First Timers Cookbook

We have been working hard to put the finishing touches on the Cooking Classes called the Fine Art of Cooking Series offered through Orson Gygi in Salt Lake City, Utah. This series goes through the entire First Timer’s Cookbook expounding on the principles and techniques and giving more detailed information as well as giving students hands on practice with original recipes to demonstrate exactly how things are supposed to look, smell and taste like.

Here is a sneak peek of what the class is like, from our friend Stephanie Ford’s Blog.

http://simplyradiant.blogspot.com/2011/03/did-i-mention-that-i-started-cooking.html

Want to join the class?  You may have to wait a little while since we have sold out for the next

couple of months, but get signed up now for the series starting in June!

www.gygi.com

“Salt”

This common household ingredient has always been a major part of human lives. It went from actually being used as currency (it is actually the root word for the current term “salary,” derived from back when Roman soldiers were paid in salt) to now being sold inexpensively on the bottom of most supermarket shelves.

As human beings we love this little additive.  We use it in so many different applications, from flavoring and cooking to preserving food, to killing slugs, to salting sidewalks to make it so its not so slippery.  It truly is a part of our daily lives in many different forms, but let’s look at it from a cooking and nutritional stand point.  

How do we get it?
 

Salt is either mined from the land, otherwise known as the rock version, or it comes naturally evaporated from the sea in the form of sea salt. If it is mined that they will pump water into salt deposits and then capture the water, or brine that comes out and then evaporate the water out of it until just the salt crystals are left.
If it is evaporated from the sea, then they capture sea water and allow it to evaporate in pools naturally from the heat of the sun, the wind, etc. They then scrape up the deposits that are left and sell it as the natural premium version of the world’s most common ingredient.

What is it and why do we need it? . . . And love it?!

Since it is primarily composed of sodium chloride, a mineral that we cannot do without, our bodies crave it. It actually heightens aromas, which are about 80% of what we taste, and lessens bitter tastes that tend to ruin flavors.
Sodium is a tricky thing, because if we don’t get enough it could kill us, but too much of it isn’t good either because it can be a major factor in high blood pressure which has been known to lead to heart attacks and strokes. Without going into too much detail, when salt is dissolved in water it turns into sodium and chloride aka, electrolytes. Our bodies use these electrolytes like sodium and chloride (as well as magnesium, calcium and others) to keep our blood flowing smoothly. If we have too much of one or another it throws the balance off. A good balance of electrolytes keeps our plasma (the liquid part of our blood) at the proper consistency. Too much sodium for example, can cause the plasma to get thicker and cause your blood pressure too get higher.
As American’s we on average get about 10 times more sodium on a daily basis than we really need. But don’t worry too much about this, because our bodies have a natural way letting us know when we’re getting out of whack. If we eat a lot of salty foods our natural inclination is to drink a lot more water or other liquids to balance out those incoming electrolytes.

What makes the different salts, different?

Granulated table – a cubed shaped granule, it takes a long time to dissolve. Since it is prone to clumping up they will put anticaking agents in it, like silicone and aluminum. But these anti caking agents don’t dissolve as easy as the salt and leave it cloudy when it does dissolve, so don’t use this salt if you want a clear liquid.

 
Iodized – Most table salts are now iodized salts since government health associations around the world suggest adding iodine to salt to prevent against thyroid diseases, like and enlarged thyroids a.k.a. “goiters” that can cause your throat to semi close off making it hard to eat and/or breathe.

 
Flake – This is the salt that is compacted and crystallized when going through the evaporation process, but is rather compacted into layers and then flaked off. This weighs a lot less than granulated salt.
 

Kosher – This is a mix of flakes and granules, it actually weighs about half of what granulated salt does, so take that into account when using it or substituting it in recipes. It is called Kosher because it is used in kosher butchering to draw out blood.
 

Unrefined Sea Salt – Is not washed after it is processed so it usually contains other minerals and thus can be other colors than just the traditional white.

Fleur de sel – French for “flower of the sea,” probably one of the most expensive you can buy. It is harvested by hand in France by skimming salt ponds. It is 100% pure and quantities are expensive and limited.

Hawaiian Sea – This is a sea salt that has a red (sometimes black) volcanic baked clay called “Alaea,” which is added to it to make it a little more mellow in flavor and give it that distinct color.

Pink Sea – This is farmed from the base of the Himalayas and is said to be 100% pure salt commonly has calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron in it.  All of these add to giving this its distinct pink color.

Infused Salts – These include items such as Truffle salt, Smoked salts, Garlic salt, onions salt, etc. These flavors have been infused through either mixing items in, smoking the salt or other means to give it that the distinct flavor and/or color.

Want to see some more?  Check out http://www.salttvnetwork.com/articles/20110513/putting-some-sizzle-your-summer-first-timers-guide-cooking-steaks-salt-tvs-chef-sh 

What are most for-profit culinary schools really about?

