Slow Cooker - Cooking Tips and Tricks

Cooking over a slow cooker/crockpot is the best way to preserve nutrients as well as enhance the natural tastes of the cooking foods. And this is one of the best time saving appliances one can have in their kitchen.

To get started with a crock pot there are a few tips and tricks:

Try and buy crockpots with a removable liner. They are much easier to clean and maintain. Food normally cooks at approximately 140 degree F so initially you can raise the temperature to speed up the cooking process and later reduce once the temperature is achieved.

Do not life the lid frequent to see the cooking. Or else the heat will escape and the cooking time will get prolonged. Cut hard vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower etc in bit size pieces and place at the bottom of the pot for quicker cooking. While place softer vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms etc towards the end of the process (last 1/2 hour) so that they don't get over cooked.

Add liquid (1/2 to 3/4) in the pot as it helps keep the food tender and moist.

Avoid frozen foods in the crockpots. Always defrost them before cooking. Stir in spices during the last hour of cooking. If added earlier with the rest of the ingredients, they will lose flavour due to prolonged cooking time. However, dried herbs will add to the intensity of the flavour such as bay leaves.

Add dairy products towards the last half an hour, unless specified by the recipe. Sauces such as Tabasco or cayenne turn bitter if cooked for long. So add less quantity and that too towards the end (last half an hour). Foods like pastas and rice turn up far more flavour in crockpots.

By following these tips and tricks you can turn out wondrous recipes from your slow cooker.

To view more articles and recipes please visit my website

Been a vegetarian through out my life and since I have had a keen interest in cooking I have come up with several recipes across cuisines.

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How to Cook a Meatloaf in a Crock Pot

Crock pot has definitely made cooking for dinner easier especially for busy housewives who only want to prepare a healthy and sumptuous dinner for the family in spite of a hectic schedule. Having found a place in modern kitchens, this can be left unattended for hours at a time while away attending to other tasks and can be back with a warm meal waiting. One dish that is best cooked in a crock pot is meatloaf.

There are different versions of how to cook them and I have one version of my own from the basic and just added some twist by using some other additional ingredients. I usually cook this on special occasions but with a slow cooker around you can have it as long as you want. Before sharing with you a recipe, I'd like to share some helpful tips in cooking meat loaf in a crock pot too.

Useful Tips:

Select cheaper cuts of meat as this works best with crock pot cooking because it has less fat contents and the long and slow cooking makes the meat very tender. And since its is cheaper, definitely it can help stretch the budget.
Just fill the crock pot with ½ or full to cook the food properly.
To remove the meat loaf easily when done, make a foil handle that is about 24 inches long that is folded lengthwise. Place at the bottom of the crock pot with ends hanging on the top edge.
Line the bottom of a crock pot with a cooking bag sprayed with a cooking spray inside to make cleaning easy if it has no removable liner. If possible, buy it with a removable liner.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ cup finely chopped carrots
6 tbsp. minced green and red bell pepper
¼ cup onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup sweet pickle relish
¼ cup raisins
3 whole eggs
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons catsup
1 tbsp. cornstarch
dash of liquid seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste
3 hard-cooked eggs, quartered
aluminum foil

How to make the meat loaf:

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl thoroughly except the hard-cooked eggs.

Divide into portions of your desire. Place a portion on a piece of aluminum foil, flatten and place the hard-cooked eggs at the center and cover with half of the mixture and roll to tightly shape into logs. Pat edges to seal. Do the same with the rest of the portions. ( It is advisable that size of the loaf fits the crock pot with enough space for air to ensure proper cooking).

Place the loaf in a crock pot. ( Place crumpled foil at the bottom of the pot to keep the loaf out of the fat drippings).

Cover with the lid and cook the meat loaf to low for 8 hours.

Let it cool, slice into rings and serve with catsup or mayonnaise for a dip or any of your favorite food sauce.

Makes 4 - 6 servings

This can be served as cold cuts or slightly fry before slicing into rings. Eat together with freshly cooked rice for a perfect meal.

Refrigerate extra meat loaf and get back to it when you feel some cravings for it again.

Marichu Coning

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Grilled Tuna Steak - Recipe That Helps Your Diet

Fish lovers like to enjoy fresh grilled tuna but some of us don't like tuna that much because it might not be the best looking fish. But you should know that eating it would be very healthy. This recipe is different tough, you may not like tuna but you will be lured after preparing it. One thing for sure is that fish doesn't have many fats compared to the meat or beef. Usually fish really does taste like meat once you get to love it. Don't think negatively of tuna, it can really help you in your diet. Here is the recipe for the Grilled Tuna Steak.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 lb tuna steak

Cooking the Food:

1. In a bowl combine olive oil, old bay seasoning, lime juice and lemon juice. Mix the ingredients until all of them are combined together.

2. Once done, pour the mixture over the tuna and marinade it for 20 minutes. Don't leave it unattended. You have to turn the tuna occasionally, so that the marinade is evenly distributed in and out of the fish.

