Best Way to Thicken Sauces and Gravies

For some people gravy comes out of a foil envelope. That is ok and even I will use them in pinch. However, if you have never made gravy or sauces from scratch here are some things you need to know.

Roux – this is the best way I know to make outstanding gravy and sauces.  This is very simply half flour half butter.  As a rule of thumb, I use three tablespoons of flour with three tablespoons of butter.  You can use other fats, butter just tastes better. Melt the butter with the flour in the pan that you will use to make the sauce.  It is necessary to cook the flour so that it does not have a raw taste. Depending on the recipe, the roux will be blond for white sauces, tan for stews or other dishes and darker for Gumbo. The longer you cook the Roux the darker it gets. Cook over a medium to low heat so you can stop the cooking when desired. The darker the roux the less thickening affect it will have.  Your liquid need not be scorching hot. Just whisk as you add it to the roux so that the starch and fat that are happy as roux will melt into your dish. If your liquid is too hot it may cause some lumps – the same is true if it is too cold.  Try it! You will find that gravies and sauces made with a good roux have a great velvety texture. 

Thanks to Steve from Las Vegas who sent in this question.  Tomorrow I will cover different types and methods of thickening.   (By the way I have added the ability to follow this blog on social media and email and a link to my book.  Scroll down to see those links.)

Spices

Old Spice is a cologne, older spices need to be discarded! If you have had spices longer than 18 months, they need to be retired. Most spices are good for up to 12 months. However there are some exceptions. As a general rule, I try to use any spice within 8 - 10 months of purchase.  It does help to put the date you bought the spice on the container.  Some now also have a "Best by" date on them.  Just remember that once you take it home and open it up, the spice will start to lose potency. Here is a tip that will help on how to use spices.

Toast your spices before you use them.  If the spice is a powder, put it in a non stick skillet on low to medium heat for a minute of two. Keep it moving so it does not burn.  You may start to smell the fragrance as the essential oil heat up.  Take it off the heat and use it in your recipe. You can do the same with whole spices if you are going to grind them. Just don;t burn them!!

Have a great day and keep those comments and questions coming!

OIL - The Right Type for the Job

There are many kinds of oil to use for cooking.  I am often asked what kind to use for frying. If you are using a deep fryer, or large pot for say a turkey, use peanut oil.  Peanut oil has a higher smoke and flash point than vegetable oil or oil rendered from fat.  That is very important.  The Flash Point of oil is the temperature that the oil will ignite. That is not a good thing to happen! Also an oil with a higher flash point will last longer in a deep fryer.  Peanut oil has a higher price too.  But given the amount of time you can use it and the safety factor it is a much better choice.

For sauteing, I use olive oil - usually with some butter for flavor.  Unless I am frying eggs, then I prefer butter or bacon fat.  Yes I do save my bacon fat. It can add flavor to so many dishes, including eggs. For those who read this and wonder about cholesterol, I do use all fats in moderation. Just be smart and you can add some flavor to dishes without clogging you arteries.

For baking use a light vegetable oil when the recipe calls for liquid oil.  If the recipe calls for shortening, that usually means a solid shortening like Crisco or something similar. Do not use Olive Oil unless the recipe calls for it.  It has too strong a flavor and will overpower the taste of the product.

So what do you use? If you have any questions about this post or other please make a comment.  I will respond  and do my best to answer.

Salt of the Earth

Salt. It is a substance that we use everyday. There are more kinds and varieties of salt then I ever thought. Most good recipes cal for Kosher Salt.  The reason for this is that nothing has been added to the salt other what is there naturally - sodium chloride.  However now we see several new types of salt on the market. Some will be gray, or pink or brown and many will have added flavor such as smoke. Each one has many uses can add a nuance to your cooking.  I recently tried some Himalayan Pink Rock Salt.  It has a very strong salt flavor.The color comes from iron mineral in the area where it is mined.  Try a different salt - you might just be surprised.  But be careful as these have a higher concentration of sodium.  Try a little bit first you can always add more, but you can't take it out.

Sharp Knives are Safer

A sharp knife it the cooks best tool. Even if you have a less expensive knife, keeping it sharp will keep your fingers safe. Knives develop burs on the edge  as we use them. These burrs are the natural result of the knife cutting through food. The best way to keep a knife sharp is with a "Steel".  That is a long file in a the shape of a rod.  They are easy to use and will keep your knife sharp.  When needed, either take your knives to a professional for renewing the edge or buy a good knife sharpener for the home.  I use a Chef Choice that has four different guides that allow me to sharpen everything from a Chef knife to scissors. They can be expensive, but they last a lifetime.

Sharp knives do not slip.  That is what causes most knife accidents. Be Sharp  and Be Safe!

Have a great day!!

Follow up On Strawberry Shortcake

A quick note: on yesterday's tip I talked about using Angel Food Cake for Strawberry Shortcake.  It works very well!!  However, when you cut the strawberries make sure you do two things. 1. Hull the strawberry by cutting the stem end out.  If you just slice off the top you will leave the hull in.  2. Slice the strawberries in thin slices.  This will give you more juice and make it easier to use the macerated berries.