Have you ever been to one?  Have you ever recieved a call from a recruiter asking you to take a tour so you can ”check out your options?”

Chances are, if you or anyone you know is thinking about going to Culinary School. . . You need to read this.

 For-Profit Culinary Schools-Exposed!

Depending on how you look at it, you may not be getting what you want out of culinary school.  In other words culinary school might be the wrong financial way to go about learning to cook, becoming a foodservice executive or even becoming a famous chef.

Yep, I said it. . . Culinary school may not be the best option for most people, so why is enrollment continuing to rise and tuition rates soaring out of control?  Because people don’t know, what they don’t know.

Real Costs of National Private Culinary Schools and Why

In March 2010, an article in the New York Times entitled “In Hard Times, Lured in Trade School and Debt” surfaced and began to enlighten people as to what for-profit culinary schools are doing to put themselves ahead and the students to fend for themselves.

Peter S. Goodman, the author of the article, explains how “schools are harvesting growing federal student aid dollars, including Pell grants awarded to low-income students.”  Part of the Obama administration’s federal stimulus package was to invigorate the economy by allowing more people go to/back to school to earn degrees and increase their earning capacities.  Sounds good right?  It is good as long as you can afford to pay off those student loans once they are obtained, but what happens if you can’t?

According to Collegeboard.com, “Public four-year colleges charge, on average, $7,605 per year in tuition and fees for in-state students. . . Private nonprofit four-year colleges charge, on average, $27,293 per year in tuition and fees.”

It seems like there is a world of difference between these two prices, a $20,000 difference on average to be exact. So, as Peter Goodman explains, through “a proposal being floated by the Department of Education, programs would be barred from loading students with more debt than justified by the likely salaries of the jobs they would pursue.”  Which is great news for those students who are getting in way over their heads initially to pursue careers in industries like foodservice  that don’t have the same monetary return on investment that others careers like being a doctor does.

“For-profit colleges would not be eligible to receive federal student aid if their graduates debt load was too high to be repaid, over 10 years, with 8 percent of their starting salary,” writes Tamar Lewin in the June 5, 2010 New York times article entitled, “Facing Cuts in Federal Aid, For-Profit Colleges are in a Fight.”  But, as the article states, this is the last thing that for-profit schools want so inevitably lobbying has begun to change this legislation.

But why, if this is what is best the students responsible for these loans?

If education is all about helping individuals improve their lives, then shouldn’t that be the central focus? Shouldn’t we as instructors and administrators see to it that if this is our mission statement, it is being accomplished?   Absolutely!  But we all know things don’t always work out like that.

Peter Goodman points out that “for-profit schools have long derived the bulk of their revenue from federal student loans and grants, and the percentages have been climbing sharply. . . The (Obama) administration increased financing for Pell grants by $17 billion for 2009 and 2010 as part of its $787 billion stimulus package. . . Two years ago at for-profit trade schools received $3.2 billion in Pell grants. . . By the 2011-2012 school year, the administration now estimates, students at for-profit schools should receive more than $10 billion in Pell grants.”  Tamar Lewin points out, “the fast growing for-profit education industry . . . received more than $4 billion in federal grants and $20 billion in Department of Education loans last year” (2009-2010) in the August 3, 2010 New York Times article entitled, “For-Profit Colleges Mislead Students, Report Finds.”

Recruiting = $$$

This becomes even more intriguing when you look at the increase in enrollment numbers, which makes sense since these institutions can continually get more by simply adding more students and making class sizes bigger and bigger, thus maximizing their investment.  According to Peter Goodman and the Career College Association, “enrollment at for-profit trade schools expanded about 20 percent a year the last two years, more than double the pace from 2001 to 2007.” (Think that’s a lot?  17 culinary schools grew by 31 percent.) 

And what does that mean for the amount of money coming in to these schools? Obviously the more students you have coming in the money you have as well, but there are other factors involved, as Peter Goodman points out, “for-profit schools (are able) to (secure) large numbers of Pell grants because their financial aid offices (are) diligent and because schools served many low-income students.  But the financial aid experts say the surge of federal money reaching such institutions reflects something else: their aggressive, sometimes deceitful recruiting practices.”    

So what about the recruiters for these private institutions, where do they fit in all this?  A lot of times over-promising and under-delivering and sometimes even outright lying to get new students in so that they can get paid.  As Peter Goodman writes, “Concerned about aggressive marketing practices, the Obama administration is toughening rules that restrict institutions that receive federal student aid from paying their admissions recruiters on the basis of enrollment numbers.”

Peter also gives the example of some of these “aggressive marketing tactics” when a recruiter at a culinary school in Oregon promising to help a prospective student get a line cook position when they completed the program at $38,000 a year (just as a side note, I know very few line cooks that make that, most sous chefs barely make that, they usually make less).  Yet, “from July 2007 to June 2008, students who graduated from the culinary arts associate degree program landed jobs that paid an average of $21,000 a year, or about $10 an hour.  Oregon’s minimum wage is $8.40 an hour.”

