# Cooking. I admit it, I use \ **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072 "2010-09-08T17:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/101 "2010-09-09T19:42:33Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > But even if I didn’t, I can still chop it up pretty fine with my big blade. It’s not that hard, and I can’t cook to save my life…If I need something that’s really fine, I’ll usually substitute fresh garlic with garlic powder. I usually grate my garlic on a relatively fine grater. It comes out nice and fine. You just have to be a bit careful so you don’t take your skin off. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/102 "2010-09-09T19:44:26Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I buy Jimmy Dean or other cheapo breakfast sausage, and then add more seasoning to it so that it actually has robust flavor. I could make my own from scratch, but you try finding fatty ground pork - it’s all lean nowadays. And I’m not grinding five pounds of pork shoulder, either. If that’s a dirty secret, I’m guilty of buying premade butter, and not slaughtering and butchering meat, and the list goes on. I’ll make my own sausage to double stuff the turkey on Thanksgiving, but I’m going to use Jimmy Dean to make biscuits and gravy the next morning. Edit: And doesn’t Emeril use all that pre-mix stuff he sells? ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/103 "2010-09-09T19:46:41Z")
> [@](#): > > -I rarely every use chopped tomatoes when I’m cooking, even though I have pretty decently-producing tomato plants in my back yard. I usually use canned. Good canned tomatoes are superior to fresh tomatoes unless it’s July through September/maybe mid-October. I used canned beans in a lot of applications; in particular, I think they’re way better for hummus than soaked-and-cooked fresh ones, in addition to being way easier and quicker. I tend to do fresh beans if I’m making a main-course bean dish, but when it’s a side (like I do black beans along with tacos/fajitas) I do canned. I also do bagged spinach and cooking greens, just because I hate breaking them down. I won’t do other salad greens. That’s about the extent of my “cheating”. I really don’t get the “jarlic” thing–chopping up garlic only becomes a pain in the ass if you’re doing a LOT of it–like several heads at once–and if I’m doing that then the quality of the garlic matters. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/104 "2010-09-09T21:34:34Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > > [@elfkin477](#): > > > > I don’t follow the directions in cookie recipes. You know, the part where you’re supposed to use one bowl to mix the flour and salt and baking soda, and \*another one \*to mix the sugars and shortening or butter? It feels like the cookbook companies are getting a kickback from dishwasher detergent companies to suggest you dirty more bowls. > > I totally agree. Unless there will be a noticeable difference in the batter if I use separate bowls, everything gets dumped in the same one. I just whip the wet ingredients together first, then dump in all the dry. Exactly, it’s fairly obvious that the intent is that the sugars and fats are creamed together, so what different does it make if I dump the drys in a bit mixed up beforehand or not? It’s not like they won’t be mixed as you add them to the wet stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/105 "2010-09-09T21:51:45Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I make guacamole by stirring a bunch of (pre-made) salsa in with some chopped avocado. Delicious and super, super easy. I’ll do ya one better: when I’m jonesing for some good guacamole, I run down to the grocery store and pick up a bag of [Wholly Guacamole](http://www.eatwholly.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=188&Itemid=218) out of the produce section. It’s vacuum-packed, chunky, REAL avocado guacamole. It doesn’t contain any mayo, or other filler crap added (just check out the ingredients). Trust me, it’s goooood. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/106 "2010-09-09T22:06:50Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It may be bleached, it may be old, it may have additives for color. Anything canned is going to suffer in the flavor department. I agree with you on jar garlic, but I’ve found a cheat product that actually is just as good as fresh. Trader Joe’s carries these little plastic trays of frozen minced herbs made by a company called Dorot that are simply the best thing ever. I little cube of frozen garlic goodness equals about one medium clove, they just pop right out. > **[מוצרי שום ותיבול - עשבי תיבול איכותיים לבישול פשוט | דורות](https://dorot.co.il/)** > > דורות מתמחה בגידול, פיתוח, ייצור ושיווק מוצרי תיבול קפואים באיכות הגבוהה ביותר, בואו לגלות איך גם אתם יכולים להפוך את הבישול שלכם לקל ומהנה, היכנסו עכשיו ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/107 "2010-09-09T22:15:06Z")
