Category: Blog

Of course, I’ve moved away now and I live in the USA, but I’ve kept up the tradition. And no matter who I make it for, it’s always a big hit.

There are lots of different ways of making tourtiere out there. You can use different meats, different cuts, even different spices. Quebec is a huge place, and each region has its own traditional recipe — which means there’s more than one right way to make it.

In this article, I’ll talk about how to make a tourtiere. First, I’ll go over the different types of tourtière out there. Then, I’ll go over the ingredients you’ll need. Finally I’ll talk about different ways to make a tourtière.

Different Types Of Tourtière

If you take twenty different people who eat tourtiere every year for Christmas, and ask them what the correct, traditional way of making it is, you’ll probably get twenty different answers.

And the truth is, they’ll probably all be right. There are lots of different regions in Quebec, and each has its own traditions and its own way of making tourtiere.

And there are even places outside Quebec that have their own traditions — French speaking areas of Canada, and some of the north-eastern regions of the United States.

There’s no way I could list all the different recipes and types of meat pie. But most pies do fall into one of two categories: a simple pork or beef round pie, the simple tourtière, or the more elaborate tourtière du Lac St-Jean, a huge pie that includes lots of different types of cubed meats.

Simple Tourtiere

This is the Christmas meat pie that I grew up with. Which I guess is lucky for me, because it’s a whole lot easier to make!

• It’s a standard round pie. It can be deep-dish or not, depending on whether you prefer a meatier pie or not, but it’s still got a good crust-to-pie ratio.
• It’s usually made up of ground meat or finely chopped meat.
• It’s usually made from pork. It can also be made with beef, or a combination of the two.
• It can include potatoes, either mashed to thicken the filling, or cubed to add a little texture.

Generally, you make this pie by cooking the meat and potatoes in some water, wine or stock, and add a few special spices. You can either use the mixture right away to fill the pie, or let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Tourtiere du Lac St-Jean

A tourtiere du Lac St-Jean (which gets its name from the Lac St-Jean region in Quebec) is a more elaborate dish. I got to enjoy it every few Christmases when we got together with my Aunt on my mom’s side.

How is different from the simple tourtiere?

• It’s made with cubes of meat instead of ground meat. The cubes can be big or small, but they should be big enough to give some texture, and small enough that you can fit a few in one mouthful.
• Often, it’ll have lots of different types of meat. Pork is usually an ingredient, but you’ll likely find several other types of meat. It could be beef or chicken, or game meats like rabbits or venison.
• You can make this meat pie with potatoes, too, but they’re almost always cubed – not mashed.
• Because you have so many ingredients, this is often a much bigger pie. You might line a whole roasting pan with pastry dough, then fill it with layers of meat and potatoes, and then top with another pastry crust.
• It takes a lot longer to cook this meat pie! A simple tourtiere might only need 45 minutes in the oven, but this one will take more like 6 hours. Of course, that means six hours of awesome smells in the house!

The meat can be cooked beforehand, or it can cook while the pie is baking. Both methods work well. But it’s a good idea to let the meat and spices sit together overnight, so that the flavors really have time to blend.

Notes

• Lac St-Jean actually means St-John’s Lake, if you’re curious for a translation.
• In case you’re wondering, tourtière is pronounced “TOURT-YAIR”
  • “Tourt” is like “tour” in “tour bus” but with a “t” at the end.
  • “Yair” is like the air we breathe, but starting with a “y”.
• The most common way to eat a tourtiere is with ketchup. Some people like a homemade salsa-like sweet-and-sour ketchup, but others like the commercial kind. My dad and I like it with gravy. We always teased that it was because we’re both English-speaking heathens, whereas my mom and brother are more French-speaking – and they like it the traditional way.

Ingredients

When I say tourtiere is a meat pie, I’m not kidding. The ingredient list is pretty simple, and it’s mostly meat! So what do you need?

Meat

I think it goes without saying, meat is the main ingredient in this meat pie.

• For a simple tourtiere, you’d use ground pork, or possibly ground beef or a combination of both.
• If you want to make a tourtiere du Lac St-Jean, you’ll need a lot more meat.
  • Depending on how big you want the pie to be, you’ll need anywhere from 4 to 8 pounds of different meats, raw or cooked.
  • Cut the meat up into little cubes, and you’re ready to go. The cubes should be about half an inch to an inch in size.

Potatoes

A tourtiere usually has potatoes in it, too.

• No matter what type of meat pie you make, you can include cubed potatoes. They should be about half an inch cubes.
  • For the simple pie, you’ll probably want to cook them beforehand. In the Lac St-Jean pie, they’ll have plenty of time to cook while the meat is cooking.
• A simple tourtiere should include some mashed potatoes, too. It’ll help the meat hold together better, so that the pie won’t be so crumbly.

Liquid

You’ll also need some liquid for the meat pie.

• For a Lac St-Jean tourtiere, the liquid is absolutely essential. It braises the meat, keeping it moist and helping it get tender while it cooks.
• For a simple pie, the liquid keeps the meat moist while it simmers with the spices, and it helps the flavor of the spices penetrate the meat.
• Stock is a great choice for a liquid, but you can also use water. You can also use some wine or cognac for part of the liquid.

Aromatics

For extra flavor, you’ll want to add some aromatics to the mix.

• Onion is the most important aromatic. You need about 1 onion per pound or two of meat. You can adjust that depending on how much you like onions.
• A little bit of garlic is never a bad thing. I add a clove or two to a simple tourtiere.
• If you’re making a tourtiere du Lac St-Jean, you can add some chopped celery or carrots. The little pieces will be good with the meat cubes.

Seasonings

To me, the seasonings are super important. They’re what give tourtiere its unique taste. And they’re a testimony to just how old a tradition this meat pie is.

Some spices like cinnamon and cloves might seem a little odd in meat, but they were very typical in the Middle-Ages, and people have probably been making tourtiere since then!

Here are the seasonings you’ll usually find in a tourtiere:

• Some pies really on the natural flavors of the meat and only use salt and pepper.
• Some pies use a combination of cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Usually these are simple tourtieres, but you could spice either of the pies this way.
• Some pies use herbs like thyme and savory. These seasonings are more common for a tourtiere du Lac- St-Jean, but can be in either.

Pastry Crust

The last ingredient that you’ll need for your meat pie is the pastry crust. It’s just an ordinary pie crust.

For some people, it’s absolutely essential that the crust be homemade, with lard instead of shortening. And you’ll probably get tastier results that way. But if you don’t have time, or you just don’t like making pie crusts, you can always buy a premade crust.

