I’m looking for something other than throwing them in the microwave for 10 mins and putting butter / bacon bits on them.

Any ideas?
Coat outside lightly with oil, sprinkle kosher salt on it, 350 degrees in the oven for 1 hour. (Alton Brown style)

I end up putting butter, pepper, pepperjack cheese, and tearing up some turkey bacon ontop. Sprinkle some Frank’s Red Hot on it as wel.

I’ve also done broccoli and cheese before in the past as well.

Do you coat it with Olive Oil?

Also, what about wrapping them in aluminum foil? I’ve heard people like to do that as well.
Rub the outside of the potato with some kind of cooking oil, it makes the skin crispy (that is if you eat the skin, like I do).
I just wrap them in aluminum foil and stick it in the oven at 350 for about an hour…sometimes longer

we just put butter, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, sour cream and bacon bits…
i just throw them in the microwave cause i’m lazy. bacon bits, brocolli, cheese, butter, sour cream…yummy
1 hour in the oven on 350, then drizzle truffle oil and sea salt with some chives on top

I don’t wrap them in aluminum foil. I just stick them right on the rack.

Put a pan under it though to catch any drippings… or if you’re lazy and live in an apartment like I do that you’re about to move out of, then just don’t put anything under them.
If you wrap them in alum. foil, then the skin won’t be crispy. Also it makes it harder for steam to escape, which results in your potato being soggy.

and BBQ ftw.

Alton brown also pokes them a million times with a fork.

I just poked them about 1 million times, applied a decent amount of butter, wrapped them in aluminum foil and placed on the grill. Gonna let them hang out there for a while.

The skin get crispy still?
I usually just nuke them, but while they are in the microwave I broil up a chicken breast. Cut up the chicken and put it in the tater with some brocolli, salt, pepper, cheese, and butter
In the oven for an hour on a bed of salt, turning over once half an hour in.

BTW Microwave cooking and Baking are different.

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Chicken is by far my favorite meat; this is because it goes so well with so many styles. I’m looking for some new suggestions in cooking.

With the aforesaid having been said, please post your favorite chicken recipe. Give a little insight on how it will taste, what it tastes like, how healthy* it is, etc. I personally love the taste of buffalo sauce, garlic, mesquite BBQ, and some others. I also love the taste of cheese, peppers, onions, etc. Thanks in advance!

*I won’t eat anything too unhealthy. I maintain a good nutrition.

fried chicken ftw

I heat vegetable oil to medium high (then turn down to med once its hot) cut up the chicken and dip it in beaten egg, then dip into whole wheat flour (or white, it doesn’t matter) with a little salt and pepper and cyan pepper, then into milk, and back into the flour, (or you could be lazy and just mix it all together into a batter but that usually comes out thicker and absorbs a lot more oil). fry until done, turning every few.

and for the healthy chicken recipe…

Jamaican curry chicken:

coat bottom of large skillet with oil (maybe a few table spoons), add several table spoons of curry (any kind of curry, I’ve tried like 5 different kinds and it always comes out good) start by cooking a large white or yellow onion (chopped up) before the onion is done add 2 chicken brests cut into strips, (fork sized) cook until chicken is cooked on the outside (its ok if its still raw in the middle). reduce heat and add 2 large tomatoes chopped up, some salt to taste and some hot peppers or hot sauce if you like it spicy (I usually just throw in a bunch of tapatio) but the original recipe had dried chilies in it (I just don’t usually have those on hand). Cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice. This recipe was approved by my aunt who’s a dietician…so I guess it couldn’t be that bad for you

lol, this is what I was going to suggest too until he said "healthy" I believe your way is actually considered "chicken fried" chicken since part of your dredging process involves eggs

my way for fried chicken is as follows (anyone who watches Alton Brown should recognize the method)

Soak pieces in buttermilk for 24-48 hours. Drain. Heat shortening to 325 – 350 degrees so that it comes about 1/4" to 3/8" up the side of a cast iron skillet (don’t let shortening get to 365 degree or it’ll start smoking). Cover drained chicken liberally with a poultry shake (mine consists of garlic powder, salt, paprika, and chile powder). Dredge in flour (dredging after seasoning causes seasoning to be under the skin, not burned, and taste a LOT better), fry for 9-12 minutes per side (the target internal temperature is 180 degrees). If you have a splatter shield, cover the skillet with it… I don’t, so I just end up cleaning a lot afterwards. Cool for 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack (not a paper towel or newspaper, that way it doesn’t sit in it’s own oil).