Tamar Lewin points out, that to make sure they were being fair in these assumptions, “Undercover investigators posing as students interested in enrolling at 15 for-profit colleges found that recruiters at four of the colleges encouraged prospective students to lie on their financial aid applications-and all 15 misled potential students about their programs’ cost, quality and duration, or the average salary of graduates, according to a federal report.”

During a senate committees hearing on September 30, 2010, the details of this report were made public.  “The report finds that of the 16 schools, 14 received at least 87 percent of all the revenue from federal student aid in 2009 and 4 schools receive at least 90 percent of all the revenue from federal student aid in 2009.  Eight of those institutions reported profit margins ranging from 16 percent to 37 percent.  Also included in the report are student enrollment data showing that 57 percent of students attending the 16 for-profit schools between June 2008 and June 2009 withdrew.  (Iowa Democrat)Senator Harkin noted that when a student drops out of college, often the student is left with student loan debt, but without the earnings potential that comes with a college degree.” (Taken from www.ncls.org)

 57 percent drop out!  What is causing almost 6 out of 10 students to leave within a year? 

My thoughts are, if the person that brought you in misleads you as to what the program will be like, you will probably leave once you find out the truth.  But what kind of consequence is there for the recruiter who did the misleading?  Any?  Let’s see, first, they got paid for you signing up, second, they got to count you as one of their goals or numbers for the month(s), and third, now they don’t have to call and harass you about “taking a tour” or “looking at your options” or any other line they used to get you to come in and meet with them anymore. . . Consequences, hmm, I guess not.

Teaching Disgruntled Students

What about the instructors or administrators, who actually deal with the students on a daily basis, how does this affect them?  Is there a down side to having 57 percent of your students leave within a year?

Spending two years as a chef instructor for one of these private institutions, I was able to see and experience first-hand the positive and negative aspects of having a team of recruiters bringing in new students every month by the dozens.

The positive side is that we always had students to teach, a steady following stream of the recently duped.

The negatives were that most of these students should not have been there. I had students that had challenges that hindered their successeven before they walked through the doors.  Students that should never have been coerced into even applying, let alone being accepted (and would not be in a typical higher education setting).

Challenges ranging from the difficult yet manageable things like pregnancy, having little to no living accommodations, inability to purchase needed supplies and transportation issues; To the almost impossible challenges of having students with the inability to read, write and even communicate on a grade school level, students in their later years (past retirement age) expected to stand for 5 hour lab classes and perform at the same level as their 20 year-old counterparts.

Despite all this, probably the biggest challenge was dealing with the horrible attitudes of students who had been promised so much and given so little, but had no choice but to continue or throw everything away they had worked for so far.

An unfortunately common example was a student who had enrolled at one campus, but later transferred to Las Vegas with the hopes of finishing up his Associates degree at his current school and then transferring to the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management (one of the premier programs in the nation).  He was told that he could do this when he first enrolled, only to have his dreams dashed when he arrived in Las Vegas and was told by UNLV that his credits would not transfer to there since his current school was a private school and credits were not transferable to other institutions outside of that organization.     

Administration vs. Instructors

Another challenge was the standard set by administrators to keep students enrolled regardless of performance, attendance or desire to stay.  If recruiters are paid to get them in, then I’m sure at least part of the administration’s performance and/or bonuses are judged on how well they can retain students.  Because of this, we had students that would fail numerous classes sometimes as much as three or four times, only to be readmitted (oftentimes called, emailed and hounded repeatedly until they re-enrolled) and set-up to fail again. 

You may think that this is an isolated incident and although particular stories might be, there are similar occurrences across the country.

On October 10, 2010, in an article in the opinion section of The New York times entitled “Degrees of Debt,” Jeremy Dehn who teaches as an adjunct professor at what he calls “one of these vilified (private) colleges,” in Denver, Colorado, says, “I wish I could say the critics are wrong.  They’re not.  The Gainful employment rule is a step in the right direction, but it is only the beginning of what needs to be done. . . Education should lead students out of poverty, not into it.”   

Professional Teachers or just Hired Help?

Another interesting little bit of information is the qualifications for instructors at for-profit institutions versus state or non-profit schools.  As Jeremy Dehn points out, “qualifications aren’t much of a priority for the college.  While teachers at a state or private university are typically expected to hold M.F.A.’s or Ph.D.’s, for-profit teachers need only to have taken a few hours of graduate course work.” 

The school I taught at only required a bachelor’s degree (in anything), 18 credit hours of culinary classes and about 4 years of industry experience.

You might think that at a for-profit culinary school teaching students to become professional chefs, the instructors would be former/current chefs.  Yet some of the instructors have never even held the title of chef before coming to the school.  They may have the minimum requirements, maybe a bachelor’s degree and/or a few years of experience, but many have never actually run a kitchen.  Sometimes they have just recently graduated or are in the process of graduating when they accepted the position of teaching at the school. 

