Recent content by stooxie

Ok, this will be my last post so that I don't deprive you of having the last word. Whether salt pulls water into or out of meat is totally irrelevant to what it does to bacteria. You think a single cell organism is going to be pleased with all that sodium and water being drawn in to it's cell...

Why, you're right! However, most bacteria will suffer from the osmotic potential created by a high saline interstitial environment, aka a brine. Why do you cure a ham in salt? Where are the toxins there? According to the FDA, everything should be thrown out the instant it hits the "danger...

We're probably talking about two different things, then. The process the OP mentioned is not going to create a non-stick surface on the first go around. The famed cast iron pans, black from a generation of use, are fairly non-stick due to carbon build up. This happens in the same way a carbon...

How much salt was in the brine? High salinity environments are pretty harsh on bacteria. That and the fact that it was obviously going to be cooked, I would have eaten it no problem. -Stooxie

Seasoning a cast-iron pan doesn't do anything to make it non-stick. It simply places a gum on the pan so it doesn't corrode. The secret to having eggs not stick to a non-non-stick surface is two things: oil and heat. You simply must have some oil and that oil must be pretty hot. Not burning...

FYI, if I have something marinading I consider it good for another day or so anyway, IF you don't mind a strong flavor. I shoul say it depends on the marinade. Salt, sugar, acid, oil and alcohol are all not-so-friendly to bacteria. If you marinade the loins in, let's say, red wine and some salt...

Flaming booz can provide a slight difference in flavor which is nice in something like crepe suzette. The burning alcohol will inevitably singe some of what's in the pan creating a little caramelization and probably some polyaromatic compounds as well, lending to a minute charred flavor. It can...

Sounds like you might have got a leaner rack this time. A Costco rack of ribs (I call them the "hormone special") is enormous, with lots of meat. Ribs from, say, Whole Foods are smaller. Either way, fat content varies so you might have gotten a leaner rib that may have dried out. The collagen...

It's true that the flavors won't interfere with each other but ribs and salmon need different temperatures. Well, it's not totally necessary, but ribs should be done around 200-225 and salmon (you're obviously hot smoking it) should be no more than 180. Salmon is best when you can keep the fats...

Fruit jams and preserves are a safe bet due to their high sugar content. -Stooxie

Not sure anyone answered the original question. The stone cracked because of the expansion and contraction it goes through. I had a Pampered Chef pizza stone and it cracked, too. Ceramics are as finicky as any material. We'll take the extreme example, a fireplace. Firebricks and refractory...

This should ease your fears: The FDA and USDA agree that harmful bacteria are killed on contact at 180 agrees F. Meat processing plants are required to hose down their facilities with water in excess of 180 degrees. Below that 180 you have to hold the temperature for a given amount of time...

I'm in Vienna. I actually want to go in to business making charcuterie and I even have a restaurant that wants to buy it off me. Problem is that I'm convinced that the FDA/USDA will laugh themselves silly at the prospect. I only source my meat from local farmers so all the nasty bugs (e.coli...

Hello all, this is post #1 for me. I figure I'm pretty decent at a few things: classical French, Chinese, Japanese (sushi), canning, preserving, making charcuterie (bacon, dried sausages, prosciutto, salami, bresoala, pancetta, etc). Looking forward to some interesting discussions. -Stooxie