Cooking For Beginners! Isn't it Just Reading a Recipe?

"Cooking for beginners is just a matter of being able to read. After all, there are recipes everywhere." At first glance this may seem true but as you explore those recipes, you discover that terms are confusing and in general the recipe doesn't give details about cooking. For the beginner this can be frustrating.

Although cooking can be likened to a chemical formula, once you learn the language it will be easier to begin cooking. For the beginner, your knowledge will be able to grow by leaps and bounds by understanding what you are doing each step of the way.

Read the recipe all the way through.  Look up terms that you don't understand. Don't guess or assume you know. The language of cooking can be very different. Build your cooking knowledge base with solid information. Some of those terms you will encounter:

o    Brown hamburger meat (ground meat) - Cook until the pink disappears. Stir with a fork so that it is in small pieces when finished. It does not mean to turn the meat dark brown.

o    Tender - When cooking vegetables, they are done when a fork slides easily into the vegetable. It should not meet with resistance.

o    Cook until translucent - Commonly used when talking about onions, it means that they have turned to a softer white that is more transparent rather than solid white.

o    Stir frequently - Use a spoon to manipulate the ingredients in the pan or skillet. Frequently means every 2 to 3 minutes.

Good recipes start with the ingredient list. Assemble all the required ingredients. This will allow you to be sure you have everything needed. There is nothing more frustrating than being half way through a recipe and discovering you don't have an ingredient.

Ingredients are usually listed in the order that they will be used. Even the order of those words has significance. For example, if the recipe calls for "1 cup nuts, chopped", it means measure the cup of nuts and then chop the nuts. However, if the instructions say "1 cup chopped nuts", it means chop them and then measure.

These are common abbreviations: 

o    Tbsp. = Tablespoon

o    tsp. = teaspoon

o    oz. = ounce

o    lb. = pound

Temperature and cooking time is frequently given as a range. This is to accommodate the difference in appliances. It is advisable to use the lowest part of the heat setting. You can always turn the heat up or cook it a little longer. But overcooking or burning can't be undone.

Cooking for the beginner should be an interesting and fun journey. Experiment with new things. Acquire a new skill at least weekly. 

Cooking Brisket in the Oven - A Beginners Guide

Cooking brisket in the oven is a time consuming process, but also a very rewarding one. When your family and friends take their first bite of your delicious brisket, they will most definitely be asking you for the recipe. This article will make you a brisket cooking pro!

Did you know that at one time, brisket was considered a very poor quality meat? History has it, that two brothers from Germany, back in the 1950's decided to smoke up some leftover brisket they had. They left the brisket inside their smokehouse for an entire weekend. When they returned to work they sliced up the meat and served it to their customers. The meat was so flavorful and tender that it quickly became a hit.

I remember the first time I had the pleasure of eating beef brisket. It was at this fabulous little Barbecue Restaurant in Croton-On-Hudson, NY called Memphis Maes.

New York isn't known for its BBQ, so my wife and I were a bit skeptical. But after we took our first bite of the "Texas BBQ Beef Brisket", we became believers! My wife then looked at me and said , "You have to make this!" Not wanting to let the lovely wife down, I took it upon myself to try and recreate the BBQ brisket at home. I don't own a smoker, so I needed to improvise and cook the brisket in the oven.

Believe it or not, the oven makes a pretty darn good BBQ brisket. Many BBQ enthusiasts will tell you that a smoker is the only way to cook brisket, but I can tell you from experience this is simply not the case.

The secret to a good beef brisket is to cook it nice and slow at around 225 degrees for several hours. So if you are looking for a quick and easy meal tonight, cooking brisket in the oven is not the way to go.

You will have to prepare this particular recipe one day in advance and you will need to plan some extra time to cook the brisket as it takes several hours to finish cooking.

Lets Talk About Dry Rubs

There are a variety of different dry rub recipes you can use for your beef brisket. One such recipe is listed below. Don't be shy with your dry rub. You want to really coat the brisket well. Its not called a rub for nothing, so really rub those spices into the meat with your hands. After the rub has been applied put the brisket in the fridge and let it marinade over night.

DRY RUB

- 1/4 Cup Paprika
- 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbs Chili Powder
- 2 Tbs Kosher Salt
- 2 Tbs Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Garlic
- 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Onion
- 2 Tsp Ground Cumin

THE SAUCE

We need some type of liquid to slowly braise the brisket in the oven. Braising is an excellent way to cook brisket in the oven because it keeps the brisket moist and very tender.

What I do is mix some good quality store bought barbecue sauce with a little beef broth to thin it a bit. I like to use a smoke flavored barbecue sauce. To give it a little more smoky flavor, I also add a few drops of liquid smoke. This makes a very tasty braising liquid.

LETS START COOKING ALREADY!

Before we start cooking, lets do a little preparation.

Remove the brisket from the fridge and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or so to allow it to come to room temperature.

Get yourself a baking dish with a tight fitting lid big enough to hold your brisket.

Mix equal parts of barbecue sauce and beef broth. I like to make enough so that the brisket is at least half submerged. Pour this mixture into your baking dish.

Pre-heat your oven to 225 Degrees.

Heat up a large pan over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the pan. Add the brisket to the pan and brown on all sides until it forms a nice crust.

Place the browned brisket into the baking dish with the braising liquid. Put the lid on and place it in the pre-heated oven.

About half way through the cooking process, flip the brisket over so that the other side has time to cook in the braising liquid.

The brisket is done when it is fork tender and has an internal temperature of around 185-200 degrees F. The amount of time it takes to cook a brisket in the oven really depends on the weight of the brisket. Figure 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound of meat.

There you have it. My recipe for cooking brisket in the oven.