# What is your favorite thing to cook?



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

I love cooking steak, there is just something about picking out the right cut, and getting it perfectly tender and juicy. Here is how I do mine, how do you cook your favorite food?

As far as dinner goes, one of the most important things in many peoples mind is how to cook a great steak. The goal here is to build a great crust on the outside, while having as much of the inside of the steak as possible at "target temperature." What we mean here is that when we cut into the steak, we want to see as much steak as possible at the desired finished temperature (i.e. medium rare for most steak eaters, ~135°F) with only the outer most layer being overcooked, to build our flavorful crust. We will do this by cooking the steak in 2 parts: an initial sear, followed by a short trip in the oven to cook the steak through to our target temperature. The following items are recommended:

A quality cut of steak of your choice
salt
pepper
oil (vegetable, canola, olive)
sauté pan

First, we want to take the steak out of the refrigerator at least 45-60 minutes before cooking. When its out, season it with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and allow to rest on the counter. This will help some of the chill from the fridge to come off the steak, helping more of our steak to be at target temperature.
Seasoning at least 45 minutes before cooking will allow some of the juices in the steak to be pulled to the surface, where they will essentially make a brine with the salt, before being pulled back into the meat. This process will season our steaks better and give us a superior result.
Preheat your oven to 350°F, and heat up your sauté pan on high heat. Depending on your pan's thickness and material, this could take anywhere from about 10-20 minutes. In general, the heavier your pan, the better your sear, although preheating a heavier pan will always take longer. The pan should be extremely hot.
Our final consideration is cooking oil. If we choose poorly, our oil will burn before it browns our steaks, giving us acrid and off flavors. My preferred choices here are vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil would be a waste here, as its subtle flavors will just be ruined by the heat, although "Light" Olive oil works fine.
Immediately before cooking, pat the steaks on a paper towel to dry the surface(we want to sear the meat, not steam it), add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan, and lay the steaks down in the pan. Set a timer for 3 minutes and do not touch your steaks until the timer goes off! This will allow a nice deep crust to develop, generating flavor. *Be warned, this will generate a fair amount of smoke.
When the 3 minutes is up, flip the steaks and allow to sear on the other side for another 3 minutes.
After the 6 minutes of searing, move the steaks to the oven and cook them through to target temperature. *Timing will vary heavily depending on steak thickness and rest period, but could be anywhere from 2 minutes on a thin steak to 20 minutes in the case of very thick steaks.
Remove at 120°F for rare, 130°F for medium rare, 140°F for medium, and 150°F for medium well, checking the thickest part of the steak with your thermometer. The steaks will carryover about 5 degrees once out of the oven.
Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving. This technique can be replicated on a grill, using a "hot-zone/cool-zone" technique.
For those wishing for an additional layer of flavor, I've found excellent results by simply taking a butane or propane torch and flashing the steak with it for a few seconds. This combusts the fat on the surface which generates a smoky, grill-like flavor, although its certainly not as pronounced as truly grilled steaks.


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Interesting thread, good luck with all the criticism you'll receive with your steak method.

My favorite thing to cook is linguine a vongole.  The clams are easy to clean, there is minimal chopping (just some garlic and parsley), It's easy to clean up afterwards and cooks up in less than 30min. 

I dislike high heat searing and frying in my kitchen.  I like eating steaks and grilled chicken and fried foods I just hate the smoke, grease build up and cleaning up aftewards.


----------



## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

I must say that a good ribeye cooked perfectly on a grill is hard to beat. A filet I would sear and then finish in the oven. But regardless yes, I agree 100% that cooking a steak perfectly (then eating it!) is one of the pleasures of cooking.

A close second would be stews, to include chili and any number of curries. I "enjoy" cooking those as much as anything. I play in a lot of playgrounds but only one is my favorite.


----------



## ordo (Mar 19, 2009)

I have no favourites. What i like is variation.


----------



## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Nice copy/paste job.... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif http://savorycelebration.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/how-to-cook-the-perfect-steak-at-home/


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Well since he basically copied/pasted from a blog related to his his own business, I figure it is acceptable/img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

http://www.savorycelebration.com/about


----------



## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

cheflayne said:


> Well since he basically copied/pasted from a blog related to his his own business, I figure it is acceptable/img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif
> 
> http://www.savorycelebration.com/about


Ah good sleuthing cheflayne, I did miss that part.

