Cooking myths and other common misconceptions

[cyclones500]

For all of the way that one can dress up grilled pork chops, I still love marinating them in Italian dressing like my dad did when I was a kid.

I have done that marinade w/ chicken breast, I've gotta try w/ chops.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

sous vide is French for I can't cook a steak on a fire properly.

A million ways to skin a cat.

 

[Clark]

Not sure this fits the thread exactly but I’ll throw it in any way since most of these come down to personal preferences. A common food controversy at our house is whether sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and the like should be soft or more on the crispy side. My take is that they should be done so that the bottom should be somewhat caramelized but not burnt or dried out. My wife thinks they should be on the soft side, almost bendable. Seems like a lot of them you get at an in store bakery like Hy-Vee or Fareway are almost always what I would consider barely baked, which to me is just yuck. Sometimes I’ll throw some on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven to get the bottom more done (which works by the way). She just shakes her head at me of course.

your wife is right

 

[Nader_uggghhh]

I don't care for sous vide steak. It's way more work and the finished product isn't any better unless you're doing round steak or something.

Reverse sear does the same thing without having to break out the vacuum sealer. You also don't have to worry about trying to dry the steak for a good sear, and you don't get the weird gray edges. I've learned that my steaks end up more done than I want with sous vide unless I do an ice bath or throw it in the fridge for a bit. I could use a lower temp but then it's not going to break down the connective tissue or render the fat.

 

[dafarmer]

Not sure this fits the thread exactly but I’ll throw it in any way since most of these come down to personal preferences. A common food controversy at our house is whether sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and the like should be soft or more on the crispy side. My take is that they should be done so that the bottom should be somewhat caramelized but not burnt or dried out. My wife thinks they should be on the soft side, almost bendable. Seems like a lot of them you get at an in store bakery like Hy-Vee or Fareway are almost always what I would consider barely baked, which to me is just yuck. Sometimes I’ll throw some on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven to get the bottom more done (which works by the way). She just shakes her head at me of course.

Hard so you can dunk it in milk. Frozen are best, but my Dentist hates me!

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

I've done it both ways. I typically grill 1.5 inch ribeyes. First of all, if you really think there's only 1 tsp of juice coming out of a thick ribeye like that will all that fat, you're just wrong. When I pulled the ribeyes directly off the heat and sliced, the meat itself was just very tight and there was juice and blood that ran everywhere. When I rested on a plate loosely foiled for 10-15 minutes, the meat had relaxed and there wasn't nearly the amount of juice and blood left on the plate. Also, letting steaks rest for 10 minutes doesn't make them cold. They're still between warm and hot after that rest.

I'm just telling you I've tested this theory and it didn't work out the way you describe. Maybe you're talking about a sirloin or another different cut that's much more lean than ribeyes. But there was a massive difference when resting the ribeye.

Nope, no blood. Just meat juice.

 

[BryceC]

You people take meat WAY TO SERIOUSLY.

For some people meat is like their craft beers/bourbon kind of thing they just go all out on.

I personally probably haven’t eaten a steak straight up in 5 years or something.

 

[BigTurk]

Agree for the most part. I keep stainless skillets around for fried eggs. The rough bottom of cast iron always ends up mangling egg for me when flipping. But anything that doesn’t start liquid is done in cast iron. Being able to take a chain mail scrubber to it is wonderful.

I love my cast iron skillets. They work great for fried eggs, but horribly for scrambled eggs. Gotta get a dedicated non-stick for that.

 

[FerShizzle]

For some people meat is like their craft beers/bourbon kind of thing they just go all out on.

I personally probably haven’t eaten a steak straight up in 5 years or something.

I'm not judging. i take lawn and gardening WAY TOO SERIOUSLY.

 

[CascadeClone]

The one that's widely known now, pork chops to 145 not 165/170. One of my least favorite things growing up because they were always dry. Now I eat chops for dinner multiple times a week. Just picked up a dozen 8oz chops on sale at HyVee last night for $1.67 per.

100%.

Also, you can grill pork chops at lower heat, like 350, and they come out way more tender.
Another pork tip is to bring to room temp before throwing on the grill.

