Yes, it is a ‘Forrest Gump’ reference and it should be expected any time shrimp is mentioned for the next twenty years. “Bubba Gump” shrimp is how Forrest made his millions in the Hollywood movie. But, the movie will always be remembered for the amazing number of ways a person can make shrimp. As Bubba would say, “There’s barbecue shrimp, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp soup, fried shrimp…..the list is almost endless. And while there are certainly a large number of ways to cook shrimp, there is actually a fair amount of confusion as to what exactly a shrimp really is. Maybe Bubba wasn’t actually cooking shrimp?
In England and a number of other places, what would be called shrimp in the United States is actually referred to as prawn. If you were to look at a prawn and a shrimp side by side, it would be virtually impossible to distinguish which was which. Technically speaking, however, a prawn truly is not a shrimp.
To the naked eye, the two may appear identical but they are biologically different. On the abdomen of a shrimp or prawn are flaps. Without going into too much detail and causing everyone to go running for a Biology book, let’s just say that the there is a very subtle difference between the first abdomen flap on a shrimp and a prawn. But essentially, these are the same creature.
As far as the Americans are concerned, a shrimp is any crustacean that is part of the Natantia family of crustaceans. It doesn’t matter how big the shrimp is or where it is found—so long as it is a Nantantia crustacean—it’s a shrimp! However, there is a rather peculiar phenomenon among American shrimp that does have to do with size.
Were Bubba to have grown up on the West Coast of the United States, he most certainly would not have seen much potential in the shrimp—for eating, let alone making any money! This is because the typical size of a shrimp found of the West Coast is about ½ inch in length. For some reason, the Pacific Ocean just is not a great place for jumbo shrimp to grow. But elsewhere, it is nothing for shrimp to be 12 inches in length or more.
Shrimp, like any species, comes in a wide assortment of variety. There are rock, brine, royal red, white, brown, and even pink shrimp to choose from. Each offers a unique flavor and consistency but all are absolutely delicious when prepared properly. And, Bubba was correct—you can make shrimp just about any way your imagination will let you! So whether you want to call it prawn or just plain old shrimp—the truth is that it tastes great no matter how you make it!
Have you ever wanted to make your own beef jerky? Here is a great method and recipe to help you realize your goal. I own a company that sells beef jerky, but sometimes I enjoy making my own maybe you will too.
Meat Selection
Of course the most important part of the equation is the selection of meat. Not all cuts of meat are the same and some are downright unsuitable for beef jerky. First, the cut of meat needs to be almost fat free. Fat is wonderful for adding flavor to a roast or vegetables, but it is pretty unpleasant where jerky is concerned. Second, there is a lot of connective tissue in many cuts of meats, this is another unwelcome guest to our jerky party. We are looking for a nice cut of meat almost fat and connective tissue free. I like using a bottom round roast, they are easy to find and the butcher at your local grocery store can cut you one easily if there is not one available. Please do not skimp on this part, the meat is the most important part of the dish.
Meat Preparation
Jerky by nature is pretty tough to chew so be sure you cut the meat well for the best result. First freeze the roast to about two/thirds frozen. We are not looking for the roast to be hard as a bullet just very firm so that it can be sliced. Take a sharp knife and cut across the grain of the muscle as thin as possible. This is the slowest part of the process take your time. The thinner the slice the better the flavor will penetrate the meat and the tenderer the jerky when you eat it. If the meat starts to thaw and become hard to slice just put it back in the freezer until it reaches the consistency you desire.
Marinade Preparation
This if where you can freelance all you want. There are a million different flavor combinations possible. I am going to give you a good basic marinade that will stand alone or you can spice up to change the flavor of your jerky.
4oz soy sauce
1 oz liquid smoke
1 oz Worcestershire sauce
1/4 T black pepper
1 oz hot sauce
Feel free to add other flavors to your liking. You can add coke or Dr. Pepper for a little sweetness. You can add orange or apple juice for some fruity taste. You can also add hot pepper flakes and some cayenne pepper because some like it HOT. Mix in a non-corrosive bowl (plastic or glass does very well). Place the meat in the marinade and let sit overnight.