• For a simple tourtiere, a recipe for a double-crust deep dish pie is all you need.
• A tourtiere du Lac St-Jean needs a whole lot more pie crust. You’ll need anywhere from 2 to 4 double crust pie recipes, depending on how big your roasting pan is.

And that’s what you need to make this delicious meat pie. Now let’s find out how to make it!

How To Make Tourtière

The way you make a tourtiere is pretty different depending on which type you’re making. So I’ve split this section into two parts — the simple tourtière, and the tourtière du Lac St-Jean.

How To Make A Simple Tourtiere

Here’s how you make a simple meat pie.

1. First, gather all your ingredients.
2. In large pan over medium heat, saute your aromatics for a few minutes.
3. Add the meat, liquid, and spices, and mix well, breaking up the ground meat. Let the mixture simmer for an hour, until it’s starting to get thick.
4. Meanwhile, bake the potato.
   • You can bake it in an oven set to 400F for 45 minutes or so, or you can bake it in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes, turning it over half-way.
5. Mash the potato, and add it to the meat, blending it in well until the meat is thick and isn’t crumbly.
6. Fill a pie crust with the meat mixture. Cover with a second pie crust, seal the edges and cut slits in the top crust to vent steam.
7. Bake in an oven preheated to 375F for about 45 mins, or until the crust is golden brown.
   • Remember, the filling is cooked, so you’re just cooking the crust here. Take the pie out when it has the right color.
   • To get the crust to brown more nicely, you can brush it with an egg wash or a bit of milk.
8. Let the pie sit for about 10 minutes before cutting it. The filling needs time to set and cool down.

It might seem like this takes a while to make. But actually it doesn’t involve a whole lot of work. The longest part is just waiting for it to cook.

Tourtiere Du Lac St-Jean

This meat pie is a little more work- and time-intensive than the simple pie. But it really does give outstanding results, and the whole house will smell good for hours. And once this becomes a family tradition, that smell will mean Christmas to you.

Here’s how you do it.

1. Gather all your ingredients.
2. Cut all the meat into little cubes.
3. Add the spices to the meat and mix well.
   • For extra flavor, try refrigerating the mixture for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible. It’ll give the flavors time to blend.
4. Cut up the potatoes into little cubes, about the same size as the meat.
5. Chop the aromatics, and mix them in the meat.
6. Line a roasting pan with pastry dough.
7. Add the meat and potatoes.
8. Add the liquids, and cover the whole thing with more pastry dough. Cut slits in the top crust to vent steam.
9. Cover the roasting pan, and bake the pie in a oven preheated to 250F for about 6 hours.
   • This long, slow, covered cooking braises the meat. It turns tougher cuts into lovely, tender pieces.
   • If you’re starting with cooked meat already, you can reduce the cooking time by a lot. You really only need to cook the potatoes, so an hour or two should do it.
10. If the crust isn’t browned by the last half hour, remove the cover and increase the heat to 400F and cook until the crust is a beautiful golden brown.
11. Let the pie set for at least 10 to 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

As you can see, this meat pie takes a lot longer to cook. And cutting 4 to 8 pounds of meat into cubes means a lot of work, too, unless you can find a butcher to do it for you. But it’s all a part of the Christmas tradition, and the smell in the house will make up for it all.

Notes

• A simple tourtiere is super easy to make. You can even make it ahead of time. Before cooking it, wrap it well and store it in the freezer. Then just take it out a few hours before you need it and let it defrost. Cook as indicated in the instructions.
• A tourtiere du Lac St-Jean is a lot more work. If it’s your first time making it, be sure to plan ahead very carefully, so that you don’t end up stressed out on the holidays!
• This is an old, traditional dish — and traditionally it wasn’t made with lean meats at all. If you have lean meats but you want to make it the way it used to be, you can add a bit of lard to the mix to fatten it up. No, it’s not really meant as a healthy dish!

And that’s how you make a delicious tourtiere! I hope you like this Christmas tradition as much as I do.

So what exactly is tempering chocolate? Well, it just means specially treating melted chocolate so that it dries to a hard, shiny finish – so you get chocolate that doesn’t melt at room temperature, breaks with a nice snap instead of crumbling apart, and is perfect for coating candies.

The first time I tried coating a dessert with chocolate, I coated the tops of sugar cookies. I just melted chocolate, dipped the cookies, and let it set. Well, the chocolate stayed soft, and the cookies were kind of sticky and messy.

They were still delicious, but that kind of coating just wouldn’t cut it for something like truffles. You need a hard coating for truffles, because you’ll be touching the chocolate when you eat it. Plus a nice shiny truffle looks perfectly beautiful!

Tempering chocolate isn’t hard to do, but it is a bit of a delicate procedure. And underneath it all there’s some complex but very cool scientific processes at work. And in this article, we’ll go over it all. First, I’ll talk about what happens to the chocolate when you melt and temper it, and then I’ll go over what you need to temper chocolate, and how to do it.

How Tempering Chocolate Works

Just about everyone loves chocolate. The smooth texture and awesome rich taste are hard to resist. But it’s so easy to get chocolate that we tend to take for granted what goes into getting that texture: tempering chocolate.

Chocolate has a special structure, and to get the nice hard chocolate we love, you have to handle it very precisely.

Different Kinds Of Crystals

Chocolate is actually made up of a bunch of little crystals. And the size of those crystals are what give the chocolate its texture!

• Big crystals give a soft, crumbly chocolate that melts really easily.
• Medium crystals also give a melty chocolate, but it’s a bit more firm.
• Small crystals are the perfect size. They give you hard, shiny chocolate that doesn’t melt until you’re eating it, and that breaks into pieces with a satisfying snap.

The chocolate we buy is generally tempered chocolate, nice and hard with the right crystal structure. But if you want to use that chocolate to coat something, you have to melt it. And that destroys all the crystals, and you have to create new ones. That’s the tricky part!

Forming Chocolate Crystals

Once chocolate is melted, you need to recreate the crystal structure. The way you do it is by stirring the melted chocolate. The agitation causes little crystal seeds to form, and those seeds grow into the actual crystals. And here’s the key – the size of the crystals is determined by the temperature of the chocolate when the seeds form.

• If the temperature is too low, between 60F and 80F (17C and 27C), you get the big crystals and your chocolate won’t be good for coating.
• If the crystal seeds form at about 93F (34C), you’ll get perfect, small crystals, and your chocolate will dry hard and shiny.
• Any hotter than 97F (36C), and it’ll be too hot for crystal seeds to form.

So here’s what you have to do when tempering chocolate – we’ll go over the actual methods in more detail in the how to temper chocolate section.

