Cooking with science!

[Screwdriver]

If only cooking was a science we could all turn out dishes like Gordon Ramsey. Sadly, there is more of a black art to it and my only hope is to produce at least consistent results. Consistently tasty bacon, crispy on the outside but still tender enough not to shatter (!) and eggs with a runny yolk and set white.

I have tried many methods over the years with these simple ingredients and really have only been able to produce consistently decent steak (black and blue). Everything else is a bit of a lottery, especially - eggs!

It is fun to flick through YouTube and find something interesting to try if only because pre-packaged, TV dinner type "meals" are becoming noticeably worse in quality with a race to the bottom price wise and the inevitable effect on quality.

With that and the energy requirements suddenly becoming a factor, I find myself cooking up big pots of <stuff> and freezing it into bundles. Have to say not only is it fun (especially if you can squeeze in some knife skills or "off the wall" cooking technique) but it can be extremely cost effective too.

[Silly Car]

I still refuse to call my air frier an air frier, it's a tiny oven! Saves me loads on leccy though and it was free, so I begrudgingly like it.

I've looked at those silicone things too. They don't make poached eggs, that's my main criticism

I went all out and got a Ninja Multi function oven - https://ninjakitchen.co.uk/product/ninj ... zidDT200UK

A bit spendy but a council house tea* can be on the table in 15 mins from cold versus 45 mins (including preheat) with the main oven. It gets used most days due to speed and lower energy usage.

I chose the oven over the machine version as I knew I’d be able to use it for all sorts rather than just cooking oven chips (which it does exceptionally well )

We have also started batch cooking and freezing meals as well, makes a big difference in terms of sitting down for dinner after work and surely / Shirley, it must use less energy overall when compared to cooking two dishes from scratch…

*bacon, sausage, egg, chips and beans.

[Mussels]

I still refuse to call my air frier an air frier, it's a tiny oven! Saves me loads on leccy though and it was free, so I begrudgingly like it.

I've looked at those silicone things too. They don't make poached eggs, that's my main criticism

Aren't the silicone things the same as wrapping them in clingfilm? Heat without touching water.

[Mr Moofo]

I still refuse to call my air frier an air frier, it's a tiny oven! Saves me loads on leccy though and it was free, so I begrudgingly like it.

I've looked at those silicone things too. They don't make poached eggs, that's my main criticism

Aren't the silicone things the same as wrapping them in clingfilm? Heat without touching water.

Not really - in the silicon they get cooked by steam.

[Mr. Dazzle]

The silicone is also way more insulating.

[mangocrazy]

The silicone is also way more insulating.

They do have insulating properties, I grant you, but I fail to see how somethig sat in boiling water for 4-5 minutes can fail to pass through most of the heat in the water. Even cling film is a barrier of sorts, and has some insulation value. It strikes me as a form of food snobbery where the silicone poachers are looked down upon because it makes the act just too damn easy.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Honestly? I just dislike the word "coddled".

[mangocrazy]

Honestly? I just dislike the word "coddled".

But if you enclose the egg in cling film (as you do) that's what you're getting. From everything I've read coddled eggs are cooked in a way whereby the egg never touches the water. Apparently coddled eggs are normally cooked in a porcelain ramekin. So using siiicone poachers is a kind of half way house between coddling and poaching.

I'm not particularly keen on the term coddled either...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Poddled eggs it is.

[mangocrazy]

I think I prefer Coached...