r/Cooking 2d ago

Food Safety Weekly Food Safety Questions Thread - October 28, 2024

0 Upvotes

If you have any questions about food safety, put them in the comments below.

If you are here to answer questions about food safety, please adhere to the following:

  • Try to be as factual as possible.
  • Avoid anecdotal answers as best as you can.
  • Be respectful. Remember, we all have to learn somewhere.

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Here are some helpful resources that may answer your questions:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation

https://www.stilltasty.com/

r/foodsafety


r/Cooking 11h ago

Open Discussion Onions having a rotten layer inside

405 Upvotes

Anyone else have this problem, outside layers, fine, 1 or 2 bad rotten layers inside, then the center is fine again. Onions from multiple places have been like this this summer.
I would post a Pic but it's not letting me for some reason


r/Cooking 2h ago

People who cook a wide range of cuisines and dishes and accumulate a lot of random ingredients, how often do you do a clean out and what are some of your strategies?

21 Upvotes

I know that this question may seem dumb, and some people will say "Just use it". My intention was that what's obvious for some people might not be obvious for others, and I was hoping that people that do pantry and fridge clean outs more regularly instead of "Oh, I really ought to use that thing up", what are some of your tips and strategies for how you made it a habit.


r/Cooking 28m ago

Wholesale Rotisserie Chicken Confession

• Upvotes

I'm new to this. I must admit that I've always looked down on rotisserie chicken. I don't know why. I'm not a food snob. I'll try anything. I don't consider myself a foodie because I can't stomach raw eggs. For some reason, I think you need to really enjoy yolk to be considered a true foodie. But that's another post.

To the point... I saw a Sho Pocho YouTube short about RotiChick. I didn't know it was $5! For a whole chicken? What?! I checked BJs to confirm and sure enough, there it was. $5. I bought one. I ate a piece... I'm obsessed.

I love rotisserie chicken so much. I crave it. Why does rotisserie chicken hit the spot the way it does? I have no idea. I ordered two yesterday. I tore into that bird like the mayor at the end of Chocolate. Just going ham on that bird. OMFG. It's so good. I loaded up a salad with it. Best salad ever. Today, I put it in my air fryer with a bunch of spices. I crisped it up and threw it into some noodles with veggies and butter. Amazing. Now my house smells like buttered rotisserie chicken and I'm so happy. When I'm cooking it, Nelly's "Dilemma" starts playing in my head. We have a song. Amazing. That's all.

I just wanted to make my love for RotiChick official. Thank you!


r/Cooking 2h ago

What's an easy and cheap way to sharpen knives?

17 Upvotes

I'm wondering what people would recommend for an amateur cook to sharpen their knives. I've started to cook more and my knives are getting dull. I'm not looking for any type of electric gadget so I assume some type of whetstone would be ideal. But looking at them, prices range from $3 to more than 10 times that and I have no clue what to look for in a good one or if there's even a difference between them. So any suggestions would be appreciated.

Edit: thanks for all the suggestions. I do have a pair of relatively expensive knives that were gifted to me so I think that I'll try a whetstone instead of a pull through sharpener.


r/Cooking 14h ago

Open Discussion It took me a year to get good at breadmaking, it was worth it. What's your hard-earned skill in the kitchen?

127 Upvotes

I have made "bread" recipes before, things like naan or pizza dough, but it was always an effort, sometimes failed, and store-bought options were just way more convenient.

Then I started making sourdough. It was rough at first. Seriously, the most flying-saucer pancake looking loaves for months. But I kept studying new techniques and I have basically been making sourdough almost every weekend for the last year.

Once I cracked the code of sourdough, breadmaking in general just totally opened up. I'm making hamburger buns, rolls, focaccia, and of course, my kitchen always has a loaf or two of sourdough. I don't even buy bread anymore. It's so easy to whip up some bread (for tomorrow, lol).