Pan frying chicken like this is very tasty. I make this fairly often, and people who I’ve made it for often ask me to do it again.
I actually saw that episode. what does soaking it in buttermilk do though? other than give the buttermilk salmonella…I think I’m gonna try that recipe next time I make fried chicken. I do it the other way just because I dont plan ahead and usually just go out and buy chicken right before I make it. I also tent not to season it very much because I end up drenching it in hot sauce. I like the garlic salt on the inside idea though. it’ll keep it from falling off. i always salt after I finish frying though (instead of before), when the oil is still hot, it seems to stick pretty well that way.
I think the buttermilk holds the chicken together and the seasoning and dredge to the chicken better, but I’m not exactly sure. I do know that when I cut up a whole chicken, after a night’s soak in buttermilk, problems I was having with keeping skin on the meat is solved. The viscocity of the buttermilk soaked into the skin and flesh holds everything together nicely.
hmmm, I’ve never had problems with the fryed stuff coming off the chicken, if you use a paper towl to get the water off the outside and use egg before you dredge it holds up pretty well. does the buttermilk add any flavor to the chicken? it actually sounds like it might be good in a better, like buttermilk pancakes except on fryed chicken….all this talk about chicken makes me want some chicken and waffels.
It’s a shame you’re in Oakland, I’d offer up some chicken if you brought the waffles (there’s a place in downtown atlanta that sells great soul food, and I always get chicken and waffles there).

I haven’t tried making it without the buttermilk, so I can’t comment on a flavor difference… the first time I made it, I couldn’t believe I had made anything that tasty. So I never changed the recipe
hmmm. well maybe I’ll make one of each next time and do a taste test. we got some pretty good soul food here in Oakland. there used to be a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Oakland, its still here but they changed the name, its still run by the same people so I’m sure its the same food. but roscoes is the shit, def a gluttons paradise.
As far as I know this isn’t too unhealthy:

start by getting four bone-in chicken breasts; they’re cheaper, and the bone = more flavor. Skin them yourself if you must, but the skin = handy-dandy method of keeping the dry-rub pressed to the meat. Plus, it’s tasty.

Mix together about a tablespoon each of coarse salt, oregano, and sweet paprika with a teaspoon each of rosemary and freshly ground black pepper for the dry rub. Or, you could do your own thing and mix and match; it’s a dry rub. The rosemary permeates the meat and the rub makes the skin supertasty. Rub all over and let sit at room temperature for at least half an hour, and up to an hour.

Make a basic ketsup-based barbeque sauce. Combine about 2 cups ketsup with 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, then start off with about a teaspoon each dry ground mustard seed, oregano, salt, pepper, chile powder (I like a tiny bit of chipotle). Keep tasting as you go along to find the proportions you like of each spice. Mix well and simmer on the stove for half an hour, stirring occasionally. You should end up with a good, savory-sour reddish-brown sauce.

Start the barbeque and add the chicken over direct heat until nicely browned on both sides. Move the chicken to an unlit area of the barbeque, cover, and cook on indirect heat for another five minutes. Add a layer of barbeque sauce and continue grilling until the chicken is no longer pink, turning once. My gas grill takes about ten to fifteen minutes to do this after I’ve moved it off the lit burners.

Meanwhile, get some unhusked corn, pull the leaves back (but not off), take the silk out, replace the leaves, then wedge a dollop of thyme butter underneath a leaf to grill over the flames.

Lifted more or less verbatim from a Williams-Sonoma book, but I love it all the same.

k, I’m hungry now
Fried chicken isn’t all too bad. I’ve seen stuff that can get MUCH worse than fried chicken; you get the point.
Something I do about once a month, everyone seems to love it:

Take two chicken breasts and cut them into bite sized strips or cubes. Place chicken in large zip lock with cajun seasoning and shake until all the chicken is covered.

Sautee the chicken in butter 7-10 minutes. Meanwhile boil 4 servings Linquine pasta.

Chop up one red and one green pepper and add to almost cooked chicken. Sautee another 2-3 minutes. Finally add 1/2 cup heavy cream, pepper, dried basil, garlic salt and lemon pepper to chicken and peppers.

Serve chicken mixture over pasta, cheers.

This sounds really good. How long do you leave it over the heat after you add the cream? Or do you just let it come to a simmer and then done?
If you like fried chicken on of the ways to make it less unhealthy for you is to use Soy Flour instead of regular flour.

The Soy flour has a lot less carbs and caloric intake than regular white flour. Then use peanut oil instead of canola or other types of oil.

The soy flour isn’t that bad. Doesn’t change the taste at all.
you can also fry skinless chicken – that’s what I do, soak in buttermilk for a few hours then dredge in flour + spices

heat oil like said above – about a 1/2 inch deep in the pan and you’re good to go

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it sounds to me like someone used harsh abrasive scrubbing pads and possibly a liquid soap or even used a dishwasher on the big one. my guess is that its fucked.
Put it on the stove. Get it good and hot. *edit then remove from heat and immediately *put a spoonful of crisco in it. The crisco and heat should loosen the funk. Scrape and wipe clean.