Here are my questions, how do you teach someone to be a chef, if you yourself have never been one?  How do you teach someone to run a kitchen if you have little to no experience actually running a one? 

Logically, you would also think that because tuition costs are much higher at these for-profit entities that the pay for instructors would follow the same trend.  But you would be surprised, as I was, that as Jeremy Dehn points out that, “teachers at for-profits are paid less, and work more.  Full-time instructors teach up to four times as many classes as their state school counterparts.  And although nobody teaches only for the money-I (Jeremy) earn 50 percent to 65 percent more at nonprofits.”    

 As a full-time instructor I was on a salary of just over $40,000 a year with benefits ranging from health and dental care to matching 401(k) and tuition reimbursement (100% as long as I attended a sister school to the one I worked at that was under the same parent company umbrella).  Imagine my surprise when I was offered a similar position at a neighboring state school for over $50,000 starting salary, all the same benefits, only with higher coverage’s at a significantly less out-of-pocket expense each month.  Plus, I would only have to work roughly 3/4 of hours I was working in my current position . . . Plus have 3 months off in the summer, instead of 3 weeks.  Oh, and if I did work during the summer for say a private event the school was doing, I would be compensated at $33 an hour, on top of my $50K salary!

The Bigger Picture  

With the recent rough tumble the economy has taken over the last few years you would think that people would be on the look-out for similar circumstances that might lead us down the same road as we were lead down that resulted in the current mortgage crisis.

The current student loan challenges could lead us down a similar road.

The following is from the article “Facing Cuts in Federal Aid, For-Profit Colleges Are in a Fight” written June 5, 2010 by Tamar Lewin.

Advocacy groups representing students and consumers are less diplomatic. “These programs overpromise, underdeliver and load vulnerable students up with way too much debt,” said Chris Lindstrom, higher education program director at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, part of a coalition of education, consumer, student and public interest groups supporting the regulations.

In 2007, coalition members said, students at for-profit colleges made up only 7 percent of those in higher education but 44 percent of those defaulting on federal student loans. Adding new fuel to the fire was a recent presentation at a New York conference for investors by Steven Eisman, a hedge-fund manager known for having anticipated the housing market crash.

Mr. Eisman, whose early awareness of structural problems in the housing market is described in             Michael Lewis’s bestseller “The Big Short,” said the for-profit education industry, like the subprime mortgage industry, has rested on the proliferation of loans to low-income people who would not be able to repay them.

Without tighter government regulation, Mr. Eisman predicted, students at for-profit colleges will default on $275 billion of student loans over the next decade.

“Until recently I thought that there would never again be an opportunity to be involved with an industry as socially destructive and morally bankrupt as the subprime mortgage industry,” said Mr. Eisman, of FrontPoint Partners, a unit of Morgan Stanley. “I was wrong. The for-profit education industry has proven equal to the task.”

In an interview last week, Mr. Eisman said the gainful employment regulations help change the for-profits’ business model of aggressively recruiting needy students eligible for maximum federal aid.

For-profit colleges typically get three-quarters of their revenues from federal grants and loans — and some, like Apollo Group, which owns the University of Phoenix, nearly 90 percent, the legal limit.     Federal aid for students at for-profit colleges has more than quintupled, to $26.5 billion, since 2000.

What do the Food service Professionals think?

You might be wondering, beside all the banter of journalists, legislators, finance experts and the students actually being caught in this trap, what are the chef’s and other foodservice professionals saying?  Surely they must have something to say.

What I have seen heard from almost every culinary professional I have worked with from Memphis to LA and New York to Portland, is that Culinary school is not always the best route to becoming a food service professional.

Below are a collection of quotes from various professionals that articulate the point.

“When they graduate and come in the kitchen, I tell them, ‘I’m going to treat you like you don’t know anything,’ said Kenneth Giambalvo, executive chef at Bluehour, an upscale restaurant in Portland’s Pearl District.  “It doesn’t really give them any edge.”

-Taken from March 13, 2010 NY Times Article “For Profit Schools Cashing In on Recession and Federal Aid” by Peter S. Goodman

To read the rest, download the full report now!

For Profit Culinary Schools Exposed!

This has become one of the most entertaining things that I have seen in a while.

I can’t get enough of the sometimes gross, usually hilarious and over the top way that these guys do food. Epic Meal! They have taken every idea that I have ever wanted to try and put it on video. . . Genius.

 “Low Fat Chicken Recipes”

Looking for some “low fat chicken recipes” to kick start the new year?  Well if you’re like most people you are probably looking for some healthy chicken dishes like this!

Low fat chicken recipes are easy and fast to make and require just a few ingredients and not a lot of time or preparation.  This makes these ideal for busy people who want to be healthy but don’t have a lot of time to cook.

Let’s talk Chicken

Before we dive into the different options you have for low fat chicken recipes, let’s examine why chicken is good for you, what is best for low fat chicken recipes and why.

