Random Food Questions Thread

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I'm not an expert, but I have always rather liked Bittman.

His stuff is always excellent. Really enjoyed the video podcasts. Alack and alas.

 

[KJT]

What are the differences between steel cut oats and rolled oats in processing, preparation, and nutritional value? I see a lot of weight loss guides calling for steel cut oats, but looking at the nutritional labels I don't see any difference.

 

[mm84321]

Originally Posted by KJT

What are the differences between steel cut oats and rolled oats in processing, preparation, and nutritional value? I see a lot of weight loss guides calling for steel cut oats, but looking at the nutritional labels I don't see any difference.
Steel-cut oats are processed less than traditional rolled oats. The groat (inner oat kernel) is cut into a few small pieces by a steel mill, rather than being steamed and rolled, leaving more of the oat's structure intact. As for preparation, steel-cut oats generally take longer to prepare. When I used to eat steel cut oats every morning before my daily 8 mile jog, my recipe was as follows: For 1/2 cup of oats, I usually bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add the oats and stir for one minute, then bring to a simmer and let cook for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. About halfway through the cooking process I would add in some coarsely chopped dried calimyrna figs that would soften nicely, and add a natural sweetness and texture to the oatmeal. Depending on how thick or thin of a consistency you like, you may have to add or subtract from the total cooking time. Add some chopped walnuts and fresh cinnamon/nutmeg at the end. Also, if you want to add salt, which I never did, you should wait until towards the end of cooking, as the salt will prevent naturally occurring gums inside the oat, called pentosans, from releasing to create a rich consistency. In regards to nutrition, they generally say that steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index than regular rolled oats, because more of the fiber is intact, which mitigates the spike in blood sugar. Also, I find them to be much more filling than regular oats, most likely due to the insoluble fiber.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by mm84321

Steel-cut oats are processed less than traditional rolled oats. The groat (inner oat kernel) is cut into a few small pieces by a steel mill, rather than being steamed and rolled, leaving more of the oat's structure intact.

As for preparation, steel-cut oats generally take longer to prepare. When I used to eat steel cut oats every morning before my daily 8 mile jog, my recipe was as follows:

For 1/2 cup of oats, I usually bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add the oats and stir for one minute, then bring to a simmer and let cook for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. About halfway through the cooking process I would add in some coarsely chopped dried calimyrna figs that would soften nicely, and add a natural sweetness and texture to the oatmeal. Depending on how thick or thin of a consistency you like, you may have to add or subtract from the total cooking time. Add some chopped walnuts and fresh cinnamon/nutmeg at the end.

Also, if you want to add salt, which I never did, you should wait until towards the end of cooking, as the salt will prevent naturally occurring gums inside the oat, called pentosans, from releasing to create a rich consistency.

In regards to nutrition, they generally say that steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index than regular rolled oats, because more of the fiber is intact, which mitigates the spike in blood sugar. Also, I find them to be much more filling than regular oats, most likely due to the insoluble fiber.

Thanks for the explanation. Definitely don't have time to simmer oats for 30 minutes in the morning for slightly higher level of fiber. Oh well.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by KJT

Thanks for the explanation. Definitely don't have time to simmer oats for 30 minutes in the morning for slightly higher level of fiber. Oh well.
Rice cooker w/ timer

 

[sonick]

Is it just me, or does David Chang look like the kid from UP?

 

[impolyt_one]

Originally Posted by GreenFrog

I finished a small tub of kimchi and there's some leftover 'soup' or marinade, if you will. Any thoughts on what I can use this for?

I'm a big fan of marinading steaks in spicy marinades.. so I'm thinking of using this soup as a base. I also want to add some jalapenos.

Thoughts? Potential recipe ideas?
add that leftover juice to more kimchi to make some kimchijjigae, add to clear soup stock like regular dashi or udon tsuyu to make a kimchi consomme, etc. It's not particularly useful stuff unless you can add it to more of the same.

 

[Johnny_5]

How much liquid should I expect to evaporate when braising meats?

 

[ChicagoRon]

How long can I expect packaged KimChee to last in my fridge once opened?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

How long can I expect packaged KimChee to last in my fridge once opened?
I think it can last almost forever, but it never lasts more than a few days in my fridge. If you see it, try Mother-in-Law kimchee. It is awesome.

 

[Dedalus]

It will turn sour over time. If it's turned too sour for your liking, make kimchi stew out of it. http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchi-chigae-kongnamool

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

How much liquid should I expect to evaporate when braising meats?

Depends on how you do it. If you're simmering it over a range with no lid, a lot of liquid will evaporate. If you're braising it in an oven with a lid, almost none will.

 

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Depends on how you do it. If you're simmering it over a range with no lid, a lot of liquid will evaporate. If you're braising it in an oven with a lid, almost none will.

Interesting. I had a Le Creuset dutch oven that when I braised in it with the lid on almost all the liquid (90-95%%) would evaporate...Someone had mentioned that I should cover with foil and then put the lid on, but that just seemed like it defeated the purpose of spending so much money a pot that was supposed to be "self-basting."

 

[kwilkinson]

That's really weird. When I braise with a lid on, almost no liquid evaporates.

 

[Big Pun]

Just made spaghetti, it was okay. How do I prevent noodle stickyness? [ll] I salted the water, and rinsed the noodles with hot water.