“Myths: carbs cause insulin resistance (IR), diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Carbs are intrinsically pathogenic. If a healthy person eats carbs, eventually they’ll get sick.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2016/12/ketogenic-diet-rant.html
Thursday 29 December 2016
“Myths: carbs cause insulin resistance (IR), diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2016/12/ketogenic-diet-rant.html
Tuesday 27 December 2016
Did you know that even black pepper contains 32 known carcinogens?
Question:
A friend recently said that she’d read that cast iron cookware gives of carcinogens. Is this true? – Gary Hollingshead (11/28/05)
A friend recently said that she’d read that cast iron cookware gives of carcinogens. Is this true? – Gary Hollingshead (11/28/05)
Answer:
I have not read any articles on cast iron cookware containing carcinogens. If you have some articles, please share them with me.
I have not read any articles on cast iron cookware containing carcinogens. If you have some articles, please share them with me.
Cooking in cast iron pots can significantly increase the iron content of food, particularly foods with a high moisture content, high acidity and those cooked for a long time. For example, a serving of spaghetti sauce normally contains less than one milligram of iron, but when cooked in an iron pot, that can climb to nearly six milligrams. Whether or not this added iron is a benefit depends on your age and your health status. For most individuals the occasional use of a cast iron skillet will cause no health concerns
I have read that everything grilled or barbecued is full of carcinogens due to the fact that the food is cooked over burning coals, wood and/or gas. The carcinogens intrinsically produced in grilling are mainly free radicals that are produced whenever you heat a hydrocarbon (i.e. butter, fat, burnt-sugar, etc.) to high temperatures. This is why French fries are so unhealthy – not only are they high in fat but they are also loaded with free radicals.
I have also heard that Teflon pans contain carcinogens. A University of Toronto chemist has shown that Teflon coated pans release perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a “likely carcinogen” and other chemicals when heated to 360 celsius.
Did you know that even black pepper contains 32 known carcinogens?
Feedback:
Wow! Pepper has 32 carcinogens!? That is nothing to sneeze at!
Wow! Pepper has 32 carcinogens!? That is nothing to sneeze at!
We might never know the exact health effects of cast iron pans; too much iron lined to Alzheimer's and colorectal cancer
Very good article - https://examine.com/nutrition/are-cast-iron-pans-unsafe/
Summary:
Aside from stone, iron is the oldest cooking surface still in use. This provides evidence for its lack of obvious harm, but doesn’t necessarily mean it’s totally safe.
(You can’t just dig up pure iron from the ground. Pure iron is rare and mainly comes from fallen meteorites. And it's actually pretty soft, so not great for making pans without adding in some carbon for hardening. But still, around 97-98% of a cast iron pan is plain ol’ iron, which is why we’re so interested in its health effects. Our discussion also applies to carbon steel cookware (such as woks), which is made up of 99% iron.)
Cast iron and carbon steel pans are very similar in their makeup and kitchen use, so potential health concerns from cast iron pans also apply to carbon steel pans, which are also known as “blue steel” or “black steel” pans.
Too much iron has been linked to a wide variety of conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and colorectal cancer to name just a few. There’s a couple groups of people who don’t have to worry quite as much about iron overload though: menstruating women and vegetarians/vegans. But for others, especially those who regularly eat red meat, it doesn’t take much to push yourself into excess iron territory.
Iron is almost universally labeled as “good” among laypeople and even some health professionals. But too much iron is uniquely harmful, as the body cannot get rid of it, and iron has a tendency to produce free radicals. Thus, excess iron is linked to many diseases.
How much iron are we talking?
We’re talking a pretty decent amount of iron, depending on the condition of your cast iron pan, and what specifically you’re cooking.
To put it into context: men need 8 mg of iron a day, and a serving of tomato sauce cooked in a cast iron skillet can provide 5 mg of iron!
Iron content of foods cooked in a cast iron pan
Stainless steel doesn’t leach much iron, due to its protective shield of chromium oxide. But it may still leach small amounts of other metals such as nickel, which some people have allergic reactions to.
Seasoning isn’t just recommended for cast iron pans, it’s a requirement. The seasoning layer is comprised of broken down then polymerized unsaturated fatty acids. Multiple thin layers of seasoning built up over time are a sign of a well-used and largely non-stick cast iron pan.
