It’s that time of year. Christmas Dinner time. In the cover photo you see a Medieval Christmas feast, complete with Boar’s Head. For me, I’ll be having Christmas Dinner at my brother’s house. Not sure what it’s going to be, but I also am roasting a duck tomorrow. I WAS going to talk about Christmas Dinner stuff, but SIKE! Let’s talk about something else.
Those of us who regularly surf the internets looking for good food ideas have come across a phrase that goes something like “Season until the Ancestors tell you to stop”, among other variants. Or, as Uncle Roger sometimes puts it, “Season the right way, not the White way”.
Michael Symon, when talking about roasting meat and stuff says “Always use twice as much as you think you need”. Chef John, when it comes to salt and meat says “one teaspoon per pound”.
Various pro chefs on You Tube, when discussing the secrets of why restaurant food is so much better say “Go so far that ONE more grain of salt will make it too salty”. That is how they are trained in the kitchens of fine restaurants.
This leads to a pet peeve of mine. Does anyone just use one or two garlic cloves in a recipe if that’s the number called for? Same for other seasonings? Does anyone REALLY follow the exact measurements of ANY given recipe?
I know I don’t.
But I kinda get why recipes have exact measurements for various spices, herbs, salt, and so forth. It’s for the home cook who just cooks the recipe. That’s not a bad thing, as many people don’t have the time or inclination to study cooking. And I know that’s a bad bad turn of phrase what I just said, but I’m hoping those who regularly read and contribute here understand what I mean.
Basically, the seasonings are geared not only to the writer of the recipe, but to the “average” reader. Think Betty Crocker or Fannie Farmer and various magazine recipes. As cooking technology advanced, “fancy” recipes that the average housewife could make filled cookbooks. Hence exact seasoning measurements.
NOTE: I’m talking about cooking, not baking. Baking is science, with precise measurements. Cooking is an art, where the chef creates flavors seemingly out of thin air.
I’m one of those who studies. I study the flavor and intensity of my preferred salt. I know what the pepper I use tastes and smells like. I know these things about a range of herbs and spices. Here’s why that’s important.
If you know how your salt works, for instance: Is it Diamond Crystal Kosher? Morton Kosher? Another brand’s kosher? Table salt? Fine sea salt? If you KNOW how each brand/type of salt tastes and works based on amount, you don’t need to follow a recipe that calls for a set amount of salt, whatever the brand.
Because you know “I know how this will taste if I use x amount of salt at this point”. And you get experienced in measuring your pinches without the use of spoons or other devices.
The same goes for all seasonings.
But in the end, it’s all about the tasting. Know your properties, know your taste. Things can vary. ALWAYS constantly taste your food, especially at each stage of seasoning.
Case in point. I’ve talked about Chef John’s “Method X” before, where you use math to cook something like a standing rib roast to perfection. If you haven’t seen it before, here it is:
The recipe involves using a compound butter. In the written recipe, Chef John specifies the ratio of ingredients based on the size. However, I myself use more butter, and different measurements, and even different seasonings as I feel inclined. I’ve mentioned before that this “Method X” cooking will give ANY roast that same medium rare feel. I know. Why? Because I’ve tried a lot of roasts. I just recently did a “semi boneless” leg of lamb using this method. My compound butter? Grated garlic, a ton of black pepper, and a ton of dried dill. Here’s what it looked like before it went into the oven:
I didn’t use any measurements of the pepper, dill, and other stuff. Because I KNEW. How did I know? Constant trials and constant tasting. Then it came time to salt the surface after spreading the butter. You often see the phrase “well-seasoned”. That’s just chef talk for taking it ALMOST to the point where it goes from "well-seasoned” to “too much”. And that’s how I salted my lamb. Big hunk o meat, you need enough salt so that the meat around the bone is properly seasoned.
So in conclusion:
1. Taste taste taste. The more you taste, the more you discover your palate. AND you can discover mistakes early enough to correct them.
2. Use your salt and other seasonings to YOUR taste.
3. Practice makes better
4. Know your ingredients.
5. Don’t be afraid to take it to the very edge. You will sense the approval of the Ancestors.
Today, my only evening snack will be a duck liver. I’m roasting a duck tomorrow, and I want to get it salted overnight to help with crispy skin. Giblets and neck go into the freezer for stock, pack of “orange glaze” goes into the trash, and the liver goes in my belly.
Why is that morsel my only evening snack? I’ll have just returned home from seeing a matinee of “Boop” I gave myself as a Christmas present.
There. I did the Christmas bit. What’s for Christmas Dinner at your place?