1. Melt the chocolate and get it hot enough to melt all the crystals in it. It’ll need to reach about 110F to 115F (about 45C).
2. Cool the chocolate to about 82F (28C). Stir it and agitate it to help the right crystal seeds to form. This will make sure you only get smallish sized crystals.
3. Heat the chocolate back up to about 90F (32C). It’ll get rid of any bigger crystals that might have formed. It’ll also make the chocolate a bit easier to work with, especially if you’re using it to coat something.
4. Now, maintain that temperature while you’re using the chocolate. If you let it heat up too much, you’ll melt the crystals and have to start over again, but if you let it cool too much it’ll get hard to work with.

It might all seem a little complicated to worry about crystals and crystal seeds – but knowing why you need to heat and cool and heat again really helps the process of tempering chocolate make so much more sense. For me, knowing about all this made me feel a lot more confident about it!

And remember, none of this is hard to do. It’s just melting chocolate and watching a thermometer. But knowing why you’re doing it makes it easier to understand what happened if something goes wrong.

What You’ll Need

One of the nice things about tempering chocolate is that you don’t need a whole lot of fancy equipment to do it. Here’s what you do need.

Double-Boiler

The best way to melt chocolate is the low, indirect heat of a double-boiler.

• If you don’t have a double-boiler, you can use a stainless steel bowl over a pot of water. The bowl should completely cover the pot, to keep the heat in and prevent any moisture from getting into the chocolate. Moisture could make your chocolate seize up and then it wouldn’t be any good for tempering.
• If you don’t have a double-boiler or anything that can act as one, you can melt the chocolate in a pot directly over the heat, but you have to be very careful. Direct heat can make the chocolate scorch.

Rubber Spatula

A rubber spatula is the best option for mixing the chocolate because you can make sure it’s perfectly dry before putting it in the chocolate, and it lets you scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure nothing is scorching and everything is heated evenly.

Thermometer

It’s really important to keep track of the temperature when you’re tempering chocolate. It’s a very precise process, and it’s not easy telling the different between 85F and 90F without a good thermometer. And if you don’t get it just right, it can completely ruin the temper. The best option is a good, accurate instant-read thermometer.

Chocolate

Chocolate. You need a good quality chocolate to melt. Be sure that it contains cocoa butter and not some substitute, otherwise you can’t temper it.

• Chocolate chips are your best options. They’re small and uniformly sized, so that they melt quickly and evenly.
• If you have bigger chunks of chocolate, chop them up into small chip-sized pieces.
• Tempering chocolate is easier the more chocolate you have to work with. It helps the temperature stay more stable and gives you a little more margin for error.

Those are the basics. There are a few methods for tempering chocolate, though. For the simplest method, all you need is the basics. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can also use the more traditional method, which needs a large, heat-absorbing surface like a marble slab or granite counter-top.

How To Temper Chocolate

Alright, we’ve gone over how tempering chocolate works, and what you need, and now it’s time to find out how to do it. I’ll go over two different methods here – the seed chocolate method, and the marble slab method.

Method 1: Seed Chocolate

This method is definitely the easier of the two. First of all, it doesn’t need any special equipment. But it also lets you make nicely tempered chocolate even if you don’t have years of experience looking for when the chocolate has just the right consistency.

So here’s how it goes. Remember, when you’re tempering chocolate, the key is to form little crystal seeds so that they can grow into the perfect chocolate crystals. But the chocolate we buy is generally already tempered and full of the right crystals and seeds. So we’re going to use that to our advantage.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Take the chocolate and chop it up into small, chocolate chip sized bits. Set about one third of the chocolate aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Put the chocolate in the double boiler on top of the pot.
   • Be sure that the top pot doesn’t touch the water. Melting chocolate works best with indirect heat.
   • Make sure that the top pot completely covers the bottom pot. You don’t want steam escaping, because any moisture can make your chocolate seize up.
3. Stir the chocolate occasionally until it’s melted and smooth, and reaches 110F to 115F, or about 45C. Remove it from the heat.
4. Stir in the remaining one third of chopped chocolate, and keep stirring until the chocolate reaches about 80F to 82F (about 27C).
5. Over the double-boiler, heat the chocolate back up to 88F to 90F (about 32C). This will make the chocolate easier to work with, and it’ll get rid of any of the bigger crystals that might have formed.

Notes

• This method takes advantage of the fact that you’re using already tempered chocolate. That means you need a good quality chocolate that contains cocoa butter, not additives or substitutes.

Method 2: Marble Slab

The second method for tempering chocolate is a little messier, and it takes a little more experience to get it just right.

For this one, you’ll need a marble slab, or any other big surface that’ll help your chocolate cool down quickly. This’ll let you cool the chocolate to the right temperature to create the right crystals seeds.

Here’s how you do it.

1. Chop your chocolate into chocolate chip-sized bits. It’s not necessary, but it helps the chocolate heat and melt more evenly.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove it from the heat. Place all your chopped chocolate in a double boiler on top of the hot water.
   • Be sure the pot doesn’t touch the water. You want the heat to be low and indirect so that the chocolate doesn’t scorch.
   • Be sure that no steam is escaping from the bottom pot. Any moisture in the chocolate could make it seize up and ruin the tempering process.
3. Stir the chocolate occasionally, until it’s all melted and smooth. Let it reach 110F to 115F (45C) to make sure crystals are all melted.
4. Pour two thirds of the chocolate onto the marble slab, and scrape and stir the chocolate over the surface. This will cool the chocolate down. Keep doing this until the chocolate reaches 80F to 82F (about 27C), and is starting to become kind of sludgy. The sludginess means crystal seeds have started to form.
5. Return the cooled chocolate to the pot with the rest of the chocolate, and heat it gently until it reaches 88F to 90F (about 32C). Keep the chocolate at this temperature while you work with it.

Notes

• Even with a thermometer, knowing just when the chocolate is at the right temperature and consistency takes some experience. But with practice, you can do it.
• The good thing about this method for tempering chocolate is that if you don’t get the temper right, you can just start over. Just heat the chocolate back up to 110F, and start over. Since you don’t need any unmelted chocolate, there’s no problem!

And that’s how to temper chocolate. If it’s done right, you’ll get beautifully coated truffles, wonderful chocolate-dipped strawberries, or be able to trace pretty chocolate designs on wax paper and then peel them off for decorations.

And don’t worry if it’s not quite right, especially the first time. When I started tempering chocolate, I made lots of mistakes. Sometimes it didn’t ever really become firm, and sometimes the chocolate got nice and hard but was streaky and discolored.