The pros of the seasoning process are numerous: you can eventually cook eggs without them sticking, you don’t have to re-season as often, the pan won’t rust, and you can get much cooking cred from your foodie friends.
The cons are harder to quantify. Bits of the seasoning will come off over time (and be replaced by more seasoning). Nobody knows exactly how much comes off over time, nor do they know what the health effects are of eating tiny bits of this type of broken down fat. If you heat the pan up fairly high over long periods, might carcinogenic fumes or free radicals develop from the oxidized oil? Would small amounts of these hypothetical byproducts even be of concern, given the natural antioxidant defenses our bodies employ?
Despite this uncertainty, you shouldn’t be overly alarmed. The flaxseed oil seasoning on your cast iron pan may be oxidized, but it’s not rancid. Meaning, it doesn’t impart undesirable odors or flavors (for the most part). This may seem confusing at first, since all the double bonds in a bottle of flaxseed oil mean that it can go rancid easily, when not refrigerated. This is because the double bonds are easily attacked by air and light, among other factors.
Seasoning is basically oxidized then polymerized polyunsaturated oil. The risks, if any, of eating tiny amounts of seasoning every day for years is unknown. But they’re probably not very large.
Even with all the options available, there is no perfect pan, given the wide variety of factors people look at. These include non-stickiness, searing ability, ease of use, even heating, and so on and so on. Cast iron does well with some of these and poorly with others.
The decision to choose cast iron or a different cooking material depends on a variety of personal preferences, including risk aversion, what you enjoy cooking with, and what you already own. Trying out more than one type of pan may be wise, or even using more than one type of pan on a regular basis, depending on what’s best suited for the job at hand.
***
Question:
I have used iron skillets for years. Some belonged to my Mother. A friend asked me if it was safe to use because of the iron in the skillet. I told her I have been eating from them and using them for years & never heard anything about the iron in the skillet not being safe. Please let me know. Thank-you for your informative care of the skillets. – Brenda Weldon (12/16/05)
I have used iron skillets for years. Some belonged to my Mother. A friend asked me if it was safe to use because of the iron in the skillet. I told her I have been eating from them and using them for years & never heard anything about the iron in the skillet not being safe. Please let me know. Thank-you for your informative care of the skillets. – Brenda Weldon (12/16/05)
Answer:
Yes, cooking in a cast iron skillet can add significant amounts of iron to your food and into your body… if you eat it. This was proven by researchers who tested 20 foods, the results of which were published in the July 1986 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. They measured the iron and moisture content of these items when raw, and after cooking in an iron skillet and a non-iron (Corning ware) dish, separately. A new, seasoned iron skillet was used, in the event prior use might have affected iron absorption. The researchers also compared iron absorption when using a new iron skillet versus an older one.
Yes, cooking in a cast iron skillet can add significant amounts of iron to your food and into your body… if you eat it. This was proven by researchers who tested 20 foods, the results of which were published in the July 1986 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. They measured the iron and moisture content of these items when raw, and after cooking in an iron skillet and a non-iron (Corning ware) dish, separately. A new, seasoned iron skillet was used, in the event prior use might have affected iron absorption. The researchers also compared iron absorption when using a new iron skillet versus an older one.
| Foods tested (100 g./3 oz.) | Iron content - raw | Iron content - cooked in Cast iron |
|---|---|---|
| Applesauce, unsweetened | .35 mg. | 7.38 mg. |
| Spaghetti sauce | 0.61 | 5.77 |
| Chili with meat and beans | .96 | 6.27 |
| Medium white sauce | .22 | 3.30 |
| Scrambled egg | 1.49 | 4.76 |
| Spaghetti sauce with meat | .71 | 3.58 |
| Beef vegetable stew | .66 | 3.4 |
| Fried egg | 1.92 | 3.48 |
| Spanish rice | .87 | 2.25 |
| Rice, white | .67 | 1.97 |
| Pan broiled bacon | .77 | 1.92 |
| Poached egg | 1.87 | 2.32 |
| Fried chicken | .88 | 1.89 |
| Pancakes | .63 | 1.31 |
| Pan fried green beans | .64 | 1.18 |
| Pan broiled hamburger | 1.49 | 2.29 |
| Fried potatoes | .42 | .8 |
| Fried corn tortillas | .86 | 1.23 |
| Pan-fried beef liver with onions | 3.1 | 3.87 |
| Baked cornbread | .67 | .86 |
What's the difference between an iron pan and a cast iron pan?
