Culinary Quickies with Shoshana

by | Sep 1, 2021 | Advice, Food, Regular Feature

Reader Question: 

Multiple readers have asked, “What is the best way to ensure meat cooked in a Crockpot won’t dry out?”

Answer:

To keep meat from drying out and tasting burnt in a Crockpot/slow cooker you need to start by choosing the correct cut of meat. Most recipes designed for a slow cooker have max times of 8 to 10 hours on low. Many people that use a Crockpot on Shabbat will have the food cooking on low for 12 or more hours before serving. To accommodate the longer cooking times and still have the food taste delicious, the best options for meats are those that benefit from a long slow cook and have a high fat content.

Brisket is one cut that lends itself well to being cooked low and slow in a Crockpot, oven, or smoker. This cut is also used to make corned beef and pastrami. Corned beef is brisket which is pickled over the course of a few days or weeks and then rinsed and boiled. Once boiled it can be glazed and finished in the oven. Corned beef that has been pickled also lends itself well to slow cooking in the Crockpot. Pastrami is corned beef that has been smoked after pickling. This cut of meat can be added to recipes like Yapchik and will infuse the bottom and top layer of potato with its smoky flavor. Using stew meat which is generally cubed from shoulder portions of beef and lamb is another good choice for the slow cooker. 

Making sure to have the correct amount of liquid in the Crockpot will also ensure tender meat after a long cook. A key to keep in mind – fat will add flavor and keep the meat moist and tender. The leaner the meat and the less added fat, the tougher it will become. A great example is ground meat. If you choose 90% lean it is going to taste overcooked regardless of how you cook it in the Crockpot. That is not to say ground meat can’t be cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. If you can, have your local kosher butcher grind your meat for you. Ask for a less fine grind, often called chili grind. Use meat that is marbled with fat to ensure that it won’t dry out. 

One more way to ensure that the meat doesn’t dry out is to sear the outside before adding it to the Crockpot.

Following these basic guidelines should help you to solve the problem of overcooked, burnt, dry flavors in your cholent or other Crockpot recipes.

Reader Question:  

What knives do you recommend?

Answer:

One doesn’t have to spend a fortune on good kitchen knives. However, the knives you choose should be well-balanced and should have a blade that can be sharpened. Serrated knives, such as bread knives and some steak knives, do not lend themselves to being sharpened and should only be used for the use they are designed for. Five factors to keep in mind are size, style, steel, handle, and weight. Know the material of the knives you are buying. Good knives are made of high carbon steel, a combination of stainless steel and carbon steel, or stainless steel. J.A. Henckels International is known worldwide for the quality of its knives, as are Wusthof and Mercer Culinary Brands. The price range for these knives will be from around $40 to $150 or more, depending on the type of knife you are purchasing. 

This brings us to the importance of knowing the type/types of knives you will need. The first knife, and possibly the most versatile in the kitchen, is the classic 8” long chef’s knife. If you can only buy one good quality knife at a time, this should be your first choice. Next should be a paring knife, a fillet knife, and then a cleaver. Plan on storing your knives in a roll or a knife block of some sort to protect the blades and keep them from going dull.

 

To submit a question please email Shoshana at: foodeditor@unorthoboxed.com 

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