Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine

[Laughing]

This is the first year no turkey for us. Mom lives next door with a grandson, so I will be cooking for four.
I have also ran across some too good to be true meat prices.....so....I’ve bought 3 .....5.5lb ..prime rib roasts in 2 weeks. So it’s roast prime rib this year !

this is a recipe I found online and have used it since.

let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )
preheat the oven @ 500 degrees F

In a soup bowl let 1/4 cup of unsalted butter soften

Mix in herbs.....I used oregano, salt, pepper and paprika.
Smush the herbs into the butter and lather the roast up all over.

Put the roast in the preheated oven and let cook for 25 minutes. ( 20 for a 4 lb roast)

Turn the oven off ....and.....NEVER .....open the oven door for 2 hours.....BOOM....best recipe ever

on a side note....the last time I made this I had an emergency and had to let the roast stay in the oven an hour longer......but is was still hot and delish !

Part of my job is teaching food safety. I'm leary of this process. Leaving meats at room temperature for over 2 hours is never recommended, gives the microbes too much time to multiply/produce toxins.

Check for doneness with a dagger thermometer, probably 145 F.

https://www.uidaho.edu/-/media/UIda...hash=8738BF8F573F2CA2B8CC7F4A2D92BAC533A2A75C

jmpo ymmv lrr

 

[JrzyGirl70]

@Laughing I'm saving that link. I always have customers asking me about cooking a prime rib during the holidays. I've been getting a lot of "home sales" these past few months, when product became so short in the grocery stores here in NJ, I'm expecting that to become the norm again shortly.

 

[gitana1]

My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is baked, served with butter. Simple and delicious. Healthy too.

If you like healthy, here’s my recipe for cranberry sauce:

Bag whole cranberries. One can frozen apple juice. A bit of cloves, some cinnamon, Orange zest, about a tablespoon of orange juice. Put everything in a sauce pan except the apple juice. Then, use as much apple juice slush as you need to cover the cranberries.

Simmer until they pop.

That’s it! It’s not too sweet but very nice.

 

[gitana1]

My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is baked, served with butter. Simple and delicious. Healthy too.

Ooh! I also like to roast some walnuts in the oven and put them on sweet potatoes with a bit of cinnamon. Yummy.

But for a sweeter sweet potato style casserole I will peel and cut them, boil and then mash with cinnamon and nutmeg, a little maple syrup, some vanilla, a little salt, and some butter, with toasted nuts on top. Yum.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Part of my job is teaching food safety. I'm leary of this process. Leaving meats at room temperature for over 2 hours is never recommended, gives the microbes too much time to multiply/produce toxins.

Check for doneness with a dagger thermometer, probably 145 F.

https://www.uidaho.edu/-/media/UIda...hash=8738BF8F573F2CA2B8CC7F4A2D92BAC533A2A75C

jmpo ymmv lrr

But if it's at 500* when you turn off the oven, and the door isn't opened, won't it remain at sufficient cooking temperature for all of that time or nearly so? I had assumed that's the basis for that method (I haven't tried it though, as I don't cook meat at home as a general rule. But I am curious if it works).

 

[momrids6]

I did a practice run for Thanksgiving. Had to get down the Sugar free cranberry sauce and zerocarb bread stuffing. Sauce was spot on. but I put too much Sage ( or Rosemary or Thyme) in the stuffing. I don't cook with any of those on a regular basis-soo ? which one. I'm going to make it without any of those and add pinch by pinch next week

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Part of my job is teaching food safety. I'm leary of this process. Leaving meats at room temperature for over 2 hours is never recommended, gives the microbes too much time to multiply/produce toxins.

Check for doneness with a dagger thermometer, probably 145 F.

https://www.uidaho.edu/-/media/UIda...hash=8738BF8F573F2CA2B8CC7F4A2D92BAC533A2A75C

jmpo ymmv lrr

That's the way I cook it also. It's perfection! We actually did that one year with a turkey and it was at a time when the electricity went out for everybody in the neighborhood. We were the only people that had a turkey! It's safe, it's the southern way to do it or Northern way to do it or just the way to do it in my opinion also.