Strawberry Shortcake

Nothing says summer like Strawberry Shortcake.  Here is a way to change it up a bit. Bake an Angel Food Cake but make it in a half sheet pan.  A half sheet pan can be purchased at any good kitchen store like Williams Sonoma or other store that features cookware.  It is not a cookie sheet.

When the cake is done let it cool in the pan. I bake mine the day before so the cake has cooled and is ready to come out of the pan. Cut around the sides of the sheet pan with a knife and use an offset spatula to loosed the cake. Place a cutting board about the same size as the pan on top of the cake and invert it.  Use large cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Stack the cutouts on a plate and cover with your strawberries. ( used three different sizes making a three level desert. That served five adults and I still had cake left over.) Add some whipped cream and you have a great summer dessert.

Tips On Making Stock

The best stock is home made.  You can control the salt and the flavors that go into the stock. Here are a couple of tips.

1. Save the parts you need in a freezer bag. I put the ends of onions and celery along with any vegetables in a freezer bag and write ‘STOCK” on the outside along with the date. Chicken backs, wings etc go in a separate bag. That way you can make the kind of stock you want.

2. Don’t boil stock! Bring it to a simmer and simmer for hours to develop the flavors. Skim off the foam that will develop and discard.

3. Don’t throw out onion skins or the ends of celery. These are perfect for stock. However, I do not recommend using every vegetable peel as they may have pesticides on them.

Lastly, stock will last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and about six months frozen.  I sometime make smaller amounts and freeze it in ice cub trays. When it is frozen I put the stock cubes in  a bag.  Then I can use what I need.

Get More Juice From Lemons And Limes

Before you try to juice a lemon or a lime, roll it on the counter using your palm to press down on the fruit.  That breaks down the cells that store the juice. If you are also going to use the zest, do that first before you juice it.

The average lemon will yield between 2 and 3 tablespoons of juice.  If you use a reamer, you will get more than if you just squeeze it in your hands.

Have a "juicy" day!

Does it matter what size egg you use in a recipe?

Yes it does.  I prefer a large egg for most recipes and in truth most recipes are created using that size. When you use a smaller egg you are decreasing the liquid and the fat in the recipe.  That can have some consequences. If I have a choice I would rather use an extra large egg than a medium or small egg.  If you are making scrambled eggs it also matters. your portions will be smaller.

By the way, the color of the shell makes no difference.  Brown eggs and white eggs are still eggs. If you are boiling some to color for Easter, and do want the dark circle look at the previous tip on eggs.

Tip for Wednesday April 20 - Pasta Water

We have all heard about salting the water we cook pasta in. However, do not do it until after the water boils.  Salted water will take longer to boil and salt may pit your stainless steel pans if ti sits on the bottom in cold water waiting to dissolve. Some people also add a small amount of olive oil to the water.  That is a personal preference.  It will keep the pasta from sticking. But it may also keep the sauce from sticking to the pasta. 

You should also use a lot of water. Pasta needs to have room to move. Once it is in the water give it a good stir so nothing sticks together as it cooks. You can also add some of the pasta water to your sauce – the starch and salt will add flavor and body

POTATOES

Always wash a potato before you peel them. This is also true for any vegetable. That way you will remove any surface bacteria or pesticide that may otherwise get on the food from the peel. I also find that if you want the peel to come of easily, cut a small slit all the around the middle of the potatoes before you place them in the pan.  When it is cooked, the peel will slip off. Try and let me know how it works for you.

SOUR MILK - WHAT'S THAT??

If you have a recipe that calls for Sour Milk add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk.  Wait for 5 – 10 minutes and then proceed with the recipe. Recipes that call for sour milk rely on the chemical reaction to add a certain taste to the final results.  The recipe will not be same with out it.

I have several recipes that were given to me by my Grandmother that call for sour milk. I put one of these in my cookbook, Aunt B's Bordello and Boardinghouse - An Eclectic Collection of Great Recipes. you can find it on Amazon or Smashwords.com. Try it!! I think you will like the results.

HARD BOILED EGGS - PERFECT EVERYTIME

Here is a great way to have perfect hard boiled eggs every time.  put the eggs in whatever pan you will use and cover with cold water.  Slowly bring them to rolling boil and then turn off the heat and cover the pan.  Set a timer for 16 - 18 minutes.  When the time is up drain the water and replace with cold water and ice cubes. This will stop the cooking process and prevent the dark circle from forming. Peel the eggs when they are cold.

FIRST TIP

Ever wonder why sometime it seems to take forever to get dry beans to cook? It may be your water! In Las Vegas we have very hard water. The level of minerals in the water affect how long it take the dried bean to absorb the water.  If you have soft water that uses salt that can also affect the time. So if you have hard water or use a water softener, plan on a longer soak time and longer cooking time. Also ALWAYS drain the soaking water - do not use it to cook the beans.

I hope this helps!!


Wes

WELCOME!! This is the first edtion of Aunt B's cooking tips!

For those who have read my new cookbook, thank you!  I hope you find this new addition helpful.  I will be posting some new ideas and tips on cooking here.  Feel free to ask questions or comment on the cook book.