The most important difference is how the pans get their shape.
Wrought iron (normal flat sheet of iron)
A pan that is simply described as iron might be smelted and then poured into a lump (or "pig") of iron that is re-melted with other chemicals, poured and rolled ("wrought) into a flat sheet of iron, heated to make it malleable, and then hammered or pressed (again, wrought) by a stamping machine into the shape of a pan.
Cast iron (alloyed with carbon)
Alternatively, the pig iron might be re-melted, alloyed with other forms of iron, and poured ("cast") into a mold to make a cast iron pan.
***
Wrought iron (doesn't meat cheap); Key benefit of wrought iron = finest cookware can be produced without any coating
Possibly "iron pan" without "cast" does not refer to cheap pressed iron which needs to be coated, but to a wrought iron pan, which can, as cast iron, be used to produce the finest cookware without any coating.
Both cast iron and wrought iron work great with seasoning
Jonas, what you forgot to mention is that when cast iron is not enameled or coated it works like a dream when it is seasoned properly (same with wrought iron). Which is easy to achieve and preserve.
Cleaning with salt and hot water, no soap
I use an ordinary scraper, salt and kitchen paper for my wrought iron pans (sauté meat and vegetables; try chip potatoes and fried eggs) and hot water with no soap, a hard brush and kitchen paper for my cast iron cookware (braise, make sauces, one-pot-dishes etc.). Might be that cleaning iron cookware takes some more seconds, compared to smashing you steel pots into the dishwasher, but you are generously compensated for this ridiculous extra-effort by an unbelievable non-stick, make-brown-and-crisp equipment.
***
"Regular" iron cookware is often not cast but made from sheet iron and pressed into form. Since the amalgam in regular iron pans does not form ready polymer bonds or release them, those cookwares need to be coated or enameled to create a useable surface.
The good news is, that you don't have to season enameled or coated cookware since the desired effect is inherent in the coating (stick or non-stick). Cast Iron, however, works poorly when unseasoned and requires a coating with oxidized oil which creates a hydrophobic layer for non-stick reasons.
***
Iron is soft and becomes even softer when heated, so it doesn't make for good pots and pans.
Adding from about 0.3% -1.5% carbon takes you into the realm of the iron alloy, steel. The lower to the higher percent of carbon produces a softer to harder steel.
More than 1.5% of carbon produces the iron alloy, cast iron. It is harder than steel but comparatively brittle. In spite of its being somewhat brittle, cast iron is an excellent material for pots and pans because it evenly diffuses and retains heat. The drawback is that iron rusts, so the pots and pans must be coated with oil and baked. This protects the bare iron from the oxygen which causes rust.
I have a number of cast iron pots and pans that were my great grandmother's. I guess those before me treated them well because they are like new. Very very heavy though.
https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-an-iron-pan-and-a-cast-iron-pan
Monday 26 December 2016
Sources of Meat
The most common sources of meat are domesticated animal species such as cattle, pigs and poultry and to a lesser extent buffaloes, sheep and goats. In some regions other animal species such as camels, yaks, horses, ostriches and game animals are also eaten as meat. To a limited extent, meat is also derived from exotic animals such as crocodiles, snakes and lizards.
For thousands of years, poultry supplied meat and eggs, cattle, sheep and goats provided meat and milk, and pigs provided a source of meat. These species are the main sources of animal protein for humans. The meat derived from cattle is known as beef, meat derived from pigs as pork and from chickens as poultry. Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world accounting for over 36% of the world meat intake. It is followed by poultry and beef with about 35% and 22% respectively.
Estimated world livestock numbers (million head)
| 1990 | 2000 | 2012 | % change 1990-2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cattle and Buffaloes
| 1445 | 1467 | 1684 | 16.5 |
Pigs
| 849 | 856 | 966 | 13.8 |
Poultry
| 11788 | 16077 | 24075 | 104.2 |
Sheep and Goats
| 1795 | 1811 | 2165 | 20.6 |
The utilization and subsequent consumption of different animal species vary as cultural preferences and religious beliefs are observed.
http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/themes/en/meat/backgr_sources.html
Jan Soloven
Jan Soloven, Trained chef, organic gardener, and experienced eater.
