DH wants meat cooked into charcoal - Page 2

[lil_earthmomma]

I have only in the last 2 years learned to prepare and eat meat. It's very daunting, so I completely understand!

I am on the opposite side of the spectrum, I cannot abide overdone meat. I chew gag and cannot swallow. This was a problem as a child and I've never been able to get over it. As a child and young adult I thought I just hated meat, so I avoided eating it. Now I know I hate overcooked meat!

I love my digital thermometer. It was inexpensive and it's so very user friendly.

As for blackening the meat, ask Dh if he likes that taste. Some people do. If he doesn't lower heat for longer will acheive his goal without the charcoal.

I agree that the joy of cooking books are very all encompasing and a wealth of technical info.

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by serenbat

YES, YES, YES! and learn the proper way to use it- taking a reading in the oven vs outside is very different- also allowing meat to rest (there is a reason for this)-find an old cookbook (JOY of cooking is great to start) and learn basic meat and chicken prep and have you DH read up too.

How would this change the situation I have described? i.e. how have I done it improperly?

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by lil_earthmomma

As for blackening the meat, ask Dh if he likes that taste. Some people do. If he doesn't lower heat for longer will acheive his goal without the charcoal.

He likes the taste. He just told me that he used to hate sausage as a kid, but now he thinks it was just not cooked to his taste. Now he likes sausage because he cooks it his way.

[Irishmommy]

Originally Posted by laohaire

How would this change the situation I have described? i.e. how have I done it improperly?

It wouldn't. Your chicken was cooked just fine. Right temp, juices running clear. Joy of Cooking, while good, doesn't have a chapter on how to convince DHs that overcooking is not the way to go.

[JessicaS]

You might check out Good Eats/Alton Brown on the food network.

It is a cooking show but it gives very precise instructions, you could probably get great ideas from it.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by laohaire

How would this change the situation I have described? i.e. how have I done it improperly?

You said you had a meat thermometer and the meat read 170 right out of the oven that is plenty cooked. It would be even higher once it rested a few moments.



The recipe I use says 425 for about 50 minutes until the temp reads 160. I do cook my chicken upside down at first then turn it over part way through.

[serenbat]

How would this change the situation I have described? i.e. how have I done it improperly?

There are several factors that effect temp reading- where it is done (breast vs leg), if it hits a bone, in oven and right out, after resting, etc., it is also helpful to know the difference in what temp is for what product if you do not know this

..and I didn't say you did it improperly, I merely posted you may wish to do more reading on temp taking and more about cooking, as others have posted, Food TV's Elton Brown is another good place to learn, his books are also very well written

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by laohaire

He likes the taste. He just told me that he used to hate sausage as a kid, but now he thinks it was just not cooked to his taste. Now he likes sausage because he cooks it his way.

Yes. Different strokes and all that. My mom grew up with everything overcooked, and thought she disliked a lot of it (meat and veggies, both). She discovered she loved most of them when they weren't overdone. DH, likewise, thought he disliked several veggies that he actually likes, because they were overcooked for his tastes. I, on the other hand, liked my meat cooked to no hint of pink as a child, although I've changed a lot over the years.

[ollyoxenfree]

A few thoughts -

1. I don't cook meat on the bone often, partly because it's more complicated to ensure it's well cooked. As others have pointed out, the bones alter the internal cooking temperature. It's easier to judge the cooking process if you are using boneless cuts. While you are in the early learning phase for cooking meat, you might just pick boneless cuts. Once you are more experienced, you will be more confident cooking all meats - bones and all!

2. When I'm trying new cooking techniques, I read a wide variety of sources - especially books that take me step by step through the process. Joy of Cooking is a favourite, as well as Cook's Illustrated, and also speciality books focusing on the particular food/technique. I find a variety of books will cover a few core principles and "X" factors that may complicate things. Once I understand those, I can adjust myself for things like a slow/fast oven, stovetop that heats up too fast, cooking on high humidity/dry days....all sorts of factors that can alter a recipe's outcome.

3. Sure some people prefer "well-done" - that's why a good waiter/chef asks the customer in a restaurant how to prepare the meat. Personally, I don't like my meat dripping with blood, but over time I've come to prefer it pinker and juicier than I once did. I'm still particularly careful with pork and chicken. I have eaten raw meat and fish though (tartare, sushi) so I probably find a wider range of "doneness" acceptable than your family. It's a personal preference.

[Caneel]

I can sort of relat to the OP's husband.

Ground beef scares the heck out of me. At home, I am ok with burgers because of where our beef was raised and processed. We almost never eat ground beef outside of our house because I am freaky about how it is cooked.

Chicken also grosses me out. We are cooking more and more whole chickens (not organic but close). Whoever said about hacking the pieces up do to multiple checking for doness? Me too!

I have converted to a low and slow type of cooker. I still struggle with using a thermometer on poultry. Everything looks like a pin cushion because I stick the thermometer all over the place to get different readings.

I read somewhere and then saw it again on tv that there is little risk of germs with whole cuts of beef as long as the muscle hasn't been punctured. Anything on the outside will be killed off.