But neither of those things affected the taste. The treats may not have looked as nice but they were still delicious! So don’t worry. Even if it’s not quite right the first time, it’ll still be lots of fun, and very delicious!

Tips

• To test if your chocolate is properly tempered, dip the tip of a clean, dry knife into the chocolate, and let it dry. It should be firm after a few minutes. If it’s not, and it’s still sticky, you’ll need to start over.
• If any moisture gets into the chocolate, it’ll seize and get hard and lumpy. At this point, the only thing you can do is add more liquid like milk or cream to smooth it out. It won’t be any good for coating, but you can make a delicious chocolate fondue!

And on top of keeping their natural sweetness, it’s also easy to add a little something to steamed carrots once they’re cooked. Butter, sautéed garlic, a zesty citrus sauce… there’s lots you can do with these tasty veggies.

In this article, I’ll go over the preparation steps, and how to steam carrots.

Preparation Steps

One of the great things about steamed carrots is that there’s not a whole lot of preparation work involved. It’s a great side dish because it hardly takes any time, and you can focus on the rest of the meal, or cleaning up. Here’s what you need to do.

Wash

No matter what vegetable you’re cooking, it’s a good idea to wash it, and carrots are no exception. Depending on how they’re grown and packaged, they might still have pesticides or dirt on them, neither of which you want to eat.

To clean carrots, just scrub them gently under lukewarm water, being sure to get all the dirt out.

Peel (Optional)

If you like, you can also peel the carrots. It’s usually better not to, though – the carrot’s surface has a lot of nutrients and flavor, and if you peel it, it might just not be as tasty. But if you really want to peel the carrots, just be sure to use a vegetable peeler. It’ll peel the smallest layer possible. And be sure to peel only a single layer off the carrots.

Cut

One of the great thing about steaming carrots is that you can cut them any way you want. You can steam whole baby carrots, or cut larger carrots into smaller chunks or slices. It really doesn’t matter!

• Boiled carrots lose more nutrients the more surface area is exposed, so it’s important not to cut them too much before boiling. But steamed carrots don’t lose nutrients and flavor that way, so you can cut them as small as you like.
• Roasted carrots caramelize more the more surface area is exposed, so they’re tastier when cut up. But you don’t need to worry about that with steamed carrots!

The only thing it really affects is how long it takes to cook – smaller carrot chunks will cook faster. So the best way to do it is to cut your carrots down to the size you want to serve them, and then steam them.

How To Steam Carrots

Once your carrots are washed and cut up, you’re ready for the next step – steaming the carrots. If you have a steamer, you can just use that. I’ll go over the instructions for steaming over a pot of water. It’s basically the same thing in a different appliance!

Here what you do.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. You only need about an inch or two of water, enough to create steam.
2. Place the carrots in a steaming basket, and place the basket over the water.
3. Steam the carrots until they’re done. You can cover them, but leave a little vent for some steam to escape, to avoid it building up too much. It’ll take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your carrot pieces.
   • Check the water level every so often. Add more if it gets too low.
   • You can test the carrots for doneness by sticking a fork in them. It should slide in easily enough. Or just taste a piece.
4. If you like, sauté some garlic in a bit of butter and oil, maybe with a few herbs and spices or some honey or sugar, and toss the carrots in the mixture. It’ll give a bit of extra flavor, for something a little different.

Remember, the carrots are done when they’re as crisp or as soft as you like them. Test them regularly, and take them out when they’re right for you. Generally, they’re considered “good” when they’re still a bit crisp, but if you prefer them soft, that’s what you should do.

And that’s all there is to making steamed carrots! Simple, delicious, and great for you. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a quick and easy vegetable to make for dinner, steamed asparagus is a great choice. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables.

It has such a delicious, distinct flavor. It’s also one of the few foods that it’s considered polite to eat with your hands, and for some reason I get a kick out of that!

There are lots of different delicious ways to prepare asparagus: roasted, sautéed, boiled… Each method has its own advantages. Steamed asparagus is nice because it keeps a lot of its nutrients, and keeps the pure, fresh asparagus taste. And it’s really easy to cook it just as tender as you like it.

And it’s so easy to do! In this article, I’ll show you how to steam asparagus. First, I’ll go over the preparation steps. Then, I’ll talk about three different ways to steam asparagus.

Preparation Steps

Before we look at how to steam asparagus, there a few preparation steps we need to look at.

Asparagus is one of the easiest vegetables to prepare, but if you don’t do it right, you can end up with tough, woody vegetables, and that’s not really all that great.

So here’s what you need to do: choose the right asparagus, wash them carefully, and trim them properly.

Choose

The first step towards making delicious steamed asparagus is knowing how to choose a nice bunch. Here are a few things to look for when you’re selecting some asparagus.

• Young and tender! The older asparagus gets, the woodier it gets, and it loses a lot of its appeal. Look for firm, fresh asparagus with closed, compact tips. The stem shouldn’t be limp and the tip shouldn’t be soggy.

• Thick or thin? If you go to the store, you’ll notice that sometimes they have very thick asparagus spears, and other times they’re pencil thin. Which are better? The truth is, neither really is.

  • Thicker doesn’t mean older! How thick asparagus gets depends on the plant, not on how long it grows, so you can have very young and tender spears that are quite thick.

  • Thicker spears can be a bit more tender, but different dishes will be better with different sizes of asparagus. It’s more of a texture and personal preference thing.

  • For example, I like to make ham-wrapped asparagus with thin spears, wrapping 5 or 6 spears in a thin slice of ham. I find a lot of little spears gives a better texture.

In the end, the type of asparagus you should choose depends a lot on your personal preference. As long as they’re firm and fresh and not too old, you’re in for a delicious treat!

Wash

Before making steamed asparagus and eating it, it’s a good idea to wash the asparagus. It helps get rid of any dirt and chemicals that might still be on it. There are a few ways to do it:

• Gently rub the asparagus under lukewarm water to get all the dirt off. If you have fresh, young asparagus, the tip won’t be too fragile, but you still want to be careful.
• Place the asparagus in a bowl of lukewarm water and rub the spears gently. You want to get the dirt off without damaging the spears. Don’t leave the spears in there too long or they can get waterlogged!

Lukewarm water is usually best to wash vegetables. It’s better at getting off dirt and chemicals than cold water.

Trim

Once the asparagus is washed, you can trim it. Or you can do it the other way around, but I prefer to wash before I trim. That way, I can use the parts I trim off for vegetable stock.

So why do you need to trim asparagus? Well, the base can be tough and woody, and it’s really not that enjoyable to eat. Very fibrous. So when you trim asparagus, you just remove the old, woody part, and keep the delicious tender part, for even better steamed asparagus!

