They Came, I Ground, We Ate: Which Cuts Make for the Best Burger? Grinding meat may seem like an exercise for those with too much time on their hands, or those overly devoted to doing things from scratch--which I am. But I'm here to argue that there are more compelling and more logical reasons for doing so: for one, the meat will taste better. You'll also know where it omes from, unlike with a styrofoam tray from the grocery store, which is likely the sum of countless cows from faraway places, the bits and trim leftover from preparing other cuts for sale.
I think the safety of grinding your own beef speaks for itself, but as a consumer that's really up to you. My interest is in the taste, which, I think, can't be argued with. I'm certain that freshly-ground beef tastes better. Thanks to a random Amazon.com price drop a couple months ago, I'm now a proud owner of a KitchenAid mixer. I've resisted buying one of these things for awhile, but the sweetener in the deal which pushed me over the edge was the promise of a free meat grinder attachment.
Bread Recipes: Rustic Italian Bread Recipe. Method In a bowl add 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water, yeast, and a tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and set aside to activate. In a mixer or bowl add the flour, olive oil, and seasonings. When the yeast is activated, add it to the mixture. Mix dough till smooth. Dough should not stick to a dry finger when touched. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 -12 minutes. Bread-baking tools and resources for making and enjoying great bread. French bread - baguettes. French bread and baguettes How to bake authentic french bread and baguettes the traditional way using a poolish starter Makes four medium bageuttes Authentic french bread requires a poolish starter.
Poolish means Polish in french; ie. Poolish is a starter made from the same ingredients as the dough, but is left to develop for a long time. The poolish is then mixed in with the rest of the ingredients, and mixed to a dough. Poolish: 1.5 cups flour1.5 cups cool water 0.75 teaspoon dried yeast Disperse the yeast in the water by stirring for 20 seconds or so. Put the flour in a mixing bowl (I use a casserole pot). You want a very slack batter-like mixture. Lumps are nothing to worry about here. Cover the bowl with cling film and put it in a place out of draughts to develop. In the morning, the poolish will look very much alive. Now for the dough mixture. Dough: 2.5 cups flour 0.75 cups cool water 2 teaspoons dried yeast 2 teaspoons salt The poolish Disperse the yeast in the water as before.
Bacon and Cheddar Cornbread - Recipe for Cornbread With Bacon. Bacon and sharp Cheddar cheese make this a flavorful and hearty cornbread, perfect with chili or baked beans, or serve it with your favorite greens. Prep Time: 22 minutes Total Time: 22 minutes Ingredients: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour1 1/4 cups cornmeal3 tablespoons sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda3/4 teaspoon salt1 cup buttermilk2 large eggs4 slices bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese4 tablespoons butter, melted (use half bacon grease, if possible) Preparation: Heat oven to 400°. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or spray with baking spray. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk with eggs and butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
More Cornbread Recipes:Whole Grain CornbreadButter and Sage CornbreadSouthern CornbreadButtermilk Cornbread.