3. Once done, prepare your grill. If you are using an electric grill then turn it on to high and cover the grill. If you are using a common grill, put some coal and burn. Have the coal turn red hot and no black spots should be found because you need the hottest part of the grill. Make sure that the grill is hot and put the tuna in the hottest part of the grill. Sear the tuna every 1 to 2 minutes per side to seal in the juices and strongly gives the flavour.

4. When done, transfer the tuna slightly away from the hottest area. If you are using an electric grill turn to medium or low to lessen the heat. Turn the tuna every 8 to 10 minutes, it depends how thick your tuna is, so if it is thick have a least 2-3 minutes gap.

5. When done put the tuna on a clean plate, and if you like, you can add the old bay seasoning on your tuna. You can also try squeezing fresh lemon on the tuna to bring the flavourful taste of the fish. Prepare some fruit juice or fresh cold water with your fish and have a perfect lunch or dinner.

It sounds simple isn't it? Yep, that is right. It is that simple. If you want to lower your oil intake, you can just lessen the olive oil. This has 52% of protein, and 60% of calories. But if you want to lessen your calorie intake you can even change the tuna steak for another fish that has lower calorie. White fish is one of the healthiest fish that you should eat. So, keep in mind this delicious recipe. You might be able to use it the next time you bought a fresh fish from the market.

Elizabeth Beauchamp is a writer who is a health and fitness enthusiast. In fact, he likes to write about food, diet and topics about how to grill salmon and grilling steak, and other interesting stuff.

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Grilling Shark Steak

Unlike beef and pork, shark meat is a much healthier alternative as they are not as high in fat and cholesterol. Grilling them as steaks would make them especially delectable to taste. If you do not know how to grill shark steak, here is a guide you can follow.

Before you learn how to grill shark steak, you should know what to get. Make sure you buy shark meat from a reliable store that sells fresh and safe shark, and make sure they are of good quality. Difference in quality can be felt and tasted so you will want to get a good one. Once you get the meat, slice them into sizes that are easier to manage because it will ease both the cooking and the eating process.

You should begin by marinating the shark steaks, which would bring out a richer taste and flavor to it. A choice of marinade would be the combination of soy sauce and buttermilk, which you will need to dip the steaks into and leave for at least four hours. Then, you can prepare the grill for cooking by setting it to medium low temperature to heat it up. While waiting for it to heat up, you can make the sauce for the steak. Put pepper, lemon juice, and honey in a clean bowl and mix them, followed by Dijon mustard. Make sure they are mixed thoroughly so that the taste will be consistent throughout the sauce. Then, sweep the sauce all over the steak so that the taste will be rich.

Once the grill is hot enough, place the steaks on top of it. Each side should receive a 4 minute of contact with the grill. When you turn them over, apply the sauce on the again. If one side does not seem ready, turn it over again and apply more sauce. Do not overcook them if you want to enjoy the flavor of the steak. Once they are ready, you can serve them with sauce. Serve with wine and you will definitely have a meal to remember.

Chris is the writer of this article, you can visit us for more information on how to grill shark and how to grill. Visit to read more detail.

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Cooking With Stainless Steel Cookware

Many people have questions about cooking with stainless steel cookware. What temperature should I cook at? Why does my food stick? If you have never used stainless steel cookware, that's understandable. When we are comparing ways to cook, SS is an entirely different medium. High quality stainless steel cookware is a sandwich of SS inside and out, with either an aluminum or copper core. This core is what allows the heat to spread out quickly and evenly throughout the cookware. Muti-ply stainless steel cookware can have as many as 12 layers, one key layer if you have a conductive cook top, is a carbon steel layer. This layer will allow the magnetism of a conductive cook top to work at its best. Another advantage, is heat retention, multi-layer stainless steel cookware will be heavier and will hold the heat longer. The pans will also contact the stoves heating elements fully, so you have no loss of heat transfer.

Now to the first question, what temperature do I cook at? With stainless steel cookware you will want to cook at low to med heat, and you will need to preheat your pans. Never cook on high heat, even if you need to boil, start on med and slowly raise the temp. until you get a boil. I've read to many articles that state," Just cook it on high." Resist the temptation.

The second question is a little harder to answer. In stainless steel cookware, food will always stick at first, but if you let it cook without moving it around, the food, especially meat, will sear. When this happens, a thin caramelized crust will form, this crust will actually release the food from your pan. How do you get the food to that point? You have to preheat the pans. To test the temperature, tap the top of the pan with the palm of your hand, if it's warm, OK, if it's hot, pull the pan off the heat to let it cool a bit. Now that you have achieved the best temperature, you can add a little oil to your pan, just enough to get light layer, or butter if you prefer. Add your food, you should get a sizzle when it hits the pan, if it crackles your heat is too high. Let you food cook till you get the desired doneness, and flip it over to cook the other side. When finished it should come right out with no problems. If you cook steaks or pork chops, the little pieces in the pan can make a great sauce or gravy, if you should like one. Stainless steel cookware will allow you to conserve energy and get more energy out of your food.