Still IMO you should always cite the source when copy/pasting someone else's work. A matter of respect for the original writer. The original article is signed "Alex" and here it is posted by "Robbie".


----------



## 10buttonfriend (Mar 12, 2013)

Bok choy, and spicy pineapple fried rice....


----------



## thesoupnazi (Mar 13, 2013)

California turkey burger with greens and fruit. Simple and healthy. It's almost beach time boys.


----------



## tomago (Mar 13, 2013)

Don't laugh but my favorite is over easy eggs.


----------



## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Cakes.

they're magic.

All the foods like meat and vegetables and all, don't undergo a magical transformation.

Cakes start out as bunch of powders (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) and some butter, eggs, and then you get this concoction that bakes and grows and doesn't resemble flour or sugar or eggs or butter at all! Magic.

That's what i like to *cook *best. It gives me the greatest satisfaction.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I enjoy cooking a lot of different things.  Like grilling the ribs we had for dinner.  I finally decided what I like best - Sunday afternoon.

My wife goes to church and then after that to yoga.  She comes home for a bit, then off to band practice with her folk dance group.  And for that time at home I fix her something to eat.  Often omelets, sandwiches, salads, typical lunch fare.  But whatever it is the feeling is relaxed, casual, fun - a nice bit of comfort and happiness.

mjb.


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

siduri said:


> Cakes.
> 
> they're magic.
> 
> ...


I never thought of it that way. I really don't like baking because it seems to elude me. My cakes fall flat, my pie crusts turn out hard. the only things I seem to be able to make are custardy desserts like creme anglaise, flan, rice pudding, and whipped cream with berries. But I certainly do appreciate a good fluffy yellow cake more than anything.


----------



## foodlover42 (Mar 14, 2013)

Thanks for posting this for me Robbie! Absolutely my favorite thing to cook, and one of my favorite ways to cook it!


eastshores said:


> I must say that a good ribeye cooked perfectly on a grill is hard to beat. A filet I would sear and then finish in the oven. But regardless yes, I agree 100% that cooking a steak perfectly (then eating it!) is one of the pleasures of cooking.
> 
> A close second would be stews, to include chili and any number of curries. I "enjoy" cooking those as much as anything. I play in a lot of playgrounds but only one is my favorite.


Admittedly, I'm also a fanatic for anything braised. Beef bourginon would have to be my first choice again, but coq au vin, lamb curries, and sous vided short ribs are easily in my favorites category as well!


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

Koukouvagia,

Thanks so much for your feedback, but I must ask where do you see the flaw in the steak method?  How do you cook yours?


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

your welcome Alex, we are all a team so sharing is caring


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

French Fries, you are right, I will do that next time.  Most all our blogs are a collaboration between the chefs in our company and it is just a matter of who writes them.  I have taught Alex extensively with food and cooking and he is also one of my best friends so his steak method is my steak method.


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

Thanks Chef Layne


----------



## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Robbie Rensel said:


> French Fries, you are right, I will do that next time. Most all our blogs are a collaboration between the chefs in our company and it is just a matter of who writes them. I have taught Alex extensively with food and cooking and he is also one of my best friends so his steak method is my steak method.


Robbie, I wouldn't have mentioned anything if I had seen that you were involved with the blog. I just thought you did a copy/paste job from someone else's website, which I have seen done on this forum several times already..... glad to hear that wasn't the case here. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


----------



## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Family Meal... 

... usually i'll get one of the prep cooks to 'assist' me and together we 'create' great meals from leftovers / pantry stuff that is on hand.

Feeds the troops, gets the creative juices flowing and a chance to impress both the bosses and other cooks!


----------



## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Koukouvagia said:


> I never thought of it that way. I really don't like baking because it seems to elude me. My cakes fall flat, my pie crusts turn out hard. the only things I seem to be able to make are custardy desserts like creme anglaise, flan, rice pudding, and whipped cream with berries. But I certainly do appreciate a good fluffy yellow cake more than anything.