There are two ways to do it.

• You can cut an inch or so off the base of each spear, using a sharp knife.
• You can snap off the ends by hand. With one hand, hold the asparagus spear by its middle. With the other hand, bend the base until it snaps off.

I prefer the second method. The asparagus will naturally break off where it stops being woody and tough, so you’re removing pretty much the exact amount you need from each spear. It tends to take off more than just cutting though, so it can seem more wasteful, unless you plan on using the trimmed bits for a stock.

If you like, you can also peel the base off of thicker asparagus spears, if they’re especially woody. It helps you get to the more tender inside. It can also make the asparagus more evenly thick, so that it cooks more evenly.

Notes

• The longer you keep asparagus, the tougher it gets, because the sugars in it turn into starch. So if you’ve had asparagus in the fridge for a while, you can expect to trim off quite a bit more than if you just bought the asparagus.
• You can use the bits you trimmed or peeled off for vegetable stock. You can save them in the freezer and boil them with a bunch of other vegetables, or you can boil them right away in some water, and save the cooking water.
• If your asparagus isn’t so fresh anymore and is kind of limp, snapping off the ends won’t work so well. If that’s the case, you can just cut them off with a knife. It’s always best to use fresh asparagus though, but sometimes we just don’t use up our vegetables when we thought we would!

And that’s all there is to the preparation. It takes about 3 minutes to do, and then you’re ready to make steamed asparagus.

How To Steam Asparagus

There are a few different ways of making steamed asparagus. Which one you pick will depend on a few different things, like what equipment you have available and how thick your asparagus is. In this section, we’ll go over three different ways of steaming asparagus, plus some extra tips.

Steamer or Steaming Basket

When I think of steaming vegetables, this is what I have in mind. All you need for steamed asparagus is a plain old steamer, or a pot of water and a steaming basket (a heat-resistant basket that’ll hold the asparagus but let steam through). It’s the traditional way, and it works great.

I’ll go over how to do it with a pot of water and a steaming basket. If you have a steamer, it’s basically the same thing except you don’t have to worry about the water level and things like that.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. You don’t need much water, only an inch or two at the bottom of the pot. You just need enough to create steam, and enough that it won’t completely boil off while you steam the vegetables.

2. Place the asparagus in a steaming basket. Place the basket over the water.

3. Cover the asparagus, and let it steam until it’s cooked to your liking. It’ll take 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how thick the asparagus is and how tender you like it.

   • You can leave a little vent for steam to escape. It can help the asparagus keep its bright green color. Trapping the steam inside can sometimes cause the asparagus to turn olive green.

   • Test a piece every so often to check if it’s done. You can poke it with a fork, or just have a little bite (I prefer to taste – I’m usually pretty hungry when I cook!)

   • Keep an eye on the water level. If it gets low, add a bit more water so the pot doesn’t run dry.

4. Serve the steamed asparagus, and enjoy!

And that’s how to make steamed asparagus in a steaming basket. What could be easier?

Upright Steamed Asparagus

This method is kind of special, and very specific to asparagus.

The thing about asparagus is that the tips tend to cook faster than the base. This happens for two reasons. First of all, they’re just more tender and need less cooking time. But the tips are often thinner than the base – and thinner vegetables need less cooking time.

What this means is that the tips can get overdone by the time the base is cooked. For me, it’s not much of a problem because I prefer my vegetables more tender than not. But if you like them a bit crisp, and you have thick asparagus, this method might give you steamed asparagus that you’ll enjoy quite a bit more.

They do sell some pots specifically made to steam asparagus upright, but all you really need is a tall, narrow pot.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Tie the asparagus into little bundles with kitchen twine. You don’t want them so big that the asparagus is tightly packed, but you do want the bundle to be able to stand upright.

2. Bring an inch or so of water to a boil in a tall, narrow pot.

   • You can add some flavoring to the water, especially if the base of the asparagus will be immersed. Try garlic, lemon wedges, salt, or any herbs you like.

3. Place the asparagus bundles in the water, upright, tips up.

   • If you have a little basket or grate that’ll keep the asparagus out of the water, you can go ahead and use it. But if you don’t, it’s not a big deal – most of the asparagus will be out of the water so it’ll still be steamed, not boiled.

4. Let the asparagus steam until it’s done. Depending on the size of the spears and how tender you like it, it’ll take 5 to 15 minutes.

5. Serve the steamed asparagus, and enjoy!

And that’s how to get nice, evenly cooked asparagus. It’s a bit more work to tie up the bundles, but it’s really not that hard.

Microwave Method

You can also use the microwave to steam asparagus. It’s just as easy as the other methods.

Here’s how you do it.

• Place the asparagus in a microwave-safe dish with a bit of water at the bottom.

  • The dish should be able to hold all the asparagus, laid down flat, in one or two layers.

  • You should be able to cover the dish in plastic wrap without the plastic touching the asparagus.

• Cover the dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high. Add another 30s at a time, until the asparagus is done to your liking.

• Carefully remove the plastic wrap. It’s hot, and so is the steam trapped inside!

• Serve the steamed asparagus, and enjoy!

Microwaving isn’t really my favorite way to cook. It just doesn’t feel like steaming, since the microwave doesn’t just boil the water, it cooks the asparagus, too. And it doesn’t cook things as evenly as on the stove-top or oven, and I find it can be a bit off. Some people also think that microwaving can be bad for you, but as far as I know that hasn’t really be proven.

But that’s just a personal preference. If you like microwaved steamed asparagus, it’s definitely a quick and easy way to do it, and it takes the least amount of clean up of all. And it doesn’t take up any counter space or stove-top space, which can be a real benefit!

No matter which method you picked to steam asparagus, there are a few extra tricks you can use to make your steamed asparagus extra delicious.

• Sprinkle the asparagus with a bit of salt, or drizzle it with some butter, lemon juice or a good olive oil for some extra flavor. Coarse salt is especially nice because it’ll add a bit of crunch.

• Sauté some garlic or shallots in a bit of butter, then toss the asparagus in the mixture. It’ll add a lot of flavor!

• If you’re not serving the asparagus as soon as it’s cooked, dunk it in cold or ice water. It stops the cooking process, and keeps the asparagus perfectly done. It also helps the steamed asparagus keep its bright green color.

• How much asparagus is in a serving? It depends on the size of the asparagus. For big, thick asparagus, you might only need 3 to 5 spears per person. With thinner spears, you might need 5 to 10. Just use your best judgment. After all, you know best if you like lots of vegetables!