Wayne Graff has been cooking using all types of cookware for over 30 years. He has recently opened his online store thecookwarecenter.com. For more information on cooking techniques and stainless steel cookware in particular, go to thecookwarecenter.com

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Beef Cube Steak Recipes - Italian Style Cube Steak

Cube steak gets the Italian treatment in this recipe that features beef, tomatoes and fresh zucchini.

2 pounds beef cube steak
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ( 14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 ( 15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Place the cube steak, flour, salt, and pepper in a large plastic bag you can reseal. Seal and shake to coat.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat; brown the cube steak. Reduce heat to low, and mix in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, and Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer at least 1 hour, stirring once.

Place the zucchini in the skillet, and coat with the tomato sauce. Continue to simmer uncovered 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

=> Beef Brisket Recipes: Oven BBQ Beef Brisket

This is a very simple recipe for barbecue beef brisket that features cola, onion soup mix and chili sauce.

2 1/2 pounds beef brisket
1 ( 12 oz.) can or bottle cola carbonated beverage
1 ( 1 oz.) package dry onion soup mix
1 ( 12 oz.) can or bottle chile sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a roasting pan, place brisket fat side up. In a bowl, combine cola beverage, onion soup mix, and chile sauce. Pour chile sauce mixture over brisket.

Cover and bake for 3 to 4 hours. Uncover the brisket during the last hour of cooking.

=> Beef Jerky Recipes: Savory Beef Jerky

Save money and make your own beef jerky at home. Marinate strips of fresh beef in a spicy sauce then dehydrate to your taste.

2 pounds beef round steak, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon meat tenderizer
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions

Place beef strips in the bottom of a large bowl. Pour soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, brown sugar, salt, pepper, meat tenderizer, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika over beef. Mix well to assure all the meat is evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove beef from bowl and place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound beef to 1/8-inch thickness.

Arrange the beef strips on the tray of a dehydrator and dry at your dehydrator's highest setting until done to your liking - at least 4 hours. Store in an airtight container or resealable bags.

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5 Helpful Slowcooker Cooking Tips

Everyone loves a good home cooked meal, but not everyone wants to spend time in the kitchen after a hard day at work. The answer to this is not processed, pre-packaged food, but slow cooked food. Get out your slowcooker and get ready.

Slowcooking has evolved a lot since the arrival of the first crock pots on the market in the 1970s. There are tons of great recipes both online and in cookbooks. For the slowcooking newbie, there are a few tips that you need to know in order to prepare the best meal possible with your slowcooker.

1. First of all, remember the real reason for using a slowcooker; preparing and then leaving. Some folks refer to this as 'set and forget', but however you state it, leave the lid on the pot. Once you have plunked everything into the pot that's required for your recipe, put the lid on the slowcooker and go. You don't have to worry about leaving the house while the crockpot is on. Every time you lift the lid you may lose valuable cooking time. Given that most crock pots these days have clear glass lids, you can peek in and see what's going on without having to open the pot.

2. Slowcooker recipes will usually give the option of cooking either on low or high. Although you should always follow the recipe directions, after you become used to your slowcooker, you can create your own recipes. Keep in mind that generally one hour cooking on high is the same as two hours cooking on low.

3. Frozen foods can be placed into the slow cooker as is. You don't need to thaw first, but a good idea is to add some warm liquid to act as a buffer so you don't need to add more cooking time.

4. For best results, you should cook your rice or pasta to just about done before placing in the cooker. You may also add rice in the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

5. Some folks swear by browning meat first, but it's not a requirement for crockpot cooking. Although it can reduce the amount of fat in a recipe, the food will taste great due to the long cooking time and enhanced flavor of herbs over the process.

Hopefully, you're inspired to use your slowcooker now, and with these helpful tips you can prepare a wonderful meal for your family without all the fuss in the kitchen.

Find even more delicious easy crock pot recipes at Family Crock Pot Recipes.

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How to Make a Delicious Steak and Mashed Potatoes

Who doesn't love a classic steak and mashed potatoes? When you go out to eat them, they can cost well over ten dollars, and at the expensive places it may even hit fifty dollars. So why not make this delicious goodness at the comfort of your own house? Spend a little under five dollars and get yourself a nice piece of steak, steamed vegetables, and mashed potatoes.

The ingredients that you will need are: top loin steak, a potatoe, some vegetables (whichever kind you would like), some milk, salt, pepper, and butter.

First we're going to prepare the steak. In this recipe, we're going to do a simple seasoning with simple salt and pepper. If you have a rub that you want to add in, that's fine too. Rubbing it down with some rub is much better than salt and pepper, but we don't usually have rub at our house, so most of the times it's simple salt and pepper. Make sure to get both sides and leave it on the side for a little bit.

Take two pots of water and bring it to a boil. Add some salt in both pots and in one pot take your potato, roughly chop it, and throw them in. In the other pot, add your vegetables and steam them.

Now take a pan, raise it to high heat, and add some oil. In a couple of seconds, take your steak and put it gently on the pan as to get rid of excess oil flying at you. The secret to having a juicy steak is flipping it only once and not poking any holes in it. This will let the juice run out and you'll get a dry steak. We're also cooking it on high heat so we can seal in the flavor. This kind of steak should take about five minutes on each side to cook.

