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Questions tagged [cooking-myth]

22 questions
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5 answers

Does searing meat lock in moisture?

I just saw a claim to this end in another thread, and it is perpetuated about the internet and in many cookbooks. So: Is it true? Does making a nice crust (maillard reaction) on a roast seal in juice and yield a juicer end product?
Adam Shiemke
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Is it worth tearing lettuce for salad?

I have read that cut lettuce is more likely to brown on the edges than torn lettuce. The stated reasoning is that the lettuce leaves will tear between cell boundaries whereas if they are cut the cells are ruptured. When preparing a largish salad…
Sobachatina
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Lifting the lid on cooking rice - is it such a big deal?

I don't know about you, but some people I know will freak out if I lift up the lid on a pot of cooking rice to stir or check its done-ness. They say "you should never ever ever lift the lid". It is like a commandment. Sure I can see that some steam…
ted.strauss
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5 answers

Are bay leaves dangerous to (unwittingly) eat?

When I first started working as a cook, I was instructed in no uncertain terms to only use whole bay leaves when cooking so that when the leaves were removed, still whole, one could be sure that no pieces had broken off and remained in the stew (or…
Doug
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Is it worth checking beans for stones?

I've heard from many sources to check beans for stones before soaking/cooking them. I've been cooking with beans for years (mostly black beans, chickpeas and lentils), and I've never encountered a stone before or after cooking. Is the stone thing…
Lucas Wiman
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12
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4 answers

Does vanilla really bring out the flavour of other foods?

I can't count the times I have heard that vanilla brings out the flavour of other foods. For example it "makes chocolate taste more chocolatey," etc... I have also heard that it's the only spice that does this (enhance the flavour of other…
Swoogan
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Reason(s) for not making stock with oily fish (salmon)?

Making stock from oily fish is often advised against, but what is the big deal? Does it just taste really bad?
cptloop
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Is this a true? You should use garlic with pork and ginger with beef and never vice versa?

"You should use garlic with pork and ginger with beef and never vice versa." This is coming from my dad who says that fact has been handed down from generations and generations of Chinese cooking. He says if I mix it (i.e. cook pork with ginger…
O_O
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Is it really necessary to avoid using soap on a cast iron skillet?

Hello Seasoned Adviced community! When talking about cast iron skillets, it is common to hear the advice "don't ever use soap to wash the skillet." However, I rarely hear specific reasons for why it would be necessary to avoid using soap on a cast…
quantif
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Can water cause fermented pickles to spoil?

I recently learned about Indian lemon pickles. There is a lot of variation between recipes but the ones I am trying consist of chopping lemons or limes, adding salt, and letting them ferment for a period of time before adding spices. A large…
Sobachatina
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Does placing a metal spoon in an open bottle of sparkling wine (etc.. .) help keep its fizz?

Does placing a metal spoon in an open bottles of bubbles, sparkling wine & Champagne help keep its fizz ? If so why is this ?
scottishpink
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Cebiche dinner considered harmful

I've been in Peru recently and enjoyed a lot of very good meals. Cebiches and tiraditos were among the best. However, as it was a short business trip, luncheons were usually short and quick, so we tried with little luck to ask cebiche (or ceviche)…
Dr. belisarius
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Bamboo Steamer VS Normal Steamer

I have heard that using a Bamboo Steamer provides/preserves the nutrients/elements that are good for, or at least more so than a normal plastic/metal steamer. Is this true? Or only for certain types of food/dishes? Or perhaps not at all? Also, does…
EternalWulf
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"Don't salt lentils while cooking": true or myth?

We've all heard the advice: don't add salt when cooking lentils, because they'll toughen or not become soft or variations on that theme. For example, on lentils.org: Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils…
Marti
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Can you cook with a partially healed open wound?

I got a small cardboard cut on the top of my thumb 3 days ago. It's not bleeding or anything but the cut hasn't fully healed. Technically this question is after the fact since I just cooked some chicken so I guess what I'm asking is is what I did…
user59088
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