Foundation Breakfast Cereals...where it all began

Here's something that will brightened your day....some call it trivia. I call it brain stuffers.
WHICH IS YOUR FOUNDATION CEREAL?
The cold breakfast cereal foods from which all the rest have evolved. You can puff it, bake it, shape it, add endless other sugared ingredients, but likely, your favorite cereal goes back to these few foundation products made primarily from wheat, oats, rice and corn.

• 1941 CheeriOats became Cheerios in 1945 General Mills Company
• 1927-28 Rice Krispies. Marketed and released to the public by the Kellogg Company. The three elves, Snap, Crackle & Pop entered the cereal world in 1963.
• 1926 Raisin Bran by Skinner Manufacturing Company. The name was once trademarked, but later disallowed because the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled it was just a list of ingredients, not a specific name. As a result, we now have: Raisin Bran (Kellogg), Total Raisin Bran (General Mills) & Post Raisin Bran (Post). All of them are basically just Wheaties with raisins added.
• 1922….Wheaties…made by accident when a worker for the Washburn Crosby Company (later, General Mills) spilled some wheat bran mixture onto a hot stove…the rest is history.
• 1884 Corn Flakes was created by John Harvey Kellogg. They were made for patients of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, and were so popular they were later offered to the public. The Kellogg company was set up for this purpose by brother, Will Kellogg. Later, a former patient of the sanitarium began making rival products. His name was C. W. Post, from which we get Post Toasties and Grape Nut Flakes (second tier creations).
• 1880 Shredded Wheat invented by Henry Perky in Denver, CO. It sparked the interest of John Harvey Kellogg, but said it lacked taste…”it’s like eating a whisk broom,” He stated. Later, Harvey’s invention was sold to the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), and then years later sold to Kraft General Foods.

10 Myths On Cooking Steak

I recently read an excellent article on the 10 myths of grilling a steak.  I mostly agreed with them, but wanted to make some comments of my own (big surprise).  First, here are the 10 myths they listed.

1. Turn the steak only one time
2. Using a BBQ fork lets the juices run out of the steak
3. Wait until after a steak is cooked to season it
4. You should marinate the steak
5. Steak is best hot, right off the grill
6. Boneless steak has less flavor than bone-in
7. Poking is a good way to test doneness
8. Searing at high temps locks in the juices
9. Cutting a steak to check doneness makes it lose juices
10. Allow the steak to rest before cooking it…to get to room temperature

My take on these alleged myths.

1.   Absolutely a myth. Has nothing to do with the cooking except that turning often may make it cook more evenly on a grill that has hot spots. It does, however, tend to ruin your diagonal crisscross grill marks which makes the steak look sensational! And, you eat with your eyes first. That is why I use the 45 degree right….2 min. 45 degree left…2 min. Flip once and repeat to get the perfect diagonal grill marks.

2. I prefer tongs for the ease of moving the steak to the angle I want, and to place and remove it from the grill. If you prefer a fork, it won’t noticeably affect the steak.

3. Ah..BIG ONE HERE. You really have to take number 3 and 4 together. Rule of thumb in most all cooking is to add spices/seasonings (dry/ground) early and aromatics (fresh) late. Salt, pepper (fresh ground) and any dry rub before cooking and let it rest for a bit. Add aromatic, if desired (which I don’t) at the end of the cook, such as fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, etc. I just don’t prefer those notes on my beef steak. I use very little to no rubs, too. Many times I will use a seasoned salt before cooking. I’ve used many, but still like Lawry’s about the best.

4. The only reason to use a marinade on a steak is to flavor it. Flavoring CHANGES the essence of the beef flavor, while seasoning enhances the flavor…big difference. I prefer not to marinate, unless it is for something like Mexican tacos or fajitas. But for a ribeye or T-bone….no bueno!

5. Agree with this one. Let it rest a bit, but I tend to rest it less than many directions call for. 3 to 5 minutes is perfect for my taste and experience.

6. I seriously cannot tell any difference in a bone in, or boneless ribeye steak. I can tell a HUGE difference in steaks…quality, aging, marbling, etc. But, give me two identically processed and aged steaks…one bone in and the other boneless. I think it is negligible. Again, the visual is so powerful, it enhances the whole steak eating experience and therein lies the benefit of, say, a double cut, bone in cowboy cut ribeye!

7. It is a myth. I just don’t buy this one (it’s kind of like thumping a watermelon). Get a good instant read thermometer…the only way to accurately test doneness.

8. This one interests me. I don’t know if it’s a myth or not. I have typically seared my steak at the beginning like most people do. I have not done a blind taste test on steak that is seared immediately or at the end of the cook. Intriguing…must try it out. My guess is that getting the grill to the desired temp before cooking is the most important thing here. Then, it kind of takes care of itself.* (see bottom of article)

9. Cutting a steak to check doneness. I don’t think it does that much to damage the steak, but it looks so amateurish…so bush league. I don’t want to plate a steak for myself, and certainly not for a guest, that is cut into. No bueno!

10. Resting before cooking is marginal, in my opinion. I do like to give the seasonings (primarily salt and fresh ground pepper) time to work in a bit and for the salt to absorb the surface moisture before putting it on the grill. I’m not sure if it really makes a difference in the end product, but I like working with a room temp piece of meat better than an ice box cold one. I’ve always felt that it cooks a bit more tender, but I may be fooling myself…I can’t prove it.

So there you have it. My take on the 10 myths of cooking/grilling a steak.

Here is the article that I read...you can decide for yourself how accurate it is. Remember, that cooking is both and art and a science, and there are MANY traditions that don't hold scientific water, and vice versa.  CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL ARTICLE

     *Searing a steak is one area that I have continued to try and learn about.  There is a science and an art to all cooking, and certainly so with grilling steak. That being said, I would alter my “myth” opinion on #8. Searing (starting a steak on the grill at a very high temp…typically 600-900 degrees) does not “lock the juices in.”  What it does is drive them to the middle of the steak. Moisture will recede from the heat. You want to keep the juices in the steak, and the best way to accomplish that is the start it extremely hot for only 2-3 of minutes.  Then pull your steak to a more moderate heat to slow down the cooking process….for another 2-4 minutes.  Finish the steak on the coolest area of the grill (not over direct flame or coals).  This allows your steak to come to a medium rare finish gradually and retains maximum moisture.  It is kind of like racing a car 100mph and slamming on the brakes just in time to not run the stoplight.  Or….decreasing your speed more incrementally, slowly and allow it to almost coast to a stop.  This method satisfies both the science and allows for developing the art of cooking.  So many myths out there and so many people talk themselves into knowing just how to do it….and they really don’t. Following this same procedure, you can extend the slow down cooking for more minutes at the lowest possible heat to achieve medium, medium well, or well done without totally destroying the juices and having a dry, tough piece of trash at the end.  Remember…it is an ART!  You have to develop the talent, so work at it.  Happy Grilling!

The Gatekeeper