The technique of dehydrating food has been around for hundreds of years, but the way it’s been done has evolved into a tried, tested and automated process.

It’s one of the oldest methods of food preservation, involving removing all of the moisture from food. Historically this was done using the power of the sun to provide a constant source of heat.

You may have seen dried fruits available at your local supermarket, but did you know there’s a lot of different types of food that can be dehydrated?

Vegetables, fruit, herbs, meat, and dairy products are all able to be dried and consumed as-is or used as ingredients to create other products or foods. Historical evidence suggests that Egyptians were using the power of desert heat to dry fish and poultry to keep it preserved. Source: Sue Shephard

Moving forward in time, we would construct buildings (known as Stillhouses) designed to store and dehydrate food by hanging it up and heating it with a fire.

The way we dehydrated food continued to evolve, with equipment and techniques moving forward, being used to create space-efficient rations for soldiers in WW2.

Food is dehydrated to preserve it, give it a longer life before spoiling, or to increase flavour. Dehydrating is the process of removing the moisture from food, often changing the texture and feel of the food too.

A good example of this is Raisins – they are a dried grape, but the taste, texture and overall eating experience is quite different.

It does this by removing the moisture and enzymes, stuff that bacteria and moulds love to feast on. Some foods can have their shelf life extended by over a year when dehydrated!

Food dehydration is also done to create other types of foods and flavours. Beef Jerky is a popular snack, made from lean meat that is then dehydrated. Fruits and vegetables are also often dehydrated – The removal of moisture can add extra concentrated flavour, multiplying the concentration and creating new tastes.

The items of food are placed on the multiple shelves within the unit, and air is heated and moved throughout the machine over a period of time. The time it takes varies and depends on the food item you’re dehydrating, it may take a little experimentation to get it right.

Allowing you to preserve ingredients, create new textures and flavours and create special garnishes, a food dehydrator could be a great investment for your kitchen.

They are available in a range of sizes, and with digital timers so that you can time the process to perfection.

The post The magic of the food dehydrator appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

The wide array of ways to prepare a meal can confuse even the most seasoned of chefs, so we’ve decided to take a look at some regularly used methods and unearth the meaning behind them

So if your scratching your head wondering about what the heck a recipe means then here’s some of the most common cooking terms demystified directly for your reading pleasure.

Al Dente

At this point, we’re pretty sure that most people will know what Al Dente means, but in the interest of being thorough we are including it in our list.

Translated directly from Italian, it means ‘to the tooth’.

When food is cooked ‘Al Dente’ it’s cooked to the point where it is still firm to the bite, but not soft.

It’s how most pasta is supposed to be served, but personal preference is an issue here, but pasta cooked in this way has a lower glycemic index than pasta that is cooked until soft.

When cooking standard commercial pasta, the al dente phase occurs right after the white of the pasta centre disappears.

Bain Marie

A ‘Water bath’, used to cook more delicate foods such as custards and sauces gently, at a constant low temperature.

You can buy double saucepans or simply use a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl sits higher than the water level and doesn’t come into contact with it.

An oven bain marie can be made by placing the baking dish in an oven tin containing hot water up to halfway.

Broil

Simply put, broiling is cooking food directly under high heat and not to be confused with grilling.

En croote

Literally ‘in crust’, used to describe an item of food, such as a piece of salmon of chicken, that has been cooked in pastry.

Escalope

Thin slice of meat, usually pork, turkey or veal, cut from the top of the leg and typically pan-fried.

Fillet

Bird breasts and sides of fish which have been boned, but also the undercut of a loin of beef, lamb or pork.

Folding In

Using a cutting and folding motion rather than stirring or beating to combine a whisked or creamed mixture in order to retain lightness.

Usually done with a large metal spoon or plastic-bladed spatula.

Frosting

Decorating leaves or flowers with a fine layer of sugar but also an American term for cake icing.

Julienne

The act of cutting an item of food into long, thin, matchstick style strips.

Ideal for salad foods and often used as a way of presenting foods rather than as a taste enhancing method of preparing food.

