Canola vs Vegetable Oil: What's the Difference?
Canola oil and vegetable oil are not quite the same thing, but they are interchangeable: swap one for the other 1:1 in any…
Read the answerVanilla Extract Substitute: What to Use Instead
The best vanilla extract substitute is vanilla bean paste, swapped 1:1 — 1 tsp paste for every 1 tsp (5 ml) extract. No paste?…
Read the answerIs Heavy Cream the Same as Heavy Whipping Cream?
Yes. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the same product — US labelling sets one standard for both names, at least 36%…
Read the answerBaking Powder Substitute (and What to Use Instead of Baking Soda)
The best baking powder substitute is 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in the UK) plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of…
Read the answerCacao vs Cocoa: What's Actually Different
Cacao and cocoa are the same bean — Theobroma cacao — handled differently: cacao powder is cold-pressed from unroasted beans,…
Read the answerSour Cream Substitute: What Works and What Curdles
The best all-round sour cream substitute is full-fat Greek yoghurt, used 1:1 — same thickness, same tang, a little less fat…
Read the answerBleached vs Unbleached Flour
Bleached and unbleached flour are the same flour with a different finish, and for nearly all home baking they swap 1:1 with no…
Read the answerWhat Is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk today is cultured low-fat milk — tangy, slightly thick and acidic, with no butter in it. Traditionally it was the…
Read the answerEgg Substitutes for Baking
To replace one egg in baking, use a flax egg — 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, stood 5-10 minutes until gloopy…
Read the answerSesame Oil Substitute: The Best Swaps for Toasted and Plain
The best substitute for toasted sesame oil is perilla oil or walnut oil, swapped 1:1. If you have neither, stir toasted sesame…
Read the answerWhat Is Creme Fraiche?
Creme fraiche (crème fraîche) is cultured cream: cream thickened by a live culture until it is spoonably soft and mildly…
Read the answerWhat Is Clotted Cream?
Clotted cream is a thick, spoonable cream from Devon and Cornwall, made by gently heating cream for hours until a golden crust…
Read the answerWhat Is Caster Sugar?
Caster sugar is the British name for superfine sugar — ordinary white granulated sugar milled to a finer grain so it dissolves…
Read the answerHow Long Does Ground Beef Last in the Fridge?
Raw ground beef keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge at or below 40°F (4°C). Cooked ground beef lasts 3 to 4 days. Once you are…
Read the answerHow Long Does Bacon Last in the Fridge?
Once the pack is opened, raw bacon lasts 7 days in the fridge kept at or below 40°F (4°C). Unopened raw bacon keeps up to 2…
Read the answerHow Long Does Raw Chicken Last in the Fridge?
Raw chicken lasts 1 to 2 days in the fridge at or below 40°F (4°C), whether it is a whole bird, pieces, or ground chicken.…
Read the answerCan You Freeze Cheese, Milk, Butter, Yogurt and Eggs?
Yes, most of the dairy drawer freezes, with one rule per item. Hard cheese freezes for 6 months, though it crumbles when…
Read the answerHow to Tell If Eggs Are Still Good
Drop the egg into a bowl of cold water: a fresh egg sinks and lies flat on its side, an older egg stands upright, and a bad…
Read the answerCan You Freeze Deli Meat?
Yes, you can freeze deli meat (lunch meat) for 1 to 2 months at 0°F (-18°C) or below. The texture suffers — it thaws watery…
Read the answerHow to Make Vegetable Stock
To make vegetable stock, simmer a mirepoix base of onion, carrot and celery in cold water for 45 to 60 minutes, then strain.…
Read the answerHow to Make Gravy
To make gravy, cook equal parts fat and flour into a roux — a "two and two" of 2 tbsp fat plus 2 tbsp flour per 250 ml (1 cup)…
Read the answerHow to Make Bone Broth
Bone broth is simply stock simmered much longer. Roast your bones, start them in COLD water with a splash of vinegar, then…
Read the answerAu Jus: How to Make It from Drippings
Au jus (say it "oh-ZHOO", French for "with juice") is the thin, unthickened beef juice served with prime rib and French dip…
Read the answerChicken Stock vs Broth: The Real Difference
Stock is simmered from bones, so it is richer in gelatin, has more body, and sets to a wobble when cold; it is usually left…
Read the answerHow to Make a Roux
A roux is equal parts fat and flour by weight (roughly equal by volume too), cooked together to thicken sauces, gravies and…
Read the answerHow to Roast Sweet Peppers
Blacken the skin, then steam the pepper so it lets go. Under a broiler that takes about 15 minutes with a turn every few…
Read the answerHow to Frost a Cake
Level the layers, stack them with filling, then spread a thin crumb coat over the whole cake and chill it for 20 to 30…
Read the answerHow to Brine a Turkey
For a wet brine, dissolve 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water and submerge the thawed turkey for 12 to 24 hours in the…
Read the answerHow to Cook Steel Cut Oats
Use 1 part steel cut oats to 4 parts liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, stir in the oats, then drop to a bare simmer for 25…
Read the answerHow to Make White Rice
Rinse 1 cup of long-grain white rice until the water runs clear, add 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil,…
Read the answerHow Long to Bake Chicken: Wings, Legs, Thighs and Drumsticks
Bake chicken at 400°F (200°C): 40-45 minutes for wings, 35-45 for drumsticks and bone-in thighs, 40-50 for bone-in whole legs,…
Read the answerHow Long to Cook a Ham (Times and Temps by Type)
At 325°F (165°C), a fully-cooked bone-in ham takes 15-18 minutes per pound, until a thermometer reads 140°F (60°C) in the…
Read the answerHow Long to Smoke a Pork Butt (and a Turkey)
Smoke a pork butt for 1.5 to 2 hours per pound at 225°F (107°C), until it reaches 90-96°C (195-205°F) inside and a probe…
Read the answerHow Long to Boil an Egg — Soft, Jammy, or Hard (and How to Poach One)
Lower large, fridge-cold eggs into simmering water: 6 minutes for soft-boiled (set white, runny yolk), 8 minutes for jammy,…
Read the answerHow Long to Thaw a Turkey
Thaw a turkey in the fridge at 40°F (4°C), allowing 24 hours for every 2-2.5 kg (4-5 lb) of bird — so a 5.5 kg (12 lb) turkey…
Read the answerHow Long to Boil Chicken
Boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 12-15 minutes, bone-in breasts for 25-30 minutes, bone-in thighs for 30-40…
Read the answerHow Long to Cook a Turkey
Roast an unstuffed turkey at 325°F (165°C): a 12 lb (5.5 kg) bird takes 3-3¾ hours, and it is done when a thermometer in the…
Read the answerHow Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Bake bacon at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes — up to 25 minutes for thick-cut — laid in a single layer on a parchment-lined…
Read the answerHow Long to Bake Lasagna
Bake lasagna at 375°F (190°C) for 45-50 minutes: covered with foil for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered for the last 10-15…
Read the answerPork Chop Internal Temp
Pork chops are safe and at their best at 145°F (63°C), measured in the center away from bone, followed by a 3-minute rest.…
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