Have you tried a really good recipe? I can give you some for beginners that work every time and are nice and soft and moist. Everyone makes a big deal out of the precise measurements, but the level of precision needed is not like chemical laboratory - the real trick is in the technique. Many recipes give you little more than a list of ingredients and a couple of words like "beat" "cream" etc. I'd make you a challenge - i get you to be able to make a good cake or pie crust and in exchange, if you can't do it with my explanations, i'll eat a dish of stringbeans cooked in tomato sauce! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

siduri said:


> Have you tried a really good recipe? I can give you some for beginners that work every time and are nice and soft and moist. Everyone makes a big deal out of the precise measurements, but the level of precision needed is not like chemical laboratory - the real trick is in the technique. Many recipes give you little more than a list of ingredients and a couple of words like "beat" "cream" etc. I'd make you a challenge - i get you to be able to make a good cake or pie crust and in exchange, if you can't do it with my explanations, i'll eat a dish of stringbeans cooked in tomato sauce! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


You're on! What am I making?


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Robbie Rensel said:


> Koukouvagia,
> 
> Thanks so much for your feedback, but I must ask where do you see the flaw in the steak method? How do you cook yours?


Pretty much the same except I don't season until the very last moment. I was just saying that people around here get pretty grumpy with other people's methods. But you don't seem to have gotten much criticism at all. I personally do not cook with canola or vegetable oils for health reasons and I prefer my steak to be cooked outside on the grill. But nothing wrong with your method, just the seasoning.


----------



## toothlessbeaver (Mar 13, 2013)

I see everyone has eluded my favorite thing to prepare. PRIME RIB! I have a recipe  that I have used since the 80's that just fills the house with wonderful smells. Not only do you eat with your mouth, but eyes and nose as well. A very slow and long roasted Prime, will do it every time.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Robbie Rensel said:


> French Fries, you are right, I will do that next time. Most all our blogs are a collaboration between the chefs in our company and it is just a matter of who writes them. I have taught Alex extensively with food and cooking and he is also one of my best friends so his steak method is my steak method.


Cheftalk is not particularly interested in content copy and pasted from other sources. It's already on the web and doesn't need endless repetition. We prefer original content, particularly for starting a thread. Links to other content make sense in providing answers to questions other members posts.

New content elsewhere merits discussion of course, but we ask that you supply a link and offer your insight into why the link is significant and what you think about it. Grandstanding your own content is frowned upon.


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Soup, I love to cook soup!!!


----------



## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Koukouvagia said:


> You're on! What am I making?


Let's take this outside /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif - either to private messages or to a new thread. What do you think? maybe in the late night cafe? The Challenge? You tell me what you want to learn to make and i'll give you the recipe.


----------



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

I truly love to cook Greek Mezedes. Inviting friends and family over and serving many small (tapas style) plates with great Greek wines (no that is not an oxy moron to say "great" Greek wines). My favorite. I might serve the following if you were invited.

Santorini Tomato fritters
Meatballs (fried in olive oil)
Greek Olives
Feta cheese
Stuffed tomatoes
Stuffed eggplants (mini moussaka)
Grilled or marinated octopus
Moschofilero and Retsina
Ouzo
Opa!


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

What's moschofilero?  Never heard of that.

In my parts stuffed eggplant mini moussaka are called "papoutsakia"


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

phatch said:


> Cheftalk is not particularly interested in content copy and pasted from other sources. It's already on the web and doesn't need endless repetition. We prefer original content, particularly for starting a thread. Links to other content make sense in providing answers to questions other members posts.
> 
> New content elsewhere merits discussion of course, but we ask that you supply a link and offer your insight into why the link is significant and what you think about it. Grandstanding your own content is frowned upon.


I apologize, still new. I will not do that in the future. Thanks for the heads up.


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

Nicko said:


> I truly love to cook Greek Mezedes. Inviting friends and family over and serving many small (tapas style) plates with great Greek wines (no that is not an oxy moron to say "great" Greek wines). My favorite. I might serve the following if you were invited.
> 
> Santorini Tomato fritters
> Meatballs (fried in olive oil)
> ...


