THE SCIENCE OF TIME AND TEMPERATURE

Question 1

Why is time unreliable when cooking?

Answer 1

Variations in equipment and ingredients; oven temp and meat temperature.

Question 2

ROOM TEMPERATURE

Answer 2

70ºF

Question 3

CHILLED (as in refrigerated)

Answer 3

35º-40ºF; 32 or below food is freezing, greater than 40 spoiling.

Question 4

FROZEN

Answer 4

0º-10ºF. The temperature in your freezer should be 0ºF.

Question 5

FLOURS AND GRAINED (storage temp)

Answer 5

Assumed to be at room temperature. Whole-grain flours and cornmeal can be frozen to prevent rancidity - room temp only lasts a few months.

Question 6

What will cold flour do to baked goods?

Answer 6

Inhibit rise and yield dense baked goods.

Question 7

EGGS (storage temp)

Answer 7

Assumed to be chilled unless stated otherwise; French don’t chill their eggs.

Question 8

How to warms eggs.

Answer 8

Place in warm water for 5 minutes.

Question 9

BUTTER (storage temp)

Answer 9

Chilled unless otherwise noted.

Question 10

Temperature of softened butter.

Answer 10

60º-68ºF

Question 11

Melted butter

Answer 11

Should still be fluid and just warm to the touch, ideally 85º-90ºF

Question 12

MEAT, CHICKEN AND FISH (storage temp)

Answer 12

Chilled unless otherwise noted.

Question 13

Bacteria starts to grow on perishable foods after what temperature?

Answer 13

40ºF

Question 14

How to check an instant read thermometer’s calibration.

Answer 14

Make an ice slushy: mix ice and cold water in glass; allow mixture to sit for 2 minutes. Put the probe in slush. If it doesn’t register 32ºF recalibrate it.

Question 15

Does carryover cooking apply with fish?

Answer 15

Not really, they don’t retain heat as well as the dense muscle structure in meat.

Question 16

BEEF/LAMB - RARE

Answer 16

115 to 120 (120 to 125 degrees after resting)

Question 17

BEEF/LAMB - MEDIUM-RARE

Answer 17

120 to 125 (125 to 130 degrees after resting)

Question 18

BEEF/LAMB - MEDIUM

Answer 18

130 to 135 (135 to 140 after resting)

Question 19

BEEF/LAMB - MEDIUM-WELL

Answer 19

140 to 145 (145 to 150 after resting)

Question 20

BEEF/LAMB - WELL-DONE

Answer 20

150 to 155 (155 to 160 after resting)

Question 21

PORK - MEDIUM

Answer 21

140 to 145 (145 to 150 after resting)

Question 22

PORK - WELL-DONE

Answer 22

150 to 155 (155 to 160 after resting)

Question 23

CHICKEN - WHITE MEAT

Answer 23

160 degrees

Question 24

CHICKEN - DARK MEAT

Answer 24

175 degrees

Question 25

FISH - RARE

Answer 25

110 degrees (for tuna only)

Question 26

FISH - MEDIUM-RARE

Answer 26

125 degrees (for tuna or salmon)

Question 27

FISH - MEDIUM

Answer 27

140 (for white-fleshed fish)

Question 28

Oil, for frying - temp

Answer 28

325 to 375 degrees

Question 29

Sugar, for caramel - temp

Answer 29

350º

Question 30

Yeast bread, rustic and lean - temp

Answer 30

200 to 210 degrees

Question 31

Custard, for ice cream - temp

Answer 31

180º

Question 32

Custard, for crème anglaise or lemon curd - temp

Answer 32

170 to 180 degrees

Question 33

Custard, baked (such as crème brûlée or crème caramel - temp

Answer 33

170 to 175 degrees

Question 34

Cheesecake - temp

Answer 34

150º

Question 35

Water, for bread baking - temp

Answer 35

105 to 115 (sometimes)

Question 36

TIPS FOR INSTA-READ THERMOMETER

Answer 36

Slide probe into the center;avoid bones, cavities and pan surfaces; use tongs to lift food out of pan; take more than one reading.