Overcookers anonymous

[kevin20422]

My wife needs everything overcooked and will have it no other way.

Is this a common disease? Perhaps a support group of some sort?

I know I am not the first.

 

[kyheirloomer]

Yeah, it's fairly common, Kevin, especially among certain ethnic groups.

My brother's a good example. He wants his steak cooked well done. Then douses it in ketchup to make it moist. Hmmmmph!

Took me 30 years to get Friend Wife to eat meat that was still a little pink. Now she wonders how she ever ate it any other way.

The thing to keep in mind is that there are many steps between bloody and shoe leather. The trick is to work slowly towards the goal.

 

[dc sunshine]

Kevin, 5 years ago I had the same problem with my son and better half. Sauce over everything - couldnt bare to see a hint even of pink. I've gently worked them towards it. By stealth

I started with beef stews etc. You know the point where you've browned off the cubes and they are still tender, but then simmer for couple more hours to get it soft again? I'd get all the sauce(*not tomato ketchup!) for the stew, veg, beans etc combined seasoned, keep it on a simmer, ready to go. Then brown the meat.. nice n brown & caramelised on the outer, juicy and pink on the insdes.Straight into the sauce - serve immediately. The sauce covers the pinkness. Easy cheat to help the palate and change attitudes.

Chinese cooking helped too, where you only brown the meat then pull outta the wok/pan. It's barely cooked. But so tasty. And they can look at it all they want - it's brown, and so soft.

I used bbq lamb chops too. Long marinade, sear couple of minutes on the gas grill, out to rest in warm place tented in foil. Juices relax back in. Then they could smear all they like with bbq sauce. It's such a lovely brown colour - camoflage!

My MIL would go out, order a rib steak - then insist it be well done. Then complain it was tough as old boots. Poor dear had false teeth so that made it worse. So much wasted steak.... But she was old country girl who grew up without fridges, and the meat pretty much had to be cremated after storing in the meat locker for it to be considered safe.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Some will change, some won't. Frustrating I know. Gently does it. Good luck!

 

[justpj]

I admit it. I am a charter member of this club. I hate raw meat on my plate...ewww.

I used to drive my father in law nuts because he couldnt seem to get a steak cooked enough for me....I kept telling him ...put mine on the grill 10 min before yours...I will be happy but he never got the knack of it hehe.

I know all the old arguments about it tasting better and stuff...I have on occation been a guest at someones home where the meat was cooked rare or med rare and being raised to eat what your given when being company I did....the taste to me...a raw meat o phobe...was cold gelationous and metalic taste of blood...no thanks...

I even eat the end cut of the prime rib so I can have it cooked decent.....

there are alot of us out there hehe

 

[koukouvagia]

Growing up greek I never liked meat until we came to the states. Meat in greece is cooked until it is unrecognizeable. I have never been able to tolerate lamb until I started making it myself. My Mother always cooked a leg of lamb in the oven until it was black on the outside and dry and stringy on the inside.

I won't even touch chicken or pork if it is overcooked.

 

[dillonsmimi]

I find that the shoe leather eaters also are card carrying members of the no tomato, onion, mushroom or bell pepper fraternity (AKA Picky Eaters Club.) The DGS loves sausage until you put it on a pizza. Go figure.

 

[justpj]

untrue! I love that other stuff....iam just fond of leather too! hehe

 

[luc_h]

Hi Kevin,

According to this site on phobias, the closest phobia I can find that could explain this behaviour is this:
Trichinophobia - Fear of trichinosis, Trichinosis fear, Trichinosis phobia

link: oFear The Fear & Phobia Forum • Trichinophobia - Fear of trichinosis

Luc H.

 

[leephan79]

Picky eaters just can't adapt to their enviornment as well. I really hate cooking for picky eaters because they are extremely difficult. Its almost impossible to just cook for them.

 

[kuan]

You should think of that as a challenge!

 

[leephan79]

Yeah if only I could read everyones minds. I work in a Sushi/Kobe Steak restraurant and dealing with picky people is a pain.

 

[kyheirloomer]

Picky eaters just can't adapt to their enviornment as well.

I resemble that remark! I have not trouble adapting, and I'm a picky eater----if I see food, I pick it up and eat it.

Bwahahahaha

 

[kevin20422]

Thanks for all the great replies. My wife is from Colombia SA and that could be part of it.

I try to explain to her tortellini should be Al Dente but it is like talking to the wall.

I suppose you can lead a Colombiana to Tortellini but you cant make her enjoy it Al Dente.

 

[dc sunshine]

lol Kevin...I know your feelings.

Just take yours out a little earlier and let the rest go to mush, for the sake of peace under your roof.

But there is hope. Unless it is really called for, as in BBQ or hot dogs, now we never have ketchup at the table eace:

 

[kirstens]

My dad douses every meat served to him in ketchup............insult to the chef!
I'm on the complete end of this threads spectrum. I love my meat pink, almost bloody

 

[kcz]

Just try cooking a roast when half the family wants it raw and the other half wants blackened shoe leather. (I'm not fortunate enough to have two ovens.)

 

[dc sunshine]

Ditto what you said. If mine runs around the plate, all the better the hunt. But, different strokes for different folks. We just gotta get in there and edjumacate them :thumb:..by hook or by crook. We are right and they are wrong

 

[dc sunshine]

In that case, you need a tapered roast - really thick at one end, really thin at the other. One end ends up nice, other end is shoe leather. Voila!

Or conversely, cut it in half, start the bit you want well done way ahead of the rare end, finish cooking together in same pan. Would work? Dunno haven't tried.

Just a thought.

 

[koukouvagia]

I'm very often faced with that same dilemma especially when my Mom is in town. If possible I cut the roast in half and place in the oven a bit earlier than the rest of it just so it will be well done. Otherwise I cut off part of the roast after it's cooked and stick back in the oven to overcook - picky eaters don't mind waiting.