Yep, jarlic, in water. It’s not as strong as fresh, but it’s GARLIC. Also, getting to the end of a big batch of homemade (or should I say “artisinal”) meat sauce, but can’t face eating spag for the fifth time in a row? A couple dashes of worcestershire sauce, and now you’ve got Sloppy Joes. Oh yeah, when making toll house cookies, I put the butter in the bowl with the sugars and partially melt it in the nuke instead of creaming them together by hand. Easier on the wrist. No diff in the final product. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/108 "2010-09-09T22:48:28Z")
I don’t sift flour, ever. Seriously, this makes no difference to any recipe I’ve ever tried, so long as your flour isn’t obviously lumpy. Stir it with a fork a little bit; it’ll be fine. Weighing flour rather than measuring it with a cup is way, way, way, way, way more important than this sifting nonsense. Actually, if it’s something that involves sifting ingredients INTO the flour, I’ll run it through a food processor, but I won’t LIKE it. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/109 "2010-09-09T23:11:55Z")
We use garlic-ginger paste and jarlic for somethings, especially if it is going to be sautéed. I always use fresh though if it is to be eaten without cooking, like in hummus. Jarlic has no bite. We used dried minced onion in tuna salad because it is better than fresh in someways. It has a certain crunch but less bite, and it absorbs water from the tuna which seems to improve the texture. Fresh onions do better in chicken salad though. I use canned garbanzo beans to make hummus, although I make my own tahini. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/110 "2010-09-10T02:18:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@Chefguy](#): > > > > I read it as “parbroil” and thought he meant to pre-cook in the oven. It makes sense for a large chunk of meat. I never nuke meats (or much of anything, really), as it generally turns to rubber. > > Parbroiling is certainly better than parboiling, although I know people who parboil ribs and cuts of meat like that, so I assumed he meant parboiling, although you might be right. > > I’ve actually never seen anyone use the parbroil in the oven, finish on the grill technique. I’ve seen braise-in-oven, finish on grill very occasionally, but pretty much all the backyard cookouts I’ve been to start with raw meat on the grill, and finish on the grill. I misread things all the time, but usually catch it before saying something stupid. I really hate progressive lenses. The only thing I occasionally will simmer in a liquid first is raw sausages, if it’s a last minute thing. Even then, I prefer to just cook them indirectly and make people wait. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/111 "2010-09-10T02:37:12Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > If I have to chop more than half an onion, I will probably be hauling out my [Vidalia Chop Wizard](https://www.chopwizard.com/) (over the protests of my kids, who have to clean the thing). Hey, I _like_ teeny uniform onion cubes. oooh, I want one of those! ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/112 "2010-09-10T02:53:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Something that I discovered recently is tomato paste in a tube. Why have I missed seeing this? I couldn’t estimate the amount of leftover tomato paste from a can that I’ve ended up throwing away. Sir, I could kiss you. I just had to toss a rusty old half-can of the stuff the other day! I’m totally going to look into the tube. My secret: I have a recipe for alfredo sauce that calls for cream cheese. I don’t have to make a roux! I’ve been using garlic/onion powder a lot less than I used to (though the aforementioned alfredo sauce recipe calls for it), if just because fresh garlic tends to have more of a smell (and I looooooove the smell of fresh garlic added to food). I do use a press, which I’ve heard is fairly blasphemous among foodies. But frankly, I just think it brings out the smell more. I’m another boxed-stock offender, mostly because I’ve never tried to make it before. My mom has, but she says she’s never liked her results. I might try my hand at it at some point. (Seafood stock would be good too.) ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/113 "2010-09-10T03:09:11Z")