Meat Drying
There are several different ways to dry your meat into beef jerky. You can use the sun, open fire, a smoker, your oven, or a food dehydrator. I prefer the food dehydrator; it uses small amounts of energy and makes the whole house smell like jerky as it dries the meat. Spray your trays with a non-stick spray, because it will make the cleanup much easier. Place the meat on the trays loading the top trays first and work your way down. Leave space between each piece to facilitate fastest drying time. Beef jerky can dry at a fast rate when the sun is out, but it can also go much slower if it is raining. It could take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. Just use your judgment. If you use the stove, turn oven to about 150 degrees and leave the door slightly ajar. You want to dry the meat not cook the meat. When dry store in a plastic bag. I never have to worry about mine going bad. I usually eat it in about 3 days with the help of my family.
Conclusion
It will take some time to find and prepare your own beef jerky. You might also find that the time invested is well worth the effort. I hope you enjoy, let me know how it turns out.
I own http://smokybeefjerky.com the home for all kinds of gourmet snack food items. We carry beef jerky, deep fried peanuts, exotic peanut butters, flavored peanuts, gourmet cheese, honey, and wild game jerky. Stop by and give us a visit some time.
Jamie Calloway
There are a lot of online shops that trade tea, some reputable, some not; and it can occasionally be flurrying to strain the bad from the good. What we desire are tea store that supply calibre loose leaf tea, prompt ships, great pictures and description, and helpful customer reviews. www.englishteastore.com is online tea store that not only provide quality tea, but also accessories such as Christmas candy which is good to be eaten along with tea.
The mixture of various blends and types that can be bought from an this online supplier is likely greater than those that can be purchased from a local tea shop, so if the online store does not have the tea you desire, they could be able to catch on for you.
Now you know how to choose a good online tea supplier, and what to look for, why not buy your next gourmet loose tea from a dedicated online tea supplier? As mentioned before, they also offers non-tea product because they have their brand like kettles, gift basket and many more. If you want to buy Christmas biscuits along with English tea inside, why you`re not just visit the site. You get the most suitable product for you.
Vacations are always expected by family members. When you want to go to holiday, you what you prepare for it. One of items must included is glasses. Speaking about Eyeglasses, What`s in our mind is Zenni Optical. They`ve long time known as quality online shop for eyeglasses. What I can share here is New Arrivals of their collections. You can make fun holiday more cheerful with Holiday Fun Eyeglasses. Just grab one of $8 Prescription Zenni Glasses so that you can make your holiday great and, of course healthy.
Introduction
When I first ate Chinese food in the UK in the 1970s, it was really quite unappealing. Everything came in a gloopy sauce and seemed to taste the same, due to the overuse of monosodium glutamate, supposedly a flavour enhancer but in reality, nothing of the kind. Then in the 1980s a new breed of Chinese restaurant arrived (at least it took that long to reach the provinces) which provided lighter, tastier Chinese cooking demonstrating regional differences. There was one drawback, however, which was that this new type of restaurant was much more expensive than the original cheap ‘n tasteless ones. Consequently, I thought how nice it would be to cook Chinese food at home but I had no idea where to start until BBC TV came to my rescue in the shape of Ken Hom, the USA-born chef of Cantonese parents.
Ken presented Chinese cuisine in such an easily-understandable way, demonstrating techniques and suggesting alternative ingredients should the originals not be available in your local supermarket. The book which accompanied the series, Ken Hom’s Chinese Cookery became my bible and I still have my copy, pages stained with oil drips and smears of sauce.
To help you on your way to cooking Chinese food at home, I’m going to briefly describe the basic equipment, ingredients and techniques which you need to know so that you can produce some simple and tasty dishes. I hope you enjoy the article and that it inspires you to get cooking!
