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Asked Oct 20, 2020 by Joshua F.
Does Chris and crew at Milk Street have any suggested recipe for doing a homemade bacon? I have a kamado grill so will be smoking it after the curing process.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Joshua - We haven't explored making our own bacon at Milk Street, but we would recommend Meathead Goldwyn's recipe, which you can find here. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 21, 2020 by Craig B.
Hello does homemade mayonnaise or aioli really only keep for one week in the refrigerator. I always make mine more acidic than that stuff at the grocery store, so I would think it would keep longer than a single week. I've been too cautious to ever use it past a week in the fridge. Afraid it would be instant food poisoning. What is the truth on the matter?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Craig - Even if you add more acid to your mayonnaise it's impossible to know if it's enough to prevent bacteria growth in the mayonnaise. Although it's probably not going to be instant food poisoning, I'd still recommend only keeping homemade mayo for a week or, at most, two. The only way to safely extend the shelf life of homemade mayonnaise is to use pasteurized eggs. Some higher-end stores carry pasteurized eggs or you can try to pasteurize eggs yourself at home. There are several methods for home pasteurization - sous vide, microwave, or stovetop - which involve slowly heating the egg yolks to 160 degrees before making the mayo. Because this \may\ cause the yolks to thicken and not properly emulsify, you may need to add some water while heating to keep them more fluid. It may take a bit of trial and error, but you could then store your mayonnaise for about a month. Hope this helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 04, 2020 by Ron L.
Hello friends, I hope you don’t mind my sharing a food story. Have you ever swallowed a machete? I have, many times! I enjoyed today's member email featuring Tlayudas and it reminded me of one of my favorite Mexican treats, The Machete, a massive quesadilla I've only seen in Villa de Tezontepec. Villa de Tezontepec is a small town north of the Valley of Teotihuacan in the state of Hildalgo. Several years ago after an exhausting day of trolling the local leather shops, some friends and I stumbled upon a restaurant off the main square called (appropriately enough) "El Mexicano." For 65 pesos (about $3 these days) you can choose from a dozen different varieties of The Machete. This massive quesadilla is a huge, handmade corn tortilla stuffed with griddled meats and vegetables and melted cheese. The picture barely does it justice... it's one of the best things I've ever eaten. I've been several times with my friends. Thanks for having a great show, website, and recipes! Ron https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/uploads/581/OJWUB6R1HJCB.jpg
Asked Aug 27, 2020 by Anthony Z.
In one of my last discussion posts, I mentioned how much I had come to value seasoning meat (beef, chicken, pork) twenty-four hours in advance. But now I am starting to wonder if it is necessary/valuable for some of the extended sous vide cooking times. For instance, let's say I am going to cook a chuck roast sous vide for thirty-six hours. Is there still a benefit to seasoning the meat twenty-four hours ahead of time? or am I accomplishing the same function simply by means of the length of the sous vide bath?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Anthony - I don't think you need to season in advance and could make the meat texture a little wonky. Simply seasoning it prior to sealing should provide enough salt that, over the course of the 36 hours, it will be pretty well-seasoned. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 23, 2020 by Craig B.
Greetings Milk Street, I do request you develop some trifle recipes and grilled flatbread recipes for your upcoming issues. I used a trifle recipe for July 4th from another source, and while it was very good. It lacked a crunchy element. Something like a homemade nut brittle or second sort of crunchier cookie would have been nice. As for grilled flatbread, I am going to try some recipes from other sources next month, including one developed 15 years ago, but I am sure you could come up with something more up to date. Middle Eastern, Greek, Adriatic, and Italian flavors would be the sort of grilled flatbread recipes I would prefer the most. I am sure some Indian subcontinent inspired grilled flatbreads would be fantastic too. Thank you and Regards,
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Craig - I will pass along your recipe suggestions to our Food Editor and our editorial team. Thanks for the suggestions! In the meantime, have you tried our Raspberry-Pistachio Meringue? Not quite a trifle, but it \does\ have that crunchy element you are seeking and I think you could easily add some cake and custard to it to make it seem more trifle-like. Might be worth a try! As for flatbreads, we have several in our database: Piadina - https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/piadina Middle-Eastern Style with yeast - https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/flatbread-pizza-dough Middle-Eastern Style with baking powder - https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/yogurt-flatbreads-with-flavored-butter Each of these has topping suggestions that accompany the recipes. We are constantly on the hunt for new recipes we can introduce to our readers, so we will continue to search for flatbreads as we travel around the world. Thanks for writing! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 16, 2020 by Carrie S.
