Kitchen Helper I

on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - 02:24 PM AST - 360 Reads

www.lifetips.com

Hey, are you always complaining about the Herculean Task in the kitchen: greasy wok, burned eggs, frozen turkeys as hard as stones, smelly meat, with an unlimited list for that? Right now, just take a glimpse of what we've offered to you on regular basis. Then you'll be a kitchen guru. Who knows actually there is a kitchen helper just standing behind you. Have a gander...

Cleaning your oven
Kitchen cleaning help: To remove grease from inside your oven when doing kitchen cleaning, put a small pan of ammonia in the oven in the evening, and then close the oven door. In the morning, remove the pan of ammonia. The grease inside the oven will wipe off very easily.

Beef comes in four main cuts

Beef comes in four main cuts: chuck, loin, rib and round. Packaging information generally tells the cut and the product, such as “chuck roast” or “sirloin steak” to give the consumer an idea of the best way to cook the product. Chuck and round cuts are less tender and require a moist cooking method such as braising, which is a slow moist-heat cooking method that uses a small amount of liquid such as stock or wine with a tight-fitting lid. Cook the moister loin and rib cuts by a dry heat method, such as broiling or grilling.

Choose the right bird for chicken soup

Chicken soup is a popular way to use chicken. The type of chicken used to make soup makes a difference in how it will come out. If you are buying the chicken specifically for soup, choose a kosher pullet (which is a young female chicken that is old enough to lay eggs). Kosher pullets are raised in a free-range environment and eat natural vegetation and insects. If a kosher pullet is not available, select a soup chicken, which are usually older, female birds. The meat might be tougher than a younger chicken, but it has more flavor. Cook the chicken whole first before cutting it into pieces. This process will take longer to cook, but the chicken will release more flavor into the soup.

Defrosting turkeys

If you can't defrost your turkey in the refrigerator for a few days, keep the turkey in its original packaging and place in cold water. Change the water as often as needed to keep it cold. Allow 30 minutes defrosting time per pound.

Test for baking powder

If you're unsure about the freshness of your baking powder try this test. Put one teaspoon in 1/3 cup of water. If the water does not fizz toss the baking powder. It's too old.

How to use fresh herbs

Delicate fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, dill, coriander, etc. are usually chopped or torn and added at the end of cooking while heartier herbs like thyme, oregano, and rosemary can be added earlier in the cooking process to allow their flavors to completely infuse your dish. These are often added whole and removed before serving.

Stop fried foods from sticking

To keep your breaded, fried foods from sticking to the pan, do NOT preheat the pan and oil before adding the meat. Start with a cool pan and your breading will stay on the meat. Also look for top quality non stick cookware!

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