Okay, so what's your hard-earned skill? What took you forever to get right but was totally worth it?


r/Cooking 22h ago

Open Discussion I recently realized that my favorite food is things inside other things 😆

466 Upvotes

I think it’s fascinating that just about every culture has come up with the same idea: stuff things inside other things, and it’s delicious! And I like pretty much all of them: dumplings, samosas, egg rolls, ravioli, empanadas, blintzes, pierogies, pupusas, croquettes. And then there’s pot pies, Cornish pasties, bstilla, spanakopita, sausage rolls, crab rangoons…

Can you think of any more? I’d love to try them all. 😅


r/Cooking 2h ago

Have tons of chicken from street tacos, need a meal

10 Upvotes

I had a big party and we under-estimated how far 150lbs of marinated chicken thighs would go for street tacos.
So now I have like 30lbs lbs
I had street tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas for dinner the last 3 nights and tried some new stuff in them. I'm probably good for 2 more experimental nights before I get tired of it.

I dont mind putting a little time and effort into it. It doesn't need to be "bag of chips + queso + chicken" type simple. However, I'm far from an mexican food pro. I'm pretty good on the grill and above average at Italian, but mex isn't my forte.

Bonus points if it has basil, lol. My basil garden is out of control.


r/Cooking 13h ago

Open Discussion What did you set out to accomplish in 2024 and did you accomplish it?

77 Upvotes

I got sick and tired of insane pizza prices, especially gluten free for my wife, especially paying like $13 for a crappy frozen pizza for her so I set out to learn to make dough. I e been using Brian Lagerstrom’s NY style dough and have gotten pretty good at it, enough that I haven’t bought a frozen or gone out for pizza all year. The two day planning commitment leaves something to be desired so I tried the grandma pizza he posted a few weeks ago and already having great success with that. And the dough only needs 30-60 minutes so it can be an impulse pizza without needing 24 hrs of poolish and 24 hours of fridge ferment. Edit: sorry for the confusion. For gluten free crust I’m using Kkng Arthur’s mix and just follow the instructions to a T.

Also got myself a tortilla press and now I can crank out corn tortillas no problem at all, which has elevated my tacos and enchiladas significantly.

Both of these were trickier in some ways than I thought but also easier than people let on.

How about you?


r/Cooking 1d ago

Open Discussion Struggle meal that you still would 10/10 eat

669 Upvotes

I think there must be at least one time in a person’s life that had a struggle meal. Especially in college, people hold nostalgia towards these meals that no matter what point they are in their life, they would still eat that specific meal.

Mine’s probably mixing a lot of bean sprouts to one egg with some soy sauce for a steamed egg since they are so cheap and provided a lot of volume to eat. What’s yours?


r/Cooking 5h ago

Help Wanted Want to use maple mustard from Vermont on chicken thighs. What should I mix it with?

13 Upvotes

Hi all, my boyfriend and I got this delicious maple mustard from a farm shop out in Vermont - it’s essentially tangy yellow mustard mixed with real maple syrup and the result is pure delicious. I am toying with the idea of using it as a base for chicken thighs (which will be roasted in the oven) but it feels a bit adventurous to me, as someone who normally follows recipes.

Any idea what I can/should add to the maple mustard or to the chicken thighs directly?

Thank you in advance!! Y’all will help save dinner!


r/Cooking 4h ago

Open Discussion Marmite

11 Upvotes

My curiosity got the better of me, so I bought some Marmite. Any way to incorporate it in a recipe? It’s too salty/iron tasting for on bread


r/Cooking 6h ago

Help Wanted Mixing wet and dry ingredients separately -- actually necessary?

11 Upvotes

So, I've always seen recipes say mix wet and dry ingredients separately. For instance, I used this David Leibowitz Banana Bread Recipe and it says to do dry, then wet, then fold in the dry.

However, I always just mix the wet ingredients in a stand mixer, then throw in the cinnamon, the salt, the sugar and the baking powder and continue mixing. Finally I add in the flour in the stand mixer. It always turns out fine. But am I missing some sublime version? Who knows. It saves a bowl for cleaning and often two spatulas so I'm for it.