…and yes is it seasoned??
it said it was pre-seasoned, so i started using it without me seasoning it. after a while, i found that it wasn’t working so great. so, i seasoned it by melting some crisco on it and letting it sit in the oven for a couple of hours (damn, that smell gives me a headache). i did that on two separate occasions.

i guess what i wasn’t certain of is if i just have to keep seasoning it again and again.

for jtl090179, from what i’ve read, it is pretty hard to destroy a cast iron pan. in most cases, you can wash it off with liquid soap, but that take off all of the seasoning. you can even sand them with sandpaper if they get rusty. when you do most of that stuff though, you have to season them all over again.
I’ve never heard of sanding them. If it is just a little rust the good Admiral’s suggestion will get rid of it. The rough Lodge pan is just newer. It takes years if not decades of use to get the nice smooth bottom. Lodge is a good affordable brand, I have one. Just keep using it and it will get better and better. Be patient.

so, what i’m seeing so far is normal? this is my first new cast iron pan, so i wasn’t sure.

Yes, it is normal. Just keep using it and it will get better and better.
Do you have a self cleaning oven? If so throw it in there while you clean your oven it will burn off all the crap on the pan then you’ll have to reseason it. I rub it down real good with veg oil both sides and throw it in the oven at 350 for 2-3 hours, then after every use rub it down with oil and I’ll keep it wrapped in aluminum foil.
this sounds like way too much of a pain in the ass for a pan.

thanks. i just wanted to make sure.

oh and jtl, it is quite a pain in the neck, but cast iron pans are awesome. once they are properly cured, which obviously takes some time, they are among the easiest pans to clean. they eventually get a very smooth surface that is extremely strong, unlike most of the other non-stick surfaces. also, they hold onto heat like crazy. so, when you are trying to cook some meat in it, it holds enough heat to actually brown it. many other pans lose so much heat as soon as you throw anything in them.

I’m going to have to agree. I recently picked up a new Lodge 12" pan and it’s been pretty good. It does say it is already seasoned and it’s cleaned up pretty well, but it’ll just take some time to get to the same point as a good pan that’s been used and passed down for years and years.
so, while i was visiting my aunt, she showed me her 10" cast iron pan that she was tired of and hadn’t used in years. she’s going to give it to me. stinks that i forgot to take it and she lives 4 hours away, but i know it is waiting for me.

i’ve been seasoning that 12" pan today. i got all of the gunk off of it and started fresh. i coated it in shortening and left it in the oven for a few hours and let it cool down. then, i coated it again and put it in again.

cast iron is a wonderful pan if treated well.
yeah, they seem to be a bit of a pain in the beginning, but after they are broken in they are amazing to cook with.

i just threw some pics up of my 3 cast iron pans. yes, i know this is lame. lol. you can also check out my 20 year old stove that is missing 3/4 of the knobs on the front.

the biggest one is the new one. i’m not exactly sure if i’m seasoning it right. when i was done, the remaining shortening was like a sticky film on it. i rubbed it with a little more shortening (that melted since the pan was still a little warm) and it got rid of the stickiness.
hehe, now that i got my pan seasoned, my mother-in-law brought hers over so i could do it on hers too. i also found that the pan got a lot better after i actually put it on the stove for a bit. it is really starting to darken now and is getting smoother already. i can see a big difference between mine and my mother-in-law’s pan since she never cured it.

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- I can make pasta (premade sauce ), rice and vegetarian stir fry. That is all. I tried meat a few times but it always comes out tough and stringy.
- I currently find cooking boring and a waste of my time, which I’m sure isn’t helping things.

I think the only reason my weight hasn’t soared is because I tend to avoid classic junk food (soda, candy bars, chips, etc) and would rather not eat than expend the effort. Obviously that last bit is some flawed thinking. I’m reasonably bright and creative in other areas, so I’m sure I can learn to cook and love it. I think I need a kick in the right direction.

Can you tell me how you learned to love to cook, or recommend me some books?
No one who loves cooking now started off not liking it so much?
well I used to not like it so much, but I just started to cook more often and cood more "difficult" dishes and people liked them. Then I just started to do it all the time.
what type of cut of meat were you using? slower is almost always best for tenderness. You could try using a crock pot for roasts-plus they are super simple! sear your roast, add a package of onion soup mix to you crock pot, mix in a cup of water or broth, cook 4 to 6 hours on high, add veggies (carrots, potatoes, mushrooms. etc. whatever you like) and cook 2 more hours. easy!!
you could also try watching some of the cooking shows on food network, sometimes the recipies tend to be a little more complex, but it will give you the basic idea, and you can always improvise as far as ingrdients if you don’t like something. Rachel ray tends to be fairly simple to follow along with, and for a newer cook, her ideas are usually pretty simple. good luck!!