 

[Laughing]

But if it's at 500* when you turn off the oven, and the door isn't opened, won't it remain at sufficient cooking temperature for all of that time or nearly so? I had assumed that's the basis for that method (I haven't tried it though, as I don't cook meat at home as a general rule. But I am curious if it works).

I don't know if that method is food safe. Leaving the meat at room temperature for 4 hours is definetely NOT food safe.

The method I posted is food-safe and matches the CDC recommendations for food safety. Recommendations based on lab science.

Heat kills microbes. Most microbes found on beef in the US are killed at 165 degrees. If this method was tested for food safety, I haven't found the report -- and I looked.

At the Laughing homestead, we use a thermometer that sends the internal temperature to Mr Laughing's phone &/or smart watch. He's a gadget-monger & yep I teach food safety.

Annually in the US, about 40,000 people are hospitalized with food-borne illness and nearly 4000 die.

Most dangerous for older adults, young children, pregnant women, and anyone who is immune-suppressed.

(Just brought Mr. Laughing home from the hospital -- not ready to go back. Not in November 2020.)

Key Facts About Food Poisoning

Food Safety Home Page | CDC

We've heard about cultural change this year. As a kid, I rode in the back-back of the station wagon, looking at the car behind us on the highway. I remember the Ford TV commercials that showed the doors automatically locking at 80 miles an hour. I remember going to the Sears automotive department with my Dad to have the seat belts installed.

Fix the foods Grandma fixed, especially this year. Just fix them safely.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

My oven doesn't have a window, sadly, but I would think this could be easily tested with a oven with a window, by putting the thermometer visible in the window (or by using an app like you describe to report back to a device) and to see how long it takes for the unopened oven to descend down toward unsafe temperatures. I suspect the heat lasts for quite a while.

Of course I agree with you about food sitting at room temperature but I don't think that is what happens with this method, as long as it isn't left TOO long.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Part of my job is teaching food safety. I'm leary of this process. Leaving meats at room temperature for over 2 hours is never recommended, gives the microbes too much time to multiply/produce toxins...

I tried the 500* oven/turn off method of roasting prime rib several years ago after I'd seen it on a Food Network cooking show. The outside of the roast was nicely browned and crispy, but the interior was barely warm and much too rare. We turned the oven on to 325* and checked the temperature frequently until it was heated through. Never did that again. We slather the meat with softened butter and plenty of Montreal Steak Seasoning. We sear the roast at 400* for about 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325* and continue roasting until it registers medium rare on meat thermometer. Comes out perfectly every time

 

[PayrollNerd]

Part of my job is teaching food safety. I'm leary of this process. Leaving meats at room temperature for over 2 hours is never recommended, gives the microbes too much time to multiply/produce toxins.

Check for doneness with a dagger thermometer, probably 145 F.

https://www.uidaho.edu/-/media/UIda...hash=8738BF8F573F2CA2B8CC7F4A2D92BAC533A2A75C

jmpo ymmv lrr

Ok, "dagger thermometer" is a new term for me. I did a search and nothing comes up that makes sense. Can you tell me what that is? Do I need one for the turkey?

 

[Laughing]

Oooohh, that Double-Post Gremlin!

@PayrollNerd, try meat thermometer.

The thermometer can be used for egg dishes, cakes, breads, not just meats.

Try your local Extension office for information about foods:

Find Your Local Office - UF/IFAS Extension

 

[Laughing]

I tried the 500* oven/turn off method of roasting prime rib several years ago after I'd seen it on a Food Network cooking show. The outside of the roast was nicely browned and crispy, but the interior was barely warm and much too rare. We turned the oven on to 325* and checked the temperature frequently until it was heated through. Never did that again. We slather the meat with softened butter and plenty of Montreal Steak Seasoning. We sear the roast at 400* for about 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325* and continue roasting until it registers medium rare on meat thermometer. Comes out perfectly every time

Thank you, BDE! Thank you!

Concerned that Food Network would broadcast a recipe without checking for food safety.

(The OP's op states "let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )" which is outside the recommended limit of 2 hours.)

Readily available inexpensive thermometers:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/goodcook...rmometer/40711330?wl13=101&selectedSellerId=0

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-G...rmometer/912409454?wl13=21&selectedSellerId=0

 

[PayrollNerd]

Thank you, BDE! Thank you!

Concerned that Food Network would broadcast a recipe without checking for food safety.