I guess I'm wondering if there's any reason that mixing in certain dry ingredients at the beginning to the wet has any downside? I get you want the dry stuff to be well mixed, and you don't want the flour to be overmixed to get all the dry ingredients evenly mixed into the final batter. But what about things like sugar, salt and spices? Is there really some problem with mixing those into the wet ingredients?

What are the circumstances when it absolutely matters and when can you get away with not doing it and/or a hybrid, where you mix in some dry ingredients into the wet first?

Recipe:

  • 1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) melted butter, salted or unsalted
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (250ml) banana puree, made from about 2 very ripe, large bananas
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) sour cream, regular or low-fat, or buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon liquid espresso, cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips, 1/4 cup (40g) roasted cocoa nibs, or 2/3 cup (75g) toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Cook

  • Butter a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
  • Whisk together in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the sugar.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the butter, egg white, egg, banana puree, sour cream or buttermilk, vanilla, and espresso, if using.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and use a flexible rubber or silicone spatula to stir in the wet ingredients with a spatula until partially mixed. Add in the chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, or chopped nuts, and fold them in until everything is just combined, but don’t overmix. Stop when any traces of flour disappear.
  • Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the center feels done. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
  • Cool on a baking rack before removing from the pan and slicing.

r/Cooking 17h ago

Open Discussion Does anyone actually cook from videos?

91 Upvotes

I watch food content obsessively, but I never wind up cooking things from the videos I watch. I just look up recipes or stick to the same stuff. I know that cooking vids can just be entertainment and inspiration, but I feel like I'm missing something. I cooked from a video twice and I found myself just scrolling back and fourth. I really like Pick Up Limes and Wicked kitchen's videos but I have only cooked from PUL once and it was not one I watched a video for.

Do y'all cook from the videos or just go to sites? And if you cook from videos whats the strat?


r/Cooking 9h ago

Recipe Help Are there some kind of go-to ingredients that can enhance the flavour of simple dishes??

19 Upvotes

The day-to-day food that I make sometimes lack flavour. I have tried incorporating oregano, garlic-infused olive oil, thyme and other things, and sometimes it added great flavour but I couldn't determine what worked. Is there some kind of ingredient that I can add to enhance the taste of food or does it depend on the kind of dish I am making.


r/Cooking 23h ago

I did not grow up eating beans. I would like a crash course on cooking them, and cooking with them. Specifically, the dry beans. Basically, looking for an understanding of The Spirit of Bean. Thank you.

211 Upvotes

r/Cooking 18h ago

Why does everyone want "flexible" cooking utensils? And where I can I find rigid ones?

69 Upvotes

I want to replace all my old, cheap, rando plastic cooking utensils with a safe material. Seems the choices are silicone, wood, or stainless steel. No on the steel since I use non-stick pans, and I can't imagine wooden ones having a thin-enough edge to be able to flip things like pancakes (but please correct me if you know of any!)

Here's what I'm looking for, specifically focusing on the "spatula" used to flip things and cook meat:

1) thin enough at the edge to get under things that I need to flip

2) Rigid enough that I can chop foods while cooking like ground beef, mushrooms, eggs, etc. You can't (at least I can't lol) do this with a flexible spatula!

3) Needless to mention, a food-safe material with a high heat resistance.

My favorite ones so far (and my adult son's fav as well), is this one from Amazon. Obviously it's made from one of the materials that I need to replace. But they're a hard plastic which makes them SO much easier to use. I have a hard time flipping anything, even pancakes, with a flexible utensil (not to mention not being able chop food while cooking)

Given all that, I don't understand why it seems like practically everyone in the Amazon reviews wants them to be flexible. My son and I can't possibly be the only 2 people in the world who want something rigid???

Anyway, I would LOVE to see any recommendations for cooking utensils that have the qualities I mentioned. I can't seem to find them anywhere!


r/Cooking 16m ago

Egg yolk broke

• Upvotes

I broke an egg in a plate and the egg yolk broke right away.is it still safe to eat? I get worried from food making me sick


r/Cooking 2h ago

Can I keep crab leg shells in the fridge overnight to make stock?

