Cooking Myths

[flyinglentris]

All salts are equal.

It just isn't true. Crystal size, for one, effects how much salt to use when cooking with salt. Flavor in salts can be very subtle in differences.

 

[flyinglentris]

Seasoning food can be done at any time in the cooking process.

It just isn't true. To really get food properly seasoned, the seasoning must be introduced early in the process so that the combination of flavors has time to properly evolve.

Since salt is being discussed in another thread, let's take salt as an example in kind as it has another effect, particularly on searing meats. Salting a meat before frying enhances the ability to sear meat. I never knew that.

 

[flyinglentris]

Adding potato to a meal being cooked that accidentally had too much salt added to it, will neutralize and balance out the salt effect.

It just isn't true. Potato might be able to absorb liquid that contains salt, but potato does not absorb salt.

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

Since salt is being discussed in another thread, let's take salt as an example in kind as it has another effect, particularly on searing meats. Salting a meat before frying enhances the ability to sear meat. I never knew that.

That's is more like a war than a myth, there are always people in the kitchen, who'll season their meat before or after the frying.

 

[flyinglentris]

These first three cooking myths all involve salt. Feel free to chat up your own knowledge of other cooking myths.

 

[flyinglentris]

That's is more like a war than a myth, there are always people in the kitchen, who'll season their meat before or after the frying.

A cooking war? I always thought that searing progressed not before or after, but during.

 

[flyinglentris]

How often should a steak be flipped? The myth perpetuated by some is that it should only be flipped once.

It just isn't true. Flipping multiple times helps to evenly distribute cooking temperature within the steak and allow charring to be visual.

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

The Icelandic specialty Hákarl (cured shark) smells so bad, it can make peoplejust from the smell. It's forbidden to buy canned Hákarl and take it into the plane on the way back home. When it happens and the can explodes the pilot is instructed to do an emergency stop

 

[flyinglentris]

The Icelandic specialty Hákarl (cured shark) smells so bad, it can make peoplejust from the smell. It's forbidden to buy canned Hákarl and take it into the plane on the way back home. When it happens and the can explodes the pilot is instructed to do an emergency stop

Is that a myth?

 

[flyinglentris]

Here's another salt myth.

Salt makes water boil faster.

It just isn't true. Salt might be best added to pasta water just as it comes to a boil and its purpose is to add a little seasoning zip to the pasta when it is done.

 

[Wyshiepoo]

Here's another salt myth.

Salt makes water boil faster.

It just isn't true. Salt might be best added to pasta water just as it comes to a boil and its purpose is to add a little seasoning zip to the pasta when it is done.

Yes, I think the only thing that affects boiling point is altitude?

 

[Wyshiepoo]

Don't know if it's a myth as such but there is that thing about sprinkling oil on your cooked pasta to stop it sticking together. It may work but it hinders the pasta combining properly with the sauce.
I generally rinse my pasta with boiling water and make sure I'm ready with the sauce as soon as the pasta is done.

 

[flyinglentris]

Yes, I think the only thing that affects boiling point is altitude?

It's that word 'faster' that makes the statement a myth. You are almost correct about altitude, but the word to use is 'sooner', if anything. The truth is that water will boil at a lower temperature at higher altitudes and while distilled or pure water will boil at 212F at sea level, anytime the water has something in solution, it will boil at a lower temperature, ie. sooner, not faster. So salt in water will cause it to boil at a lower temperature and sooner than it would, if the water were pure.

 

[flyinglentris]

Don't know if it's a myth as such but there is that thing about sprinkling oil on your cooked pasta to stop it sticking together. It may work but it hinders the pasta combining properly with the sauce.
I generally rinse my pasta with boiling water and make sure I'm ready with the sauce as soon as the pasta is done.

I think you are dealing with two related pasta cooking myths here.

1) Sprinkling oil on pasta prevents it from sticking.

It's not true. If the oil is added to the water while cooking, the oil just rises and sits on top of the water and does not adhere to the pasta at all. Oil can be added once the pasta is done and drained, if it is preferred to flavor the pasta with oil, but by that time, the sticking or clumping issue is a mute point.

2) Rinsing the pasta after cooking is necessary.

It's not true and in fact, bad. Rinsing removes starches which help the sauce stick to the pasta.

I found a website with 51 cooking myths which might interest members and lurkers alike.

 

[medtran49]

I believe durian is not allowed on planes so i would imagine that anything else that stinks badly would also not be allowed on planes.

Oiling and rinsing pasta supposedly inhibit its ability to hold the sauce.