Quick Tips
How to Keep Your Meat Moist
My little brother gave me a crock pot for Christmas a number of years ago. One day we were chatting on the phone and he asked me how I liked my crock pot, what recipes I had tried out. I told him I liked it but that I felt like my meat was not as moist as I remembered our moms being and he gave me a tip that has changed my life! It is something so simple, yet made a big difference for me. Many of you probably already know but I will go ahead and share just in case some of you have battled dry meat.
All you have to do my friends is . . . . . . let the meat rest! Yes, it is really that simple! Once the meat is cooked whether in the oven, crock pot, or boiled you need to remove the meat from the juice and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. I know that there is some super scientific way to explain this, but I will give it to you the way I see it. If you remove the meat from the heat and immediately cut into it, all the juices (and therefore flavor) spill out and the moisture is quickly on your plate rather than in the meat. Allowing it to rest makes sure the juices are absorbed throughout and will remain in your meat. Believe me, I have experimented many times and I can attest to the fact that this indeed does help my meat stay moist.
Keep Cilantro Fresh
I have heard that some people do not like the taste of cilantro, that it almost has a soapy flavor to it. At our house thankfully we all love it, and I use it in almost every meal. I was tired of purchasing cilantro and by almost the next day many of the leaves were a brown, slimy, grossness. Ever have that problem? Well, my mother -in-law gave me the secret tip to keep cilantro lasting a long time!
Right when you get home and you are putting all the groceries away you need to pull the cilantro out of the bag and wash it up – get all the dirt cleaned off and separate it. Put it on a paper towel to air dry (this will usually be a few hours). Once it is dry get a new paper towel and wrap it up and put some saran wrap around it and put it in the refrigerator.
I did a little experiment and the cilantro stayed fresh with no slimy brownness for 8 days! On the 9th day there were a few spots that were starting to go but I was still able to pluck that off and use the cilantro for 4 more days!
The Trick to Crispier Lettuce
Ever wonder how to bring your lettuce back to life when it is limp? Well, this trick not only makes it crisper, but it also eliminates any unwanted bacteria.
Whenever I ate at my mother in laws house her lettuce always seemed so crisp and extra tasty. After purchasing it the same place she did, I never got the same results. One day she told me her secret:
Pull the lettuce leaves apart and cut up any way you would like. Put it in a bowl, and fill the bowl with cold water. Add about 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar. (I kind of move the bowl around and let the water and vinegar mix.) Let it sit for 10-15 minutes minimum. You can leave it in the refrigerator for up to a few hours if you want to do some prepping before hand. Dump it out and rinse once with cold water. I like to throw the lettuce in my salad spinner and get all the water off, and you are good to go! This little tip will help bring your lettuce to life, make it much crisper, will clean it, and give it a nice bit of flavor. Do this for a salad, a sandwich, or as a garnish for those yummy flautas. Give it a try, you won’t regret it.
The Kusi Life
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