So while we're waiting for the steak to cook, let's turn to the potatoes and vegetables. The vegetables shouldn't take that long to cook. It should be done in a couple of minutes. Once it's done, drain the water and add it back to its pot. Turn the heat on medium and add a little salt and pepper and some butter. This will give the vegetables an extra layer of flavor.

As for the potatoes, they will take a bit longer. You will know they're done when you can easily stick a fork through it. Once they're done, drain the water and add it back to its pot. Turn the heat on medium and add your milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Now take a flat object and start mashing your potatoes. The milk and butter will help in this process as well as give you flavorful mashed potatoes. Once you've finished mashing your potatoes, mix it for a little bit and serve it on a plate. Next to the potatoes, layer on your vegetables.

Now, once both sides of the steak is done, drop the heat a little bit and cook until your steak is cooked as desired. Then, simply serve on the plate with your potatoes and vegetables and enjoy! If you calculate the ingredients and the amount used, it should run you a little less than five dollars for that hearty meal.

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How Long Do You Cook Hamburgers on a Grill?

Introduction

It is a true American favorite treat to cook hamburgers on the grill on holidays, special occasions, or just whenever you have a hankering. But if you are inexperienced at grilling hamburgers, then you may be wondering:

o How long do you cook hamburgers on a grill?
o What temperature should you grill them?
o What should you season them with?

In this article you will learn the answer to these questions. Plus you will learn a variety of useful hamburger grilling tips.

Grilling Times & Temperature

The following table is a general guide and should not replace checking inner temperatures of the grilled hamburgers with a meat thermometer:

Patty Thickness: 1/2";
Grilling Time: 9 min;
Grill Temperature: Low (Lid & Vent Closed)

Patty Thickness: 3/4";
Grilling Time: 13 min;
Grill Temperature: Low (Lid & Vent Closed)

Patty Thickness: 1";
Grilling Time: 18 min;
Grill Temperature: Low (Lid & Vent Closed)

Seasoning the Hamburgers

Some of the mix-ins frequently used by cooks across America include:

o Onion Soup Mix
o Butter & Minced Garlic
o Minced Onions & Garlic
o Cheddar Cheese & Chopped Bacon
o Equal Amount Of Pork Sausage
o Barbeque Sauce & Bacon
o Cheese & Jalapenos
o Diced Onions & Shredded Cheese
o Lemon Juice, Chopped Basil, Chives, Rosemary, & Thyme
o Teriyaki & Pineapple

Often mix-ins are left out and seasonings are liberally sprinkled on each side:

o Salt & Pepper
o Seasoned Salt & Lemon Pepper
o Cajun Seasoning
o Barbeque Seasoning
o Various Grill Seasonings (found in the seasoning isle in grocery stores)

Grilling Tips

o For best flavor, use freshly ground chuck (about 20% fat) or freshly ground round (about 11% fat).
o When making lean hamburgers (such as when using fresh ground round) mix in one egg for each pound of meat in order to prevent crumbling.
o The leaner the hamburger patties, the drier the hamburgers will be, and the more likely they will crumble while grilling.
o When forming the hamburger patties, be sure to press the middle thin or make a thumb-sized hole to keep uniform thickness while cooking.
o Make hamburger patties about 1/2" larger around than the hamburger buns you will be using as the hamburger patties will shrink.
o You may shape the hamburger patties by either using your hands or using a hamburger patty mold press.
o Pre-heat the grill on high temperature. After pre-heating the grill, clean and oil the grates.
o Brushing a little canola oil on the hamburger patty as well as on the grill will help keep the hamburger from sticking to the grill.
o Closing the lid and vents while cooking will reduce moisture-robbing flair-ups.
o Another way to avoid flair-ups is to place the hamburger patties in an aluminum pie tin. Place the hamburger patties so they do not overlap each other. Still turn the hamburger patties over about half way through cooking. Cook directly on the grill after they are 90% done.
o Turning the hamburger patties one quarter of a turn clockwise or counter-clockwise will create crisscross grill marks.
o Do not press the burgers on the grill as this will cause moisture to escape the burger.
o Flip the burger over only once, half way through cooking time, in order to preserve moisture.
o Never cut a hamburger on the grill so that the moisture stays inside the meat.
o When the juices start coming out of the top of the burger, then it is about medium.
o When the juices pool clear (not red) on top of the burger, then it is about medium-well.
o Use an instant read meat thermometer to determine if the hamburgers are done. 160 degrees Fahrenheit is medium. 170 degrees Fahrenheit is well done.
o Never place cooked meat back onto the same plate as was used for raw meat.
o Brush melted butter onto the hamburger buns and briefly toast them on the grill.

Summery

When you have a hankering for a hot, juicy hamburger, nothing beats a freshly grilled and tasty burger. Now you know the answers to: How long do you cook hamburgers on a grill? How hot should you set the grill to cook the hamburgers? What are some ways you can season the hamburgers? Enjoy!

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Is an Infrared Gas Barbeque Grill Right For You?