I love tapas style. It is so much better than having a huge plate of one dish. You can try many different dishes and be able to experience all the flavors of each. I went to Spain a few years back and the Tapas there was just amazing. It could be anything from a few pickles, to some delicious bread with a little cheese. Sometimes simple is better.


----------



## calendula (Mar 9, 2013)

Home-made pizza!


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

Calendula said:


> Home-made pizza!


Oooo...that is a good one! What kind if pizza doug do you use? How do you make your crust?


----------



## thesoupnazi (Mar 13, 2013)

A simple chef's salad with Natural Harvest Honey Mustard dressing. No need to add artery clogging red meat. Scores of protein.


----------



## pollopicu (Jan 24, 2013)

I believe I particularly enjoy cooking soups the most. I make all my soups from scratch. No soup I ever make comes out the same twice. When I begin cooking soup, it all begins. I start slowly building my flavors and pay close care to every single ingredient I put in. Making sure they each are optimally prepared so the soup comes out perfect.

For me making soup is more than just cooking. It's therapy. It's like a love-dance. 

Other foods I like preparing and cooking are apps and hors d'oeuvres. They are also therapeutic for me but in a different way than making soup, less passionate, more reflective.

I also love cooking meats to perfection. I pride myself in that the most. I watch my meats like hawk. I'm big on temping.


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

Pollopicu said:


> I believe I particularly enjoy cooking soups the most. I make all my soups from scratch. No soup I ever make comes out the same twice. When I begin cooking soup, it all begins. I start slowly building my flavors and pay close care to every single ingredient I put in. Making sure they each are optimally prepared so the soup comes out perfect.
> 
> For me making soup is more than just cooking. It's therapy. It's like a love-dance.
> 
> ...


What is your favorite kind of soup? Do you have an opinion on second day soup is better?


----------



## african berrie (Mar 29, 2013)

I love cooking a lamb curry. I do make my own curry paste which is time consuming but time well spent./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

African berrie said:


> I love cooking a lamb curry. I do make my own curry paste which is time consuming but time well spent./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


You have to make your own curry, good call!


----------



## laurenlulu (Sep 9, 2012)

The thing that gets me most excited is honestly a roux after the trinity has been thrown in. The nutty smell brings back memories of my mom, my grandma and everyday living in south Louisiana. There are so many mouthwatering dishes that begin with a basic roux and those vegetables, the anticipation of the finished product makes my heart race.


----------



## cjmmytunes (Apr 15, 2013)

For me, it all depends on the season and the temp in the house.  Lots of time, I love to fix a huge pot of soup or pasta sauce.  I will freeze a lot of the pasta sauce after about 2 or 3 days of it sitting in the fridge, but our soups my mom and I will eat to the last drop, especially chicken and rice or vegetable beef.


----------



## indygal (Dec 7, 2010)

Soup. Any soup, all soups. Right now I'm in love with "green soup" Make a good rich stock with plenty of aromatic vegetables and add 3 whole bunches of greens. (I use 2 bunches of spinach and one of collard.) Blend all to a smooth thick consistency when done, garnish with a generous splash of olive oil. YUM

My all time favorite meal, the one i missed the most when i was a vegetarian is home made"clear out the garden " vegetable beef soup.


----------



## helloitslucas (Apr 8, 2013)

Any type of taco or burrito. I just love making and eating them.


----------



## robbie rensel (Feb 21, 2013)

cjmmytunes said:


> For me, it all depends on the season and the temp in the house. Lots of time, I love to fix a huge pot of soup or pasta sauce. I will freeze a lot of the pasta sauce after about 2 or 3 days of it sitting in the fridge, but our soups my mom and I will eat to the last drop, especially chicken and rice or vegetable beef.


You cannot beat soup! Especially second day soup, it is the best!


----------



## jessicaskyler83 (May 7, 2013)

Native American (Indian ) Tacos, I know most people have only had them in festivals but when you know the history of fry bread and make it yourself it becomes something more. I also feel connected to my ancestors when I make it. I also pay attention to the details of the chili using ground venison instead of beef when possible . I wish more people knew it like I do.