Chicken is a very light meat that naturally has very little fat and is primarily made up of a lot of protein.  That makes it a great diet food especially for those of you who are working out and building muscle.  As your muscles break down from working out they require protein to help build them back up to be bigger and stronger.  Chicken a meat that comes recommended by athletic trainers for that reason (probably the most recommended actually).  When trainers do recommend eating chicken they recommend incorporating it into low fat chicken recipes though so that you don’t add any more calories or fat than is needed.

The nice part of chicken for those of you who are maybe not hitting the gym constantly but who are looking to be healthier, is that it is the universal meat that goes well with just about everything because it doesn’t have as distinct a flavor that some other meats do.

Other Healthy Ingredients

Here is a list of items that I really like and that you have probably seen paired with chicken and maybe even a part of your low fat chicken recipes:

• Spinach – Considered to be one of the healthiest most nutrient packed foods out there.  You will see spinach used in a lot of dishes and usually has the name “Florentine” attached to it.  So if you see any low fat chicken recipes that are called something like “Chicken Florentine,” you will know that there is probably some spinach somewhere in it.
• Sun Dried Tomatoes – These are literally tomatoes that have been dried in the sun.  They are generally sweet with a tougher more chewy texture (but not too tough) than regular tomatoes.  They really add some great flavor to any of the low fat chicken recipes without adding any fat, sugar or salt.
• Onions and Garlic – These two items together are a match made in heaven.  Sometimes I will just season items with salt, pepper, garlic and onion, this combination goes well with just about everything, especially low fat chicken recipes!

Different Options

Let’s talk about the different options that you have for your low fat chicken recipes, because you may not even have to cook anything, you could just assemble already prepared items!

Heating & Assembling

This is the easiest way to put together a quick dinner.  These ideas are not only quick and easy but healthy and affordable.

1. Rotisserie Chicken – The nice part about rotisserie chickens is that they are available for between 5 and 10 dollars and can feed at least 2 to 4 adults comfortably.  I like these for my low fat chicken recipes because they are so flavorful.  Plus, they are already cooked, which means all you have to do is grab one on your way out of the store and take it home and it’s ready!  Costco used to be one of the only places to get these little gems for your low fat chicken recipes, but most grocery stores have them now as well.  You can eat it on the bones or take it off the bones and shred it into soups, or into pastas for easy flavorful additions.
2. Pre Cooked Chicken strips (fresh or frozen) – Again, already cooked!  All you have to do is heat and serve!  These are ideal for low fat chicken recipes because most low fat chicken recipes call for chicken breast meat and 99% of the time that is what these are!

Cooking

For those of you who will be cooking, here are some different options for your low fat chicken recipes:

1. Chicken & Rice – I like to use this classic combination with bone-in chicken thighs and brown rice to give it some great flavor but also a healthy feel.  Just remember 2 parts liquid (I use chicken stock or broth) to one part rice.  Throw the chicken, rice and liquid together and cook covered in the oven at 350 degrees and you have yourself a meal (These low fat chicken recipes does take a little longer because of the brown rice, so give yourself a least an hour and a half to two hours to get the rice nice and soft).  The Latino version of these low fat chicken recipes would be to add some fresh tomatoes and maybe some cumin and garlic for the classic Arroz Con Pollo (Rice with Chicken).
2. Chicken & Vegetables – This is a classic diet food and something in which you see without a doubt when it comes to low fat chicken recipes.   Usually whole chicken breast, sometimes cut into chunks or strips sautéed or pan fried, seasoned with just salt and pepper (that’s how I like it you can add whatever you like for your low fat chicken recipes).  Broccoli, Zucchini, Yellow squash, Bell Peppers sautéed as well with the cooked chicken on top (you can save yourself some time and effort by buying the precooked chicken breast).
3. Baked Chicken with Potatoes – For these low fat chicken recipes, grab a whole chicken and lay it in a pan on top of some quartered red potatoes, carrots and onions.  You can season it with just about anything, just make sure there is some salt and pepper involved.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of the potential you have when creating new healthy dishes for this new year.  It all comes down to understanding the principles and techniques behind the dishes and then coming up with your own take on them by adding flavors you like and taking away any flavors and ingredients you don’t like.  It just takes some time.

So try some of these ideas out, with this basic understanding you can now customize your own low fat chicken recipes to what you want.  After all these are just a few ideas when it comes to trying out some new low fat chicken recipes, you can now customize each one to you and your specific tastes.

Want to learn more?  Check out our Online Cooking Courses here!

Get the First Timer’s Cookbook, DVD or both right here!

 “Cooking Ribs” 

This First Timer’s guide is here to help…

Is cooking ribs really a no-brainer?  No way!  Cooking ribs is actually something that takes considerable time and effort and is by no means a no-brainer!  Well, until you do it once, then it tends to be so engrained in you that you can’t stop thinking about it and you just want to do nothing but be cooking ribs!

With BBQ season just around the corner, depending on how you look at it, it’s never a bad time to start thinking about outdoor cooking.

