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One of my buddies worked in the food industry for decades and gave me the secret, a well seasoned cooktop and pans. That cooktop has hundreds of meals cooked on it each day and the flavor clings to it like a cast iron skillet. Also they cook on very high heat that caramelizes the meat and fats, thats why restaurant kitchens are so smokey. At home we tend to cook on lower temps which just boils and steams the meats. Also with meats bring them to room temp first before cooking, this way they cook properly.
Also as mentioned lots of butter and salt BUT added at the right moment and in heavy amounts.
Some restaurants also have signature flavors like Carabbas where everything has that wood smoked taste to it, thats liquid smoke.
Wow very eye-opening! I knew they were drowning everything in butter but it never occurred to me that fries were cooked in duck fat or fish and seafood in goose fat. No wonder it's hard to re-create these tastes at home.
Its true. The other day I ran out of butter and was quite ticked because I wanted some scrambled eggs. I always put butter in my eggs. Then I realized I had a boston butt that I bbq'd the day before and there was a lot of fat still on it so I popped some of that fat into the pan and added the scrambled eggs. Best damn scrambled eggs ever lol.
You probably underestimate how much butter and salt they add to everything. Unhealthy amounts. which you would never do in a recipe at home.
True. I did ask at a steak house we used to frequent not to add salt or baste butter or other oils on my steak. I just wanted the wood fired grill to do its magic. I do not even have salt at home. Never a need for it.
Same when I order a Sweet potato. Plain only.
And if the place is Chinese or Peruvian...loads of MSG.
Oh you've never had my prime rib. It was just as good if not better then the restaurants and all I did was follow a recipe from the internet.
My grilled lobster tails are equally as good if not better then the restaurants.
I'm still working on my pan seared tuna steaks. It's close but not quite there to the one I had at Red's Steak and BBQ in Richmond Ill. It was so delish that I had to ask the chef to marry me. Maybe if I take him in the back room he'll tell me the secret. I swear sometimes I crave it. I might actually drive that hour to go get it too.
Oh you've never had my prime rib. It was just as good if not better then the restaurants and all I did was follow a recipe from the internet.
My grilled lobster tails are equally as good if not better then the restaurants.
I'm still working on my pan seared tuna steaks. It's close but not quite there to the one I had at Red's Steak and BBQ in Richmond Ill. It was so delish that I had to ask the chef to marry me. Maybe if I take him in the back room he'll tell me the secret. I swear sometimes I crave it. I might actually drive that hour to go get it too.
All these claims of cooking far better than any restaurant really makes me wonder where people live and what sorts of restaurants they frequent. I feel badly for people who are living in these culinary wastelands!
All these claims of cooking far better than any restaurant really makes me wonder where people live and what sorts of restaurants they frequent. I feel badly for people who are living in these culinary wastelands!
Yes - that is the impression I'm getting. I know my cooking is better than you'll get at garbage/most chain restaurants. But nowhere as good as I'll get a very good or great restaurant.
I also agree that one of the things restaurants do is they use a lot of ingredients that we tend to avoid or use sparingly at home. Like salt and various fats. I mean we're oven roasting potatoes with a little olive oil and they're frying theirs in duck fat. Also cream - heavy cream. Reduced heavy cream sauces . FWIW - I can and sometimes do cook like that. For a big blowout meal. Or an occasional treat (cabbage braised in bacon fat to go with brats). But not on a regular basis. If I did - I'd probably weigh 100 pounds more than I do.
Also - there are things that restaurants do that I simply don't do at home. Like frying chicken (makes a big mess). OTOH - anyone who has a decent grill and access to good cuts of meat (which I do) can make excellent steaks or similar at home. Robyn
Last edited by Robyn55; 03-28-2016 at 03:26 PM..
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. FWIW - I can and sometimes do cook like that. For a big blowout meal. Or an occasional treat (cabbage braised in bacon fat to go with brats). But not on a regular basis. If I did - I'd probably weigh 100 pounds more than I do.