And that’s how to steam asparagus. It really is a delicious treat… a treat that’s good for you, too! Steaming doesn’t add as many complex flavors as sautéing or roasting does, but asparagus is so good it doesn’t even need anything extra.

Enjoy!

Time to choose: southern fried chicken or deep-fried?

In Part I, we went over the first step of frying chicken, the preparation work. We know how to brine and bread, and it’s time to learn how to fry chicken!

There are two basic ways of doing it: deep fried or pan-fried. Pan-fried is often referred to as southern fried chicken.

In this part of the article, we’ll start by learning how to fry chicken: either southern fried or deep-fried. Then, we’ll talk about how to make a delicious pan gravy.

Here we go!

Frying Chicken

Here it is. The part we’ve all been waiting for: how to fry chicken.

It can be pan-fried or deep-fried. If you’re looking for southern fried chicken, the traditional way of doing that is to pan fry it: it takes a bit more time to cook, and it’s a tiny bit trickier, but it’s also a less greasy way to cook.

Whether you choose to make deep fried or southern fried chicken, here are a few things to keep in mind.

• You need fat to fry. You’ll be frying chicken in some kind of fat or oil. You can pick lard, shortening, or vegetable oil, or even combine them. If you go for vegetable oil, pick something with a high smoke point and neutral flavor, like peanut oil.
• Let the breading set. It’s a good idea to start heating the oil only once you’re done breading the chicken. It may seem less efficient, but it’ll give the breading time to firm up a little. You don’t need to do this if you’re using a batter, though.
• Cast-iron works best. If you have a cast-iron pot or skillet, it’s a good time to take it out! It retains heat so well that when you add the chicken to the hot oil the temperature won’t drop so much – and that’s important, because if the oil isn’t hot when the chicken first goes in, you’ll end up with soggy chicken.
• Be careful. The oil you’ll be cooking in is extremely hot, and it’ll bubble and spatter when you add the chicken. Be very careful putting the chicken in the pot, and moving it around, or you could end up with serious burns or a grease fire. Don’t let the handle of your pot or skillet stick out where someone could knock into it accidentally.
• If you’re making deep-fried or southern fried chicken in batches, let the oil heat back up to 350F before cooking the next batch. If your oil is too cool, you’ll end up with soggy breading.

Pan-Fried or Southern Fried Chicken

1. In a deep skillet, heat the oil to 350F. The oil should reach half-way up the meat, so half an inch to an inch of oil should do it.
   • Make sure the oil doesn’t reach higher than halfway up your skillet, or you could end up with burns and oil splashes.
   • You can see if it’s the right temperature with a thermometer, or by throwing in a pinch of flour. If the flour fries and the oil bubbles, it should be about hot enough.
2. Gently place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Watch out for the oil spattering!
   • If you just plop the chicken in the pan, it’ll disturb the coating. Even worse, it could cause the oil to splash and give you serious burns.
   • Try not to disturb the coating too much. Using your hands can help with that, but if you’re worried about the oil burning you, you can use tongs – just be gentle!
   • Be sure not to crowd the chicken, or it won’t cook properly. Cook it in batches if you need.
3. Cook on one side until the bottom is a nice golden color, and blood starts to seep up at the top. This’ll take about 15 minutes for dark meat – it’s a bit shorter for white meat.
   • Keep checking the oil’s temperature. If it gets much below 350F, turn the heat up.
   • Once you put the chicken in, you either have to move it around regularly to keep it from sticking, or just let it be. If you leave it be, it’ll release naturally once the breading firms up, and it’ll be easy to flip.
4. Flip the chicken over, and cook the other side. You should cook it until it has an internal temperature of 165F. You can also poke it to see if the juices run clear.
   • The second side shouldn’t take quite as long as the first side.
5. Let the southern fried chicken rest a bit on a wire rack for a few minutes. This’ll let the grease drip off, keeping your chicken crisp. It also lets the juices redistribute inside, and lets it cool down enough not to burn you.
   • You can place something like a cookie sheet under the wire rack to catch the drippings.
   • Do use a wire rack instead of paper towels or a paper bag. If your chicken is sitting directly on paper towels, the grease will make your chicken soggy!

And that’s how you make awesome southern fried chicken!

Deep-Fried Chicken

The alternative to southern fried chicken is deep-fried chicken. It’s not terribly different, but it’s not quite the same, either.

The chicken can end up greasier and it’s generally less healthy than southern fried chicken, but it also cooks faster and it’s easier to get a very pretty breading.

You can also use a batter breading if you deep-fry.

Here’s how you do it!

1. In a pot or a very deep pan, heat the oil to 350F. The oil should be deep enough to completely cover your chicken pieces.
   • The oil shouldn’t be more than halfway up the pot. It’ll get higher when you add the chicken in, and if it’s too close to the edge it could burn you or start a fire.
   • You can check the oil’s temperature with a thermometer. If you don’t have one, try throwing in a pinch of flour. If it fries nicely and makes the oil bubbles, the oil is hot enough.
2. Gently lower the chicken pieces into the oil.They should be completely submerged.
   • If you can, try to avoid disturbing the breading. It’ll give you nicer looking chicken. Using your hands is the best way to go, but you have to be very careful not to burn yourself. Use tongs if you’re worried, just be gentle.
   • Never just plop or toss the chicken in, since that can cause splashes.
   • Don’t add too many pieces at once. It’ll reduce the temperature of the oil, making soggy chicken. You should also avoid overcrowding the pot. The chicken should float freely or it won’t cook evenly.
3. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. This’ll take about 10 minutes for white meat, 14 for dark, and maybe 7 minutes for wings.
   • The chicken should float up to the surface when it’s done, but you can check the temperature with a meat thermometer, or poke the chicken to see if the juices run clear.
   • If you like, monitor the temperature of the oil to keep it around 350F. It’ll drop a bit when you add in the chicken, so you may neat to turn up the heat. If the coating gets too cooked before the chicken is ready, just turn down the heat a bit. It’s important that it be very hot initally to make the breading crisp, but after that it can go a bit lower.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, let it cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. It allows the grease to drip off and keeps the chicken crisp, and lets the juices redistribute. It also ensures that the chicken isn’t so hot that it’ll burn you when you eat it!
   • Place a cookie sheet under the wire rack to catch the oil if you don’t want a real mess.
   • Don’t let the chicken rest on paper towels or a paper bag. The grease and moisture will just make the bottom of the chicken soggy instead of crisp.

Making A Pan Gravy

Alright, we’ve learned how to make deep-fried and southern fried chicken. We’re almost done! The very last step is making a gravy to go with the fried chicken, or with whatever sides you’re planning on serving with the chicken, like biscuits or mashed potatoes.

