Q & A with Mummsie

First I want to thank all of you that sent me questions; I promise I will get to all of them, so if yours isn’t on today’s column rest assured it will be here soon. In the meantime keep those questions coming.

Kate asks: I need to make a roast and don't know what cut to get.  Do I cook it in the oven or in a Dutch oven on top of the stove?

As a general rule the closer the cut of meat is from the feet/legs of the animal the less tender it will be. So for oven roasting I would recommend something like Tenderloin or Rib Roast (Rib Eye would fit here also) those cuts did much less work while the animal was still walking so they will be tender.  For braising (cooking in a small amount of liquid in the Dutch oven) a Tip Roast or Rump Roast would be my first choice.

Marta asks: I want to barbeque.  How do I know if the temperature is right for what I am grilling?

If at all possible get a grill thermometer; they are your best indicator of what is going on in your grill. If you don’t have one use the hand test, hold your hand over the grill at about cooking height, if you can hold it there for around 2 seconds, you have a hot fire (about 400 to 450 degrees). If you can hold it there for about 4 seconds you have a medium fire (about 350 to 375 degrees). If you can hold it there for 5 seconds you have a low fire (about 300 to 350 degrees) And finally if you can hold it there longer you have a very low fire. What does this mean, it does depend some on what food you are grilling as to what temperature you want most meats I find do best over a medium fire.

Dori asks:  Mummsie, here is a problem I always run into when I find a recipe I want to try. The recipe calls for a fresh spice or herb that I don't have on hand.

Is there a huge difference in taste when using fresh compared to the dried you buy off the grocery shelf?  If I do replace the fresh with the dried in a recipe, what is an easy way to measure the amount I need to replace?

My general rule of thumb is to start with 1/3 dry for the amount that is called for in fresh, so for every Tablespoon of fresh start with a teaspoon. Be sure to taste and adjust to your liking. As far as how much it will change the recipe there are no hard and fast answers, it depends on which herb you are talking about and how fresh your dried herbs are. For most herbs as long as you are using them in a recipe that calls for some liquid and/or cooking time it is fine to substitute dry for fresh. Some herbs do retain their flavor when dried better than others. My rule is if it is at all possible to use fresh do, but if you can’t go ahead and substitute the dry, it will still be good (as long as your dry ones aren’t too old) I do recommend having some fresh herbs on hand to add to dishes, I try to always have at least parsley, basil and cilantro on hand.