----------



## dledmo (Apr 7, 2006)

JessicaSkyler83 said:


> Native American (Indian ) Tacos, I know most people have only had them in festivals but when you know the history of fry bread and make it yourself it becomes something more. I also feel connected to my ancestors when I make it. I also pay attention to the details of the chili using ground venison instead of beef when possible . I wish more people knew it like I do.


What's your recipe? I had a good one written down but lost it. It still wasn't as good as my cousin's, she made perfect fry bread.


----------



## pollopicu (Jan 24, 2013)

Robbie Rensel said:


> What is your favorite kind of soup? Do you have an opinion on second day soup is better?


Absolutely. I know for a fact that soups are better the next day.

My favorite soup to make is a very simple chicken and cilantro soup to start with. You can add noodles, if you like, or onions, eggs dropped in whole out of the shell and allowed to set, perhaps a little sriracha.

You can take that soup to so many levels really.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Soup?  You open a can, pour it in a bowl and microwave.  Right? 

I love making stock and starting from that.  In Petersons' "Splendid Soups" book there is a recipe for a chicken tomatillo soup that I really like.  It's like eating a chicken enchilada with a spoon.  Very nice.

And yes, second day soups are very nice.  I made a shrimp and sausage soup yesterday, had leftovers tonight.  The flavors are more developed, but reheated shellfish has texture issues.  Still very good, though, but the shrimp bits were better yesterday.

mjb.


----------



## jessicaskyler83 (May 7, 2013)

dledmo said:


> What's your recipe? I had a good one written down but lost it. It still wasn't as good as my cousin's, she made perfect fry bread.


 When I am able to get to a desk top I'll send it to you in pm  . I don't have the most user friendly cellphone or I'd type it for you now .


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

slow cooked pork shoulder.  I have never cooked it the same twice and i always always get excited at the 3 hour stage when i can taste it and start the tweaking process. 

How are the juices going to reduce this time / what can i throw in there / chillies? / should it be a joint or pulled / veggies or pitta bread, salads and yogurt


----------



## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

bughut said:


> slow cooked pork shoulder. I have never cooked it the same twice and i always always get excited at the 3 hour stage when i can taste it and start the tweaking process.
> 
> How are the juices going to reduce this time / what can i throw in there / chillies? / should it be a joint or pulled / veggies or pitta bread, salads and yogurt


Me too! I'm a huge pork shoulder fan. Here's one of the many recipes I use for it: http://www.cheftalk.com/t/67835/elegant-pork-butt-dinner#post_366656


----------



## pollopicu (Jan 24, 2013)

teamfat said:


> Soup? You open a can, pour it in a bowl and microwave. Right?
> 
> I love making stock and starting from that. In Petersons' "Splendid Soups" book there is a recipe for a chicken tomatillo soup that I really like. It's like eating a chicken enchilada with a spoon. Very nice.
> 
> ...


Is the cookbook you're talking about called Splendid Soups?

I'm a big fan of Petersons. I have his vegetables, as well as his fish and shellfish cookbooks.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Pollopicu said:


> Is the cookbook you're talking about called Splendid Soups?
> 
> I'm a big fan of Petersons. I have his vegetables, as well as his fish and shellfish cookbooks.


Yes. I also have his 'Sauces' book. A wealth of knowledge in that one!

mjb.


----------



## chicagoterry (Apr 3, 2012)

Thanks for the recipe, French Fries.

It sounds delicious.


----------



## genemachine (Sep 26, 2012)

That's the real deal, FF! Pretty close to a refined version of the local style here. I never tire of this!


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

French Fries said:


> Me too! I'm a huge pork shoulder fan. Here's one of the many recipes I use for it: http://www.cheftalk.com/t/67835/elegant-pork-butt-dinner#post_366656


Love that you used sage FF. I've always hated it til my BF used it heavily with pork. Loved it ever since.


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

French Fries said:


> Me too! I'm a huge pork shoulder fan. Here's one of the many recipes I use for it: http://www.cheftalk.com/t/67835/elegant-pork-butt-dinner#post_366656


Yup, although I don't use the same flavorings as you do I definitely learned how to cook a nice pork butt from that thread. Tie up the pork, don't over cook it like I used to and it comes out stellar, in fact much better than a prime rib!


----------