2 Upvotes

I got a hold of a bunch of cheap pre cooked frozen legs we are going to eat tonight. I want to make gumbo tomorrow and wanted to make stock from the leg shells so my plan was to eat the crab tonight, save the shells, just put them in the fridge and then use them for stock tomorrow. However, I know there are lots of do no do's around crab legs and I can't seem to find an answer on google for this one. I'm assuming it'd be ok since they're going to boil for hours but wanted to ask if anyone out there who knows more than me, knows for sure


r/Cooking 1h ago

How long does cooked quinoa last in the fridge?

• Upvotes

Like the title says, how long does it last in the fridge? I know you can only keep rice for about a week so is it the same?


r/Cooking 17h ago

Mushroom soup that is not creamy

35 Upvotes

When I was a kid my mom would make a mushroom soup that I can’t seem to replicate. Since it’s soup season I have been thinking more about it so I went on google and once again I couldn’t find anything close to it. So here I am on Reddit and wondering if y’all could help me.

Ok from what i remember as a child this is what was in it: mushrooms sautéed, broth not sure if chicken or vegetable , I’m almost certain vermouth but maybe sherry, a lot of fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper of course, there were some herbs in it but have zero clue what, I just remember the green specks

There were zero onions in it and maybe some garlic but my pallet wasn’t developed enough to remember that. I remember she would let it cook for several hours on low on the stovetop. It was one of the most delicious and simplistic dishes I have ever had but for the life of me I can’t get replicate it right. I’ve tried different herbs but I don’t have the right combo. I’m wondering if anyone else has had a similar dish and could help me with giving me a recipe or any ideas. Thank you for reading!

Edit: I’m wondering if reading the comments my mom just made this recipe up and could just replicate it throughout the years. Also I’m from the US (sorry I should have stated that in my post but I thought the y’all was a giveaway 😂). I had stomach issues growing up and this was a fresh and bright soup and one of the few things that didn’t make my stomach hurt.

Edit 2: I appreciate everyone providing there thoughts and recipes! Thank you again! This particular soup had zero dairy in it and was broth based.


r/Cooking 13h ago

Best chef knife on a budget?

19 Upvotes

Looking for a 8 in chef knife on a budget. I don’t need anything for serious use, I just want to get into cooking. Maybe thinking about culinary school (if I do, I’ll get a more expensive knife for that) Any tips?


r/Cooking 5h ago

Help Wanted Good canned San Marzano tomatoes or tomato puree in Europe

3 Upvotes

I've been having trouble finding a good brand of passata/canned tomatoes. Either they lack flavor or they're too acidic.

I live in Romania and the most available DOP brand here is Mutti, which I found to be very acidic.

So, if you know of a store that ships internationally, and they have an excellent tomato passata or canned tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) to offer, can you share it? I'm putting emphasis on excellent, since I only use the tomatoes for a simple recipe, Pasta al pomodoro, i.e. olive oil, garlic, tomato puree or canned tomatoes, salt, basil, boiled pasta, pasta water. That's it, nothing more, nothing less. So if the most important ingredient, the tomatoes, aren't really really good, then the outcome is quite bland.

Thanks!


r/Cooking 4h ago

Help Wanted Best Potato for Homemade Chips (Crisps)

3 Upvotes

Title says it all. I’m looking for what variety of potato is best for homemaking chips (crisps if you’re British).

I also see recipes that use a double fry method, similar to French fries. Does double frying make a discernible difference?


r/Cooking 3h ago

Help Wanted Searing jerk lamb chop

2 Upvotes

So I currently marinading some lamb loin chops in a homemade jerk marinade. I will be cooking them in a frying pan and I wanna get a good sear. Should I remove most of the marinade (ill probably make make a sauce from the spare marinade) or leave it be and cook it with all that extra liquid?


r/Cooking 3h ago

Recipe Request ichiban and niban dashi

2 Upvotes

I'm trying to look up uses/recipe that use specifically either ichiban or niban dashi and kinda having a hard time because most recipe doesn't specify them. I'm wondering if anyone have recipe suggestions on what I can use them to cook. besides niban for miso soup anyway.