Answered Jan 19, 2017
Yes indeed. It’s not only a healthy alternative to other meats, it’s also quite tasty, very similar to lamb. Here’s what Livestrong has to say about it:
“Goat meat is a healthy alternative to beef and chicken because of its lower calorie, fat and cholesterol totals. A staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, goat meat comprises 63 percent of red meat consumed worldwide, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. If you're looking for a leaner alternative to traditional meats, goat meat could be the answer.”
Goat Meat Nutrition Facts
Jan Soloven
Jan Soloven, Trained chef, organic gardener, and experienced eater.
Answered Jan 19, 2017
Yes indeed. It’s not only a healthy alternative to other meats, it’s also quite tasty, very similar to lamb. Here’s what Livestrong has to say about it:
“Goat meat is a healthy alternative to beef and chicken because of its lower calorie, fat and cholesterol totals. A staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, goat meat comprises 63 percent of red meat consumed worldwide, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. If you're looking for a leaner alternative to traditional meats, goat meat could be the answer.”
Goat Meat Nutrition Facts
Goat meat is more commonly eaten in North Africa, East Africa, Middle East, India
Goat Meat is more commonly eaten compared to sheep (Source: From the comments section in Lonely Planet discussion)
Goats usually have less diseases compared to sheep
Goat grow in hot temperature typical to tropical climates (My note: Sheep must be more suitable for colder climates and thus Aryan race. Dravidian-race/South Indians may be more suited for Goat meat rather than sheep meat. Just like South Indians are more suited for buffalo milk than cow milk).
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/get-stuffed/topics/goat-world-s-most-popular-meat?page=1
Goats usually have less diseases compared to sheep
Goat grow in hot temperature typical to tropical climates (My note: Sheep must be more suitable for colder climates and thus Aryan race. Dravidian-race/South Indians may be more suited for Goat meat rather than sheep meat. Just like South Indians are more suited for buffalo milk than cow milk).
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/get-stuffed/topics/goat-world-s-most-popular-meat?page=1
'Tarkari' goat stew - for depression and vitality
http://vermontchevon.com/why-chevon/recipes/
Beef and Lamb are similar (while Goat is not)
For 85 grams meat:
Calories - Beef and Lamb are similar ~ 245 calories, they have twice the calories as Goat
Fat (grams) ~ Beef and Lamb have fat which is 6 times that of Goat
Saturated Fat (grams) - Beef and Lamb have saturated fat which is 10 times that of Goat
Protein (grams) - protein level of beef, goat and lamb are similar.
Iron (grams) - Goat has twice the iron of lamb and 50% more than Beef.
| Nutrient composition of goat and other types of meat1, 2 | |||||
| Nutrient | Goat | Chicken | Beef | Pork | Lamb |
| Calories | 122 | 162 | 179 | 180 | 175 |
| Fat (g) | 2.6 | 6.3 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 0.79 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Protein (g) | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 63.8 | 76.0 | 73.1 | 73.1 | 78.2 |
| 1 Per 3 oz. of cooked meat | |||||
| 2 USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (2001) | |||||
http://vermontchevon.com/why-chevon/nutritional-benefits/
http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3679
Calories in each product :-
| Cooked Meat | Calories | Fat (Gr) | Sat’d fat (Gr) | Protein (mg) | Iron(Gr) | Cholesterol(mg) |
| Goat | 122 | 2.58 | 0.79 | 23 | 3.3 | 63.8 |
| Sheep | 235 | 16 | 7.3 | 22 | 1.4 | 78.2 |
| Chicken | 120 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 21 | 1.5 | 76 |
Saturday 24 December 2016
Summary
1. Reverse Osmosis was designed for desalinating sea water. It is useful for reducing very specific chemical contaminants like fluoride, nitrates.
However, according to the World Health Organization, low (TDS-Total Dissolved Salts) water or demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation, remove the essential nutrients and is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it.
RO purification systems are difficult to maintain - need lot of servicing.
2. Carbon Filtration is good to remove
chlorine,
organic compounds (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides),
some heavy meatals (iron, lead, aluminium, cadmium),
some cysts,
some parasites,
Another good thing is, it doesn't remove
Dissolved Solids - Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, and inorganic minerals.
It does not remove
Fluorides
Sulfates
Nitrates
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is best suited to address the two issues for which it was originally designed:
- Desalinating brackish water or sea water and/or
- Reducing very specific chemical contaminants.
You might need RO if you are facing challenges with
flouride,
sodium,
total dissolved solids (TDS)
chemicals like
arsenic,
radium,
nitrates and
nitrites, etc.
