Does grinding your own meat make a better burger? How does adding fat to your eggs create the perfect tender omelet? Why should you have patience before carving your roast?
Discover the science behind everyday cooking with Christopher Kimball from America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated. Join us as we explore the fundamental science explaining how — and why — your recipes work.
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or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
I’ve been following ATC and Cook’s Country on and off for years. Between them and Alton Brown I’ve learned a hell of a lot of technique!
I mince my own cow for burgers because it allows me to control the quality – I definitely get much better burgers! A number of reasons include: (1) the meat is a good quality, slightly aged for a good texture and not too much moisture, (2) the fat is trimmed to be <10% as opposed to the 30-60% frequently rancid fat from the supermarket mince – even the so-called 'lean' and 'heartsmart' bullshit branded mince has far more fat than what I've got in mine.
It's a similar thing for pork sausages – roughly 10% visible fat is about the highest fat content you need in a pork sausage. The 50-80% fat you get in mass-market sausages and salami is just awful – when I was young we wouldn't feed such garbage to the animals, let alone humans. A good salami may have as much as 30% visible fat, but even that's on the fatty side.
Short story: mass-manufactured meat products are there to provide you with large quantities of low-quality high profit margin products because the supermarkets only exist to serve their customers.
Science (and compassion) points to veganism. Don’t take my word for it, research it yourselves.
Science also points to barbecue.
http://www.npr.org/2010/08/02/128849908/food-for-thought-meat-based-diet-made-us-smarter
Kimball is good in print (not so much in other media).
Alton Brown is tremendous in any media. His techniques and recipes are accessible to those who can follow directions. Mr. Wizard meets food. Fun for all ages.