Emma Miller
Homemade food is a serious competitor to any restaurant cooking because anything prepared with love tastes much better than “assembly line” products. Our mothers and grandmothers have been acquiring their culinary habits for years, passing them down from generation to generation.
Why you should not defrost meat in water
Everyone knows that frozen meat should be stored at a temperature of -18ºC. Any figures with the “+” sign are already a risk since under such conditions pathogenic bacteria in meat products multiply very quickly. That is why it is strictly forbidden to defrost meat at room temperature. If you do not know how to properly and quickly defrost meat, the microwave or refrigerator are the best options.
Why you shouldn’t wash meat
It’s a very common habit to wash a piece of meat before you start cooking. On the one hand, this is natural – you thus clean the piece of meat from unnecessary bacteria and impurities. On the other hand, germs from veal, pork, lamb, and beef can “run over” to kitchen surfaces, plates, knives, and even products. If you think it’s mandatory to wash the meat – hold it for 1-2 minutes in a deep bowl of ice-cold water without splashing it around.
Why you should not put a hot dish in the refrigerator
This prohibition is absorbed literally with the milk of the mother – hot dishes in the fridge lead not only to the breakage of the equipment itself but also to the spoilage of all the food lying next to it. This is true, but there is a nuance – at room temperature bacteria multiply rapidly, and your dish will be the perfect environment for them.
Scalding-hot food really shouldn’t be put in the fridge, so you should wait for it to cool slightly before putting it away. Keep in mind that outside the refrigerator, food can be safely stored for a maximum of 1-2 hours.
Why you shouldn’t eat raw dough
Many housewives taste the raw dough to see if they have put enough of certain ingredients. It seems that nothing will happen from a small bite, but this is a misconception. Raw eggs have been added to the dough, which can be contaminated with salmonella. And even if you didn’t use eggs for baking, raw dough is still dangerous – it often contains E. coli. So, such products without heat treatment should not be consumed in any case.
Is it possible to leave fish in a marinade overnight?
If you decided to cook yourself a delicious dinner and put the fish to marinate, do not forget to send it to the refrigerator. The situation is the same as with meat – at room temperature, the chance of pathogenic bacteria multiplying is very high. In addition, the fish itself may present one or another undesirable microorganism, so do not tempt fate – do not leave the fish in the kitchen.
Why Does Honey Turn to Poison When Heated?
There is an opinion that when heated, honey releases a variety of carcinogenic substances that are dangerous to humans. This theory has its supporters and opponents, but the point is clear: for your own safety, it is better not to experiment. Boiling honey or heating it too much is clearly not necessary, slightly warming it for tea or baking is quite acceptable.
Why Salt at the End and High
Professional chefs argue that you should only salt food at the end, otherwise it will evaporate during cooking. This habit is not in the older generation – the addition of spices occurs chaotically and at will. If you do not want to get a dish with a strange taste – salt it at the end.
In addition, you should hold the salt pot or throw a pinch of salt as high as possible. The secret is that the higher the initial position of the spice in relation to the dish, the better it distributes over its surface. This way, you have a better chance of keeping the right proportions and less chance of over-salting your dinner.
Why pour oil on a hot pan
Another annoying habit is rushing through the cooking process and pouring oil into a warm pan. This is especially true when you are frying onions. The point is that the vegetable has no time to “grab” and immediately crust, it will stay in a state of stewing in a not heated frying pan. This will affect both the taste and the caloric value. In general, remember – before you pour the oil in, heat the pan properly.
Why meat turns gray and why washing it is a bad idea
Meat that has been sitting on a plate in the fridge for a long time is likely to have turned a grayish-yellow color. This happens if you do not observe the rules or terms of storage of products in the fridge. In this case, many housewives simply rinse the meat under running water, and this is wrong – you can not get rid of the plaque and odor.
You need to take a piece of meat and with a sharp knife scrape off the top part – the one where the unattractive color appeared. Only then you can rinse the meat under water and dry it with a towel. Naturally, this will not work if the meat is spoiled, but if it is just stale, it will save you trouble.
Why Knead Minced Meat and Why You Can’t Do It With Your Hands
Some housewives, in an attempt to thoroughly knead the mincemeat, unravel their hands. Depending on the recipe, eggs, spices, buns, milk, or none of these, and something else go into the container with the minced meat. Then, with a measured motion, the hostess turns the already ground meat into a colorful mass, carefully sprinkled with pepper. It’s a long-standing habit, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right one.
The whole point is that with this approach, the minced meat becomes tough and loses its airy texture and pleasant natural flavor. If you do not want such a situation, stir the mince with a spoon or a special spatula. Forming cutlets, do not squeeze them, but slightly flatten them. During frying, do not pierce with a toothpick, otherwise, all the juices will leak out, and you can forget about the puffiness at all.