If you have bought or considered buying an barbeque in the past ten years, chances are you have heard of the technological advances in grilling called infrared technology. Infrared grills, depending on who you ask are either the perfect solution to modern grilling or completely unusable for anything other than burning food. The truth is different for each cook and deciding whether infrared grilling technology is right for you and your family's barbeque depends on what your predominantly cook and how you use your barbecue grill.

Infrared technology was invented at Thermal Engineering Corporation, TEC over twenty years ago. It was used for rubber and plastics manufacturing and quick-drying car paint before someone had the brilliant idea that the restaurant industry would benefit from the instant intense heat generated by an infrared gas burner. Initially restaurants were the proving ground for infrared grills. Before infrared grills, a chef would leave a thick slab of cast iron in the oven for several hours while the kitchen was prepping specials and getting ready to open for dinner. After several hours the cast iron griddle would be searing hot. When a customer ordered a perfectly seared steak or tuna, the meat could be quickly laid on the cast iron griddle to sear the outside layer within minutes. Infrared grills were able to duplicate the intensity of direct heat without hours of preparation.

After infrared grills had proven their worth commercially, grill manufacturers began making the grills more versatile for the residential market. Today infra-vection grills have an infrared burner and a convectional, or blue-flame burner hybrid. This design allows a section of the grill to be used for intense heat and another section for slower cooking.

The way a typical BBQ cooks your food is through convection, or hot air. Think about your process: you light the burner, turn all the burners to high then you close the hood and wait. What happens as you wait is the air trapped in the barbeque hood gets hot enough to cook your food. Put the food on the cooking grates and close the hood so the heat surrounds the food and cooks it - very similar to a broiler or a convection oven but outside.

Heat can cook three different ways. Convection cooking uses the air trapped inside the grill to conduct heat. Heated molecules in air or water conduct heat by bumping into one another. The hot air (or hot water, or oil) cooks the food by surrounding it with heat. Conduction style barbeque grills use a conductive medium like lava rocks, briquettes, rods and heavy cooking grates to distribute heat in addition to the heat trapped in the hood. Before infrared grilling was invented, conduction grilling was the only way to cook at temperatures hotter than eight hundred degrees, which is considered the minimum for searing.

Radiant heat is different. Radiant heat is the direct heat from the flame. It is called infrared because the heat energy is comprised of the frequency just below the red end of the physical color spectrum - light we cannot see. Infrared heat is perfect for cooking because the heat is the direct heat generated by the flame, not heat limited by the tolerance of the medium. For instance water will allow less heat than oil, aluminum less heat than iron but the flame will always create the same heat. Instead of finding a way to transfer the heat to air, oil, iron, etc, radiant grills allow the heat from the fire to cook the food.

An infrared burner pressurizes the gas inside the casing of the burner. The pressurized gas turns the flame red instead of the blue flame you are used to seeing and the flame is tiny. However, turn on an infrared burner and the heat at the grilling surface will be over one thousand degrees in about sixty seconds without closing the hood. Most infrared gas grills will reach fourteen hundred degrees within three minutes.

The benefit to cooking with infrared is flavor. When hot air surrounds your food, the food sweats, it drips and loses moisture just like you do on a hot day. Also because a convection barbeque will reach its maximum temperature at approximately five hundred degrees, your food will take longer to cook and it will be losing moisture the whole time. When a barbeque grill uses lava rocks, briquettes or some conductive material to transfer heat the flavor dripping out of your food will actually flare up and cause serious inconsistencies in the distribution of heat. It also makes the grill filthy dirty and difficult to clean. The conduction that creates heat at the grilling surface will be hotter than the convectional heat surrounding the food making it easy to miscalculate time and burn the outside of your food.

When your food is placed on an infrared grill the heat will sear the outside layer of the food within a minute. Flip the steak (burger, filet, etc) and sear the other side and within two minutes, your food is "seared". The outer layer has been sealed and will not lose moisture. The flavor will not sweat or drip out of the food once it is seared. The heat can then be adjusted to a lower setting while the inside of the food is brought up to temperature without worrying about drying out the food. Convection and conductive heat transfer dries the food in the process of cooking. Infrared cooking has the opposite effect locking the moisture in the food where it adds to the flavor. Notice infrared grills all have cooking grates with a concave shape. The concave groove in the cooking grids is meant to hold any moisture that drips out of the food in the first few minutes while searing is sealing the surface of your steak. The moisture is stuck on the grate and is vaporized by the heat to re-enter the food as smoke.

Criticisms of infrared technology are usually made by people who have not used an infrared grill. In theory a lot more heat should make it easy to burn the food. My first steak cooked on an infrared grill looked perfect until I cut it open and discovered the inside was completely raw. The second experiment left the outside burnt but the inside was cooked perfect. By the third attempt at cooking on an infrared grill, I was a pro. I perfectly seared the outside layer of my steak. Then I lowered the heat and closed the hood to force the heat to surround the steak and cook the inside. Within ten minutes the steaks were medium and tasted perfect - juicy like they were raw. An additional point to remember is that when the intense heat sears the outside of the food so no moisture can drip out, the seal also prevents your food from absorbing any fumes or gas residue.

