Jump to content

The cookery thread


Philo_Vance

Recommended Posts

  • Awards Moderator

Here's one for you. If i'm slow cooking a fatty meat and want to get rid of the fat from the juices, how do I do that? Currently skimming it off the top but wondered if there was a better way.

If you have the time, let it go cold. The fat will solidify and can be broken off easily.

 

Or if you don't stir for a bit, you can gently lower a piece of kitchen roll on top to soak up the fat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

Ice cubes? How do they allow you to remove the fat?

Only really works when the liquid is warm, not boiling hot. You stir the ice in, and the fat solidifies and sticks to the ice cubes. I do this when I'm making gravy, especially pork and lamb due to the high lard content.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

 

Ice cubes? How do they allow you to remove the fat?

Only really works when the liquid is warm, not boiling hot. You stir the ice in, and the fat solidifies and sticks to the ice cubes. I do this when I'm making gravy, especially pork and lamb due to the high lard content.

Wow! That's like some sort of science experiment. Nice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

My local butcher now has a website and online order section, how fucking great is that!? I can now spend my afternoon not working and instead drooling over slabs of meat like a housewife over the poolboy.

 

http://www.walterroseandson.co.uk/buy-online

 

If anyone really wants to get into Gus Mears' pants for some reason, don't bother with being attractive or interesting. Just buy me a meat selection box and watch me blast off like Apollo 7.

Edited by Gus Mears
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

I've taken the wise route of ordering a lamb rack for collection on Friday, rather than face the inevitable gauntlet of DHL lobbing it in my wheely bin or leaving it on the drive so it's eaten by cats or I run it over in the Mearsmobile.

 

Going to go for the classic garlic and herb crust with it. Tend to use breadcrumbs, herbs that I fancy (think I'll stick with rosemary and thyme this week), grated lemon rind and parmesan. One of my favourite things to cook and a doddle when using the meat thermometer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Moderators

Hey guys!

 

Probably aimed at the Spud man himself mostly, but would gladly take any input.. Doing xmas dinner for the family this time for the first time. Will be about a 50/50 split meat eaters and vegetarians. So I will need to make the roast potatoes without fat in the tray. Is there anything else I can do to get a similar effect? I was thinking coconut oil because it acts in a similar way, but I thought the flavour might get in too much..? Shea butter maybe?

 

PS - am well excited about doing this. Have a new kitchen being fitted right now as we speak. Can't wait for my bigass range cooker - roasts were really difficult with the tiny old one oven I had, and the extra hobs are going to be handy as well.

Edited by Chest Rockwell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

You can make crunchy spuds by parboiling them as usual, roughing them and coating then in a mix of flour, salt and pepper ( depending on taste) works really well, still gives you some flavour and crunch, though it's not as good as good old fat.

 

There's also a hundred and one different things to add during the flour bit to give them some taste but any combination of olive oil, garlic and thyme shouldn't be too overpowering. Really not sure about coconut oil.

Edited by chokeout
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Awards Moderator

Well, I might just chip in here.

 

I don't think I've tried roast potatoes with coconut oil. I might try that this weekend.

 

Any fat will do the job, including olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil... the only one I would avoid i butter as it burns too quickly. I'd echo chokeout's dash of flour to help with crisping.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

Do you have room for a separate baking tray?

 

Peel and cut into shapes that have as many edges as possible, put in boiling water for about 8 minutes, or whenever they start to flake a bit. Before you put them in this hot water, pour a fair amount of olive/rapeseed oil (enough to cover the tray and a bit more) in a flat baking tray and put in the oven. Drain the spuds and place in the baking tray that now has hot oil in. Get a spoon and baste the potatoes so they are coated in oil. Return to the oven and continue to baste every 20 minutes, once the meat is out, whack the temperature up to 200, shouldn't take any more than about 60 minutes.

 

I'm not a bad cook, but seriously, this method is unbelievable and has been passed down 3 generations in my family. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

Good old crisp and dry is a perfect general use oil for roasties. Very neutral taste so you just get the goodness of the crispy spud. Parboil as above but I do it till they are tender, then drain, back on a low heat till dry and gently roll round the pan to get the fluffy bits. This can be done a few hours before, just put the spuds on a rack. Heat the oil for 15 mins at gas 5, then put the spuds in and turn every 15 minutes till crunchy. Fucking starving now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...