Kitchen Utensil Part 3

Can Opener

Egg Slicer

Funnel

Garlic Press

Ladel

Measuring Small

Measuring Cup

Meat Tenderizer

Pizza Slicer

Rolling Pin

Kitchen Scale

Scissors

Shallow Pan

Spaghetti Server

Wok Frying Pan

Kitchen Utensil Part 2

Wooden Spoon

Baloon Wisk

Veegie Peeler

Turner

Tong

Thermometer

Stainer

Spatula

Slotted Spoons

Sauce Pan

Scraper

Pot Fork

Mixing Bowl

Mixer

Frying Pan

Grater

Cutting Board

Colander

Kitchen Utensil

Fish Preparation Guide

Thawing Fish

Frozen fish can be cooked without thawing but the cooking time would need to be increased to cook it thoroughly. If the fish is going to be breaded, stuffed, broiled, fried or cooked in the microwave, it should be thawed completely first. There are several methods that can be used for thawing fresh frozen fish. Fish should never be thawed out at room temperature because the warm temperatures would allow bacteria to grow. Use one of the methods described below.

Refrigerator

Thawing Time: 6 to 24 hours, depending on quantity. Generally, 6 to 8 hours per pound.

(Recommended Method) Thawing fish in the refrigerator is the slowest but safest method you can use. The temperature of the refrigerator should be maintained at 35°F to 40°F to discourage growth of harmful organisms as the fish thaws.

Thaw Fish Not Frozen in Ice: Leave the fish wrapped and place on a platter or a tray to catch the drippings as it thaws. Place in the refrigerator to thaw.

Thaw Fish Frozen in Block of Ice: Remove the fish from the wrapper and place under cold running water to remove the ice surrounding the fish. Once the fish is free of ice, separate the pieces and place on a platter or in pan lined with paper towels. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to finish thawing in the refrigerator.

Cold Water

Thawing Time: 1 to 2 hour per pound

Thawing the fish in cold water is a faster method than thawing in the refrigerator, but the proper precautions must be taken when using this thawing method. Fill the sink or a large bowl with enough cold tap water to cover the fish. Place the fish in a sealable bag and place the bag in the cold water. The water should be changed every 30 minutes. Do not use warm water, even though it will thaw the fish faster, it will also cause the growth of bacteria. Once the fish is thawed, it should be cooked immediately.

If using the sink, do not use it for other purposes during thawing period and be sure the thawing water does not splash onto other preparation surfaces or food. Once the fish is thawed, remove it from the sink and clean all utensils and surfaces affected during the thawing period with hot water and soap.

Microwave

See manual for defrosting times

Thawing fish in a microwave is a quick method but is not recommended because of the difficulty in getting the different thicknesses to defrost evenly. Defrosting times vary according to different microwaves and according to the form of fish (whole or pieces) you are thawing. Use the steps below for thawing in the microwave:

1. Place the fish on a microwave rack in a microwave safe pan. Place foil just on the tips of the pieces to protect from cooking.
2. Microwave for 1/2 the defrosting time. See time chart below. Then turn the pieces over. Place on the rack so the thinnest sections are towards the middle and are overlapping each other. Remove foil from tips.
3. Finish microwaving. Pieces should still be pliable and still cool to the touch. They may be slightly icy but they will finish thawing while they stand for 5 minutes.

Note - Microwaving with Aluminum Foil: Before using foil in the microwave oven, refer to the user manual for that oven to see what is recommended. Some models are manufactured so that the magnetron tube is protected, which allows small amounts of metal, such as aluminum foil and metal skewers to be used. Do not use foil if the manufacturer does not recommend use.

Care must be taken when using foil in the microwave. Use only thin strips or small pieces that are just large enough to cover the areas that need protection from overcooking. The foil pieces must be kept at 1 inch from the oven walls and 1 inch from each other.

Note: If the individual fish pieces are frozen together, defrost in microwave just long enough to be able to separate the pieces and then follow directions above.

Other Thawing Guidelines

• Never thaw fish at room temperature.
• Thawed fish should be cooked as soon as possible. If not using immediately, store in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours of thawing.
• Do not refreeze thawed fish.
• It is safe to refreeze fish once it has been cooked but some of its quality will be lost.