An added benefit of infrared grilling is clean-up. There are no barbeque heat shields or flavorizer plates hanging between the cooking grates and the gas burner. Infrared grills have no need for a plate to distribute heat nor a tray that deflects dripping grease off the burner. An infrared grill has no need for lava rocks or briquettes that get grease and dirt caked up and are impossible to clean. Below my cooking grates is my burner. Anything falls through the grates to the burner, it is incinerated. An infrared grill is the easiest grill you will even need to clean. Although the cooking grates are concave and designed to hold grease let the burner heat the grates to fourteen hundred degrees and it is like having a self cleaning oven. A clean grill will last decades longer than a dirty grill. The clean design of the infrared system guarantees it will keep cooking great flavor for many years.

The other hidden benefit is related to igniting the grill. Ignitor electrodes on most conduction and convectional barbeques go bad within the first year. This is because the electrode is exactly like a small spark plug. When the plug gets covered with dirt and grease, it has difficulty finding clean steel to spark against. Infrared grill electrodes are positioned above the burner so the ignition electrode is cleaned as you are cooking.

Infrared grill technology is the pinnacle of cooking. The best restaurants in town use infrared to keep moisture and flavor inside the food where it belongs. As with anything, the technology will be more expensive than simpler designs of traditional barbeques. Most people realize that they are sacrificing flavor for convenience when they move from using charcoal to using gas barbecues. With infrared technology we are able to gain the convenience of a gas grill with the superb flavor usually associated with charcoal BBQs.

I own http://www.grill-repair.com and I have been cooking on an infrared gas grill for many years. I could not own another barbeque grill again. Let me know if you would like us to assist you with additional questions and information about infrared grills where we blog about infrared gas grills and take a look at some built in infrared grills and cart-mounted grills.

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How to Cook Chicken on a Gas Grill For the Best Flavor

There are various ways of cooking meat such as pork, chicken and beef. At the same time, there are also different means and types of cooking equipment to choose from in terms of grilling. How to cook chicken on a gas grill is one of them and here is a list of suggestions and tips:

If there is one part of grilled chicken that we love to hate but enjoy eating, that would be the skin. Grilling your favorite chicken with its skin on is definitely appealing. However, most people end up having charred or burnt chicken skin after grilling. So what are we supposed to remember? First, do not pierce the meat before or during cooking. It also helps to use appropriate cooking utensils like tongs and skewers. How to cook chicken on a gas grill provides us valuable technique and requires patience, as you need to constantly turn the meat while grilling.

Medium temperature is another valuable element. For cooking chicken using high heat normally results to charring. Aside from temperature, time is also crucial in learning how to cook chicken on a gas grill. As a helpful tip, it is best if you will turn the chicken several times or every ten minutes. The total time of cooking is usually 30 to 40 minutes. However, this suggested grilling time may change depending on chicken size as well as the temperature of the gas grill.

Another known method on how to cook chicken on a gas grill is indirect cooking. If the grilling equipment happens to have dual burners, you can just opt to preheat both burners, turn off one side then carefully place your chicken onto the turned-off burner. Another method is making a pan-like base using aluminum foil, place it under the grate with the chicken placed properly over it. This method though requires an additional ten minutes to suggested grilling time but the results are said to be worth each wait.

To sum it up, cooking for your family may take you at unexplored territory. It is more of venturing into something that is new and exciting. How to cook chicken on a gas grill provides you with good-old technique. It may take time but the benefits are truly great if not worth-eating.

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Choosing a Perfect Steak - Know Your Steak Cuts

Chefs are taught a lot about steak cooking, but one can still go to a restaurant and have a shocking experience.

At home, the game of serving a consistently tender and tasty steak gets even harder.

I'll follow with an article on cooking the perfect steak, but before we get to that, I'll address the most critical factor of choosing the right cut.

Here are some tips on selecting the right steak. Choosing the grade of meat will follow in a future article.

Choose a great cut

Steak varies a lot in quality.

Firstly you need to select the right cut for your needs, budget and appetite. Here's a quick list of beef cuts that we can that we can definitely classify as 'steak' as well as some common other names.  

Tenderloin (fillet steak, tournedos, eye fillet)

This is the 'premium' cut and the most tender with the least fat.

A good quality grain fed or Wagyu tenderloin will have a lot of fat marbling through the meat, but this cut should be trimmed of all sinew and will have no fat on the outside. This is the most expensive cut and the most tender, but Rib steaks have more flavour.

Tenderloins are usually smaller steaks as well. Probably the smallest of all the cuts.

Restaurant portions average 180-250g and it's boneless and fat free.

A double cut from the head of the tenderloin is called a Chateaubriand..

Seared Tenderloin can be baked in puff pastry, either whole or in individual portions, with mushroom duxelles or pate. This is called "Beef Wellington." 

Rib Eye, Scotch fillet and Prime Rib

Rib steaks are extremely flavoursome and can be very tender.

The rib has a large piece of moist fat running through the center. This is normal. Leave it there as it gives the meat flavour and keeps it moist.