First Timer’s Guide to Cooking Ribs

As usual let’s begin with the end in mind . . .  For this example we are going for fall off the bone ribs smothered in sweet and BBQ sauce.  That means if you want ribs to be different than this, you’ll have to go somewhere else.

Picking the Right Ribs

When you’re looking for ribs, whether they be pork or beef there are some things that apply to both types of ribs.

1. You are going to want to make sure that the package they are in is intact and there are no leaks or tears.
2. Be sure that there is no discoloration on the ribs, especially no green or slimy looking substances.
3. Look for as fresh as you can, things like clear pink juices are a good indicator.  If you have a choice as always get the freshest you can by checking to see if there is a date anywhere on the package and always go for the newest one available.

*Hint: If you don’t feel comfortable with what you can see, ask your butcher/meat department attendant for the stuff that’s in the back.  There is nothing wrong with this, they are there to serve you the customer, plus, as chef’s we do it all the time.

Types of Ribs

If you’re getting pork for cooking ribs you will see either a St. Louis style rib or a baby back rib.  The only difference is that the St. Louis rib is the baby back along with more meat and bone.  You pay more for the baby back because some of the annoying extra bone is taken off (unlike the St. Louis that still has that part intact).  Plus, they have to charge more since it takes labor dollars to have someone cut off that bone and pigs only have so many ribs so they have to make more money on it since it weighs less than a St. Louis rib.

Beef ribs are easy, they are basically one size fits all.

Preparing the Ribs

Before you start cooking ribs, you need to prepare the ribs to be cooked.  Depending on how you are cooking ribs initially will depend on how labor intensive this step is.

Most of the time you can just take them out of the plastic package they are in and discard the package along with the purge (liquid) that is left in the package.  If you really want them to fall apart you can take the thin membrane off the back of the ribs, but for this example since it is for first timer’s we are going to just leave it on . . . Which means that all you have to do to prepare the ribs is take them out of the package . . . Yep that easy.

Precooking

Cooking ribs is usually a two stage process.  Keep in mind that this is the easy way to do it, not the classic leave-it-in-a-smokehouse/smoker-for-hours way.  First, when cooking ribs, we cook them to the point that they have the connective tissue (the stuff that makes them tough and chewy) break down and melt away so that all we are left with is juicy fall-off-the-bone goodness.  When cooking ribs you can either use a pressure cooker to speed up this process (my personal favorite since it takes about 1/3 of the time).   Or you can use the more traditional bake low and slow in 275 to 300 degree oven, which works great for cooking ribs especially for those of you who don’t have a pressure cooker.

Usually cooking ribs at this temperature will take about 2½ to 3 hours or so, whereas with a pressure cooker it only takes about 45 minutes.  Check out cooking timing guides here http://fastcooking.ca/pressure_cookers/cooking_times_pressure_cooker.php

If you’re using a pressure cooker when cooking ribs, cook them in beef stock with some carrots and onions for extra flavor.  Don’t cover the ribs all the way with the liquid, just about half way covered and drop about 2 carrots cut in 6 to 8 pieces and 1 large yellow onion quartered for 1 to 2 racks of ribs.

For cooking ribs in the oven, I will rub them down with tomato paste and throw a little salt, pepper, brown sugar, granulated garlic and granulated onion on top.  When I say I rub them down I don’t put any extra on the ribs initially, just enough to coat them because the really good sauce comes later.

Try this as a rub for 2 racks of pork ribs:

1 cup (1ea 8oz can) Tomato Paste

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Salt

3 Tablespoons Black Pepper

3 Tablespoons Granulated Onion

3 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic

Finishing the Ribs

As we have seen so far, cooking ribs is a little labor and time intense, but as you perfect cooking ribs, it becomes a labor of love.  You begin to look forward to the look on people’s faces as they enjoy your master piece.

To finish cooking ribs and give them that distinct flavor and eye appeal that you come to expect when cooking ribs we just need to throw them on the grill and give those signature char marks.  I personally like to do this after they come out of the oven or pressure cooker and rest for about 15 minutes or more.

Then throw them on a hot grill for just a minute or two (depending on how hot the grill is) on each side and then coat them in this sauce (you can coat your cooking ribs while they are finishing on the grill).

Basic BBQ Sauce Recipe

12 oz Tomato Paste

½ Teaspoon Granulated Garlic

½ Teaspoon Granulated Onion

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Salt

4 oz Water

5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Cooking ribs might be fun, but the best part is always eating them!

So there you have it the First Timer’s Guide to cooking ribs.  It may not be the most detailed or comprehensive but it will still get you started, and that’s the hardest part to cooking ribs or anything else.

Want to learn more? Check out our online cooking program here!

Get the First Timer’s Cookbook, DVD or both right here!

 “Low Fat Muffins”

Muffins?  Let’s make some Low fat muffins that taste better than the alternative-full fat-muffins shall we?