Reduce

Fast boiling stock or other cooking liquids in an uncovered pan so that water evaporates, giving a more concentrated flavour to the remaining liquid.

Saute

The term ‘saute’ actually means ‘to jump’ in French and refers to the constant motion of food in the pan, either by shaking or stirring.

Usually requires some oil, fat or butter and a hot pan to achieve perfectly sautéed food.

Souse

Pickling food, particularly fish, in spiced vinegar.

Suet

A hard animal fat used in pastry and steamed puddings, recently fallen out of favour as vegetarian alternatives are available.

Temper

The method used to stabilise certain food products by mixing a small amount of a hot ingredient into a cold ingredient before adding them all together.

A good example of this is when cream is added to soup; with the cold cream being added slowly whilst whisked to ensure that it doesn’t curdle.

Hopefully, we haven’t insulted your intelligence too much or maybe we’ve unearthed a few common cooking terms you were completely unaware of!

Either way, we’re hopeful that this has helped you get your head around a few of the more confusing bits of running a commercial kitchen.

Until next time!

The post Common Cooking Terms Demystified appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

If you didn’t already know, the reverse sear is often hailed as the ultimate way to cook the perfect medium or medium-rare steak every single time.

But you might not have heard of the reverse sear before, and it’s not quite the same as simply cooking steak on a high heat.

The best thing is that this technique is not only simple, it’s almost foolproof.

Traditionally the most common way a steak is cooked, is by searing over a high heat, and then transferring to your pre-heated oven and finished on a more gentle heat until done.

A reverse sear essentially flips the order around, having you gently heat until ready for searing before serving.

We won’t disagree with @seriouseats – here’s proof that: “The Reverse Sear Is the Best Way to Cook a Steak, Period” https://t.co/4hT8EpuOb5 pic.twitter.com/soMUgCgYHi

— Lake Geneva Meats (@lgmeats) March 15, 2017

The basic idea is that with the reverse sear, you have greater control over the Maillard Reaction (that magical process that turns the cooked edges of meats amazingly brown) because you’re making sure the high heat only comes into play right at the end and that the steak inside will be perfect.

So, instead of an internal ring of different “doneness” your steak will be perfectly medium all the way through, save for the very outside.

We can’t honestly recommend making rare steaks in this way, as just pan searing is about enough to get perfect rare steaks, but a reverse sear is probably the best and most consistent way to achieve a perfect medium/medium-rare throughout.

To get this spot-on you’ll need a meat thermometer probe, and removing your steaks around 5ºF before reaching serving temperature will allow it to cook slightly as a result of residual heat during resting.

Here’s a handy little guide on internal temperatures:

• Rare – 125ºF
• Medium-rare – 130ºF
• Medium – 140ºF
• Well done – 160ºF

You need a thermometer as the bog standard (and frankly inconsistent) palm pinch test is just not going to cut it here, plus if you’re serving up steak using this method, then how are you shifting for inconsistencies where they might arise?

The reverse sear does take longer than other methods, but it does mean you can eat the steak nice and hot, as the resting period has been taken care of just before the actual searing of the meat.

Not only is this a completely foolproof method, it ensures that your quality cuts of meat are not tarnished or ruined if you are not quite confident enough to take on the skillet or pan without any prior knowledge.

With a little experimentation and some work on a rub, you can grill steaks to godly proportions. But if you’re completely unsure from the advice given, follow the instructions below.

How to reverse sear a steak

1. Preheat your oven to 135ºC/275ºF.
2. Place well-seasoned steaks on a rack over a baking tray (cover the tray with foil to save yourself a clean up)
3. Put steaks into your oven and cook until an internal temperature of 125-135ºF has been reached (using internal thermometer) depending on your preference of “doneness”. Usually this takes around 45-60 minutes.
4. Remove when at the correct temperature and allow your steak to rest for 10-15 minutes under a foil wrapping to prevent contamination.
5. Preheat a skillet or heavy based pan to screamingly hot temperatures, if using a barbecue or grill preheat accordingly.
6. Sear steaks for one minute on each side.
7. Remove from grill or pan and serve immediately.

The post Never mess up a medium steak again! How to reverse sear your meat appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.