With help from Frederic, Jack learns how to make the ultimate comfort food, Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables.
Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
Pepper mill
Large Dutch oven with lid
Measuring spoons
Tongs
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Can opener
Dry measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Sheet pan
Aluminum foil
Ladle
Vegetable peeler
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Carving knife
Tips:Cuts of meat for a pot roast:
Pot-roasting is all about taking large cuts of cheap, tough meat and turning them tender, flavorful and succulent.
A moist, tender pot roast starts with choosing the proper cut of beef. You are looking for something that is well-marbled with fat and connective tissue. Cuts from the shoulder are ideally suited for the job.
Ideal cuts of meat for a pot roast include: beef chuck roast, 7-bone blade roast, beef bottom round rump roast, and beef chuck top blade boneless roast Boneless (also known as top chuck roast).
Searing:
Searing is a very high-heat, fast cooking method used to brown the exterior of the meat and produce a nice crisp crust.
Searing adds flavor to meat and seals in the juices.
Tenting and resting meat:
Tent meat to keep it warm while resting, but don’t let foil touch meat, as this affects crust and does not give it the room it needs to rest.
Meat needs to rest so that the juices redistribute throughout the piece of meat. If you cut into the meat immediately, you lose at least half of its juices.
Cooking with red wine:
Do not cook with any wine that you would not drink.
Choose a dry red wine, with some body and depth.
Zinfandels yield smooth, full-bodied sauces.
Cote du Rhones and Cabernet Sauvignons are also good choices for pot-roasting.
Recipe Rescues:If the roast sticks to the pan when searing - Use tongs to carefully lift meat and turn it. Next time, use a little more oil, and make sure heat is at least medium-high.If the sauce is not thick enough - Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water, add it to the sauce, and bring it to a boil.If your vegetables are mushy - They are overcooked. Mash or puree them and serve. Next time, make sure oven temperature is high (450 degrees F), and roast until just caramelized and tender.
Aida makes grilling simple and delicious with her tasty recipes starting off with a flavorful BBQ Veggie Pizza. Then, her brother Christophe stops by to help make some sizzling Peanut Ginger Chicken Skewers and a succulent Sweet Pepper and Flank Steak Salad. Aida’s "No Recipe Recipe" of Grilled Banana S’mores makes a sweet ending to this fiery meal.
Jack asks Frederic to help her outfit her kitchen with necessary tools for the beginner cook. Recipes include: Crispy Potatoes with Bacon, Garlic and Parsley; Pan-Grilled Chicken with Gremolata.
Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
Medium saucepan with lid
Chef’s knife
Pairing knife
Serrated knife
Cutting board
Potato scrubber
Pepper mill
Measuring spoons
Whisk
1 large regular or non-stick skillet
Slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Metal spatula
Tongs
Grill pan
Pastry brush
Colander
Dry measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Rasp
Tips:When buying pots and pans, consider these factors:
Conductivity: A good pot or pan should transmit heat efficiently.
Weight: Heavier, thicker gauge pans distribute heat more evenly and hold it longer, preventing scorching and promoting even browning.
Non-reactive: Some materials, such as aluminum, react to acidic ingredients, imparting a metallic taste and an unappetizing gray color.
A good starter set of pots and pans might include:
10-inch skillet
12-inch skillet
2-quart saucepan
4-quart saucepan
Stockpot
When selecting knives, keep in mind the following:
A good knife will be sturdy and well-balanced.
Look for knives made of high-carbon stainless steel.
The "tang" (the handle end of the blade) should extend all the way to the end of the handle.
Most importantly, the knife should feel comfortable in your hand.
Recipe Rescues:If potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan - Use tongs to turn them occasionally while cooking, and use a wide metal spatula to scrape them up (use a wide hard plastic spatula if you have a non-stick skillet so as not to damage the finish). Next time, try cooking potatoes in a non-stick skillet, or use a little more fat.If your chicken is undercooked - Cook the first side until the edges become white and opaque; then flip the breasts and cook on the other side until firm to the touch. If you slice the chicken and it is still pink in the middle, return the slices to the pan and continue cooking until completely cooked through.
Visit Thousand Oaks, CA, for a fourth generation firefighter's take on BBQ Corn Beef and Cabbage. Also, a woman in Chelmsford, MA, gives a Sicilian recipe for Braciolatini that's been passed from her great-grandparents.
Can't cook? No time? We all have reasons for not eating healthy but Ellie says yes you can. With recipes for Egg, Ham & Spinach Pizza, Pulled BBQ chicken sandwich, classic slaw, and crispy rice treats.
Frederic shows Jack an alternative to her usual holiday turkey with a recipe for roast beef tenderloin with mushroom ragout.
Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
Large oven-proof skillet
Large, heavy skillet
Tongs
Kitchen twine
Boning knife or chef’s knife
Chef’s knife or paring knife
Measuring spoons
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Pepper mill
Liquid measuring cup
Aluminum foil
Wire rack
Carving knife
Tips:Silver skin:
You need a sharp knife to remove silver skin.
Silver skin is a membrane; if left on, it can cause the meat to curl during cooking.
Silver skin is unpleasant to bite into in a cooked piece of meat; it is extremely tough, and cannot really be chewed.
Searing, tenting, and resting meat:
Searing is a very high-heat, fast cooking method used to brown the exterior of the meat and produce a nice crisp crust; searing adds flavor to meat and seals in the juices.
Tent meat to keep it warm while resting, but don’t let foil touch meat, as this affects crust and does not give it the room it needs to rest.
Meat needs to rest so that the juices redistribute throughout the piece of meat. If you cut into the meat immediately, you lose at least half of its juices.
Cleaning mushrooms:
Wipe the surfaces of mushrooms clean with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
Do not clean mushrooms ahead of time, or they may turn a more brownish color.
Do not soak mushrooms in water.
Deglazing:
Deglazing is the process of adding a small amount of liquid to a hot pan that has just been used to saute, and then scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the flavorful browned bits, or fond.
Various wines or alcohol, or stock or broth are the most common deglazing liquids.
Deglazing is often used to make an accompanying sauce.
Recipe Rescues:Meat sticks to the pan while searing – Don’t try to tear the meat away from the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan. Make sure oil is hot and shimmering before adding meat.
Mushrooms are getting soggy, not browned – Let them cook undisturbed until browned, at least 5 minutes. Stirring them or moving them around prevents them from browning.
The flame got too large when alcohol is added to the pan – Always remove the pan from the heat when adding alcohol. When the flame goes down, it is fine to return the pan to the heat.