MTips

How to Cook Steak Slow & Steady
By Elle Cordero
How to Cook Steak Slow & Steadythumbnail Slow and steady steak cooking

Steaks make for delicious and juicy menu items. Depending on the cut of steak you have, you will find that different cuts require different cooking methods, as they have different levels of tenderness. The cut of steak you have will also determine your cooking method as different cuts respond differently to each method; however, grilling is a universally accepted method of cooking any cut of steak.

To Cook Steak Slow & Steady You’ll Need:

• Steak
• Grill
• Culinary laser thermometer
• Frying pan
• Baking pan

To Cook Steak Slow & Steady Instructions:

• Season the cut of steak to your liking. Grilling is the most commonly used method for cooking steak, with the exception of minute steaks and beef tenderized round steaks, which are generally fried. If you choose to grill your steak you will have to put one area of your grill on a low heat setting and another area of the grill. Place your steak on the low heat side of the grill and let it cook slowly.
• Turn the steak once the grilled side starts to change to a pinkish color. When the steak reaches the desired temperature, based on level of doneness, you should move the steak to the high heat area of your grill and sear it. Searing the steak will seal all of the juices. Let the meat rest a few minutes before eating to let the juices settle.
• Braise the steak if the cut you have is a bit tougher like chuck steak. Add a little oil to a pot that is on low heat. When the oil is heated give the steak and seasonings a quick pan-fry. Add a few cups of liquid, like water or broth, and cover. Let the steak cook on a low simmer until it is completely tender. The cooking process may take from one to a few hours, but it will be well worth the wait.

How to Mix a Mojito Drink
By Irena Eaves
How to Mix a Mojito Drinkthumbnail Mix a Mojito Drink
The Mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail. Mojitos were made famous by Ernest Hemingway, who enjoyed them at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba.
Mojitos are simple, refreshing cocktails that derive their unique flavor from a combination of light rum, lime juice, and crushed mint leaves.
For the tastiest Mojitos, use the freshest ingredients you can find. If you like, try adding a splash of Angostura bitters to your Mojito. Although it isn’t traditional, many Havana hotels use bitters to cut through the sweetness of the drink.
The refreshing combination of citrus, sweetness and carbonation makes the mojito a perfect highball for summer.

To Mix a Mojito Drink You’ll Need:

• 12 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. simple syrup
• 1.5 oz light rum
• Crushed ice
• Soda water
• Lime wedge

To Mix a Mojito Drink Instructions:

• Place mint leaves in the bottom of a highball glass. Crush the mint leaves with a spoon to release the flavors.
• Add lime juice, rum and simple syrup to glass. Stir with a spoon.
• Fill the glass with crushed ice.
• Top with soda water. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.

• You can make simple syrup by combining equal parts warm water and sugar. Stir the mixture until sugar is completely dissolved.

How to Create & Make Your Own Beer
By Rebecca Nardis
How to Create & Make Your Own Beerthumbnail Create and bottle your own beer.

It’s always an easy and convenient option to run to the store to pick up a pack of your favorite beer. But creating your own beer in the comfort of your own home can be a fun and money-saving experience. With some brewing implements and a brewing recipe kit, you can create all kinds of different of beers.

To Create & Make Your Own Beer You’ll Need:

• Suction thermometer
• Bottle capper (if using glass bottles)
• Bottles
• Bottle brush
• Bottling bucket
• Plastic hose
• Brewing pot
• Primary fermenter
• Airlock and stopper
• Small glass bowl
• Medium saucepan
• Rubber spatula
• Oven mittens
• Mixing spoon
• Pure dextrose

To Create & Make Your Own Beer Instructions:

• Clean and sanitize all of your brewing implements. Cleaning involves using warm soapy water and sanitizing involves either putting all of the implements into the dishwasher on the heat-dry cycle or cleaning the implements with a mix of chlorine and warm water, about 2 oz. of chlorine to 5 gallons of cold water. Immerse all of the items in the solution and allow them to soak for about 30 minutes.
• Put 4 gallons of water in the primary fermenter and set it aside. Heat 2 qt. of water to 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t allow the water to come to a complete boil. Read the directions on the recipe kit and add the necessary ingredients to the water. You can choose a different fermentable if you’d like. The preferred fermentables are Belgian cani sugar, rice syrup, liquid malt extract, dry malt extract, brewer’s sugar and demerera sugar. Each of these fermentables delivers its own unique flavor so it’s best to look up the description of flavor before choosing one.
• Stir the contents in the pot thoroughly to ensure that everything dissolves. Put a lid on the pot and let it sit on low heat for about 15 minutes. Add the contents of the pot to the 4 gallons of water in the primary fermenter and mix it thoroughly. Let the solution cool until the side of the primary fermenter is cool to the touch. When the primary fermenter is cool you can add the yeast to the mixture and close it with the airlock. The mixture you have just made is called wort. It’s not beer until it completely ferments for three to five days. As you check on the mixture during that time, you’ll notice that it’s fermenting if you see small bubbles forming in the airlock. When the bubbles stop, the first round of fermentation is complete.
• Ensure that the bottles you’ll use to store the beer are cleaned and sanitized before using the bottling brush. Put 2 to 3 cups of water in the saucepan and stir in ¾ cup of dextrose. Bring this mixture to a boil, cover it and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. After the mixture cools put it in the bottling bucket. Attach the plastic hose to the primary fermenter spigot and empty the fermented solution into the bucket. Remove the hose from the primary fermenter and clean it thoroughly. Attach the hose to the bottling bucket and empty the contents of the bottling bucket into the individual bottles. Leave about 1 inch of empty space at the top of each bottle. Cap the bottles immediately. Be sure to clean and sanitize the brewing implements thoroughly before putting them away.
• Place the bottles in a cool dry place and allow them to ferment for no less than two weeks. As the beer ferments for this second round, you’ll notice that it’s cloudy. When the solution is no longer cloudy, it’s OK to refrigerate.

How to Season Pork Sausage
By Serena Styles
How to Season Pork Sausagethumbnail For best results, use freshly ground pork.

Sausage is created by combining herbs, salts and spices with ground meat before using it in a recipe. The ground meat can be from any type of animal, but it commonly comes from cattle or pigs. Pork sausage has a strong, spiced flavor with a smoky taste reminiscent of bacon. Once you season pork sausage, you can stuff it into casings, form it into patties or add it to ground-meat dishes.

To Season Pork Sausage You’ll Need:

• 4 tbsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seed
• Spice grinder
• 1 lb. ground pork
• Mixing bowl
• Plastic wrap

To Season Pork Sausage Instructions:

• Combine the paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and fennel seed in a spice grinder. Pulse the spice grinder for two 10-second increments to blend the spices into a fine powder.
• Place the ground pork into a mixing bowl, and pour the spice powder over the top. Work the spices into the meat with your hands to blend the sausage seasonings thoroughly.
• Remove the seasoned pork from the mixing bowl, and encase it with a sheet of plastic wrap. Ensure no air can reach the meat. Place it in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
• Use the seasoned pork in any recipe calling for pork sausage.

• Never store the seasoned pork in the refrigerator for more than 3 days.
• If you do not have a spice grinder on hand, you can use a mortar and pestle instead.