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The science of meat and meat alternatives is very different from that of fruits and vegetables or baked goods. Meat has a very distinct and complex structure and a very different nutritional composition. That makes it a challenge to imitate (although researchers are getting better and better) but also gives it a unique space in our diet. Here we explore the science of meat.
We humans like crispy foods. Munching on a potato chip, cracking through some crispy pork belly or enjoying a crispy bread crust. There’s a reason chefs (and contestants on cooking shows) always talk about a crunchy or crispy element, we love it. So the other day when we bought a …
Cooking and food preparation in general are super personal. Everyone has slightly different tastes and preferences. Not only that, some believe their way truly is the only way of doing it because of a certain magic step that happens somewhere in between. One field within cooking where that is especially …
Ribs, or spare ribs, have never really been my favorite meal. I wouldn’t order them in a restaurant, too much bone, too much sauce, too much salt and fat, too little good taste. That was, until the moment we made ribs at home: tender meat, falling of the bone, with …
Have you ever bought a beautiful piece of meat, tried to fry it in a frying pan, but no matter what you did, ended up with a leathery, tough piece of meat? Did it turn out dry and certainly not juicy? If so, you’re not the only one for sure. …
Ever compared how a sausage comes out after grilling, frying in a frying pan or ‘steaming’ in a little bit of water? They probably all turned out very differently! The steamed version will have probably resulted in a very moist and tender sausage whereas the grilled version is somewhat drier, but …
Apparently there’s a need for manufacturers to produce more oven baked snacks, as we noticed in when comparing those with deep fried ones. But we also found out that making something in the oven, that is normally deep fried, isn’t so easy. At least, it’s pretty hard to get the same …
In order to make a traditional Dutch kroket or bitterbal or a batch of French fries you used to have to take out your deep fryer from somewhere. Get plenty oil and be ready to make those perfectly crispy fries or crunchy kroketten. Your house would smell like fried oil …
Before fridges and freezers were invented, we used other methods to keep our food good. Meats especially were vulnerable. Common ways to preserve meat included salting and drying. Another method, which might not immediately remind you of preservation, were pies. By incorporating meat in a sturdy pie, the meat would …
Seeing where our food comes from is a great way to better understand our food, not just the science, but the whole supply chain that starts long before it comes in a factory, supermarket or on our plate. Seeing how animals live especially is something I’m interested in (although I …
Sometimes even the most fanatic scientist doesn’t want to do science, but just enjoy something. Whether it’s a view of the sky, snow flakes falling down or, in this case, eating good food. This morning I was in baking mode again, besides making apple pie, cinnamon rolls and eating bread …