And while reverse osmosis water filters will reduce a pretty wide spectrum of contaminants such as dissolved salts, Lead, Mercury, Calcium, Iron, Asbestos and Cysts, it will not remove some pesticides, solvents and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) including:
Ions and metals such as Chlorine and Radon
Organic chemicals such as Benzene, Carbon tetrachloride, Dichlorobenzene, Toluene and Trihalomethanes (THMs)*
Pesticides such as 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 2,4-D and Atrazine.
Is demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or even distillation good for you?
No, it’s actually not. According to the World Health Organization, low (TDS) water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it. This lack of minerals also contributes to the awful taste that reverse osmosis water is known for. Stay tuned for our next blog post which will focus on the negative health effects of demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis and distillation.
What does this all mean?
Reverse osmosis was originally invented as a means of desalinating brackish or seawater sources and should be used as the tool for which it was intended.
Contrary to its reputation, reverse osmosis does not remove 100% of all contaminants and both reduction rates and certifications vary widely depending on the contaminant in question
RO membranes can be damaged and destroyed by the chlorine found in most municipal water supplies and thus require carbon pre-filtration.
Reverse osmosis water treatment systems are one of the most complicated types of systems on the market today and require pre-filters, storage tanks, pumps, drain connections and diligent attention to maintenance and testing.
According to the World Health Organization, low TDS or demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it.
What then is the best water filter for your home or office?
In our opinion, the best technology for home or office applications served by municipal water utilities is a combination of high quality carbon and sub-micron filtration.
Simple installation,
Dedicated faucet, (take back your fridge!)
Minimal maintenance
Visual filter change indicator and
Reduction of harmful contaminants to NSF/ANSI permissible limits, without removing healthy minerals.
http://elua.com/2013/11/is-reverse-osmosis-the-best-water-filter-for-your-home/
http://elua.com/2013/11/is-demineralized-water-safe-drinking-water/
http://www.holistic-wellness-basics.com/reverse-osmosis.html
1. Reverse Osmosis was designed for desalinating sea water. It is useful for reducing very specific chemical contaminants like fluoride, nitrates.
However, according to the World Health Organization, low (TDS-Total Dissolved Salts) water or demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation, remove the essential nutrients and is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it.
RO purification systems are difficult to maintain - need lot of servicing.
2. Carbon Filtration is good to remove
chlorine,
organic compounds (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides),
some heavy meatals (iron, lead, aluminium, cadmium),
some cysts,
some parasites,
Another good thing is, it doesn't remove
Dissolved Solids - Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, and inorganic minerals.
It does not remove
Fluorides
Sulfates
Nitrates
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is best suited to address the two issues for which it was originally designed:
- Desalinating brackish water or sea water and/or
- Reducing very specific chemical contaminants.
You might need RO if you are facing challenges with
flouride,
sodium,
total dissolved solids (TDS)
chemicals like
arsenic,
radium,
nitrates and
nitrites, etc.
And while reverse osmosis water filters will reduce a pretty wide spectrum of contaminants such as dissolved salts, Lead, Mercury, Calcium, Iron, Asbestos and Cysts, it will not remove some pesticides, solvents and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) including:
Ions and metals such as Chlorine and Radon
Organic chemicals such as Benzene, Carbon tetrachloride, Dichlorobenzene, Toluene and Trihalomethanes (THMs)*
Pesticides such as 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 2,4-D and Atrazine.
Is demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or even distillation good for you?
No, it’s actually not. According to the World Health Organization, low (TDS) water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it. This lack of minerals also contributes to the awful taste that reverse osmosis water is known for. Stay tuned for our next blog post which will focus on the negative health effects of demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis and distillation.
What does this all mean?
Reverse osmosis was originally invented as a means of desalinating brackish or seawater sources and should be used as the tool for which it was intended.
Contrary to its reputation, reverse osmosis does not remove 100% of all contaminants and both reduction rates and certifications vary widely depending on the contaminant in question
RO membranes can be damaged and destroyed by the chlorine found in most municipal water supplies and thus require carbon pre-filtration.
Reverse osmosis water treatment systems are one of the most complicated types of systems on the market today and require pre-filters, storage tanks, pumps, drain connections and diligent attention to maintenance and testing.
