The sear burner included on many higher-end gas grills is a powerful cooking tool. It uses a large number of small flames to heat a ceramic plate to very high temperatures. The superheated ceramic element emits infrared radiation, which rapidly sears and browns the food -- usually meats -- cooked over it.
Read more →
There's no substitute for cooking ribs outdoors over charcoal, but when that isn't an option, your indoor convection oven can be a viable alternative.
Read more →
Romaine lettuce is an unusually versatile salad ingredient. It combines the dark color and nutritional value of leafy lettuces with the crisp, juicy texture of head-type lettuces such as iceberg, giving it the best attributes of each type of lettuce. Romaine hearts are especially popular with home salad makers.
Read more →
Jackfish are a large family of sleek predators, native to warm and temperate waters around the world. Several varieties are found along the Eastern Seaboard as far north as Nova Scotia, though they become less common as you move away from warmer Southern waters.
Read more →
When you're grilling meat on your Weber barbecue, you're typically exposing it to intense, direct heat. This cooks the meat very quickly and browns it well, but it doesn't allow a lot of time for heat to penetrate into the interior of the meat. With a steak or a chops, direct heat isn't a problem.
Read more →
Roasting and grilling are closely related cooking methods, each using indirect dry heat to cook the food. Both methods are widely used by health-conscious diners because they render fat from foods as they cook and don't require any to be added.
Read more →
Old-fashioned oatmeal, slow-cooked for 20 minutes or longer to a smooth and creamy consistency, is a significant upgrade over a pouch of flavored instant oats. Unfortunately, many cooks can't afford to stand at the stove, stirring, for 20 minutes.
Read more →
Few varieties of seafood can rival shrimp as an ingredient in fast, convenient meals. High in protein and low in fat, shrimp lend themselves to almost any healthful preparation method, from steaming to grilling.
Read more →
Cooking vegetables on a grill is a quick and healthful technique. It requires little or no fat, depending on the vegetable, and won't leach away water-soluble vitamins as boiling can. However, there are times when a true grill isn't available. For those occasions, a grill pan can be a useful substitute.
Read more →
You can find countless variations on meat pies made around the world. Some are baked, some are fried, some are prepared in deep dishes and others are intended to be eaten by hand. The only thing they have in common, from empanadas to Jamaican "patties"
Read more →
Balancing a busy schedule with healthful, home-cooked meals is no easy feat. It usually requires a degree of organization and planning, and preparing foods ahead of time whenever possible. Some ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, can be partially cooked ahead of time. Others, such as chicken, can not.
Read more →
Most chickens sold in American supermarkets are slaughtered when very young and tender, to provide the greatest possible versatility in cooking. The only problem with this practice is that the birds are rather bland, because they haven't lived long enough to develop a strong chicken flavor.
Read more →
A countertop electric roaster can be a great convenience for busy cooks. You can use it for extra cooking capacity during holiday meals or family get-togethers, or use it as an alternative to your regular oven for roasting chickens or other meals.
Read more →
For fat-conscious diners, lean white fish such as tilapia are a boon at mealtime. Tilapia's delicate flesh is naturally high in protein and low in fat, and culinarily, it's a blank canvas suitable for almost any combination of flavors.
Read more →
Bulgur comes from an ancient style of processed grain, called "groats." The wheat is cooked and then dried again, leaving its starches in their cooked form and ready to rehydrate quickly. The bulgur kernels are then milled into fine, medium and coarse pieces.
Read more →
Rabbit is one of the easiest game animals for novices to work with, because of its compact size. Rabbit is easy to cut up and doesn't require a lot of complicated preparation, and ordinary methods are usually all that's required to cook it.
Read more →
Like any shellfish, crabs are highly perishable and their quality deteriorates quickly once they're taken from the sea. In populous coastal areas it's possible to buy good quality fresh crab, but in much of the country, the best option is frozen snow crab or king crab legs.
Read more →
For busy cooks who want to put healthful meals on the table in a hurry, a freezer filled with salmon portions can be a great comfort. Its mild but rich flavor makes it a versatile ingredient. Its high levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids make it a virtuous option.
Read more →
The tiny seeds of the sesame plant are an important source of cooking oil in Asia and elsewhere. For enthusiasts looking to cook Chinese food at home, buying a bottle of sesame oil is mandatory. However, there are two different kinds of sesame oil: the clear, or pure, kind; and the dark kind.
Read more →
For the harried home cook, appliances such as slow cookers and electric countertop roasters are a boon. Not only are they easy and convenient to use, they won't heat your kitchen the way a full-sized oven does when making dishes that require long, slow cooking.
Read more →