What's the point of salting meat before you cook it?
What's the point of salting meat before you cook it?
When to salt meat is a controversial topic in cooking circles.
Some claim that salting early in the cooking process dries out the meat and inhibits a crust from forming. But we agree with the early salting advocates who believe that the salt has time to penetrate the meat, tenderizing it and improving flavor, and that salt (particularly coarse salt) help form for a crisper crust.
Those concerned about their salt consumption should note that if you wait until a steak is cooked to add flavor-boosting salt, you will probably end up adding more salt than if you'd salted before cooking.
An old chef's trick is to salt meat early, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it for up to a few days before cooking. When you cook the meat, its texture will be improved by the tenderizing action of the salt.
Also, note that pork can take about the double amount of salt that you would use for other meats. If you have a mediocre pork loin, for example, double salt it, let it rest in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it, then rinse off the excess salt and pat dry before cooking. It works like a charm.
The word "canola" is a derivative of the phrase "Canadian oil, low acid."
Let's break that down a little further. Canola oil was first developed in Canada (in the 1970s), so that takes care of the "cano-" part of the word.
What about the "-la" or "low acid" part? Canola oil is made from varieties of rapeseed that contain very little amounts of something called erucic acid. Rapeseed naturally contains high levels of erucic acid, which has been suspected of being toxic to some animals in high levels.
People have been cooking with rapeseed oil for centuries. However, given the suspicions about its cumulative negative health effects, breeders began developing rapeseed that contained only small traces of erucic acid. And that's how "cano-" got its "-la".
The poke test: how to tell when your meat is done
The poke test: how to tell when your meat is done
Overcooking meat is one of the kitchen’s great tragedies. In our recipes, we estimate cooking times that will get you within range. But to really cook your meat the way you like it, you need to get a feel for meat. The poke test is a good way to gauge meat's doneness. Here's what you do:
Take the meat off the heat and press it with with your index finger. The firmer it is, the more done it is. Use your hand as a guide.
Poke the soft area of muscle between your thumb and index finger when your hand is relaxed. If the meat feels like that, it's probably too underdone (except for the tartare crowd). Stretch your fingers halfway open, and poke again. It feels firmer but still gives. That’s closer to medium rare.
Stretch your fingers halfway open, and poke again. It feels firmer but still gives. That’s closer to medium rare.
All the way open feels firm and approximates medium. Make a fist and poke again. That's well done.
The smoke points of an oil (or butter) is precisely what it sounds like: the temperature at which it begins to release clouds of smoke. At that point, the oil is breaking down and has a very narrow window of time left until it burns and should be tossed out.
The smoke point is different for different kinds of oils. Vegetable oils are tougher and can reach a higher temperature before smoking, making tehm good for frying. (The commonly accepted temperature for frying is somewhere between 365F-375F.) Butter burns easily, and olive oil has a pretty low smoke point, so they’re better for sautéing at relatively lower heats.
Here are a few examples of oils and their smoke points (get your thermometers ready!):
Sunflower Oil -- 440F
Canola Oil -- 400F
Butter -- 350F
Extra Virgin Olive Oil -- 320F
