Cooking Stack Exchange
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Questions tagged [heat]

111 questions
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Why doesn't a microwave heat the air around food, in addition to the food itself?

I'm reading Harold McGee's "On Food And Cooking", and in the "Microwave Cooking" section he writes: Since the air in the oven is not heated, microwave ovens can’t brown meat surfaces unless they’re assisted by special packaging or a broiling…
Richie Thomas
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What can you do with an infrared thermometer?

Infrared thermometers have plummeted in price in recent years, and are now inexpensive gadgets for the home cook, not to mention the pros. What are the primary uses of an infrared thermometer in the kitchen?
Harlan
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Why is there a 2 step heating process for making custard for ice cream

I make ice cream frequently, with pretty good results, and I follow the same basic process for making the custard. This is the method I've seen repeated in many different recipes which involves: Heating the milk and cream, plus about 2/3 of the…
GdD
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Smell Something Burning. Course of action?

What do I do when I smell something burning in my pot of mutton in gravy? Stirring is the best way to prevent this but what if some charring has already taken place? Wouldn't it be better not to stir to avoid mixing in the charred portion? What is…
Agnel Kurian
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Is it safe to use non stick cookware over a flame?

I have recently started to learn how to cook. Whenever I am trying to make a chapati or to cook a vegetable, I start experiencing an acute headache, most likely because of the steam or maybe the flame in burner gas stove. I am using non stick…
Jony Agarwal
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Heated up oil for frying, stirred it, tiny bubbles appeared and rose slowly but with very loud popping sound - why?

Last night I tried deep frying stuff for the first time. As the oil heated in the pot, I thought it would be a good idea to stir the oil (I was really scared of it catching on fire). It was probably around 250F when I stirred it. Big mistake, should…
Matthew
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Lactic fermentation related question: Is there a relationship between pH, salinity, fermentation magic, and heat?

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to abstract out heat in the Lacto fermentation equation. In fact, I am not even sure if heat is part of the equation. I know there seems to be a relationship between heat and yeast, but I don't know how or…
user1787331
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Are gas stoves preferred in a commercial kitchen due to having a constant heat source

I'm a home cook and have never been inside a commercial kitchen - I believe though, in a commercial kitchen, gas stoves are preferable due to having a constant heat in contrast to an induction or halogen hob which 'pulses'. I live off the gas grid…
Dave
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Is there something wrong with the corn kernels that don't pop?

Usually, at the end of a bag of popcorn, or when you pop your own on the stove, there is a certain number of kernels left unpopped. Why is that? Is there something that changes in the kernels that makes them different from the others or are they…
Throsby
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What, if at all, is the difference of cooking an egg on high or low heat?

When I fry an egg I frequently cook them on medium-high and it takes 2-3 minutes with one flip. Some of my family will cook eggs over a very low heat that takes as much as 10 minutes. Do the eggs come out differently this way? I personally don't…
USER_8675309
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Is it unwise to store oils etc above gas stove/oven?

Due to space constraints I keep my oils and some various cooking sauces above the gas stove/oven. These can get VERY hot up there. Am I ruining my oils? The red wine seems like a bad idea in particular...
moon prism power
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What is the best way to douse a charcoal grill?

When the heat of a charcoal grill gets too hot, what is the best way to douse the fire; the objective being to lower the temperature without putting the fire out completely? How much water should be used when burning charcoal in a very primitive…
Zippy
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Do gel spheres hold up to heat?

I want to plate a carrot sphere, made using reverse spherification, for a hot entrée. How do carrot spheres hold up to heat?
Anthony Brienza
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Habaneros....and bananas?

I once marinated chicken breasts for the grill using some habaneros for heat and bananas for sweetness (and some vinegar and salt thrown in to cut some of the sweetness). To everyone's surprise, the bananas actually cut the heat of the peppers to…
Mister Dean
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Need to maintain gelato at 10-18 °F without electricity

I will be vending a soft serve/gelato at events and festivals this summer. I need to maintain its soft frozen temperature between 10 and 18 °F (-12 to -7 °C), but most events are very limited on power. I would like to use a cooling bath that needs…
Clint
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