Filed under: Cookware | Tags: cooking, Cookware, family, Food, pots and pans, stainless steel
Cast iron cookware has been around for thousands of years, dating back to ancient china. In the middle ages over in Europe cast iron was considered just as valuable as other riches of the era, such as jewelry and gold. Cast iron products manufactured in the United States was one of the first industries that was organized. It is not as popular today because of the advancement of other metals but is still widely used for cookware because of it’s conductivity and durability.
Cast iron cookware has been one of the longest lasting types of cookware if not the longest lasting type of cookware out there. There are preseasoned and enameled products out there today. Cast iron cooking products come in wide variety of shapes and sizes, not just for pans and skillets. You can find dutch ovens, roasters, muffin pans, corn bread pans and more. Because of technology, the iron alloys used in todays cast iron has improved it greatly, adding more strength and durability.
Original cast iron pans still need to be preseasoned as they rust easily and food will stick to it. To preseason your pan preheat your oven to 250-300 degrees. Coat the pan with some type of fat such as lard or bacon grease, you can also use “manteca” a type of lard used in mexican cooking. Avoid using a vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky coating on your pan and will not be seasoned properly. Coat your pan with the desired animal fat ( grease )and put into your preheated oven. After about 12-15 minutes remove the pan and discard any excess grease and return to your oven for 2 hours. This ensures that your pan has absorbed the grease into the pours of the metal. It is recommended that this procedure is done a few times to strengthen your seasoning bond.
If you have an old cast iron pan that has been rusted or food is sticking to it don’t throw it away, it can be salvaged. Simply heat the pan to a temperature that you can still work with as this will open the pours of the metal and then use a scouring pad and hot soapy water to clean it. Dry your pan thoroughly and then reseason. If it is really rusted bad try using salt when scrubbing your pan, this will help with rust removal.
Always keep your cast iron pans dry when you are not using them. Clean them while they are still hot with hot water, no soap because it will break down the seasoning. Don’t use anything abrasive when cleaning such as steel wool because this will scrape off your coating. You will not want to cover your pans with lids as moisture can collect which can start to rust the metal. Try not store food in them either as acids from the food will react with the metal and break down the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.
Over all cast iron is great for cooking and baking. Because of it’s conductivity it is perfect for browning and frying. It is relatively inexpensive but it is heavy. It is the perfect type of cookware for camping because it is so durable and will hold up to campfire cooking. It is great for cajun style blackening and searing. I believe everyone should have at least one cast iron skillet at there disposal.
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Here is a great recipe for some of that left over turkey.
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. cooked turkey ( light and dark meat )
16 corn tortillas
1 15oz. can Las Palmas green sauce
2 cups water
6 oz. grated Mexican cheese
1 teaspoon cumin
1 table spoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 cup vegetable oil
METHOD:
In a 12in. skillet, add turkey, water, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion powder and oregano. Cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes to allow the turkey to absorb the seasoning and to shred letting the water evaporate. Note: shredding is done by breaking down the turkey with a wood spatula. Let the mix cool while you heat the oil in an 8in. skillet. Using a thermometer, heat oil to 350 degrees and par fry the tortillas ( about 20-30 seconds each ) You only want the tortillas partially cooked, they should still be pliable. Stack your tortillas on a plate and get ready to assemble your enchiladas.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon about 1/2 a cup of green sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish big enough to fit 16 enchiladas ( 9 x 11 ) and spread to coat the bottom. Assemble the enchiladas by placing 1/8th pound of the turkey into each tortilla and placing them into your casserole dish. You need to place them parallel to the long side of the dish so you can get 2 equal rows with 8 in each row. Pour remaining green sauce to cover the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve with your favorite rice and beans. Enjoy.
I hope you like these as much as I do!
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Stainless steel cookware is probably the most widely used of all the different cookware types. It starts as iron and has up to 8 different alloys added to it. This determines the quality of the product. Chromium and nickel are most commonly added. Chromium provides resistance from rust and corrosion while nickel adds additional rust resistance as well as hardness and adds to the high polish characteristics.
You might have noticed the numbers 18/10,18/8 and 18/0 listed on some cookware or silverware sets before. Basically this is the amount of nickel and chromium in the product. Typically on the high end products you will see either 18/10 or 18/8. 18/0 is found on the cheaper low end products and are of lesser quality. Products must have at least 11% chromium to be “classified” and nickel is not necessary. Good stainless steel cookware has 18% chromium and 8% to 10% nickel. This gives you the mirrored finish and high polished shine. 18/0 does not have nickel and therefor has a dull finish and is prone to some rusting and spotting.
Here is a simple test that you can do on your cookware to find out what you have:
Put a magnet up to your pot or pan, if it sticks you have 18/0 stainless steel, if it does not stick it is either 18/8 or 18/10. This is because of the nickel in the alloy. What the nickel does is neutralize the ferrous properties of the iron in the stainless steel alloy. Since there is no nickel in 18/0 it lets the magnet stick to it.
Some good advantages of stainless steel are that it is extremely durable. Depending on what class of stainless steel you have is related to how durable it is. Remember, the more nickel the stronger and more durable it will be. It is nonporous and extremely hard which is good because it will not absorb food or odors. The smooth surface makes it easy to clean and is dishwasher safe. It is also dent and scratch resistant and does not react to food. It is also easy to maintain the mirrored finish.
One bad thing about stainless steel is that it is a poor conductor of heat unless it has more than 1 ply. 3 to 5 ply will allow for better conductivity. “Ply” simply means layer, the more layers the better the conductivity. This only holds true because the layers are actually made of different metals which conduct heat better and are coated with stainless steel. Usually these layers or “discs” are made from either copper or aluminum.
Stainless steel is one of my favorites. Always make sure you get your cookware with riveted handles or molded into the base as one piece.
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Thank you for looking and I hope this will help you.
Have a great day!!
Filed under: Asian | Tags: , asian.grilling, beef, oriental food, Recipes, steak
Here is a great recipe for you. I just created another masterpiece!! For those who like Asian cuisine… give this a try.
Ingredients
- 1 piece (2 inches) Fresh Ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 Red Onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 cloves Garlic coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Cilantro or Flat-Leaf Parsley
- 1/4 cup dry Red Wine
- 1/8 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/8 cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 London Broil (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick; 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
Cooking Instructions
Prepare the marinade: Place the ginger, onion, garlic and cilantro in a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. Add the wine, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, oil, and pepper and process to combine.
Place the steak in a zip lock bag large enough to hold it and add the marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally 4 hours turning bag around to incorporate marinade into meat.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Remove the steak from the marinade and drain well. Place the steak on the hot grate and grill until cooked to taste, 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium-rare, 2 minutes more per side for medium, rotating the steak 90 degrees after three minutes if a crosshatch of grill marks is desired. (This is not absolutely essential, as the steak will be carved for serving, but the perfectionist in you may want to do it anyway.)
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, carve it into broad thin slices, cutting against the grain, hold the knife blade at a 45 degree angle to the top of the meat. Serve at once. Enjoy!
Note: you can substitute pork loin instead of london broil.
David,