Grinding Beef

When purchasing ground beef, it is not always possible to know which beef cuts were used to produce the ground beef unless it is labeled "ground round" or "ground chuck". It is often preferable to purchase the beef cut of your choice and grind it at home, however the beef should not be ground until you are ready to use it because ground meat deteriorates in quality rather quickly. Before the meat is ground, the gristle and tendons should be removed. Several methods for producing ground beef at home are described below.

Meat Grinder

A manual grinder can be used to grind meat as coarse or fine as you require. This method produces the most evenly ground meat. Some electric mixers also have attachments for grinding meat.

Food Processor

A food processor is a convenient tool for chopping or grinding beef.

The beef should be cut into cubes before it is placed into the food processor.

The food processor should be pulsed on and off rather than allowing it to operate continuously. This prevents the beef cubes from becoming over-processed.

The meat should be stirred after several pulses to provide an even grind.

The food processor will grind the beef quickly so it can be easy to over-process the meat, resulting in ground beef that has a pasty texture. The best results occur when the meat is ground just until the larger chucks are broken down into pieces that are no smaller than ¼ inch.

Hand Chopping

With the use of a sharp knife, beef can be cut into cubes. It can then be cut into smaller pieces until the meat is the consistency that is desired. Hand chopping will provide firmer ground meat than any of the machine methods.

Tying Beef

Tying various cuts of beef is a good way to hold the shape of a roast, to keep the cut of beef in a compact form, and to make sure that the meat will be cooked evenly. Beef roasts or steaks that have been boned are often rolled and tied before roasting. The tying allows the roast to be stuffed and makes for a more attractive presentation when serving.

It is important to use a natural string of cotton or linen which will not burn during the cooking process or ruin the flavor of the beef. Butcher's string is the best to use because it is a bit heavier than other types of common kitchen string, which makes it easier to handle. When tying a cut of beef, it is important that the string is tight enough so that the desired shape is held in place, but that the string is not so tight that the natural juices will be squeezed from the meat during the cooking process.

Tying a Rib Roast

Standing Rib Roast

It is usually a good idea to tie a standing beef rib roast (a rib roast in which the bones have not been removed) so that the outer layers of meat do not pull away from the rib-eye during the roasting process. Using a simple knot, tie pieces of string around the roast so that the string runs between the spaces of each of the rib bones.
Tying the standing rib roast will make for a more attractive presentation when the roast is served because when the string is removed after cooking, the roast will hold its shape.

Boneless Rib Roast

It is much easier to carve a boneless rib roast when it is ready to serve than one that still includes the bones; however, it is beneficial to cook the bones with the boneless meat in order to provide the rib roast with additional flavor and moistness. To this end, if you have previously removed the bones from the roast, it will be necessary to tie the bones to the meat prior to cooking.

Tie the bone section (chine bones and rib bones that have been removed in one piece) to the boneless meat using butcher's string. Wrap the string between the rib bones and around the meat on each end of the roast. Make sure the chine bones are secure as well. In addition, tie string around the meat and bones in the center of the roast.

Tying a Beef Tenderloin

In order for the tenderloin to cook properly, the narrow end is usually tucked under so that the entire tenderloin appears to have a consistent diameter across the length of the roast. The tenderloin is then tied with pieces of string at 1½ to 2 inch intervals.

Tying a Top Blade Chuck Roast

Tying a top blade chuck roast provides better results for pot-roasting. The first step is to wrap a piece of string, which is at least 6 feet in length, around the short circumference near the end of the roast and tie a double knot.

Pull the remaining string down from the knot, approximately 1 to 2 inches (depending on the size of the roast), and hold it in place with your thumb. Loop the remaining string around the short circumference of the roast and back to the string under your thumb.

Run the string under the string beneath your thumb to create a loop and pull the remaining string down from the loop.

Once again, place your thumb on the string at a 1 to 2 inch distance from the previous loop and run the string around the roast back to the position of the string beneath your thumb to make another loop. Repeat the process until the entire length of the roast has been tied.

Roll the roast over and run the string over and around each of the loops on the underside.

Wrap the remaining string around the end of the roast and then flip the roast over again to tie the end of the string to the original knot.