Click here for the Recipe for the best Blueberry Low fat Muffins!

A classic family favorite, but why not make them good for you by making low fat muffins that are tasty too!

To make low fat muffins, you will need to understand a little about them.  First off, they are sometimes made a lot like cake.  The batter has a very similar consistency and flavor to that of cake.  To achieve thse low fat muffins you must understand the ingredients that go into the batter and how they work together.

Ingredients

Flour – When making low fat versions you will use the same type of flour that you would use when making the regular versions.  Usually this is all purpose flour, or if you’re making them more of a light cake-like consistency you would use cake flour.  Both of these flours have a higher content of protein, which allows more gluten to form when liquid is added to it.  Gluten is the structure that helps the low fat muffins to rise and hold their shape when they bake.  The hard part of making regular muffins is that liquid and mixing help the development of gluten, so making muffins is actually tougher than some other baked items.

Liquid – Water, Milk, Buttermilk and other liquids.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder – These are both chemical leaveners that create carbon dioxide when mixed with an acid and liquid.  Baking soda is activated with just an acid and liquid, whereas baking powder is usually called double acting since it activates with liquid and then heat.  So when you add these ingredients to your low fat muffins its important to know these things.

Sweeteners – Usually regular granulated sugar is used in normal muffins, but in our low fat muffins we usually use an alternative sweetener like agave sugar (Xagave is the best brand, buy it at www.xagave.com and use the promo code BUCHER for a 20% discount), Splenda or other low calories sweeteners.

Butter, Shortening or other fats – Fats tenderize the baked products as well as adding that buttery/fatty mouth feel.

Eggs – Eggs act very much like the gluten and the baking soda/baking powder, helps give structure and lift to your low fat muffins.

Vanilla, Salt, Fruits (dry, fresh or frozen) and other flavorings – Different flavors and textures are a big part of low fat muffins, that’s why this is what really differentiates low fat muffins from one another.  Be sure to add quality ingredients to get a qulaity end result.

When you make your low fat muffins there is nothing wrong with enjoying the full flavored, full fat version.  But now you know how you can make and enjoy your calorie cutting low fat muffins as well.

Want to know more?  Check out our online cooking program here!

Get the First Timer’s Cookbook, DVD or both right here!

“Cooking Ham”

Cooking ham is one of the best dishes to things to do during the holidays when someone asks you what dishes you would like to do to contribute.  Not only does it take a lot less time than most festive culinary delights, it is basically fool proof.  Plus, in most cases, it costs a lot less than say a prime rib or even a turkey.

Start by selecting the right ham for what you are doing.  Remember, when cooking ham (or anything else) you what to start with the end in mind.

How do I know how much to get?

First think of who are you feeding. Is it a group of big eaters, like construction workers, athletes, or maybe just a group of hungry people who have been out skiing, sledding or building snow caves?  If it is then you are probably going to want to expect to get a little bigger cooking ham than maybe you normally would.  But, what if you’re cooking ham in conjunction with a turkey, or a lot of different side dishes?  Well then you probably won’t need as much.

Here is a quick guide on how much to get:

If you’re cooking ham (or most any protein) as a main dish with just a few side dishes, plan about 6 oz per person.

If you’re cooking ham as a main dish with a lot of side dishes, plan about 4 oz per person.

Lastly, if you’re cooking ham as just one of your main dishes along with other proteins like turkey and/or prime rib then you would only want to do about 2 oz per person.

How do I pick a good ham?

Raw or precooked?

Decide if you want a raw or a smoked precooked ham.  It may be hard to find a raw ham, since most grocery stores weren’t selling a lot of them, so they may have made that decision for you by not carrying raw ham any longer.  I would suggest the flavor and the ease of cooking ham that comes with a smoked ham anyway . . .

Bone-In, spiral sliced or boneless?

This one really comes down to personal choice.  If you want to get as much meat as possible and not have to pay for a bone that you will probably just throw away any how go for the boneless.  If you want that nice flavor that comes from cooking ham on the bone, go for the bone-in or bone-in spiral slice.  The difference between these two are the convenience that comes from just cutting the slices off the bone of the spiral slice, you will pay a higher price for this though.

How should it look?

First, make sure that the package it is in does not have any tears or signs of the seal being broken (no air pockets).  Second, make sure that when you’re choosing your cooking ham that you look for a nice bright color in the meat.  If it is pink looking, then make sure it’s a bright pink color all the way through with no dark spots or discoloration.  

What’s the best way of cooking ham?

How do you want it to look?

Do you want your ham to be dark on the outside with a little bit of a crispy skin texture to it?  If so, then use a flavoring that is high in sugar, when sugar cooks it caramelizes and turns a darker color, and also hardens a little bit at higher temperatures, which gives you that crispness.

Maybe you want your ham to be more of a savory taste than a sweet one and with a softer texture.  Less sugar in your seasoning will help you accomplish this.

How do you want it to taste?