I’ll second your assessment of Rachael Ray and throw in there that if you want to try some of her recipes pick up her book "30 Minute Meals" and watch her show a few times for tips on how to successfully cook one of her meals in 30 minutes. The recipes are really easy to follow and her tips for newbies are pretty spot on (like instead of trying to deal with the plant waste as it comes up…just toss it all into one bowl and deal with it all later…)
Thanks for the responses.

What channel is the cooking channel? Are the shows on late at night? Does the 30-min meal include prep time? I’m not so worried about the clean-as-you-go bit as I do that by rote anyway. I’ll look into that book, thanks for the tip.

Cut of meat? Heh, I don’t know. When I was in college it was whatever was cheapest, but that’s not an issue now. What ones have a better chance of turning out softer? Also, I have to learn what exactly it means to ‘sear’ something. I’ll have to check and see if we still have the crock pot – I think it got pitched because the inner bowl had a crack.

I think if I could manage some decent dishes in half an hour, my interest level might go up. I’d guess, too, that the simple dishes would take less time as I got more efficient in my processes and started prepping for more than one meal at once, which would mean the more complicated ones won’t take as long when I eventually get there.

I forgot to add in my original post that I’m eating well now because hubby does the cooking. However, I think I should also know how to cook dinner when he’s busy and have it not suck, lol. I can bake sweets like there’s no tomorrow (hence the autopilot cleaning habits), but it’s rather embarrassing how disparate my skill level is between that and cooking. Thinking back on things now, this is also how my mom was – great at baking pies and sundry, but only so-so on the cooking end, and dad was no better. Not a whole lot of guidance there. Step-dad does all the cooking in that household now.
I would ditto Rachel Ray – I don’t watch her show, but that 30 minute cook book is extremely popular

if it’s that you know what you want to eat but don’t know how to prepare it – get a basic cookbook like joy or fannie farmer or good housekeeping, they are all pretty good at explaining techniques (check your library – borrow and browse)

also allrecipes.com – great site for finding recipes that are tried and tested

you can do a search by ingredients – say chicken and tomatoes and pasta and get a list of recipes – just look for the ones with lots of positive reviews. They have a section called "cooking school" as well

FTMFW!
Consider thinking of cooking as a set of methods.

Depending on the type of meat/vegetable a certain technique/method will be applied.

You don’t have to learn all these techniques in one day but eventually you can have a full understanding of the science behind each technique and there is no limit to what you can do (based on ingredients)

Eventually you can go without recipes and just gather ingredients and use a technique and go nuts

I think that’s exactly the approach I need to take. Do you know of any cooking books which demonstrate this?

Alton Brown is the man, he always makes sure to discuss the details. Watch "Good Eats." This guy uploaded a bunch of the episodes on youtube:

to sear means to brown. heat a skillet with a little olive (or vegetable) oil, pepper and salt the meat, and just brown quickly on each side. crock pots are also faily cheap, you can get a decent, basic one for between $15 and $25.
food network has shows on all times during the day, just check your local listings for times. foodnetwork.com might help too. Paula dean has some good recipies on there too. Rachel Ray does include the prep time-30 minutes from start to table.
Teo
My best advice to you is to go out and get the Fannie Farmer cookbook. That’s how I learned the basics.
Another factoid I learned while watching Julia Child re-runs: Never use a glass bowl to whip eggwhites-they have nothing to grab onto and they’ll keep slipping down the slidey glass bowl (A copper bowl does make a difference and now I make perfect soufles).
Read cookbooks as if they were novels.
Experiment.
Never use canned peas.
Invest in a really good paring and cutting knife.
And, most importantly, have someone clean up after you.
Oh, and have FUN!!!
I also agree Alton Brown has a good approach to making what he creates passable onto newbies.

Like what sixsecrets said, dont be afraid to experiment with different ingredients, have some decent equipment.

If you can learn a little each day even if it was just reading something random online, and not actually cooking.

An example would be the use of sweet and sour or sweet and spicey. Learning what things accomplish these flavors opens up a ton of doors for making something good

i agree about the canned peas, lol!!!
@ canned peas

I went and bought the 30-minute meals cookbook. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet but I plan to start once I get back from overseas. I did flip through it though, and it’s kind of daunting although I think that’s more the ingredients than what I have to do with them. In the meantime I’ve tried (and succeeded) in cooking bland food myself for my lunches, which I suppose is a small start. I also went and located the food channel, but so far I’ve only seen Iron Chef, Top Chef and some silly show about some ditzy chick that eats food in different cities.

