Jack Bishop and Bridget Lancaster, cast members of
‘America’s Test Kitchen’ and ‘Cook's Country,’ contributed recipes to the new
Cooks Illustrated book ‘The Science of Good Cooking’—a manual of best practices
and explanation of how food works from a scientific perspective. In this NPR
Fresh Air segment, 'Test Kitchen' Chefs Talk the Science of Savory, Bishop and Lancaster discuss fundamental principles behind
food and suggestions for improving both preparation and taste.
Myth: searing meat seals in juices. What we’ve been
conditioned to believe all this time is actually false. It is true that, by
browning the steak, it may taste better. But, “[i]n fact, whether you sear that
steak at the beginning of the process, or whether you gently warm it in the
oven and then quickly throw it in a hot pan, the steak will weigh the same
amount before and after cooking—whether you sear it at the very beginning or
you sear at the very end,” says Bishop.
Beef stew: Don’t buy small, pre-cut pieces of beef that you
may see in the grocery store, as the buyer isn’t aware of where the cuts came
from. For a silky stew consistency, it is best to buy a chuck, or chuck-eye,
section and cut it yourself. Additional ingredients in Lancaster’s recipe
include those containing glutamates (savory compounds) to ripen the beefy
flavor, such as tomato paste, salt pork, mushrooms, and even... oddly…
anchovies. The salted fish contain nucleotides. Nucleotide + glutamate = a savory
explosion. Fascinating, right? The nucleotides enhance the flavors of the
glutamates by potentially 40 times; they produce a meatier flavor than meat
itself. Wrap your head around that one. For those cringing from this
information, the anchovies can’t be tasted.
Polenta: Traditional polenta takes a very long time to cook,
because it takes approximately one hour to fully absorb the water in the pot.
Two tricks to reduce cooking and stirring time: (1) adding just a pinch of
baking soda creates an alkaline cooking environment, which breaks down the
pectin—think the glue that holds the cornmeal cells in place. Water is then
easier absorbed and the polenta cooks faster; (2) cooking the cornmeal on the
lowest heat possible and in a heavy, lidded dutch oven reduces the stirring
time from constant to every so often. The thick bottom of the container allows
for even heat distribution and proper distance between the contents of the pot
and the heat source, while the lid traps the heat. Do yourself a favor: save
your arm… and some time.
These fascinating findings were discussed in just the first
half of the 38-minute segment. Check out the interview for many other truly
handy tips. Personally, I think I might even buy the book.
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