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How To Cook With A Kettle

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Kettle cooking can mean two different things: cooking with a large cast iron or other sort of kettle, or using an electric kettle or tea kettle to heat hot water. Two very different methods, two very different results! Here is how to cook with both a cast iron kettle and a tea kettle:

How To Cook With A Kettle

  • Cooking with a cast iron kettle: These cast iron beauties are a great tool to have around. They cook evenly and can be used for a variety of different recipes. They can even be used over the campfire. Before you start cooking with your new cast iron kettle, you will need to season it. Wash it in warm water and let it completely dry, then coat the inside and lid with olive oil and place in an oven heated between 350 to 400 degrees. Turn off the oven and let the kettle cool inside. This gives the kettle a stick-resistant finish. Now you are ready to start cooking! These kettles are great for browning meat on the stove, making casseroles over a hot fire, making delicious Dutch oven desserts, and, of course, creating your own kettle fried sweet potato chips.
  • Cooking with a tea kettle: There is nothing quite like enjoying a hot cup off tea after a long day. But did you know you can do more with a tea kettle than make tea? If you have ever made noodles in a cup or poured hot water into a pre-made soup mix, then you will already understand how cooking with a kettle can work. Heat up hot water in your tea kettle or electric kettle, and pour over your soup ingredients. Some great things to try are combinations of finely chopped fresh vegetables, a protein source (cooked chicken, chorizo, or salami), a carbohydrate (couscous, chickpeas, or lentils), and some seasonings like soy sauce, miso, tomato paste, curry, or bullion cube.

Source:

  • “The quickest, easiest way to make a meal without a kitchen”, The Stone Soup

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Cooking With Butter Myth: Margarine is Better

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There are a few obvious “no-nos” on the list of taboo food that is high in calories when you’re trying to get healthy: ice cream, soda, and potato chips, cream, sugar, and grease. And who could forget the granddaddy of bad health: butter.

You’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t love butter, but many people can be convinced to forego this delicious dairy spread on their popcorn, pasta, and potatoes. But what about cooking with butter? Should the health-conscious cook and baker switch to margarine?

Margarine vs Butter

The hard truth about cooking with butter or cooking with margarine is that neither of them is particularly healthy. The Cleveland Clinic says that butter and margarine both have associated health risks. Butter has the advantage of being made from natural ingredients. It is simply cream that has been churned solid. It is also loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat, and it is the obvious winner when it comes to baking. The high fat content yields a tender, flaky product. On the other hand, margarine has no cholesterol and saturated fat. But margarine is not a natural substance (it is hydrogen and vegetable oil) and many margarines are loaded with trans fat, which the USDA recommends avoiding completely. Margarine should basically never be used for baking unless specified, though it can be used for cooking. Just make sure to opt for “margarine spread” in a tub, which should have no trans fat.

Cooking With Butter: Better Substitutes

Baking without butter doesn’t have to be a losing battle. While cooking with margarine may not always be the answer, there are other ingredients to use instead. In some recipes, it is appropriate to substitue half of the butter with applesauce or pureed prunes. Yogurt and egg whites can also fill the shoes of butter in some recipes. Finally, there are some butter and margarine substitutes on the market that are meant to be used in baking. These buttery spreads may be plant-sterol or yogurt based. Check the label if you are unsure how a spread should be used.

Though it may be tricky, there are ways to avoid using butter in baking and cooking. Experiment and find the way that works for you!

Sources:

  • “Butter vs. Margarine: Which Is Better For You (And For Baking)?”, Huffington Post
  • “Heart and Vascular Health & Prevention”, Cleveland Clinic

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