americans call corn flour.
>> Substitutes:
>> arrowroot (This tolerates freezing and prolonged cooking better, and
>> imparts a glossier
>> finish.) OR ClearJel® (especially for pie fillings) OR tapioca starch
>> (dissolves
>> more easily) OR potato starch (This is permitted during Passover.) OR
>> kuzu OR flour
>> OR water chestnut starch (especially in Asian cuisines) OR unsweetened
>> almond powder
>> (imparts a nutty taste, especially good in Chinese sweet-and-sour dishes)
>> crème de mais
>> Instant Clearjel® Notes:
>> This is a modified cornstarch that professional bakers sometimes use
>> to thicken
>> pie fillings. It has several advantages over ordinary cornstarch.
>> Instant ClearJel®
>> thickens without cooking, works well with acidic ingredients,
>> tolerates high temperatures,
>> is freezer-stable, and doesn't cause pie fillings to "weep" during
>> storage. Don't
>> use Instant ClearJel® for canning--it tends to break down.
>> Substitutes:
>> ClearJel® (not freezer-stable) OR tapioca starch OR arrowroot starch
>> OR cornstarch
>> instant tapioca = quick-cooking tapioca = quick tapioca = granulated
>> tapioca = tapioca
>> granules = instant pearl tapioca
>> Notes:
>> These small, starchy granules are used to make tapioca pudding and
>> to thicken pie
>> fillings. The grains don't dissolve completely when cooked, so
>> puddings and pies
>> thickened with them end up studded with tiny gelatinous balls. If you
>> don't mind
>> the balls, you can also use instant tapioca to thicken soups, gravies,
>> and stews.
>> If the balls are a problem, just pulverize the instant tapioca in a
>> coffee grinder
>> or blender, or buy tapioca starch, which is already finely ground.
>> Instant tapioca
>> tolerates prolonged cooking and freezing, and gives the fillings an
>> attractive glossy
>> sheen. To use it in a pie filling, mix it with the other ingredients,
>> then
>>
>> let
>> it sit for at least five minutes so that the tapioca can absorb some
>> of the liquid.
>> Don't confuse instant tapioca with regular tapioca, which has larger
>> beads, or with
>> the even larger tapioca pearls sold in Asian markets.
>> Minute® tapioca is a well-known brand. Substitutes:
>> regular tapioca (Use twice as much. Puddings made with this will
>> have larger gelatinous
>> balls in it.) OR tapioca starch (This is also used to thicken pie
>> fillings.) OR tapioca
>> pearls (Pulverize these first with a blender, coffee grinder, or food
>> processor)
>> OR cornstarch (Use half as much. Cornstarch breaks down if it's mixed
>> with acidic
>> ingredients, cooked for a long time, or frozen and thawed.) OR
>> arrowroot (more expensive)
>> OR flour (Use a little more.)
>> glutinous rice flour
>> katakuriko
>> kudzu powder = kuzu powder Pronunciation: KOOD-zoo Equivalents:
>> Use 3 tablespoons of kudzu powder to thicken 2 cups of liquid.
>> Notes:
>> This thickener is made from the tuber of the kudzu, the obnoxious
>> vine that was
>> imported from Japan a number of years ago and is now growing out of
>> control all over
>> the South. It's very expensive, and the main reason to buy it is for
>> its reputed
>> medicinal benefits. It comes in small chunks. To thicken a liquid,
>> crush the chunks
>> into a powder, mix them with an equal amount of cold water, then stir
>> the mixture
>> into the hot liquid and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is
>> thickened. Look
>> for kudzu in health food stores.
>> Substitutes: arrowroot powder OR cornstarch
>> lotus root flour Notes: This is gluten-free.
>> maize cornflour
>> mochiko
>> naw may fun
>> potato flour
>> potato starch = potato flour = potato starch flour = katakuriko Notes:
>> This gluten-free starch is used to thicken soups and gravies. Its
>> main advantage
>> over other starch thickeners is that it's a permitted ingredient for
>> Passover, unlike
>> cornstarch and other grain-based foods. Liquids thickened with potato
>> starch should
>> never be boiled. Supermarkets often stock it among the Kosher products.
>> Substitutes:
>> cornstarch (This is very similar, but not permitted for Passover.) OR
>> arrowroot OR
>> tapioca starch OR ground Passover matzo (This is also permitted for
>> Passover.)
