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Author Topic: Beginner cooking suggestions.  (Read 6338 times)

Mephansteras

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #30 on: March 28, 2013, 12:22:29 pm »

Bottomline though, to me, a terrible cook is someone who starts food and then walks away from it. While that doesn't necessarily apply to stuff like baking...if you're sauteing, grilling or making a sauce, you stand by that food and you pay it the attention it deserves. Short of a microwave or baking, there is no such thing as fire and forget cooking.

Yeah, that's part of why I suggested slow-cooker recipes. You're supposed to walk away from those for a few hours, so it's harder to screw up.

Meat is something you generally shouldn't be messing with too much, though. Constantly flipping and poking meat just makes it tough. You should keep an eye on it, though, preferably with a meat thermometer.
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Catsup

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #31 on: March 28, 2013, 01:05:59 pm »

really...using lard and butter instead of vegetable oil? i dont think thats very healthy.

Maldevious

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #32 on: March 28, 2013, 01:19:47 pm »

Olive oil is a good choice as well.
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Levi

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #33 on: March 28, 2013, 01:28:54 pm »

Here is my easy chili recipe.  Its pretty much impossible to mess up, unless you go crazy with the spices. 

Cookware:
- One biggish pot with lid.
- One spatula
- Wooden spoon.
- Bowl to eat chili with.

Ingredients:
- Two big cans of crushed tomatos
- Two or three cans of kidney beans
- Vegis:  Celery, Bell Pepper, Onion, Mushrooms, garlic, Jalapeno (if you like spicy)
- Some ground beef.
- Spices:  Chili Powder, Red Pepper Flakes are the two main ones.  I also like putting in Thyme, Rosemary, basil and a little Oregano.

To cook:
1) Fry up ground beef until its not red or pink in pot.  Use spatula to split apart the beef.  You don't want it pink on the inside.  Drain Grease if you like being healthy, leave it in if you don't care.
2) Wash Vegis, Chop up Vegis with knife.  Don't chop with fork or spoon, doesn't work.
3) Open up cans.  I suggest a can opener of some kind.
4) Dump everything into the pot.
5) Add spices.  Go easy on them for your first try so you'll have a better idea of if you should spice MORE or LESS next time.
6) Put in a cup of water.  I find this helps prevent it burning to the bottom, but not much.  Put the lid on the pot.  This keeps the heated liquids from escaping.
7) Cook at a medium temperature for about an hour.  What is medium temperature?  Doesn't really matter just cook it for a while, it'll be fine.
8 ) Stir occasionally.  It will probably burn to the bottom some, but whatever.
9) Eat chili.  You've got at least enough there for about 10 people, so whatever you don't eat, package up and stuff in the freezer.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2013, 01:32:28 pm by Levi »
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nenjin

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #34 on: March 28, 2013, 01:44:15 pm »

Meat is something you generally shouldn't be messing with too much, though. Constantly flipping and poking meat just makes it tough. You should keep an eye on it, though, preferably with a meat thermometer.

Still should be turned every few minutes so you get nice diamond marks and it's cooked consistently.
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Mephansteras

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #35 on: March 28, 2013, 01:46:05 pm »

Meat is something you generally shouldn't be messing with too much, though. Constantly flipping and poking meat just makes it tough. You should keep an eye on it, though, preferably with a meat thermometer.

Still should be turned every few minutes so you get nice diamond marks and it's cooked consistently.

Depends on the meat. Thicker beef, like a thick steak or tri-tip, should be turned exactly once halfway through to cook evenly. More than that actually doesn't help any and can often hurt.
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penguinofhonor

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #36 on: March 28, 2013, 02:26:45 pm »

Suggesting oil instead of butter for frying things? Shame on you. Paula Deen is rolling in her grave right now.
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Zrk2

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #37 on: March 28, 2013, 02:29:10 pm »

Depending on how much money you are willing to spend on eating I have some advice.

1. Get a barbecue. It's much more fun.
2. Cook multiple parts of the meal at the same time. Then you can flit from one part to a nother as necessary, and hopefully stay busy enough not to be distracted (DISCLAIMER: I have no idea if this works if you have AD(H)D.)
3. Seasoning. Get some spices/seasoning and figure out what goes together. Steak spice works on almost anything.
4. There is a time and a place for barbecue sauce; learn it.
5. Apple sauce goes well with all pig byproducts.
6. Google that shit, yo. Everything is on the internet. Food is no exception.
7. Fry shit in butter or olive oil. All other oils are criminal, and support big corn in the USA. Big corn is bad.
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Catsup

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #38 on: March 28, 2013, 02:32:01 pm »

Suggesting oil instead of butter for frying things? Shame on you. Paula Deen is rolling in her grave right now.

i dont know who this paula person is...so she can roll around harder

anyway OT, if you want a easy meal try making some kind of soup. The only way you can truly mess that up is if you boiled it dry completely.

oh and a question for you guys, am i the only one who doesnt like touching meat? i only cook boneless fish for that reason when it comes to meat.

Levi

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #39 on: March 28, 2013, 02:37:44 pm »

oh and a question for you guys, am i the only one who doesnt like touching meat? i only cook boneless fish for that reason when it comes to meat.

I don't like touching meat or eggs.  I do it anyway though, I just wash my hands like 15-20 times when I'm cooking.   :P
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Catsup

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #40 on: March 28, 2013, 02:43:53 pm »

I don't like touching meat or eggs.  I do it anyway though, I just wash my hands like 15-20 times when I'm cooking.   :P
lol, enjoy fried soap for dinner hahaha

i only wash my hands like 2-3 times, eggs arent that bad if you dont get too much white on your hands after cracking them and dumping the insides on the pan

Levi

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #41 on: March 28, 2013, 02:48:50 pm »

I actually don't generally use soap when I wash my hands (when cooking).  I think water is good enough unless I'm trying to get grease off.

I know eggs aren't that bad, its just the feel of them that bothers me, haha.  So gross.
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Catsup

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #42 on: March 28, 2013, 02:56:38 pm »

water doesnt wash off oil though, you need soap for that. And yea i guess squishy egg white is kinda gross, but i dont usually get enough on my hands to actually feel it that much. I think meat is gross cuz it smells and theres so much blood and sometimes you see the arteries that are white colored since their all drained of blood. ugh...

nenjin

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #43 on: March 28, 2013, 02:57:16 pm »

oh and a question for you guys, am i the only one who doesnt like touching meat? i only cook boneless fish for that reason when it comes to meat.

I don't like touching meat or eggs.  I do it anyway though, I just wash my hands like 15-20 times when I'm cooking.   :P

This. After working in restaurants you get used to washing your hands about 40 to 50 times a day. Gots to prevent thems cross-contaminations!

Quote
I think meat is gross cuz it smells and theres so much blood and sometimes you see the arteries that are white colored since their all drained of blood. ugh...

You just need to get in touch with your inner predator.
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Cautivo del Milagro seamos, Penitente.
Quote from: Viktor Frankl
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
Quote from: Sindain
Its kinda silly to complain that a friendly NPC isn't a well designed boss fight.
Quote from: Eric Blank
How will I cheese now assholes?
Quote from: MrRoboto75
Always spaghetti, never forghetti

Caz

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Re: Beginner cooking suggestions.
« Reply #44 on: March 28, 2013, 03:31:52 pm »


7. Fry shit in butter or olive oil. All other oils are criminal, and support big corn in the USA. Big corn is bad.

Nice, to stop the butter burning I usually use half olive oil, half butter. Makes amazing omelettes.
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