A rib eye is a fillet of rib - cut off the bone. This is also known as Scotch fillet or 'cube roll'

The Prime rib or "O.P. Rib" is a rib-eye with the bone still on it. Like a huge lamb cutlet, but from beef instead.

Cooking on the bone always gives a lot more flavour, but it does take a little longer to cook.

A prime rib is a premium cut. The Prime rib is up there with the Porterhouse as one of the the largest of the steak cuts, and it's definitely the tastiest.

Expect a prime rib to be 450g to 550 grams.

A rib eye steak will be between 250 grams for a tin one, to 300 grams medium or 400g for a thick one. 

Sirloin, Entrecote, striploin, New York strip

This is the 'third best' cut, and the best value.

It is normally sized somewhere between a tenderloin and a rib steak too.

The Striploin or sirloin has thick fat along the top which should be trimmed down to around 1cm thick. It shouldn't be trimmed off totally as it bastes the meat while cooking and keeps it moist.

Sirloin is very tasty and a great cut, but can be tough if not very careful about choosing the brand or grade of meat. A 'standard' portion is 250 grams, with a large steak being 350 to 400 grams.

T-Bone and Porterhouse

These are a 'combination' steak on the bone.

The bone is a "T" shape. One side of the "T" is a fillet steak or tenderloin, the other side is a sirloin. Both are attached to the bone.

these are the same steak, except the Porterhouse is cut from the back of the shortloin where the fillet steak piece is large and meaty.

the front of the shortloin is where the fillet steak starts to get smaller, so these steaks with smaller tenderloin pieces attached are referred to as "T-Bone"

These are great steaks, normally large. A porterhouse cut thick is probably the largest steak of the lot. Expect around 550 grams 

Rump Steak

This is the 'bum' of the animal. A plump buttock with an external layer of fat which can be trimmed down to an acceptable level.

The rump is probably the 'driest' steak, with the least marbling through the meat compared to the other premium cuts above.

The rump can have great texture and flavour.

Often the rump is just sliced across the grain to give a large piece of tasty meat.

This can be a disadvantage because done this way the grain will run in different directions through the different muscles in the rump.

This means that some bits will be tougher than others.

Steak should be cut across the grain of the meat for best results.

One solution to this is 'seam-cutting' or splitting a whole rump into different muscles and then cutting each across the grain into smaller steaks.

A rump will be around 250 grams if seam cut, to 400 or 500 grams cut across all the muscles.

Lesser cuts

Flank steak and Skirt steak

These are cut from the abdomen or belly of the beef and have a very specific texture. They're OK seasoned and seared over high heat, but they don't have the typical 'steak' appeal of the prime cuts above. 

Bad steaks

Any other cut is not a steak.

A lot of leg meat or shoulder cuts are passed off by supermarkets and 'creative' butchers as "steak"

They are not.

Round 'steak' for example, is a dry, tougher piece of meat not well suited to grilling or pan frying. You can break it down mechanically, or tenderise it, but it's not as well suited to barbecuing and will always be tougher.

Chuck steak is not steak. It's stewing beef.

Choosing a great grade of meat may give you an eating experience that is tender enough from an inferior cut, but the steak cuts from thee same animal will always be tastier and a lot more tender.

A steak cut will not always guarantee tender meat either. Some animals just have tough meat. Even the fillet steak.

A steak is the tenderest part of the beef - what we call a 'first class cut' because it is suited to fast cooking methods such as grilling, barbecue or pan frying.

"BBQ steak" "Budget steak" and similar things are tricks. They are based on price, not taste or tenderness.

If that's ok with you, go ahead. But to get the best taste and a tender piece of meat, choose the cuts above. 

My next article will be on choosing the right grade of beef to ensure that your steak will be consistently tender and flavoursome.

Shane Brierly is a professional chef who has been travelling the globe for the last six years cooking, eating and discovering. He prefers the "path less travelled" and is currently living in South-East Asia blogging about food, drinks, cooking and sights from his travels. Shane can be found at http://chef-a-gogo.com and is happy to answer any questions or respond to feedback left in the comments section. He loves teaching people how to cook, and is passionate about fresh food, quickly and simply prepared.

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George Foreman Grill Steak - How to Cook a Juicy Healthy Steak at Home Fast

Steaks are a very popular option and very tasty, but to grill them by ourselves is not always that much fun or practical so steak houses or restaurants are sometimes the only alternatives. Well, don't get me wrong restaurant steaks are very nice but also expensive and sometimes there is something about preparing steaks ourselves that really hits the sweet spot.

Anyhow what if there is a way for us to cook steaks ourselves without needing too much space and that does not produce too much smoke, then I'm sure many of us would jump at the chance. So here comes the George Foreman steak grill, a grilling machine that enables us, steak-lovers, to fix our own steaks in the comfort of our own home without the smoke and the fat. Confessedly, charcoal-cooked steaks taste a lot better than steaks cooked with this grill however, since barbeque grills are not an option in certain months of the year then this is the best choice you have.

