Live data from Hacker News

Cooking for Founders

tylertringas.com

51–60 of 75 posts

Re: Cooking for Founders

#51
post #36

This is not good advice, it's just an attempt to cash in on Amazon affiliate links. If you have someone who needs to learn how to quickly, you don't teach them theory, like the different kinds of heat transfer (which this says you should learn, and then names them, and then does not teach you about them). You teach them how to make some basic, healthy things that work with a bunch of ingredients. It's really easy to…

>If you have someone who needs to learn how to quickly, you don't teach them theory Elon would disagree: "One bit of advice: it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree — make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to." https://lifehacker.com/elon-musk-on-learning-new-things-view...

You’re overthinking it.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#52
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Skip the nonstick pan and get a "black steel" (high carbon) pan instead. Matfer is a good brand but there are others. Fairly inexpensive, can be seasoned like cast iron, but is much lighter and more responsive. Super response on induction too. These are not pretty cookware but are real workhorses.

What you’re likely meaning is cast iron. Carbon steel cookware is good, too. Neither is good for cooking acidic sauces for long periods of time, use stainless steel if you need to make a tomato or pan sauce.

I'm perplexed by your reply; I definitely mean (black|carbon) steel and note it is lighter than cast iron. Never a problem making a pan sauce in a black steel pan.

Stainless steel or enameled cast iron is my choice for long cooking tomato sauces, although even plain aluminum won't be an issue for a few minutes contact.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#53

The key to understanding roasting is that every cookbook and Google result is lying to you. Roasting doesn't mean just putting something in the oven on high heat, the things you're roasting need to be far enough apart on the tray that there is space for air in between them. Otherwise you're steaming, not roasting. The point of roasting is to make the outside super crispy, while keeping the inside moist and chewy. E.g…

With meat there are three stages, searing to seal the juices inside. Then roasting in dry heat. Finally, resting it. All meats must ‘rest’ for 15-20 minutes because it continues cooking evenly right after the oven.

When you get it out depends on preferred doneness. Medium rare, medium, well done. Most white meat is cooked well done.

Or you cook sous vide. Wherein, the Maillard reaction is to be done separately.

Chicken legs have to be seared first and then goes into the oven. And then rested. If you have seasonings, let it sit in marinade for 20 mts in the fridge and then 40-45 mts in a 425 deg oven.

While chickens and legs can also be brined for a crackling crispy skin but whole birds cook unevenly. Spatchcocked birds make for more even cooking.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#54
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you’re likely meaning is cast iron. Carbon steel cookware is good, too. Neither is good for cooking acidic sauces for long periods of time, use stainless steel if you need to make a tomato or pan sauce.

I'm perplexed by your reply; I definitely mean (black|carbon) steel and note it is lighter than cast iron. Never a problem making a pan sauce in a black steel pan. Stainless steel or enameled cast iron is my choice for long cooking tomato sauces, although even plain aluminum won't be an issue for a few minutes contact.

My experience with pan sauces in carbon steel is that the acid in wine will typically start to strip the seasoning and leave ugly black specks in your sauce.

Maybe I’m doing something wrong though.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#55

The key to understanding roasting is that every cookbook and Google result is lying to you. Roasting doesn't mean just putting something in the oven on high heat, the things you're roasting need to be far enough apart on the tray that there is space for air in between them. Otherwise you're steaming, not roasting. The point of roasting is to make the outside super crispy, while keeping the inside moist and chewy. E.g…

With meat there are three stages, searing to seal the juices inside. Then roasting in dry heat. Finally, resting it. All meats must ‘rest’ for 15-20 minutes because it continues cooking evenly right after the oven. When you get it out depends on preferred doneness. Medium rare, medium, well done. Most white meat is cooked well done. Or you cook sous vide. Wherein, the Maillard reaction is to be done separately. Chick…

> searing to seal the juices inside

Searing does not seal anything inside. It does provide a pleasing texture and usually flavor, though.

Cooking chicken legs starting in a cold pan produces wonderful results.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#56
So much complication. As a long-time happy and healthy vegetarian "cook", here is my utterly simple heuristic that never goes wrong: assuming you have a good-quality non-stick pan: on medium heat olive oil you can toss in any and all vegetables, a source of protien, ginger, garlic, and some freshly ground black -- or mixed -- peppers and salt. You're set. (Also assuming no allergies to said basic ingredients.)

E.g. tonight (I'm in CET) I made this simple veggie delicacy; happens to be vegan too:

1. toss in some freshly chopped ginger and garlic in some olive oil on medium heat

2. add a couple of finely chopped shallots (or even a plain white onion is fine)

3. sprinkle some cumin seeds, salt, and freshly ground black pepper

4. next up: two chopped green courgettes

5. then, toss in two chopped, medium-sized portobello mushrooms

6. finally, add some precooked chickpeas (but if you have the discipline for it, the best chickpeas are dried peas that you soak overnight for 10 hours, and boil the next morning for 30 minutes; no contest).

Stir-fry it all for 10 minutes or so, and you'll intuitively know it when it is ready. You can have this with any kind of carbs -- couscous, tortilla wraps, rice, some variants of pasta, bulgar, you name it.

Rinse, repeat with many other vegetables and protien combination (flavoured tofu, seitan, et al). No need to go wild over following a recipe to the dot, or on heat transfer mechanics.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#58
post #24

I am sorry to be so harsh, but this guide will not teach you anything about cooking, nor will it be of any particular relevance to founders [^]. The blog post is a 3,500 word advertisement to Amazon affiliation links. A selection of "helpful" advice given in the post: - How to chop food? "Just search them on YouTube" - "When you are first learning to cook I recommend avoiding complex recipes" - "Get cooking" Finally:…

YouTube channels were helpful for me... That's it

Re: Cooking for Founders

#59
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With meat there are three stages, searing to seal the juices inside. Then roasting in dry heat. Finally, resting it. All meats must ‘rest’ for 15-20 minutes because it continues cooking evenly right after the oven. When you get it out depends on preferred doneness. Medium rare, medium, well done. Most white meat is cooked well done. Or you cook sous vide. Wherein, the Maillard reaction is to be done separately. Chick…

> searing to seal the juices inside Searing does not seal anything inside. It does provide a pleasing texture and usually flavor, though. Cooking chicken legs starting in a cold pan produces wonderful results.

Maillard reaction seals in flavor and texture. That’s the purpose of searing meat as the first step.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction

But you should feel free to enjoy chicken legs cooked in a cold pan. It’s not a food safety issue. Just a texture and flavor process.

Re: Cooking for Founders

#60
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm perplexed by your reply; I definitely mean (black|carbon) steel and note it is lighter than cast iron. Never a problem making a pan sauce in a black steel pan. Stainless steel or enameled cast iron is my choice for long cooking tomato sauces, although even plain aluminum won't be an issue for a few minutes contact.

My experience with pan sauces in carbon steel is that the acid in wine will typically start to strip the seasoning and leave ugly black specks in your sauce. Maybe I’m doing something wrong though.

You are not doing anything wrong. Liquids with higher acidity will strip the seasoning. Avoid cooking liquids with tomato, lemon juice, wine, vinegar etc..for long slow braises and pan sauces etc.
Post reply on HN