Those are probably really basic and everyone knows them, but I didn't so maybe there is some other noob who needs to know.

I am a reformed meat-overcooker. So worried about foodborne disease I turned everything into jerky...

 

[Gonzo]

You people take meat WAY TOO SERIOUSLY.

 

[CascadeClone]

I love my cast iron skillets. They work great for fried eggs, but horribly for scrambled eggs. Gotta get a dedicated non-stick for that.

GF was die hard cast iron but got a Le Crueset from her mom for Xmas, and she cooks with that ~95% of the time now.

I do the dishes, and can confirm it's pretty easy to clean up.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

your wife is right

Negative. The perfect cookie is crispy but still chewy in the center. Fight me.

 

[Bipolarcy]

I've done it both ways. I typically grill 1.5 inch ribeyes. First of all, if you really think there's only 1 tsp of juice coming out of a thick ribeye like that will all that fat, you're just wrong. When I pulled the ribeyes directly off the heat and sliced, the meat itself was just very tight and there was juice and blood that ran everywhere. When I rested on a plate loosely foiled for 10-15 minutes, the meat had relaxed and there wasn't nearly the amount of juice and blood left on the plate. Also, letting steaks rest for 10 minutes doesn't make them cold. They're still between warm and hot after that rest.

I'm just telling you I've tested this theory and it didn't work out the way you describe. Maybe you're talking about a sirloin or another different cut that's much more lean than ribeyes. But there was a massive difference when resting the ribeye.

There is more than 1 tsp, I agree, but if you note, I said less than a tsp that migrates during resting. The benefit is negligible at best and nonexistent at worst.

 

[Bipolarcy]

The Importance of Resting Meat | The Food Lab
View attachment 152789

You can find just as many articles about why it's a myth:

Letting Meat Rest Myth Debunked: Find Out the Truth - ChefsTemp

Debunking the myth of letting meat rest should give you a better idea of how to cook the perfect steak or meat. Remember these tips on the proper way to rest meat.

www.chefstemp.com

Resting Meat: Why I Think It Is A Mistake, And Why I think Holding Some Meat Is A Good Idea

Stop worrying about resting meat after it's cooked. Serve it hot. We bust this myth with a review of scientific research and tests of our own

amazingribs.com

7 Myths About Cooking Steak That Need to Go Away

We put to rest seven of the most stubborn myths about grilling steaks, including that you should let your steak rest at room temperature beforehand and that you should only flip steaks once.

www.seriouseats.com

 

[Bipolarcy]

Not sure this fits the thread exactly but I’ll throw it in any way since most of these come down to personal preferences. A common food controversy at our house is whether sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and the like should be soft or more on the crispy side. My take is that they should be done so that the bottom should be somewhat caramelized but not burnt or dried out. My wife thinks they should be on the soft side, almost bendable. Seems like a lot of them you get at an in store bakery like Hy-Vee or Fareway are almost always what I would consider barely baked, which to me is just yuck. Sometimes I’ll throw some on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven to get the bottom more done (which works by the way). She just shakes her head at me of course.

The best chocolate chip cookie I ever had was made by the mother of one of my college roommates. They were crisp all the way through. Nothing worse than a chewy chocolate chip cookie unless you're talking right out of the oven.

 

[BCClone]

The older I get, the more I gotta let the meat rest.

 

[Bipolarcy]

My guess is the OP overcooks their steak and in that case resting not resting doesn’t matter you’ve already ruined it and the muscle fibers can’t do squat when the proteins are denatured.
With a properly cooked steak (105 degrees center max) the muscle fibers can and do trap more of the free liquid stays in the steak instead of being all over your plate.
Resting also increases the internal temperature so it’s at a perfect 110 degrees

I don't overcook anything. Four minutes on one side, four on the other at high temp for the thickets steaks. Slightly less time on each side depending on thickness of the steak.

 

[KnappShack]

Rest it
Don't rest it

Doesn't matter with enough ketchup

 

[Gonzo]

There is more than 1 tsp, I agree, but if you note, I said less than a tsp that migrates during resting. The benefit is negligible at best and nonexistent at worst.

To each his own. Sounds like we both like the way we do it and end up with some very good steaks. Chalk that up as a W.