I sure hope everyone means parbroiling because if you tell me you are going to grill me a nice porterhouse and I catch you dumping it into a pot of boiling water I would have no choice but to kill you. No jury on earth would convict me. Doesn’t anyone else set up their grill for both direct and indirect heat? Sear it on direct, let it finish on indirect. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/114 "2010-09-10T03:12:46Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > > [@overlyverbose](#): > > > > I totally agree. Unless there will be a noticeable difference in the batter if I use separate bowls, everything gets dumped in the same one. I just whip the wet ingredients together first, then dump in all the dry. > > Exactly, it’s fairly obvious that the intent is that the sugars and fats are creamed together, so what different does it make if I dump the drys in a bit mixed up beforehand or not? It’s not like they won’t be mixed as you add them to the wet stuff. well because when you cream the butter and sugar together you are beating air into the mixture, then when you add the flour mixture you are taking air back out if you have to overmix because of adding the dry ingrediants seperately it will make a heavier denser cookie. That may not be noticiable to you or even be preferable to you. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/115 "2010-09-10T03:23:27Z")
Side note: if you can’t tell the difference between cookies/confections in which you creamed the fats and sugars together first and those you haven’t, then you didn’t cream them right. You’re correct that non-creamed cookies are deeeelicious and wonderful, but the difference in end product is beyond obvious–lighter, fluffier, different texture, etc. Again, skimp all you want and enjoy, but you should give it a try to see the difference. Also, sifted beware not sifting when a recipe calls for sifted measurements. For fun, measure a cup of flour, then sift it, and measure a cup from the sifted pile. If you’ve never done it before, you’re in for a surprise. Again, have fun with the altered recipes, they’re delicious too, but knowin what you’re changing may be interesting. @Teela: next time your in a supermarket, grab a hunk of pork shoulder and hand it to the cutters behind the counter. Finish your shopping, then pick up a package of ground meat. Do the same with chuck for hamburger, etc. Most stores around here do it as a courtesy, I assume it’s the same around the corner. @Spud: see post #85. Either he’s correct up yonder or you have two jurors who wouldn’t convict. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/116 "2010-09-10T03:28:10Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > I sure hope everyone means parbroiling because if you tell me you are going to grill me a nice porterhouse and I catch you dumping it into a pot of boiling water I would have no choice but to kill you. No jury on earth would convict me. Doesn’t anyone else set up their grill for both direct and indirect heat? Sear it on direct, let it finish on indirect. You can even do it the other way around, if you want. But, yeah, this. Sear on one side, let it come up to temp on the other. Gas grill, charcoal grill, whatever. You don’t need to even babysit that much. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/117 "2010-09-10T03:48:11Z")
(sigh) I own only a little $25 charcoal K-Mart charcoal grill. If I have a LOT of stuff to cook, I have to plan ahead and prep. Hot dogs and pounded-thin marinated chicken breast take only a few minutes. But a lot of burgers and Italian sausage, I put in a frying pan on the stove, cover, and cook till, well, just cooked through, but not browned. I can’t stand there all day at the grill babysitting the burgers and sausage. They are put on just cooked through and only need finishing over the hot coals with BBQ sauce. Potatoes, onions, and peppers are also parboiled, cut up, and put in the grilling basket with chopped bacon, or some oil, and they are finished over the hot coals, too. Nothing is raw inside/charred on the outside. (But if I ever had a steak to cook, I wouldn’t think of cooking that ahead of time.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/118 "2010-09-10T04:22:15Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > (sigh) I own only a little $25 charcoal K-Mart charcoal grill. If I have a LOT of stuff to cook, I have to plan ahead and prep. Obviously, the above doesn’t apply to you then. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/119 "2010-09-10T05:32:31Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@salinqmind](#): > > > > (sigh) I own only a little $25 charcoal K-Mart charcoal grill. If I have a LOT of stuff to cook, I have to plan ahead and prep. > > **Obviously, the above doesn’t apply to you then.** Except for the bit about not boiling a steak. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/120 "2010-09-10T05:54:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You can even do it the other way around, if you want. But, yeah, this. Sear on one side, let it come up to temp on the other. Gas grill, charcoal grill, whatever. You don’t need to even babysit that much. Why do you want one side of a good steak to be soggy? And what do you mean other way around, finish it first, then sear it? We are talking about a grill here right? Sear the steak on both sides. Then let it finish. That’s the way the GFSM intended. Spud, if I’m on the jury, there will be no conviction. It has to be unanimous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072.md?page=7)