The grill plate is leaning so fat flows away from the food and into the drip tray making the steak a lot less fatty. After placing in the meat, chicken or fish just shut the lid to evenly grill both sides of the meat. Although the plates cannot be taken from the grill, wiping them with a clean wet cloth will be fine. The George Foreman steak grill also comes with a cookbook and a chart telling you how long to cook everything.

to learn everything you need to know about George Foreman appliances and cookware including the George Foreman Rotisserie visit http://GeorgeForemanRotisserie.org.

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Two Basic Cooking Techniques - Sauteing and Cooking Pasta Correctly

While you may chuckle at the thought of not knowing how to boil water, some people will tell you how they ruined their favorite pan when it boiled dry! Basic cooking skills are something that everyone should know, even if they have never set foot in the kitchen. From making a grilled cheese sandwich to creating a five-course meal, you really have to start somewhere! Below, you will find some information on basic cooking skills that can get you started in the kitchen.

Sizzling Sauté

The word "sauté" means "to jump" in French and that's the whole premise behind sautéing meat or vegetables. You'll want to use a frying pan and a bit of fat or butter to keep whatever you are sautéing from sticking to the pan. Prepare your meat by trimming the excess fat and cutting it up into smaller pieces. Prepare the vegetables, such as onions and mushrooms, and dice them up, too.

Place your pan over a high heat and melt the butter or heat the oil. It's ready when the butter starts to foam a little and just begins to turn brown. Add in your meat in first, as it will benefit more from the flavors in the pan. Keep the food moving and shaking until it's done on all sides. This is a great way to prepare a topping for a steak or starting a base for a soup.

Cooking Perfect Pasta

While you would think that this is a rather simple task, how many times have you had a pot boil over on the stove? There are few tips to keep this from happening and to make sure you have the perfect pasta when you're done.

First, make sure you use a large enough pan. Many people try to cook an entire bag of pasta in a small pan and it just doesn't work well. You can figure on four to six quarts of water for every pound of pasta. Next, add a teaspoon of salt to the water.

You can add a tablespoon of oil to the water to keep the pasta from sticking together. It's s not necessary if you stir the pasta enough while it is cooking; however, it does help keep the water from boiling over. Another trick is to lay a wooden spoon over the top of the pan. This works well, too.

Bring the water to a full rolling boil. Add your pasta and stir continuously for the first two minutes. This will give some of the starch a chance to boil off and you'll be much less likely to wind up with a clump of noodles stuck together. Cook for the recommended time, but stir every minute to two minutes while cooking.

Begin checking the pasta for doneness about a minute before the time is up. You can do this a couple of ways. First, you can remove a piece of pasta with a spoon and taste. Be careful - it's hot! Secondly, you can try to pin a piece of pasta with a spoon against the side of the pan and see if the spoon cuts through it easily.

Most people like their pasta "al dente" which means "firm but not soft." This is usually what the time recommendations on the packages are for, too. Once the pasta is done, drain it immediately or it will continue to cook. You can rinse it with cold water for a pasta salad or immediately add your favorite sauce to keep it from sticking together. If your sauce isn't ready, a tablespoon of butter or olive oil will keep it from sticking.

Michelle adores just enjoying free time in trying out great new recipe techniques along with her crockpot recipes. One of her all time winter season most favorite is with out question crock pot pasta recipes

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Condiments For Spicing Up Your Steak

No steak should ever be cooked without any condiments to enhance its flavour and taste. The type of condiments you should use depends clearly on your tastes. It is important to smell and taste the condiment thoroughly before putting it in your food. This way, you can prevent ruining that excellent expensive steak.

If you have sweet tastes, you could try watermelon rind condiments, they make the meat very delicious. If you prefer spicy foods, try a salsa or wasabi condiment. If you like your foods very salty, then simply try marinated black olives. Salsa is usually made from tomatoes with corn, red peppers and chilli is added to make it extra hot. If you prefer a salsa that is not spicy, you can find ones that do not have chilli and are very mild.

Tabasco sauce is also an alternative for those looking for the extreme spicy taste. It is a combination of very spicy peppers, salt and vinegar. It will not only make your food HOT, but also can enhance the clarity of your taste buds.

Mustard is probably the most globally known condiment along with ketchup. There are many types of mustard available to purchase. For example you can buy the regular version which go well on sausages. But you can also get a little bit more sophisticated. Dijon Mustard has darker seeds and is mixed with wine along with other seasonings to give it a milder, more robust taste. If you have a sweet tooth but prefer things a bit interesting still, try some honey mustard. This is exactly what it sounds like: honey mixed with mustard.

Horseradish is also very common for use especially on sea food. Some enjoy mixing horse radish with diced tomatoes and make a sauce from it. Others prefer a bit of mayonnaise or sour cream mixed with the horse radish. Try them all and see which ones appeals the most to you.

Daniel has been writing articles for more than two years online. Come visit his latest websites over at http://www.CISCarInsurance.org which helps people find information on reducing insurance prices, or check out http://www.dysonrevacuumcleanerparts.org [http://www.dysonvacuumcleanerparts.org] which talks about vacuum cleaner parts for Dyson vacuums.

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