>> regular tapioca = small pearl tapioca Notes:
>> These are small beads of tapioca that are used to make tapioca
>> pudding. The beads
>> don't dissolve completely, so they end up as small, squishy,
>> gelatinous balls that
>> are suspended in the pudding. Don't confuse this with instant tapioca,
>> which is
>> granulated and often used to thicken fruit pie fillings, or with pearl
>> tapioca, which
>> has much larger balls.
>> Substitutes:
>> instant tapioca (Tapioca pudding made with this will end have smaller
>> gelatinous
>> balls. Use half as much.)
>> sago starch = sago = pearl sage Pronunciation: SAY-go Notes:
>> This flour is made from the inner pulp of the sago palm. It's
>> often used to make
>> pudding, but it can also serve as an all-purpose thickener. Look for
>> it in Asian
>> markets.
>> Substitutes: tapioca pearls
>> sahlab Notes:
>> This is made from orchid tubers and has a pleasant, flowery smell.
>> Look for it in
>> Middle Eastern markets.
>> Substitutes:
>> cornstarch (Substitute measure for measure.)
>> sorghum starch Substitutes: cornstarch
>> soy starch
>> sweet potato starch Notes: Asian cooks like to dredge pork in this
>> before frying
>> it.
>> sweet rice flour = mochiko = glutinous rice flour = glutinous rice
>> powder = sweet
>> glutinous rice flour = mochi flour = naw may fun
>> Notes:
>> This thickener has the virtue of remaining stable when frozen. It's
>> often used to
>> make Asian desserts. Don't confuse sweet rice flour with ordinary
>> rice flour
>> . Look for it in Asian markets. Substitutes:
>> tapioca starch (This also doesn't separate when frozen)
>> tapioca flour
>> tapioca pearls = pearl tapioca = large pearl tapioca = fish eye
>> tapioca = tapioca
>> balls = sa khu met lek
>> Notes:
>> These round pellets are made from cassava roots. Asians use them to
>> make puddings
>> and a beverage called bubble tea. You can also use them to make
>> tapioca pudding,
>> though it's faster and easier to use instant or regular tapioca. The
>> pearls
>>
>> are
>> normally soaked for at least a few hours before they're added to a
>> recipe.
>> Substitutes:
>> sago starch OR instant tapioca OR tapioca starch
>> tapioca starch = tapioca flour = cassava flour = yucca starch = almidon
>> de
>> yuca
>> Notes:
>> Tapioca is a good choice for thickening pie fillings, since it
>> thickens at a lower
>> temperature than cornstarch, remains stable when frozen, and imparts a
>> glossy sheen.
>> Many pie recipes call for instant tapioca instead of tapioca starch, but
>> instant
>> tapioca doesn't dissolve completely and leaves small gelatinous blobs
>> suspended in
>> the liquid. This isn't a problem in a two-crust pies, but the blobs
>> are more noticeable
>> in single-crust pies. Tapioca starch is finely ground so that it
>> dissolves completely,
>> eliminating the gelatinous blob problem. The starch is also sometimes
>> used to thicken
>> soups, stews, and sauces, but the glossy finish looks a bit unnatural
>> in these kinds
>> of dishes. It works quickly, though, so it's a good choice if you
>> want to correct
>> a sauce just before serving it. Some recipes for baked goods also
>> call for tapioca
>> flour because it imparts a chewier texture.
>> Substitutes:
>> instant tapioca (Also good for thickening pie fillings. If you like,
>> pulverize the
>> beads in a blender before using.) OR Instant ClearJel® OR sweet rice
>> flour
>> (also
>> remains stable when frozen) OR cornstarch (doesn't dissolve as easily,
>> separates
>> if frozen) OR arrowroot (separates if frozen) OR potato starch
>> (separates if frozen)
>> OR rice starch (separates if frozen) OR instant flour (use twice as
>> much; sauce will
>> be opaque, not clear; separates if frozen)
>> water chestnut flour = water chestnut powder = water chestnut starch
>> Notes:
>> Asian cooks often dredge foods in this before frying them, because
>> it gives fried
>> foods a crisp, nutty coating. It can also be used as a thickener.
>> Look for it in
>> Asian markets and health food stores. Don't confuse this with chestnut
>> flour.
>> Substitutes: cornstarch
>> water chestnut powder
>> Copyright © 1996-2005 Lori Alden
>> _______________________________________________
>> Cookinginthedark mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
> No questions. I was attempting to send a couple of helpful hints I got
> from the Internet. Apparently, I don't know how to use Gmail that well
> and the messages are ending up at the bottom of my message. Also, I
> never see the messages I send for some reason. Sorry list! Until I
> figure this out, I will not send any more messages. I'll just lurk.
> Thanks for the ine recipes and helpful hints.
>
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