According to the World Health Organization, low TDS or demineralized water produced by reverse osmosis or distillation is not suitable for long term human consumption and in fact, can create negative health affects to those consuming it.
What then is the best water filter for your home or office?
In our opinion, the best technology for home or office applications served by municipal water utilities is a combination of high quality carbon and sub-micron filtration.
Simple installation,
Dedicated faucet, (take back your fridge!)
Minimal maintenance
Visual filter change indicator and
Reduction of harmful contaminants to NSF/ANSI permissible limits, without removing healthy minerals.
http://elua.com/2013/11/is-reverse-osmosis-the-best-water-filter-for-your-home/
http://elua.com/2013/11/is-demineralized-water-safe-drinking-water/
Reverse Osmosis Purification vs. Carbon Filtration
| Tap Water May Contain: | Reverse Osmosis / Carbon Combination | Carbon Block or Activated Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Bad Taste | Removes | Improves |
| Odor | Removes | Improves |
| Turbidity | Removes | Reduces |
| Organic Compounds* | Removes | Removes |
| Chlorine & THMs | Removes | Removes |
| Bacteria | Removes | Can Control Growth* |
| Viruses | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Cysts | Removes | Removes Some |
| Parasites | Removes | Removes Some |
| Arsenic | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Heavy Metals* | Removes | Removes Some |
| Dissolved Solids* | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Fluoride | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Sulfates | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Nitrates | Removes | Will Not Remove |
| Radioactivity | Removes | Removes |
| Asbestos | Removes | Removes |
*Organic Compounds - include Pesticides, Herbicides, and Insecticides.
*Heavy Metals - include Iron, Lead, Cadmium, and Aluminum.
*Dissolved Solids - include Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, and inorganic minerals.
*Silver-Impregnated Carbon - can control bacterial growth.
*Heavy Metals - include Iron, Lead, Cadmium, and Aluminum.
*Dissolved Solids - include Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, and inorganic minerals.
*Silver-Impregnated Carbon - can control bacterial growth.
http://www.holistic-wellness-basics.com/reverse-osmosis.html
Friday 23 December 2016
Cooking 'perfect' steak
1. Buy it from the butcher
Science behind meat cooking
1. Meat is about 70% water and much of that is locked in thousands of long thin muscle fibers. Heating meat always squeezes out juices and nothing can stop the process. Some juices drip off during cooking and some evaporate. Although searing turns the surface brown, makes it harder, and makes it better tasting, it does not somehow weld the fibers shut and lock in the juices. In fact, the reason the surface is crusty is mostly because it has dried out a bit due to the high heat.
2. As food scientist Harold McGee says in his landmark book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen "The crust that forms around the surface of the meat is not waterproof, as any cook has experienced: the continuing sizzle of meat in the pan or oven or on the grill is the sound of moisture continually escaping and vaporizing." I might add, any serious steak griller can tell you that as the meat approaches medium rare, juices start pooling on the surface, sear or no sear.
Usually, groceries have the worst type
very good - http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/3218/how-do-you-cook-a-steak-like-those-found-in-fine-steakhouses?rq=1
The most important thing you can do is buy quality beef. You can throw a USDA Select steak on a 700 degree charcoal grill, cook it perfectly, and it'll still be tough and not at all what you'd get at a fine steakhouse.
In the USA there are three grades of beef available to a consumer: Select, Choice, and Prime. There are lesser grades but they go to fast food joints, prisons, military personnel, and miscellaneous other weird uses.
In most american supermarkets you will find only select, period. This is an "average" steak. It's typically devoid of marbling, and results in a rather flavorless tough steak.
To find choice steaks you have to go to a higher end supermarket, e.g. Whole Foods You will pay significantly more for a choice steak, but the difference is marked. The marbling will result in a tenderer steak due to the internal fat melting and tenderizing the steak.
Finally, prime cuts. These are very hard to come by in any supermarket unless you live in a bigger city. You typically have to go to a specialty shop or butcher for these. Less than 2% of all beef is classified as prime. On top of this, restaurants get first pick. So even if you do buy a great prime steak, you are likely getting the lower end of the prime spectrum. However, the difference is amazing. The marbling is more intense, more evenly distributed and when cooked properly results in a steak that melts under your knife.
