Help me help you become a better cook!
People have been loving the audio responses to the forum questions, so now here's your chance to ask a question in audio form.
These questions will then be incorporated into a podcast Q&A format, and listed on this page for your listening pleasure (well, maybe not pleasure, but hopefully I'll at least be able to help you answer your question).
Any topic is fair game, as long as it's related to the culinary world; so whether you're a professional cook wanting to know how to get your next promotion, or a beginner who wants to start cooking healthier meals for their family, let 'em fly.
At the top of this page is a nifty app that will allow you to record from almost any device. Just click the record button, and ask your question. If you're doing this from a mobile device, download the SpeakPipe app and then return to this page. Also, once you download the SpeakPipe app, you can simply enter in my e-mail address, Jacob [at] StellaCulinary dot com, and send me your question directly through the App!
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In this episode I answer Thea's questions about my go to culinary herbs.
Here's Thea's question:
Hi Jacob,
I want to grow my own herbs for recipes and am going to get a biopod (kickstarter) to plant them in sometime in March. Is there a list of staple herbs you have on hand to use fresh in your recipes? If so, what are they and where would I order them from. I am really enjoying your videos and podcasts.
Thea
In this podcast I help Pat trouble shoot some of the issues he's been having with his 100% whole wheat bread.
Here's Pat's Question:
Dear Jacob,
I watched your video on the bakers percentage after baking a few batches of whole wheat bread which roughly resembled edible bricks after baking.
I understand the math in the bakers percentage and that everything needs to be weighed not measured by volume. (There are very few recipes that use weight which I suppose should tell me something about the recipes).
In this podcast I discuss Demi Glace, Glace di Viande, and how it relates to the modern mother sauce, Reduction.
This question comes in via a comment from Jyoeru Zaberu on the YouTube page for my Three Modern Mother Sauce Lecture.
"Exceptional video! Thank you so much for your detailed (and even scientific) analysis of sauce making. My MAIN question for you is ratios. What is the ratio of bone/veg/water for a stock? For a demi-glace? Etc.
Here is a question I get quite a bit, so I figured I'd answer it in an episode of ACJ for anyone in the future:
"Chef Jacob, my question is probably one you have heard before. I am a home chef of over 30 years and I want to get to the next level in cooking, professional work. I have the option of going to school or working my way up through a professional kitchen with a international hotel chain kitchen.
In this episode I give ideas for sweet application using your sourdough starter.
In this episode of the Ask Chef Jacob Podcast, I answer Dave's question about how to make an awesome party dip at home. Remember, a dip is nothing more than a thick sauce, so please review the sauce making materials linked below after listening to this episode.
In this episode, I answer Pete's questions on sourdough starters. Pete's questions were:
SC community member Brian has a new immersion circulator on it's way, and wants to know the first things she should try cooking with it.
In this episode, I answer Danny's question about how to cook a tender rump steak.
Here is the Wikipedia page with the diagram I reference in the podcast if you'd like to follow along.
In this episode, I answer Bruce's questions on bread baking including autolyse, stretch and fold mixing, and the different techniques used to achieve a cohesive or airy crumb.
How do you stay skinny and still cook good food? Chef Jacob gives some pretty good advice, especially considering he's a fat ass
Chef Jacob is joined in studio with Ben to answer Michael's questions about ground meat including: What type of meat is best for grinding, How to make and cook meat balls, and Sous vide hamburgers.
In this episode Chef Jacob is joined by Ben and Alex to discuss whether or not kitchens have to be chaotic environments, if all chefs are pricks, and how to archive a work-life balance.
I answer Joni's question about making a pan sauce after pan roasting a salmon.
In this episode, I answer Molly's question about ceviche; what it is, how to prepare it, and some of the pitfalls you need to be aware of.
Brining beef is discussed, including what cuts you should brine, and why some cuts are best left alone.
Questions regarding Chinese style fried rice, tender meat, and MSG are answered.
We trouble shoot baking bread and cooking Neapolitan pizza on an outdoor gas grill.
In this episode we talk about what it takes to be a chef; everything from basic management skills, to food costing.
In this episode we discuss the science behind freezing food, and how it can affect flavor and texture.
Sous chef Alex joins Chef Jacob in studio to discuss what exactly makes the best buffalo chicken wing.
In this podcast episode, learn how a chicken's age and size affect it's flavor and texture.
In this episode, Chef Jacob discusses various strategies for vacuum packing food.
In the first episode of the Ask Chef Jacob podcast, SC community member Wartface enlists my help developing the ultimate brioche burger bun. This turned out to be a great R&D project, that resulted in the best brioche bun I've ever tasted.