Incidentally we just got a good knife set for Christmas – the SO was pretty happy to see my crappy Ginsu knives go.

Spice is whole other can of worms. I genuinely like bland food at the moment and even remotely spicy is painful for me. I’m more a bitter/sour taste kind of person.

I’ll update when I try something new

If it’s the show that I’m thinking of, that ditzy chick is Rachel Ray…if the show is called "$40 a day" or something like that

I don’t think it was her… it was called "Weekend Getaway" or something like that.

edit: I think it’s this one:

sometimes you can find cookbooks from cambell’s soups…they usually have some good recipies that aren’t too spicy. thier cream of mushroom is something i use all the time. Great stuff! Most of the labels have recipies also that are pretty simple to follow. the one pan chicken breast is really good. Brown boneless skinless breasts, stir in mushroom soup, about half a can of water or milk, whichever you prefer, simmer for about five minutes and serve over rice or noodles with a salad or vegetable. Pretty easy, and pretty decent meal. I make this and everyone in the house eats it pretty well, from the two year old to the fifteen year old.
i’m gonna give you my secret for great beef. Lowry’s season salt and garlic salt, and a sprinkle of black pepper. just some specks on the surface, you don’t have to majorly pepper the thing. and when you decide to tackle burgers, lea & perrins mixed in with the ground beef. don’t substitute some cheap worcestershire sauce, it won’t be as good.

when it comes to doing meat, the grill is your best friend (well, to me anyways). i use a gas grill with seasoned or flavored ceramic briquettes above the flame. this gives a great smoky taste and is quick and easy. it takes me about 20 mins tops to preheat and cook on the grill.

if you can’t use a grill (apartments) then a george foreman grill can be your next best option. i’ve found that the best thing for me to cook on it is pork, but you can do most anything on it. when i do use my GFG (like when i’m out of propane ) i might sprinkle some liquid smoke on the meat while i am prepping, so it has a little bit of an "outdoorsy" taste.

oh and one more thing. when i season meat, i use any liquid on there first, then top with dry seasonings so that the dry stuff doesn’t wash away.

and look on the back of many food items around the kitchen. often times there are recipies on the labels! pick up a saturday or sunday newspaper. these usually have a "food" or "living" section that will offer some ideas.

whew, now that i think i’ve typed my longest post on OT, i hope this helps!
I’d say if you want to learn cooking watch someone like Alton Brown, Tyler Florence, or Bobby Flay over Rachel Ray.

Learning good cooking is more about learning techniques than it is learning specific dishes imo.

In my opinion, you’d be best to stay away from Rachael Ray! Not only do I find her extremely annoying but she doesn’t actually know how to cook.

I used to find cooking overwhelming. Part of learning for me was just having self-confidence and daring to try new things. Now I’m getting ready to marry a professional chef.

The tips that most people gave are pretty good. I wanted to give you a few of my own:

I agree with the crockpot! It does take a good amount of time for the meal to cook but the preparation for slow cooker meals is usually quite simple.

Another simple method of cooking is stir frying. I found that my wok (or deep frying pan) became my best friend when I was learning.

Pick up some popular magazines that contain recipes. These are typically directed toward the average person.

Also about recipes…use them! Don’t try to improvise just yet. And find recipes that have ingredients that you are familiar with, at least at first.

As far as meat goes, I found the easiest ones to work with were ground beef, boneless skinless chicken breast, and pork chops. Start with those.

Make sure you have the proper equipment. Everyone needs a good set of knifes, measuring spoons, dry measuring cups and a liquid measuring cup. That would make your life so much easier.

Don’t cut anything but bread on a wooden cutting board!

Most importantly, keep practising. Cooking’s like any other sport.

Completely agree.

I definitely wouldn’t call making sandwiches and 7 different versions of ketchup-meatloaf cooking (Rachel Ray).
Whoa, this thread sort of exploded while I was away!

Now that I’m back, I’m going to start putting some effort into cooking. I had a friend over tonight and I did cook, nothing too far out of my comfort zone (macaroni + cheese ) but I did try to jazz it up a bit by putting in some broccoli to blanche (?) for a couple of minutes before the pasta was done, and then I added some tuna and extra cheese for a sort of non-baked casserole feel. Put that together with some pickles and ants-on-a-log on the side and I felt kind of like I was back in grade school …but then I did do everything myself; do I get props?

I figure this will be kind of like Tetris: learn the shapes of a bunch of different ‘blocks’ and then start mixing and matching til I find things that work.
Props on putting together a meal, baby steps hehe.

I guess I really got into cooking once I started to really expand and search for recipes that fit my tastes. I like really bold flavors, for food to be good IMO, the flavors have to pop. So I LOVE mexican food, and just started going on the internet looking up different recipes. You will find cooking is alot of experimentation, it usually takes a few tries to get something to taste as it should.