Equipment
Although there are many implements and pieces of equipment you can buy, to start on the road to cooking your own Chinese food, you really only need a good knife or two and a wok. Woks come in all shapes and sizes, they can be non-stick, flat-bottomed, they can even be electric these days but I still prefer my old carbon steel wok with it’s rounded bottom and one wooden handle. This is a Pau wok. These are readily available in Chinese supermarkets and are much less expensive than other varieties. There is one important task though, before you will be ready to cook with such a wok and that is to season it. You will need to scrub it with a cream cleaner to remove any residues of machine oil and dry it carefully. Put the wok on the hob over a low heat. Rub the inside of the wok with two tablespoons of cooking oil using kitchen towel. Let the wok heat slowly for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe the inside with more kitchen towel. The paper will come away black. Carry on coating, heating and cleaning off until the kitchen towel comes away clean. Your wok is now ready to use. After use, wash only in water without detergent and dry thoroughly over a low heat. You may also apply a little oil if you wish. This should prevent the wok from rusting but if it does develop rust, just scrub and season again.
As well as the wok, you will need a wok stand, particularly if you have an electric hob. This keeps the wok stable if you are using it for braising or deep frying.
You will also need something to stir with – any spatula, slice or slotted spoon will do – metal for a metal wok and plastic or wooden for a non-stick wok.
Ingredients
Before you rush out and buy up the whole Chinese section at the supermarket, bear in mind that some ingredients don’t keep well if left unused. Just select something simple from your chosen cookery book and buy the things that you need for that then you can expand your selection as you progress through different dishes.
Some common store-cupboard ingredients that you will almost certainly need are dark and light soy sauce, some sort of cooking oil and sesame oil, cornflour and rice wine or sherry. For more information, see my article Chinese Cooking – Ingredients and Equipment.
Techniques
Stir-Frying
The most well known Chinese cooking technique is stir-frying. This is where your wok comes into its own as it’s shape and size (at least 14 inches diameter with deep sides) is ideal for quick cooking. The secret to successful stir-frying is to have all your ingredients ready in advance.
Meat should be cut according to the recipe but normally in thin strips. Vegetables likewise but in any event should be of similar shapes and sizes to ensure even cooking. Long thin vegetables such as spring onions, carrots or asparagus are often cut on the diagonal so that more surface area is exposed for quicker cooking. Measure out sauce ingredients – check the recipe – if they are all added to the dish at the same time, you can put them all in one small bowl. If cornflour is included, don’t forget to give it a good stir before adding to the other food.
Once you have everything prepared, heat your wok until it is very hot then add oil and using your chosen stirring implement ensure that the oil is evenly distributed over the surface of the wok. Before you add your ingredients. the wok should be so hot that it is almost smoking – this will prevent the food from being greasy. The exception to this is if you are flavouring your oil with garlic, chilli, spring onions, ginger or salt – these will burn if the oil is too hot.
Now add your other ingredients in the order stated in the recipe and toss them over the surface of the wok ensuring that nothing rests in one place for too long and moving the food from the centre of the wok to the sides. I suggest that you wear an apron or other protective clothing for this operation as the food often spits due to the high temperature it is cooked at.
Deep Frying
You can use your wok for deep frying but be very careful that it is safely balanced on its stand. Under no circumstances leave it unattended. Deep frying in a wok uses less oil than a deep fryer or saucepan but you may find these safer and easier to use.
When deep frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough before adding ingredients or the food will end up very greasy. Test it by dropping in a small piece of prepared food or a cube of bread. If the oil bubbles up around what you dropped in then it’s hot enough.
Make sure that food to be deep fried is dried thoroughly on kitchen paper or drained of its marinade before cooking otherwise it will spit.
Shallow Frying
This is the same as the Western technique. Fry food on one side, then the other and drain off any excess oil before adding sauce ingredients. A normal frying pan is fine for this.
Steaming
Steaming is widely used in Chinese cookery. You can use a bamboo steamer in a wok, a heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok or other large pan or you can use a normal European steamer.
If using a bamboo steamer or plate in a wok, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Put your rack into the wok (if the bamboo steamer is big enough and will sit on the sides of the wok without being in the water, you don’t need a rack) and balance your plate or steamer of food on it. Put the lid on your steamer or wok and check occasionally to see if the water needs topping up (use water which is already hot).
Whichever method you use, make sure that the food is above the water level and isn’t getting wet.
Braising
As with Western cooking, braising is used for tougher cuts of meat and involves gentle cooking of meat and/or vegetables in flavoured stock. Red-braising is the technique where food is braised in a dark liquid such as soy sauce which gives the food a red/brown colour. This type of braising sauce can be frozen and re-used.
