Peeling tomatoes

Heather says:

Lots of recipes call for peeled tomatoes, but just how does one go about removing the thin skin from these stubborn fruits? There is a simple trick to peeling tomatoes.

Heat a pan of water to a roiling boil. Be sure to leave enough room to add your tomatoes without overflowing. Drop the tomato in for approximately 30 seconds.

Run the tomato under cold water or immerse it in an ice water bath.

The skin will split.

Simply slide the loose skin off.

There you have it, one peeled tomato.

Enjoy.

Frugal tip: Cutting up a whole chicken

Heather says:

While it is true that thighs and drumsticks often go on sale, nothing in my opinion beats a whole chicken for the price. However, it is not every day that I’m in the mood for roast chicken or its planned overs.

So, when whole chickens go on sale and I am feeling particularly industrious, I cut them up myself. All you need is a sharp knife and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

Out of respect for the squeamish and vegetarians, all raw poultry pictures will be after the jump.

Read more

Rubbing it in

Heather says:

I’ve developed a craving for BBQ. I’m searching for the perfect dry rub for slow roasted chicken. When slow roasting chicken, it is done at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Due to time constraints I cooked this one for two hours at 300F and then turned the oven up to 350F for the last 30 minutes. If I had time for a true slow roasted bird I would have allowed it to cook at 200F until done.

Always check the temperature of poultry, the bird is done when the thigh registers 165F.

BBQ Rub

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons minced, dried onion
• 2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Measure all of the ingredients into a food processor. I use the mini one that came with my immersion blender. It’s perfect for small jobs Blend thoroughly until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight container, yields enough for about 3 chickens.

Enjoy.

U-Pick yields: strawberry jam

Heather says:

So in addition to fruit leather, strawberry shortcake, and ripe berry goodness what does $25 and an hour at the farm yield?

Why, strawberry jam, of course!

There is no reason to be afraid of home preserving. We’ve all heard horror stories of the family that never got up from the table because grandma’s green beans were tainted with botulism. The truth is, by following directions carefully and using the proper equipment home canning is quite safe. Not only do you get to enjoy your produce year round, you know exactly what ingredients are used, and dollar for dollar what you can at home is of higher quality.

Jams, jellies, and preserves* contain enough acid and sugar and do not require pressure canning, a water bath is used. If you already have a large stockpot, there is no reason to run out and buy a special pot for canning. Directions for processing are included in each box of pectin. These directions are specific to your elevation, so it’s important to read them carefully.

Before beginning make sure the rims of your jars are free from cracks or burrs. Sterilize the jars and keep them hot, the dry cycle of a dishwasher is perfect for this. Pouring the hot jam into cold jars could cause them to crack. Sterilize the lids, which are only safe for a single use, by boiling.

Fill the large pot with water and heat. It has to be at a full boil and due to its size, it will take a while. Start heating before you make the jam.

For strawberry jam you’ll need:

• 2 qts ripe strawberries, crushed
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 7 cups of sugar (I’ve read it is possible to reduce this amount, but I have yet to experiment)
• 1 box pectin

Heat the strawberries, pectin, and lemon juice over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. When the mixture has reached a full boil, (still boiling while stirred) add the sugar. Stirring constantly return the mixture to a full boil and allow to boil for a full minute. Be careful, the mixture is quite hot and may splatter.

To ensure the jam will be the consistency you desire, dip a spoon in ice water and then quickly into the jam. If it adheres to the spoon, remove the jam from the heat and funnel into your sterilized jars with a wide-mouth funnel. Wipe the rim of the jars and top with the lids. Tighten the metal bands finger tight and promptly place in the water bath. Process according recommended time.

After the jars have finished processing carefully remove them from the water bath and place on a clean towel. Allow the jars to sit undisturbed until they have fully cooled. Shortly after removing from the water bath you should be rewarded with a faint popping noise as the jars seal. Any jars that do not seal completely should be stored in the refrigerator and used promptly.

Congratulations, you’ve made your first batch of jam.

*For those wondering about the difference between jams, jellies, and preserves, it’s simple. Jellies are made from fruit juice, jam from crushed fruit, and preserves are from mostly whole fruit.

Let’s talk turkey

Dear Home Ec 101,
In the bottom half of my freezer lies a turkey that’s been sitting
there since mid-December. We got it free as a grocery store give away and I
can’t bring myself to defrost that bird yet. Mostly because I don’t know
what to do with it once I get it defrosted. I’ve never cooked a turkey by
myself before.

So how exactly DOES on prepare a turkey? Any special tips, hints, what NOT
to do?

~I’m No Turkey

Heather says:

Cooks will argue from dawn until dusk about the best way to prepare a turkey. For special occasions, I am a huge fan of deep frying. Pardon me, is my neck showing? You will be proud to know I have neither set anything on fire nor overflowed the pot, ever. I learned the technique from a friend who has since passed on, but I think of him on the holidays. I’ll cover this method on another occasion, since it’s not exactly convenient. Aside from frying, this is my personal favorite. Although I am sure there will be plenty who are willing to pitch their ideas or just disagree vehemently on principle.

When defrosting your turkey be sure to allow it enough time to defrost completely. Allow 24 hours for every 5lbs of turkey to thaw in a refrigerator set at 40F. Just as an aside, in a deep freeze your turkey is safe almost indefinitely, it just won’t feed your family in that state. Always check defrosted meat for “off odors.” A raw poultry smell is fine (not exactly pleasant in and of itself), but anything rancid or foul needs to be tossed, it isn’t worth the risk.

For my turkeys I use:

• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning (I especially like Chef Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic)
• 1 rib celery, 1 carrot, 1 onion - cut into large chunks
• roasting pan large enough for your turkey- If you don’t own one the aluminum ones are fine.
• aluminum foil
• cooking twine - for a nicer presentation, it’s not a necessity

Rinse the turkey under cold running water and pat dry. Take this time to remove the giblets (my opinion still hasn’t changed) and discard any missed pinfeathers.

Adjust your oven racks to ensure the bird has plenty of room in its roasting pan and preheat the oven to 500F-no, that’s not a typo- soften the stick of butter. Fine, so this recipe isn’t going to be endorsed by the American Heart Association. With clean hands slather the bird with the butter, rub it into all the nooks and crannies, and as far under the skin as you can get. Now do the same with the Cajun seasoning, sprinkling any remaining seasoning into the cavity.

Loosely insert the onion, carrot, and celery into the cavity - do NOT pack it- and truss the bird. Place the turkey in your roasting pan and wash your hands thoroughly. When the oven reaches 500F place the bird inside and set a timer for 20 minutes. After the time has elapsed, reduce the heat to 350F and tent the breast with aluminum foil.

*Novice Tip* Tenting means to loosely cover! Do not tuck the foil tightly against the meat.

Your turkey is done when the breast reaches a temperature of 165, the thigh should be 170. For a 14-16lb bird expect 2 to 2 1/2 hours cooking time. Remove your pan from the oven and allow the bird to sit loosely covered for at least ten minutes before carving.

You may freeze leftover cooked meat for future recipes and don’t forget that the carcass can be used for an excellent stock.

Enjoy.

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