Also try new things, go out and buy a cut of meat or fish that you wouldn’t normally find yourself eatting and find a new recipe to try. As stated earlier, try that allrecipes.com as it has tons of stuff.
I learned by just watching the Food Network. I realized they all used olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and salt. For ALL dishes. And they use a lot of garlic.

then you just learn to put some more stuff in more foods… like various herbs and spices. I just picked up a vial of basil and some cayenne pepper, and put them in potatoes. WOW, they taste great!

You’re not going to go from beginner to pro chef, but if you start cooking your own foods like this, you can get a good idea on how to cook anything
kraftfoods.com has incredibly simple and pretty healthy recipes. When I first started cooking, I watched Rachel Ray all the time and got the free kraft food magazine in the mail.

Both were incredibly helpful, and now I’m amking more complex dishes and they’re turning out great;
Rachel Ray is a little annoying, but it’s good training wheel stuff.
Alton Brown’s "Good Eats" can explain the "whys" for you.
Betty Crocker cookbooks are indispensable for "Mom food"
P.S. if you know or meet any cooks, don’t tell them you watch Rachel Ray.
You’ll wear the mark of the feygh.

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What things have you picked up from the show? I’ve certainly become a fan of cast iron cookware after watching the show. I’ve made some awesome fried hamburgers which is a savior since my condo complex doesn’t allow us to have grills or open flames on our balconies.

Good Eats is probably my favorite show, and now my new job actually allows me home in time to watch it!! I really liked the tuna episode, and the rice episode was just on last night. I haven’t tried too much lately, but I watch every time I get a chance, and try to pick up on little things.

Did you see him on Emeril Live? He was silly.
I’ve made a few things from the show: the duck, "pot roast without a pot," among others. Such a great show… Here’s some eps on youtube:

Alton Brown is one of my culinary heroes, I actually liked his culinary road trip show even better than good eats.

Feasting On Asphalt FTW!!!

Awesome show. I wish they would do more road trips, like maybe Route 1 from Maine to Key West.

theres another Feasting on Asphalt season coming up by the end of the summer IIRC.

Alton rules. He can do no wrong in my book.
I AB.

he makes me happy to have cable television.

And his oven rib recipe is the SHIZNIT
alton brown is definately more entertaining than most other chefs on food network besides emril of course…never used his reciepes though but i would…never see too many cook books by him in the stores either but overall he is very informative and entertaining which is why i like him
he has several books out, although maybe theyre not your "Traditional" cookbooks

i’ve got two of his cook books. i’m just here for the food and i’m just here for more food.

i wasn’t a huge fan of feasting on asphalt, but i think it is because it felt too rushed. there wasn’t enough time to devote to some of those places he stopped.

i’ve made the 40-clove chicken and that rocked. i love the "it’s a beautiful grind" episode too. i like it because to me it is exactly why i love the show. i love it because it isn’t about trying to "teach" you how to make some overly complicated recipe with ingredients that you would never stock in your own kitchen. he made a 30 min show about making a hamburger and a meat loaf.
Alton Brown is definitely my favorite on the food network. I have a few of his books. He inspired me to get On Food and Cooking and really learn about food from the molecular level. I’m a science geek so that was right up my alley.
From watching his shows and reading his books I have also come to the conclusion that I don’t need every stupid gimmicky kitchen gadget that comes out. I only buy thinks that have multiple uses ( there are a few exceptions of course). Saves me a lot of space and money.
his recipes don’t always look great to me, but his tips for food are wonderful
I love his show..
My wife watches food network all night long and ill watch that show..

digitaldistractions.com has a bunch of Good Eats episodes.
I just made the mayonaisse. Good, but I dunno if it’s that much different than Helmann’s.
Alton kicks ass….he’s the only reason I watch Food Network.

He should replace that fuzzy caterpiller-eyebrowed freak Emeril in a live-audience type show!!
i dont know about that though. alton is in his element in the type of show he does already, whenever ive seen him do live stuff he’s just seems uneasy and "hyper"

except of course doing the play by play on ICA, but that isnt really as live as an emeril live type show would be.
I loved watching Good Eats back when I was someplace with Food Network. It’s a great show for somebody like me, who has absolutely no talent in the kitchen but loves to cook (science geek). He breaks it down and gives a piece by piece enough to figure it out.
Alton makes cooking fun. he shows that it doesn’t have to be boring like The Everyday Italian and that fat southern chick make it look. at least giada is nice to look at though.

