Sharper Knives Safer in the Kitchen than Dull Ones

We've mentioned that a dull knife is a dangerous one, and discussed how to properly sharpen a knife or use a water stone in the past. Still, why exactly is a dull knife more dangerous than a sharper one? Plus, honing is easy with a 10" chef's knife—how do you keep your paring knives sharp? This video from the America's Test Kitchen answers both questions, and shows you how to test to see if your knives are ready to use.

In the video, Lisa and Bridget from America's Test Kitchen explain that dull knives require more force to use and press through the food you're cutting, which means you're more likely to lose control of the knife if something happens that you don't expect. Then they use a simple test with a sheet of paper to determine if their paring knife is sharp enough to be used. It fails, and they bring out the Test Kitchen's favorite electric sharpener to get it back into shape.

Some knife aficionados will tell you never to sharpen with anything less than a water stone or a honing steel, but doing so with small knives can be difficult. On the other hand, tabletop sharpeners are inexpensive and get the job done nicely. Check out the video for more tips on taking care of small knives, and a few bonus skill tips for handling small blades.

The Perfect Brine Means the Best Turkey Ever

Editor's Note: I tried this a couple of years ago and it resulted in the most amazing turkey ever. Even the leftovers had far more flavor. It's a little time consuming, but not very difficult. Cooking the turkey breast-side down for most of the time is important, so do not overlook this instruction.

Ingredients

For the turkey:

• 10 pints 11 fluid ounces (6 liters) water
• 4 1/4-ounces (125 grams) table salt
• 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 4 cloves
• 2 tablespoons allspice berries
• 4 star anise
• 2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
• 7 ounces (200 grams) caster sugar
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, cut into 6 slices
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons clear honey
• Handful fresh parsley leaves, optional (only if you've got some parsley hanging around)
• 1 orange, quartered
• 1 (9 to 11 1/4-pound) (4 to 5-kg) turkey

For the basting glaze:

• 2 3/4 ounces (75 grams) butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

For the turkey:

Directions

Place the water into your largest cooking pot or bucket/plastic bin and add all the turkey ingredients, stirring to dissolve the salt, sugar, syrup and honey. (Squeeze the juice of the orange quarters into the brine before you chuck in the pieces.)

Untie and remove any string or trussing attached to the turkey, shake it free and add it to the liquid. Add more water if the turkey is not completely submerged. Keep the mixture in a cold place, at or below 40 degrees, even outside overnight or for up 1 or 2 days before you cook it, remembering to take it out of its liquid (and wiping it dry with kitchen-towel) a good 40 or 50 minutes before it has to go into the oven. Turkeys - indeed this is the case for all meat - should be at room temperature before being put in the preheated oven. If you're at all concerned - the cold water in the brine will really chill this bird - then just cook the turkey for longer than its actual weight requires.

For the basting glaze:

Place the butter and syrup into a saucepan and cook over a low heat, while stirring, until the ingredients have melted and combined. 

Brush the turkey with the glaze before roasting, and baste periodically throughout the roasting time.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the turkey, breast-side down, in the pan.

Cook the turkey for 30 minutes at this relatively high temperature, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and continue cooking, turning the turkey breast-side up and the oven back up to 425 degrees F for the final 15 minutes or so if you want to give a browning boost to the skin. For a 9 to 11-pound turkey, allow 2 1/2 to 3-hours in total. But remember that ovens vary enormously, so just check by piercing the flesh between leg and body with a small sharp knife: when the juices run clear, the turkey is cooked.

Just as it's crucial to let the turkey come to room temperature before it goes in to the oven, so it's important to let it stand out of the oven for a good 20 minutes before you actually carve it.

Okra Fritters and Grits and Groceries Favorite

GRITS and GROCERIES: Real food, done real good

Okra Fritters

½ cup cornmeal
½ cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp Creole Seasoning (available at Grits and Groceries)
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup grated onion
2 cups sliced okra
Oil for frying

Sift together the dry ingredients. Mix together the egg, buttermilk and onion. Stir in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in okra. Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium heat and drop batter by the tablespoon full. Cook like pancakes until golden brown on both sides.  Serve with sour cream.

Grits and Groceries' Louisiana Beer-B-Que Shrimp

Louisiana Beer-B-Que Shrimp

Yield: 8 servings

5 lbs jumbo shrimp

1 T. Low Country Seasoning (available at www.gritsandgroceries.com)

1 c Louisiana Beer-B-Que Sauce (available at www.gritsandgroceries.com )

½ lb butter

4 c white mushrooms, halved

1 can beer, preferably malt liquor

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ c finely chopped fresh parsley

Season shrimp with Low Country Seasoning. Combine sauce and butter in

a large sauté pan or saucepan over medium heat and cook until butter

melts, stirring to combine. Add the shrimp, mushrooms and beer, stir

to combine and then cover. Cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about

10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grits,

rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley. This is a play on the

New Orleans dish of barbecue shrimp. I decided that we had to make it

in a South Carolina Style – so, I started using my Carolina – inspired

Beer-B-Que Sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

Visit Gritsandgroceries.com for weely menues and specials from some of the best food you can find anywhere.

Crispy Breaded Pork Chops with Milk Gravy

For a full video of this recipe visit here.

Ingredients

• 4 Pork Chops (I prefer thicker, boneless ones but you can use whatever type you like)
• 1 sleeve saltine crackers
• 2 eggs
Milk Gravy
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease (optional but sure is good)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions

1. Place vegetable oil to a depth of about 1/4 of an inch in a large heavy bottomed skillet. Place over medium high heat while you prepare the pork chops.
2. Crush saltines and place in a shallow bowl or plate (I use pie plates). Beat eggs and pour into bowl.
3. Dip each pork chop in eggs on both sides, then press both sides down into cracker crumbs.
4. Reduce oil temperature to medium. Add in pork chops to hot oil. Cook until browned on both sides (will need to turn) until completely done and no longer pink in the center.
5. Remove to paper towel lined plate.
For the Gravy
6. Pour the bacon grease into a medium skillet over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until flour begins to brown. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly with wire whisk to break up any lumps. Lower heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until gravy thickens. If you prefer a thinner gravy, add more milk. Serve over mashed potatoes, pork chops, biscuits, and anything else you can come up with!

Recipe Courtesy of the SouthernPlate.com