First, I’ll go over the different elements that’ll make up the gravy, and then I’ll talk about how to put it all together, step-by-step.

• The base of the gravy is going to be the little pieces of breading and chicken left over in the pan you fried the chicken in. Those little bits are called the fond and they’re packed with flavor.
  • Generally, southern fried chicken will give you a better fond than deep frying, because the chicken is in contact with the pan and more likely to stick.
• The next element in the gravy is the roux, which is an equal amount of fat and flour, cooked until it starts to become golden. This is what is going to thicken the gravy.
  • For the fat, you can use a few tablespoons of the oil you cooked the chicken in. Just drain most of the oil, leaving a bit at the bottom, and make sure to leave the fond in!
  • You can also use less oil and add some butter, if you prefer a slightly buttery taste in your gravy.
  • You’ll need about 3-4 tablespoons of fat, and 3-4 tablespoons of flour.
• Next, we need some liquid in the gravy. Once the roux is made, we’ll add in about 2 cups of liquid.
  
  • A creamy gravy goes great with fried chicken, so the liquid can be milk or cream or a mixture of both.
  • If you don’t want just milk, you can add half milk and half chicken stock, or even just chicken stock on its own if you don’t want a creamy gravy.
  • You can even add water, although I wouldn’t add water all on its own. It would make a pretty bland gravy. Half milk and half water would do, but if you have stock, I’d use that instead. It has much more flavor and body.
• Finally, we need seasoning. You don’t need anything too crazy to make a delicious gravy for southern fried chicken. The fond and stock, if you used any, add a ton of flavor. But, you can definitely add a bit of salt and pepper, and maybe some garlic or onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, or anything else you like. Keep it simple!

And that’s what makes a southern fried chicken gravy. Let’s see how to put it all together.

1. Pour off the fat from the skillet you cooked the chicken in, leaving only 3-4 tablespoons in the skillet.
   • Be careful not to pour out the fond, the little bits of chicken left in the pan.
   • If you want to add butter to the gravy, pour out a bit more oil and replace it with butter. For example, leave only 2 tablespoons of oil and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
2. Heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in 3-4 tablespoons of flour, whisking constantly to prevent any lumping. Heat it and keep stirring, until the mixture loses its floury smell and starts to turn golden.
   • Try and scrape up the fond and blend it into the mixture.
3. Pour in 1 cup of milk (or other liquid) in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumping. Pour in the other cup of liquid and add the seasonings. Stir well until the mixture in smooth and homogeneous.
   • When you first add the liquid, the difference in temperature will cause the mixture to seize up a little bit. Don’t worry, it’s normal. Just don’t pour too much at once, and keep stirring to keep it smooth.
4. Simmer for about 5 minutes. It should be hot enough so that steam is coming off the surface, but it shouldn’t be bubbling. The gravy is ready when it’s as thick as you like it!
   • If you find that the gravy is too thick, you can just add a bit more liquid.

And that’s how you make a tasty gravy for southern fried chicken from the leavings in the pan! Just serve with the chicken or over mashed potatoes, and you’re in for a real treat.

Well, now you know everything about how to fry chicken. But frying chicken does take some practice. You have the basics, now just try it out a few times until you’re comfortable, and you’re sure to get great results!

Enjoy!

Sautéed vegetables are a little different from other cooked vegetables. Cooked in a small amount of oil over fairly high heat, they have a chance to brown nicely while still cooking through. The result? A delicious vegetable as tender as you like it, with a sweet, partially caramelized exterior.

Sautéing is also a little more involved than some other cooking methods. To properly make sautéed vegetables, you need to stir them almost constantly. The word “sauté” comes from the French word for “jump“, and those vegetables really do need to be jumping!

But keeping a careful eye on the vegetables, and knowing the little tips and tricks that make it just right, anyone can sauté vegetables and make a sweet, delicious vegetable dish.

In this article, I’ll go over how to make sautéed vegetables. First, I’ll talk about how to prepare the vegetables for sautéing. Then, I’ll talk about how to sauté them.

Preparation Work

When you’re making sautéed vegetables, the way you prepare them before cooking them is important. If you want them to cook through and brown properly, there are a few things you need to do.

Wash The Vegetables

You should always wash vegetables before eating them, to get off any dirt, chemicals or microorganism that might still be on them. Some vegetables can be scrubbed, but others are more delicate and should just be immersed in water or cleaned under running water. Lukewarm water is best for washing vegetables, because it helps lift off dirt and particles better than cold water.

Once the vegetables are washed, they need to be dried. Like roasting, sautéing is a dry heat cooking method. If you sauté wet vegetables, they won’t have as intense a flavor, or get that nicely browned exterior. So dry the vegetables as best you can!

Cut Up The Vegetables

How you cut up the vegetables is important for sautéed vegetables. Unlike roasting, where the heat just radiates through whatever you’re cooking, sautéing relies on conduction – first, the outside of the vegetables comes into contact with the heat and gets warm, and then the heat is transferred inwards.

That means that the outside cooks much faster than the inside when you’re sautéing, so you need to cut your veggies into small enough pieces.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind when cutting up your veggies for sautéed vegetables.

• Cut up the vegetables in small pieces. It’s okay if they’re long and flat, because the heat can sill get through that way.

  • For dense vegetables like potatoes or carrots, the pieces shouldn’t be much more than a quarter to half an inch thick.

  • Lighter vegetables, like mushrooms, can be thicker.

• Cut the vegetables into even sized pieces. That way, all the vegetables will be perfectly cooked at the same time.

• If you’re planning on sautéing several vegetables, make sure that they’ll all be done at the same time.

  • You can cut slower cooking vegetables, usually denser ones like carrots, into smaller pieces than the faster cooking ones.

  • You can start with the slower cooking vegetables, and then add the faster cooking ones after.

Do Not Refrigerate!

The last thing you need to take care of when preparing your vegetables is to make sure that they’re at room temperature before sautéing them. If you add cold vegetables to your hot skillet, they’ll cool the skillet down, and it’ll be a lot harder to get the veggies to sear nicely.

Pick The Right Pan

Okay, so this isn’t really preparing the vegetables, but the pan you pick can affect the results you get. Here’s what you should look for in a sauté pan.

• It’s best if the pan can hold all your veggies in a single layer. Vegetables release steam as they cook, and if they’re overcrowded, you’ll end up steaming them instead of sautéing them. A large pan ensures that the steam can escape without cooking your veggies.
• A shallow pan, one with low edges, will also help steam escape more easily.
• A pan with vertical sides rather than rounded sides can help you stir the vegetables more vigorously without them flying out of the pan.
• Sautéed vegetables need to be stirred frequently. You can do this with a spoon or spatula, or by shaking the pan. If you pick the latter, you want to be sure your pan is light enough for you to handle comfortably.