but Alton.. Alton’s the man!
Loved the episode where he goes to the Jim Beam (I believe) distillery to show how bourbon is made.
AB is awesome. Very educational as well as a pretty darn good entertainer.
IMO, easily the best show on their network. So much great info about what your eatting packed into his show.
best show on the network, and the only one I watch…
I have loved the show for a long time now. My wife got me the Salt cellar he uses 2 christmasses ago. I use it all the time
Alton is my cooking hero. I’m a college student and can’t really cook on my own (no kitchen) but i still watch Alton everyday. I can’t wait till i can finally cook some of his food! He’s just beyond amazing!!!
Fucking love how he took over Emeril’s 8:00 time slot…
are the new episodes being shown at 8 ? or just the repeats that were previously shown at 7 ? because if its just the repeats then its lame, just a little time shuffle (emeril from 8 to 7, alton repeats from 7 to

now if the new epis are being shown @ 8 then its a nicer ownage
all I have to say if Waffles. I watch one of his shows off of my on demand program the other day on waffles. It was kick ass (on a breakfast food kick) I love the fact that he doesn’t tell you to but the most $$$ tools either just the ones that work really well and have everything you will need.

And ribs

season 2 is on the mississippi. ought to be pretty good, starts soon but am not sure when offhand. they have been advertising it pretty heavily on food network though. will keep my eyes open and let u all know when it starts.

Can’t wait to see it.
I love the show, he got me into brewing beer with his home brew show. It’s up on youtube and it takes you through all the steps. BEST SHOW EVER!!
feasting in asphalt is so awesome!! they should make full 20+ episode seasons rather than 4-6 episodes

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Here’s the original article if you have a WSJ online sub:

God do I love Luger’s. mmmm, bacon.

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Hope this helps!
Thanks, I’ll check both of them out, right now I’ve been looking on home barista (not sure of the actual URL) but they are only recc. $1k+ machines So seeing the Rancillo Silvia at half the price is definitely more palatable
If you can get your hands on the Good Eats episode focusing on Espresso, Alton Brown makes some recommendations on characteristics you should look for.

A good home espresso machine doesn’t have to be excessively expensive.
The Silvia is the absolute bare minimum if you’re looking to make good espresso. A quality grinder is equally as important so factor that into your purchase price.
I suggest checking out chriscoffee.com for machines as well.
i like the stove top expresso pots from ikea they make good coffie and they are 20 bucks

The moka pots just brew up a strong batch of coffee, there is no pressure in moka pots to extract the flavors that a real espresso machine does. If he’s just looking for concentrated coffee, then get a moka pot. But to actually enjoy the espresso will require something much more than a moka pot.

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I have a pair of Mahi steaks I plan on cooking tomorrow – pointers? Recipe suggestions? Anything I should know about cooking fish that’s different from cooking dry land meats?
depends very much on the fish (I am no expert either, but based on my successes/failures).

first off, don’t keep it long or its going to get funky–i tend to cook it the day i buy it. likewise for leftovers–don’t plan on having any.

second off, be sure you are thorough with de-boning. Mahi is pretty easy whereas something like a smaller, striped sea bass can be like performing surgery. biting into little bones can be very aggravating

third, you might want to bread and fry in more butter than oil. you may not get enough pan time though w/o burning the breading, so consider finishing it off in the oven (this of course, depends on your recipe)

fourth, if grilling, consider getting one of those cage things. fish can fall apart on a grill much easier than you would expect and then you will have a big mess to deal with later. or at least put a pan under it or something. just be prepared for collapse.

have any more specific questions?
Mahi Mahi tastes best either Fried or Grilled, whatever you do, DONT dry it out.

Mahi Mahi is my third Favorite Fish, with Tuna and Amberjack ahead of it
grill that sucker.

olive oil and crushed garlic. some pepper and a touch of salt. Baste the fish no more than 10minutes before cooking. Be sure the grill is well oiled with veggie oil to prevent sticking.

No need for a cage to house the fish, just be sure to get a spatula under all of it when you flip (use two if you have a big slab). ***CRITICAL*** only flip once. If you flip twice, it will fall to pieces and you’ll have nothing left but splinters to feed the cat.

Undercook it just a touch and let it rest 5min before serving. It will cook the last bit on the plate before you serve. Enjoy!
grill, add a little tequila and lime with a hint of honey. Even some fresh mint of you have.

Salmon is fabulous this way too, just dill instead of mint or omit all together.

Just never over cook. never ever ever if you can avoid.
In the words of Jamie Oliver, "Fish and lemon are great friends." Salt, pepper, pure olive oil (extra virgin burns too easy), and drizzle fresh lemon juice overtop. Grilling can be rough for fish n00bs, so I’d recomend Pan frying on medium heat until the flakes just start to seperate (unless you like your fish rare).
The microwave. Being an undergraduate living on student residence i wanted a quick way to cook fish with little effort and time, but still taste great.