Another one-up a fine steakhouse has on you is they age their beef. Any steak you buy in the grocery store is minimally wet aged. The finest steakhouses dry age their beef. The difference? Wet aging consists of simply vacuum packing the meat (as in a whole side of cow) and refrigerating it for about a week. After that, it's cut smaller and sold to stores. Dry aging is a more complicated and expensive process. Dry aged beef is hung for at least two weeks in a refrigerator. Moisture in the meat is allowed to escape and evaporate, which concentrates the beef flavor of the beef. The beef also grows a moldy rind which is cut off and thrown away. After the aging is complete you're left with 75-80% of the meat you started with. This commands a premium price.
Unfortunately, you can't dry age a steak in your home. There are some refrigerator aging processes that you'll find on this site and others, but they aren't a true comparison.
Another variation that has become more popular is grass-fed beef. This has become a recent fad, at least in the USA. Cattle are traditionally fed corn which makes them fatter and "juicier", but it also leaves the meat tasting very bland. Likely, if you live in the USA, every steak you've ever had was corn-fed. Grass-fed beef on the other hand is fed predominantly grass, they're allowed to graze as cows should. This is good for the cows, because they don't actually eat corn. A cow is made to eat grass. Corn is rather harsh on their digestive system, but they are given no other choice. In the wild a cow would never eat corn. The end result is a very different flavored steak. Grass-fed beef has a much richer, meatier flavor. However, it's also tougher than corn-fed beef. For this reason a steak you will be served in a fine steakhouse is likely not to be grass-fed unless it is specifically designated as such.
With all that out of the way I suggest doing what I do. When I feel like an amazing home cooked steak, I'll splurge on a nice choice ribeye, dip it in a mixture of melted clarified butter and oil, season liberally with salt and pepper, and pan fry it.
Selection of the best steak
- Best steak usually has more 'fat'
- Beat steak usually has fat well spread-out (not
2. Storing steak
Never leave it in the open for more than 2 hours (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/46962/is-putting-meat-in-the-fridge-to-marinate-necessary)
3. Cooking
Cooking 'frozen' steak directly on hot pan gives best results (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/46962/is-putting-meat-in-the-fridge-to-marinate-necessary)
When cooking 'frozen' directly, there is less loss of water from the steak. Usually, when something is over-cooked, it losses it's water and becomes hard. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLWsEg1LmaE)
4. Marination
Using Papaya and Pineapple for tenderizing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain). Some ingredients contain proteases, protein digesting enzymes. Two that are common are papain (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain) and bromelain (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromelain). These are found in papaya and pineapple respectively. (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/13534/is-it-bad-to-marinate-meat-for-too-long)
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/the-perfect-steak
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/267/how-do-you-properly-cook-a-steak
Science behind meat cooking
1. Meat is about 70% water and much of that is locked in thousands of long thin muscle fibers. Heating meat always squeezes out juices and nothing can stop the process. Some juices drip off during cooking and some evaporate. Although searing turns the surface brown, makes it harder, and makes it better tasting, it does not somehow weld the fibers shut and lock in the juices. In fact, the reason the surface is crusty is mostly because it has dried out a bit due to the high heat.
2. As food scientist Harold McGee says in his landmark book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen "The crust that forms around the surface of the meat is not waterproof, as any cook has experienced: the continuing sizzle of meat in the pan or oven or on the grill is the sound of moisture continually escaping and vaporizing." I might add, any serious steak griller can tell you that as the meat approaches medium rare, juices start pooling on the surface, sear or no sear.
3. FoodNetwork personality Alton Brown attempted to get the truth out in 2008. He took two steaks of about the same size, seared one in a pan, and left the other alone. He then put them both in the oven on a wire rack and cooked them to his target temperature. When he removed them he weighed them again. The unseared steak lost 13% of its weight, but the seared steak lost 19%!
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt of SeriousEats.com did pretty much the same experiment except that he seared a roast before putting it in the oven and another after removing it from the oven. "The meat that was seared first then roasted lost 1.68% more juices than the one that was roasted first then seared." Why?
Cook's Illustrated came to the same conclusion after doing experiments with eight ribeyes "The notion of sealing in juices is thus nothing but an old wives' tale."
That doesn't mean that we should not sear. Searing produces brown products by the Maillard reaction and caramelization, and brown is beautiful! Click here to read more about searing steaks.
It's a myth. The myth that searing "seals in the juices" is an antique that just won't go away.
