CookingAsked Sep 21, 2021 by Joshua H.
I thought that it would be like slow smoking a beef brisket but apparently bison is leaner? How long and how low and any spice recommendations? I was thinking cumin, chili powder and some brown sugar but never done this before, so I don't know how thick to lay it on.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Joshua - Bison is literally and figuratively a different animal when it comes to BBQ. Beef is 5x fattier than bison and takes about 1/3 longer to cook. Because of this, we would probably recommend smoking a bison brisket for an hour or two over very low heat and then wrapping the meat and braising it in it's own liquid. I'd even argue pressure cooking or slow cooking would be good options here. Because the meat is so lean it really needs the added moisture of braising so it's not ideal for dry BBQ'ing. As for flavor profiles, bison is gamier than beef so you can likely do anything and it would hold up to the bison. Hope that helps! Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Sep 11, 2021 by Joshua H.
A few weeks ago and bought a $90 spoetzle maker. And I made spoetzle a few times and now what? Recipe or variation suggestions are welcome!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Joshua - Ha! There are tons of flavor variations for spaetzle out there. Basically, if you think of it as a grain side dish like orzo or even pasta the variations are endless. You can also use the spaetzle maker to rice potatoes for mashed potatoes. We also have this amazing recipe for Passatelli in Brodo (recipe here - https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/passatelli-in-brodo). Passatelli are sort of like longer spaetzle made with parmesan, breadcrumbs and egg that are poached and served in chicken broth. It's my new favorite "chicken soup" for winter. Enjoy your new toy! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Sep 07, 2021 by Mitchell G.
We're co-hosting a dinner party with a theme of "Brats, Tots, and Shots" - with a variety of each item. The menu research is delicious :-)
We're sourcing the brats from our local butcher shop, who makes their sausages in-house and offers dozens of varieties. For the party, we're thinking we'll make 3-4 different brats and cut them in half with homemade half-buns so everyone can try multiple kinds.
When it comes to cooking for the party, I think I'll be able to manage. Poaching the brats separately and keeping them sorted while grilling should be doable with dozens of sausages. However, we're doing a tasting of eight varieties of brats (yummy, yummy research) with our co-hosts later this week and I'm only going to make one of each type (there are only four of us). Does anyone have any advice to help keep them straight? Poaching each sausage separately seems impractical/wasteful for only eight sausages. I thought I might mark them to keep them straight, but haven't come up with a method that works for sausage in a casing.
Any ideas/advice?
Thanks!
Mitch
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Mitch - You always have the most fun party ideas! :-) My only tip is something they do at the dumpling shop I go to sometimes. They paint the dumpling wrapper with just a small marking made with food coloring so they know which are pork, shrimp, tofu, etc. Each flavor has a corresponding color. There are also edible markers that are used for cake decorating that might do the job as well. Not sure if/how that might work when boiling, but maybe it's worth a trial run? Good luck and have fun at the party! Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Aug 31, 2021 by Susan D.
Are the chilis mentioned in the September edition of the Milk Street magazine for the salsas fresh or dried?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Susan -
It depends on which salsa you are referring to. The Salsa Macha calls for dried guajillo, ancho, and morita or chipotle chiles. The Charred Habanero Salsa calls for fresh habanero chiles. The Fresh Tomatillo and Serrano Chile Salsa calls for fresh Serrano chiles.
Best,
The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Jun 22, 2021 by Lynne N.
When I use Tamarind for a dish such as pad Thai, it is not clear to me what type of tamarind past to use. I usually use a small jar of tamarind paste go by flavor to get the correct amount.
What is the difference in concentration of Tamarind in each product and when do I use either product.
Thanks
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Lynne - Tamarind paste, also referred to as tamarind pulp, is what you will find in a large, compressed block made from the fleshy membrane that surrounds the tamarind seed pod. Tamarind pulp/paste will need to be rehydrated before use. We find this to have the freshest, brightest flavor and what we would choose for all recipes that call for tamarind. Tamarind paste concentrate is a cooked down, intensely flavored, syrupy version of the fruit. It often has a pickling agent or preservative added, like sodium benzoate or citric acid. Sometimes it has a slightly harsh, biting aftertaste, and lacks that fresh oomph of tartness. However, it is obviously much more convenient to use since it can be added to a dish straight from the jar. Our advice - if you want to use a tamarind paste concentrate, do a taste test of a variety of brands and compare to tamarind pulp to find one that most closely replicates its fresh flavor. We sell one in our store that we find has the best flavor - https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/organic-tamarind-paste?\_ga=2.43140901.1609184027.1624289759-231807635.1624289759. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jun 21, 2021 by Dave S.
Hi team-
I have a recipe that calls for a cup of duck fat. I'm having trouble sourcing duck fat, so I made duck stock with a carcass in my freezer instead, hoping to get a good fat yield out of it. The fat yield was minimal, but do now have approximately 3L of duck stock.
The recipe I want it for is pork side rib confit cooked in sous vide. Can I do some combination of a neutral oil and a duck glace from the stock I can use instead?
Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Dave - You can substitute any other fat for the duck fat - olive oil, lard, or refined coconut oil are all great options. Most supermarkets sell Armour brand lard, which is hydrogenated (in some stores it will be easier to find Armour labeled in Spanish as “manteca”). Lately, high-quality lard has become more widely available; look for it in jars. I would save the duck stock for another use. I don't really think it's flavor is necessary here. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jun 15, 2021 by Carol K.
In Season 1, Episode 7, you suggested serving the lemon buttermilk pound cake with the above blueberry compote. I would like to know if it would be possible to can the compote. Would freezing be a better option? Thank you.
Answered by Lynn Clark
H Carol - Unfortunately, we haven't tested canning the blueberry compote. I'm so sorry we can't be more helpful! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked May 17, 2021 by Carol J.
In general, when a recipe calls for broiling should you use the Low or High broiler setting? Or since all ovens are different do you just wing it?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Carol - Others have had the same question (see here). Our Director of Recipe Development recommends the "high" setting to match the broilers in our kitchen. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked May 13, 2021 by Theresa M.
We've been gifted a quartered, frozen, small pig from a new farmer. 21 pounds in total: two front legs, two hind legs, one ?torso. I'll be cooking it off for my son and buddies. Do I brine it? (thaw then brine, or toss in brine frozen?) I would only think to moist bake it for a pulled pork, but I'm not sure if that's best. I have access to a gas grill, no smoker, two ovens. Help?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Theresa - Lucky you! I don't think you need to brine it - if it's a young pig it's probably pretty fatty and succulent already. I would probably roast it low and slow and then crank the heat at the end to crisp the skin. Friend of Milk Street, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, does this method in his guide to roasting a whole suckling pig at Serious Eats, which you can find here. Good luck and enjoy it! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Apr 28, 2021 by Deborah E.
How to I convert a recipe for a multi cooker to cooking in a regular oven?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Deborah - There is no general conversion for Instant Pot recipes, but some of the recipes in our Fast and Slow cookbook that are now on the website are based on recipes we've developed using more traditional cooking methods. Look for duplicates of the recipe titles when you do a search and check them all even if the title is slightly different. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
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