I'm making meatloaf with gravy for my brother's family to heat up after a funeral service. Anyone have thoughts on which would be better- a roux based gravy or gravy thickened with corn starch slurry? I just don't want it to separate in the fridge and be gross. Thanks! Carrie
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Carrie - A gravy made with flour or a cornstarch slurry can both separate when reheated, but you can easily bring ti back together. Bring to a simmer over low heat and whisk vigorously to recombine. If you won't be the one reheating it, I would add some reheating instructions onto the container. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 12, 2020 by Michael W.
Many Milk Street grilling recipes recommend oiling the grill grates prior to cooking. I recently bought a Weber gas grill, and they recommend NOT oiling the grates because they are too hot and the oil will burn off before it does any good, but rather to oil the food being put on the grill instead. Wondering what people’s thoughts are on this. Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Michael - there are definitely some differing opinions on this subject. Meathead Goldwyn of amazingribs.com, who is a friend of Milk Street, recommends oiling the food, not the grate. Serious Eats and Steven Raichlen recommend oiling the grates. I’m going to pass this along to our Food Editor, Matt Card, as it’s something we should maybe revisit for our next batch of grilling recipes. Either way, make sure that you use a high-heat oil - grapeseed, safflower, canola, peanut, or avocado oil (refined) have some of the highest smoke points. Thanks for your question! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 05, 2020 by Jennifer N.
Hi All, I've been obsessed with Pasta Grannies and would like to start focusing in on Italian cooking, aside from the Pasta Grannies Cookbook, and recommendations for a newbie? Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Jennifer - I'm hoping others on the board have some suggestions for you, but these are some that I like. Definitely read Matt Goulding’s Pasta, Pane, Vino. It’s more of a travelogue than a cookbook but it colorfully explores food culture all over Italy and the stories he tells about the people he meets along the way are told in such a way that you feel like you have visited Italy, even if you haven’t. Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is basically the Italian Food bible. It’s my go-to resource whenever I want the authentic basics. La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy is a massive book but really explores every region of Italy and introduces you to the most famous dishes of each region and at least as many that you’ve probably never heard of. Forewarning: no photos. There are tons of others, but I'll let others weight in as well! Happy reading! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jul 27, 2020 by Linda H.
My husband and I cannot tolerate cilantro. What other spices or herbs can I use instead?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Linda and Estelle - You are definitely not alone. We get many questions from readers who have an aversion to cilantro. Here are some suggestions: If you're making something that is cooked you could add ground coriander when you add garlic, onion, or spices. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant so their profiles will be similar however, when dried and ground, the flavor isn't as potent. Substitute fresh parsley with a splash of lemon or lime juice. Cilantro has a grassy flavor with citrus notes so the grassiness of parsley combined with the citrus juice can replicate it. There is some research that suggests crushing cilantro makes it milder because it breaks down an enzyme that lowers the amount of aldehyde in the leaves. Try using it this way in a dish that you know and love - guacamole, salsa, tacos, for example, to see if you still find it offensive. Hopefully one of these options will work for you! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jul 23, 2020 by Elizabeth S.
Any good okra recipes besides stewed with tomatoes or fried? Wondering if there are any recipes from milkstreet travels/research. The only okra reference I saw on milkstreet was an editor's note in the magazine- a Senegalese gumbo "built on dried, smoked and fresh fish that's mashed with okra to make a base". Thanks!
Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau
Hi Elizabeth - We have recipes for: Crisp Oven-Charred Okra and Okra Gumbo. Both are in our Vegetables cookbook and online.
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