(The OP's op states "let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )" which is outside the recommended limit of 2 hours.)

Readily available inexpensive thermometers:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/goodcook...rmometer/40711330?wl13=101&selectedSellerId=0

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-G...rmometer/912409454?wl13=21&selectedSellerId=0

Oh, the type you leave in the food while it is cooking. I'll jump on Amazon and order one. I have an instant one that I use for the grill but I don't think it can stay in the oven. Thank you! I'm very glad you are so knowledgeable and can help us learn cooking safety! I have to deal with 3 sets of food allergies so cross contamination is a huge issue for us. We've sure learned a lot over the years.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

I had this vegan roast pumpkin/squash and tomato lasagna at my SIL's place and it was absolutely delicious. It freezes really well.

An addition she made to the recipe was to include a bit of nutritional yeast in the bechamel sauce to make it extra creamy/cheesy.

Vegan Lasagne - Butternut Squash & Creamy Pesto | The Veg Space

 

[PayrollNerd]

I had this vegan roast pumpkin/squash and tomato lasagna at my SIL's place and it was absolutely delicious. It freezes really well.

An addition she made to the recipe was to include a bit of nutritional yeast in the bechamel sauce to make it extra creamy/cheesy.

Vegan Lasagne - Butternut Squash & Creamy Pesto | The Veg Space

That does sound good. I saved the recipe to show my youngest. She is not a butternut squash fan but since it is only part of the dish, I think she might like it. Thanks for sharing!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I'm going to start preparing Thanksgiving dishes today. Turkey gravy and cranberry sauce can be made ahead, so I will do both this afternoon. Turkey/stuffing meatball mixture is better when it sits in the fridge overnight before baking, and Waldorf Salad can be made ahead, as well. I will saute the pierogis (potato and farmer's cheese) on Wednesday and reheat on Thursday along with the meatballs and gravy. The only thing that I will have to cook from scratch on Thanksgiving is mashed potatoes. I got my brothers a bakery chocolate cake because one doesn't like anything pumpkin, and I gave my other brother a loaf of pumpkin bread a few weeks ago. I have another can of pumpkin puree and will bake a cake or two loaves of pumpkin bread over the holiday weekend.

I used to be good at multi-tasking in the kitchen, but now if I try to do too many things at once, I get very anxious and feel totally stressed I've learned to do one thing at a time and not start another project until the previous one is finished, with cleanup in between.

 

[anneg]

I'm going to start preparing Thanksgiving dishes today. Turkey gravy and cranberry sauce can be made ahead, so I will do both this afternoon. Turkey/stuffing meatball mixture is better when it sits in the fridge overnight before baking, and Waldorf Salad can be made ahead, as well. I will saute the pierogis (potato and farmer's cheese) on Wednesday and reheat on Thursday along with the meatballs and gravy. The only thing that I will have to cook from scratch on Thanksgiving is mashed potatoes. I got my brothers a bakery chocolate cake because one doesn't like anything pumpkin, and I gave my other brother a loaf of pumpkin bread a few weeks ago. I have another can of pumpkin puree and will bake a cake or two loaves of pumpkin bread over the holiday weekend.

I used to be good at multi-tasking in the kitchen, but now if I try to do too many things at once, I get very anxious and feel totally stressed I've learned to do one thing at a time and not start another project until the previous one is finished.

I totally relate to your multi-tasking comment. I also get stressed and end up forgetting something. One thing at a time works for me too, and I do everything more slowly than I used to. And it's best if no one is in the kitchen talking to me.

 

[Quiet Time]

I have to write down everything I'm planning on making while I'm in the kitchen that day...lol
..just cross it off the list as I go.

 

[Really?]

Thank you, BDE! Thank you!

Concerned that Food Network would broadcast a recipe without checking for food safety.

(The OP's op states "let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )" which is outside the recommended limit of 2 hours.)

Readily available inexpensive thermometers:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/goodcook...rmometer/40711330?wl13=101&selectedSellerId=0

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-G...rmometer/912409454?wl13=21&selectedSellerId=0

Ok laughing......I am only to put it out 2 hours before I cook it. Thanks for the heads-up. I don’t want to make anyone sick. Thanks again and happy Thanksgiving!