Usually, groceries have the worst type
very good - http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/3218/how-do-you-cook-a-steak-like-those-found-in-fine-steakhouses?rq=1
The most important thing you can do is buy quality beef. You can throw a USDA Select steak on a 700 degree charcoal grill, cook it perfectly, and it'll still be tough and not at all what you'd get at a fine steakhouse.
In the USA there are three grades of beef available to a consumer: Select, Choice, and Prime. There are lesser grades but they go to fast food joints, prisons, military personnel, and miscellaneous other weird uses.
In most american supermarkets you will find only select, period. This is an "average" steak. It's typically devoid of marbling, and results in a rather flavorless tough steak.
To find choice steaks you have to go to a higher end supermarket, e.g. Whole Foods You will pay significantly more for a choice steak, but the difference is marked. The marbling will result in a tenderer steak due to the internal fat melting and tenderizing the steak.
Finally, prime cuts. These are very hard to come by in any supermarket unless you live in a bigger city. You typically have to go to a specialty shop or butcher for these. Less than 2% of all beef is classified as prime. On top of this, restaurants get first pick. So even if you do buy a great prime steak, you are likely getting the lower end of the prime spectrum. However, the difference is amazing. The marbling is more intense, more evenly distributed and when cooked properly results in a steak that melts under your knife.
Another one-up a fine steakhouse has on you is they age their beef. Any steak you buy in the grocery store is minimally wet aged. The finest steakhouses dry age their beef. The difference? Wet aging consists of simply vacuum packing the meat (as in a whole side of cow) and refrigerating it for about a week. After that, it's cut smaller and sold to stores. Dry aging is a more complicated and expensive process. Dry aged beef is hung for at least two weeks in a refrigerator. Moisture in the meat is allowed to escape and evaporate, which concentrates the beef flavor of the beef. The beef also grows a moldy rind which is cut off and thrown away. After the aging is complete you're left with 75-80% of the meat you started with. This commands a premium price.
Unfortunately, you can't dry age a steak in your home. There are some refrigerator aging processes that you'll find on this site and others, but they aren't a true comparison.
Another variation that has become more popular is grass-fed beef. This has become a recent fad, at least in the USA. Cattle are traditionally fed corn which makes them fatter and "juicier", but it also leaves the meat tasting very bland. Likely, if you live in the USA, every steak you've ever had was corn-fed. Grass-fed beef on the other hand is fed predominantly grass, they're allowed to graze as cows should. This is good for the cows, because they don't actually eat corn. A cow is made to eat grass. Corn is rather harsh on their digestive system, but they are given no other choice. In the wild a cow would never eat corn. The end result is a very different flavored steak. Grass-fed beef has a much richer, meatier flavor. However, it's also tougher than corn-fed beef. For this reason a steak you will be served in a fine steakhouse is likely not to be grass-fed unless it is specifically designated as such.
With all that out of the way I suggest doing what I do. When I feel like an amazing home cooked steak, I'll splurge on a nice choice ribeye, dip it in a mixture of melted clarified butter and oil, season liberally with salt and pepper, and pan fry it.
Selection of the best steak
- Best steak usually has more 'fat'
- Beat steak usually has fat well spread-out (not
2. Storing steak
Never leave it in the open for more than 2 hours (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/46962/is-putting-meat-in-the-fridge-to-marinate-necessary)
3. Cooking
Cooking 'frozen' steak directly on hot pan gives best results (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/46962/is-putting-meat-in-the-fridge-to-marinate-necessary)
When cooking 'frozen' directly, there is less loss of water from the steak. Usually, when something is over-cooked, it losses it's water and becomes hard. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLWsEg1LmaE)
4. Marination
in fact marinating started as a means of preservation rather than flavouring. Some of the first marinades were pure brine and vinegar. – jwenting Apr 18 '11 at 9:19
Salt and other substances that raise osmotic pressure kill bacteria. The concentration determines the efficacy. Lemon juice and vinegar are more than strong enough to kill bacteria at full strength.
Yes, they kill bacteria, but how much? To get the concentration you're referring to, the "marinade" would basically have to be a brine or pickling liquid
|
Using Papaya and Pineapple for tenderizing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain). Some ingredients contain proteases, protein digesting enzymes. Two that are common are papain (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain) and bromelain (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromelain). These are found in papaya and pineapple respectively. (http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/13534/is-it-bad-to-marinate-meat-for-too-long)
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/the-perfect-steak
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/267/how-do-you-properly-cook-a-steak
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)