Place a salmon steak/fillet on a plate. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon juice over it, add a tbsp of margarine on top. Place a plastic cover over the plate and microwave for 2-4 minutes depending on your microwave.

Be careful the plate will be hot.

What i do is i go to costco, buy a large salmon fillet, slice it into smaller portions, place in freezer bags, and store. ONLY do this with salmon don’t waste a Mahi Mahi fillet or Sea Bass steak on this method.

I actually cooked this up for a party and people were surprised that it was done with a microwave.
u can place the fish of choice in some foil with various herbs, lemons, and butter. then seal it up tight, and throw it in the dishwasher, full cycle.

Alton Brown’s method.

1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dry wasabi powder
2 pounds tuna loin, cut into 2 pieces
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons peanut oil

In a non-reactive bowl combine soy, honey, and wasabi powder. Reserve 1/4 cup for dipping sauce. Roll each piece of tuna in this mixture to coat evenly. Marinate from 1 hour to overnight. Remove the tuna from the marinade and discard the marinade.

On a plate, lay the sesame seeds. Roll the tuna in the seeds to evenly coat.

Fire up the chimney and top with a well-oiled grate. Sear for 15 to 30 seconds per side or to desired temperature. Remove to rack and rest for 3 minutes. Cover with foil or plastic wrap to achieve carry over cooking. Slice thinly and serve with the dipping sauce.
you can also marinate and place in tinfoil.. it won’t fall apart that way

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The Creamed:
4 oz(8T)(1stick) softened unsalted butter
6oz (3/4 cup) dark brown sugar
2oz (1/4 cup) molasses

The Eggs:
3 1/2 oz (2 large) eggs

The Dry Goods:
9 1/2 oz (2 cups) whole wheat flour
1/2 oz (2 1/2 t) baking soda
<1/4 oz(1 tsp) salt
<1/4 oz(1 tsp) allspice

The Liquid
16oz (2 cups) buttermilk

The Extras:
7 1/2 oz(1 to 2 cups) Bran flakes
1 1/4 oz(1/2 cup) toasted wheat bran or wheat germ
4 3/4 oz(1 cup) golden raisins

Place an oven rack in position C (3rd rack down) and preheat the oven to 400?

Prep the muffin tins (alton suggests parchment, but i bet whatever method you usually use would be fine)

Assemble the batter via the creaming method, but when you’re ready to add the Dry Goods, work in just half, then alternate with half the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the buttermilk. Fold in the bran flakes, toasted wheat bran, and raisins and stir until just combined.

Using a 2 1/2 oz disher, spoon the batter into the tins, filling them to the top (about 2 1/2-3 oz)

Bake for 20 minutes, until the muffins reach an internal temperature of 210?, or a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean

Allow the muffins to cool before taking them out of the tins. They’ll keep in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

Yield: about 20 muffins

Note- this batter keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Allow an additional 5-7 minutes in the oven when you’re using refrigerated batter.

This is my Betty Crocker Recipe, courtesy of my 1961 betty crocker cookbook

Start with "Oatmeal Muffins"

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup soft shortening(part butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400?. Grease bottom of muffin cups or use paper baking cups. Soak rolled oats in milk 1hr. Mix shortening, sugar, and egg well. Measure flour by dip-level-pour method or by sifting. Blend dry ingredients; stir into shortening mixture alternately with rolled oats and milk. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 12 medium muffins

Bran muffin variant:
Make oatmeal muffins (above) except omit rolled oats. After blending dry ingredients, mix with 3 cups bran, stir into shortening mixture alternately with 1 cup buttermilk.

I hope this helped. It looks like Alton’s recipe yields more and you can use it later too. FWIW, Alton ALWAYS suggests weighing EVERYTHING. You can pick up a cheap kitchen scale for $20.

I only know a few people who went to MLT highschool. I moved here after I graduated. Are you a local?

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Are terra cotta pots, planters, lids, bases from your local hardware store (Ace Hardware for me) lead free? Or should I worry about using said items (ie smoker made of terra cotta planters, pizza stone via a planter lid/base)
I’ve made one of the smokers that Alton Brown demonstrated. Since it doesn’t make contact with the food in any way, I can’t see where there could be an issue. The pizza stone idea would be a different story, though I doubt Alton would steer us wrong. If you’re still concerned, I think you would need to contact the terra-cotta manufacturer to find out more.

Alton also use a huge terra cotta pot in his roast episode, but he cooked the roast in a 13×9 pyrex dish, so there was no contact.

FWIW, people use terra cotta pots in some fish tanks to breed some types of cichlids.
so is that a "its ok to use the terra cotta lid as a pizza stone"?

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