Do you want it more of a savory, or more of a sweet taste?  Here are some of my favorite savory and sweet seasonings when cooking ham:

(Makes enough for a 5 to 8 pound cooking ham)

Savory

1 cup Dijon Mustard

¼ cup Honey

½ cup Pineapple Juice

¼ cup Orange Juice

1 tblsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Sweet

2 cups Brown Sugar

½ cup Maple Syrup (the real stuff)

1 tblsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

How long am I cooking ham for?

The short answer, until its done.  The detailed answer, in a pan (uncovered for sweet ham, or covered for a savory ham) at 300 degrees for about an hour and a half.  Times will vary depending on your oven and the size of the ham, but look for an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  You can cook it at a higher temperature, but it will dry out the ham a little bit.

So there you have it, The First Timer’s guide to Cooking Ham.  If you come up with your own recipe for seasoning your ham, let us know, we all benefit from experimentation.  I look forward to hearing how your holiday feast turned out with this easy guide to cooking ham.

 Want to know more about cooking ham?  Check our online cooking program here!

Get the First Timer’s Cookbook, DVD or both right here!

“Easy Salads”

Anytime is a good time for easy salads. Lettuce, fruits, vegetables and other healthy ingredients allow for a healthy and relatively quick and painless lunch, dinner or snack. Easy salads usually include just a few basic ingredients and don’t take a lot of time to prepare. Since there is not a lot of (if any) cooking involved you can also be sure that there will not be a stack of dishes waiting for you at the end of the easy salads meal either.

Before we dive into specific easy salads, here are some basic tips and tricks I have learned over the years working in restaurants and hotels that can help you become a easy salads master.

1. Serve The Right Lettuce for Easy Salads

Some lettuce has very strong flavors or textures, whereas other lettuce has almost no flavor or texture. Be sure to get the lettuce that is right for your recipe. Baby lettuce or small lettuce leaves tend to be very delicate and tender and not a lot of flavors. These are good for salads with light vinaigrette-type dressings, heavier creamier dressings like ranch, bleu cheese and thousand island tend to weigh down the lettuce and make it into a mushy mess. Heavier type lettuces like romaine and iceberg usually hold up to those heavier dressing better

2. Keep It Crisp, But Not Soggy for Easy Salads

By washing your lettuce in cold water helps to “crisp” the lettuce up and make it that nice crunchy or firm texture. But if you don’t get enough of that water off of it, it can become very watery and you end up with a pool of water in the bottom of your salad. Make sure to “crisp” it up, but dry it off enough so that your salad doesn’t swim.

3. Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS)

Easy salads are combinations of different flavorful ingredients, each bring in something different to the salad and end up making it a perfect combination. Nuts and crispy ingredients can be added to provide different textures and flavors, fruits add a sweet element and a good vinaigrette can either make a salad that’s too sweet not-so-sweet, or can provide that little something to a salad that needs a little something. If the salad tastes great and has a crunchy, chewy, salty and sweetness to it, with just 4 or 5 ingredients, leave it be. It is possible to do too much.

4. Begin With The End In Mind, How Do You Want It To Taste?  Easy Salads from end, to beginning.

If you want a Caesar salad type salad, work backward and you will get the desired result. You know that if you’re using a creamy dressing, you will need a hearty lettuce. Its understanding principles like this that help you get exactly what you want every time especially with easy salads.

A little something that you may want to keep in mind, try adding salt and pepper to your salad right at the end to enhance your flavors. In the restaurants we used to do this even to a salad that had dressing on the side, we would add a touch of oil to make it shiny and some salt and pepper to enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients.

5. Serve Easy Salads Immediately

Lettuce wilts, the dressing starts to pool in the bottom instead of evenly coating everything and the appearance of everything together just goes downhill the longer it sits. Another little tip to help your easy salads out, you can make all the individual ingredients ahead of time and then just combine them right as you are serving. Hint: That’s what restaurants do.
Some classic and easy salads you may want to try:

• Caesar Salad – Romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese and Ceasar dressing.

• Garden Salad – Any lettuce, any vegetables (generally tomatoes are included) and a light vinaigrette, or light creamy dressing.

• Pasta Salad – Pre-cooked chilled pasta (usually round noodles like penne or macaroni), light vinaigrette, olives (green or red), red peppers and fresh herbs.

• Fruit Salad – Mixture of canned or fresh fruit, sometimes have whipped cream or fresh herbs (especially mint) mixed in with it.

• Adding protein to anyone of these combinations has become increasingly popular in the last few years, for example: chicken breast, a filet of pan-fried fish, shredded pork or beef, sliced steak, etc.

Want some specific easy salads recipes? http://www.easysaladrecipes.com/ 

The nice part about easy salads is that there are very few rules to what makes a “salad.” Mixing your favorite ingredients together and making sure it tastes good to you and your guests is really all you need to become a easy salads master.

 Want to know more about easy salads? Check out our Online Cooking Program here! 

Get the First Timer’s Cookbook, DVD or both right here!