How To Sauté Vegetables

Once the vegetables are washed, cut up, and dried, they’re ready to be sautéed. In this section, I’ll go over what you need to do to make your sautéed vegetables.

Here’s what you do.

1. Heat some oil in a large, shallow pan over medium to high heat.

   • You don’t need a lot of oil. You just want enough to barely coat the pan, so that the vegetables won’t stick.

   • If you prefer, you can use clarified butter, or a mixture of butter and oil, for flavor. The pan will be to hot for just butter on its own, though.

   • The high heat is necessary to sear the vegetables and get that nice, caramelized flavor.

2. Add the vegetables to the hot pan.

3. Stir the vegetables frequently until they’re nicely browned and cooked through. Give them a good shake or stir every so often to keep them from sticking and to help them cook evenly.

   • You can do this by moving the pan back and forth quickly, making the vegetables jump. It does tend to cool down the pan though, so set the heat higher, or don’t shake too often.

   • You can also just use a wooden spoon or a spatula to stir the vegetables.

   • If it looks like the vegetables are getting too brown, but aren’t cooked through yet, turn the heat down a bit.

4. Serve, and enjoy!

Notes

• You can also add some seasonings to the vegetables as you sauté them. Some, like garlic or herbs, can be added right from the start, so that they have time to heat and release their flavor. Others, like grated cheese or dried fruit, can be added closer to the end, so that they don’t overcook or burn.
• Remember that when you’re cooking for yourself or your family, you should cook things the way you like it! There’s no need to take the vegetables out when they’re still crisp if you like them a bit soft. So taste the vegetables, and when they’re the way you like them, they’re done.

And that’s how to make sautéed vegetables. It’s super versatile and absolutely delicious. Try out different vegetables, and find out what you like best!

Enjoy!

One of the things that makes sautéed carrots so great is the caramelization. When you cook carrots over a fairly high heat, they start to brown, enhancing their natural sweetness and giving them a much richer flavor.

And they’re also healthy – sautéing is a cooking method that preserves a lot of the carrots’ nutrients, so that each bite is even better for you!

In this article, I’ll go over how to make sautéed carrots. First, I’ll go over how to prepare the carrots, and then I’ll go over how to sauté them.

Preparation Work

When you’re making sautéed carrots, there are a few things you need to do to get the carrots ready. Nothing complicated, but you do need to keep a few things in mind to get the best possible results.

Wash The Carrots

Before eating and cooking with carrots, you should always wash them. It helps get rid of any dirt, chemicals or microorganisms that might still be on the surface. Just scrub the carrots under lukewarm running water until you get rid of all the dirt.

Once the carrots are washed, you need to dry them. Sautéing is a dry heat cooking method. If the carrots are still wet, you could end up steaming the carrots instead of sautéing them. Not that there’s anything wrong with steamed carrots! It just won’t be the caramelized dish you were looking for.

Peel The Carrots (optional)

If you want, you can also peel the carrots after washing them. Usually it’s better not to, though, since so much of the carrots’ flavor and nutrients are near the surface. Washing is usually enough to give you a nice, fresh looking carrot.

But if you want to peel them, be sure to use a vegetable peeler – it’ll only peel off a thin layer, so that you don’t lose as much. Peel a single layer off the carrot, and you’re ready!

Cut The Carrots

How you cut the carrots is the most important preparation step. Since sautéed carrots are cooked quickly over high heat, you have to be sure that your carrot pieces aren’t so big that they’ll burn before they cook through.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

• Cut the carrots in pieces no more than a quarter of an inch thick. The easiest way to do this is to cut them in slices.
  • Cutting the slices diagonally is even better. You get more surface area, for more caramelization. And it just looks great!
  • There are other ways you can cut the carrots, too. You can julienne them (cut them into little sticks), or cut the carrots in half lengthwise and then into pieces, but diagonal slices are easy to make and look great.
• Cut the carrots into even sized pieces. If you’re cutting them in slices, make sure the slices are uniformly thick. That way, all the carrots will be done at the same time, without any being overcooked or undercooked.
• Thinner pieces cook faster. If you want them to brown more, cook them over higher heat. Thicker pieces may need to cook over lower heat to cook through before the outside burns.

Let Them Warm

Before you sauté the carrots, it’s a good idea to let your carrots reach room temperature. That way, when you add them to the hot pan, they won’t cool it down. And that’s important because the high heat is necessary to get that wonderful caramelization.

How To Make Sautéed Carrots

Once your carrots are prepared, it’s time to sauté them. And here’s what you need to do to make sautéed carrots.

1. Heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat. If you prefer to use butter, you can mix butter and oil, or use clarified butter. Plain butter on its own might burn over the high heat.
2. Add the carrots to the pan.
3. Cook the carrots, uncovered, being sure to keep them moving. They need to move more the longer they cook to keep them from burning.
   • You can either stir them quickly with a wooden spoon, or jerk the pan back and forth to make the carrots jump. If you choose the latter, make sure your pan is light enough for you to handle easily.
   • It’s important to keep the carrots uncovered, so that the steam can escape and the carrots can brown.
   • If the carrots look like they’re browning too fast and the inside isn’t cooked yet, you can turn down the heat, or shake the pan a bit more – the movement will help cool down the vegetables and the pan.
4. The carrots are done when they’re cooked through and browned to your liking.

Notes

• You can dress up this simple dish in lots of different ways.
  • Sautéing a bit of garlic or onions with the carrots can add a lot of flavor.
  • You can also add some fresh or dried herbs or spices. You can add these when the carrots are already partially cooked, so that they don’t burn. Try salt, pepper, dill, nutmeg, cardamom, or any other spice you like. Don’t be afraid to try new combinations. They won’t all work out, but you might discover something amazing!
  • Try adding a bit of grated cheese, or dried fruit or slivered nuts to the carrots when they’re almost done – that way they don’t burn. It’ll add visual appeal and taste great!
• Some people like to parboil or blanch the carrots before sautéing them in butter and herbs. That means boiling them in a bit of water so that they’re pre-cooked. The trouble with that is that boiling gets the vegetables wet, and so they don’t really caramelize. It’s really more of a way to enhance boiled vegetables than to sauté them.

And that’s how to make sautéed carrots. Go ahead and give it a try. You’ll find it’s really easy and super tasty!

Enjoy!