I am an inconsistent cook!

[Tryharder62]

I follow the recipe word for word. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't -the same recipe. How can it be undercooked when I cooked it longer than it said to cook it. When they give you directions 40-50 minutes that is a big difference. Is it 40 or 50? Crap! I wish I was Oprah! Hire me a chef!!!!!

 

[Noor]

I follow the recipe word for word. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't -the same recipe. How can it be undercooked when I cooked it longer than it said to cook it. When they give you directions 40-50 minutes that is a big difference. Is it 40 or 50? Crap! I wish I was Oprah! Hire me a chef!!!!!

Have you checked to see if your oven temperature is correct and consistent?

 

[yossi]

I follow the recipe word for word. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't -the same recipe. How can it be undercooked when I cooked it longer than it said to cook it. When they give you directions 40-50 minutes that is a big difference. Is it 40 or 50? Crap! I wish I was Oprah! Hire me a chef!!!!!

What are you trying to make?

 

[Tryharder62]

Have you checked to see if your oven temperature is correct and consistent?

Yes, it's Ok

What are you trying to make?

It's anything - but today I was suppose to make treats for the kids school and they were horrible.

 

[Aquagal]

If it's baking are all your ingredients fresh? Yeast, baking soda/powder? I've even used out of date Crisco and it tasted awful.

 

[yossi]

It's anything - but today I was suppose to make treats for the kids school and they were horrible.

But were they horrible because they were under cooked, overcooked, or because they just tasted bad?

 

[Tryharder62]

I cooked them as long as they said to cook them, even a little longer. I tested it with a cake tester and it came out clean. I took them out of the oven - cooled them and cut them and the middle was raw.

 

[Aquagal]

Was it cake? Did you test from the middle? Are you using the correct pan size?

 

[Tryharder62]

Brownies: I used the pan size it recommended. It isn't just this though. I can't cook for poop. My mother and grandmother were great cooks. Does it skip a generation?

 

[phrodeau]

Similar things happened to me a few years ago, and after a while the oven stopped working entirely. The heating element had burned itself out. I replaced it, and things have been fine ever since.

If you have an electric oven, try pulling out the element and testing it for electrical continuity.

 

[Aquagal]

For cooking without a recipe it's one thing but baking is usually a science. to me it sounds like your oven is off. Mine heats about 25 degrees hotter so I really have to watch that things don't burn, so I keep the temp lower.

 

[Tryharder62]

Maybe I should get a different thermometer and check it again. Thanks! You blow me away with your avatar. I am not sure what is dripping but I decided to use my imagination.

 

[thør]

Similar things happened to me a few years ago, and after a while the oven stopped working entirely. The heating element had burned itself out. I replaced it, and things have been fine ever since.

If you have an electric oven, try pulling out the element and testing it for electrical continuity.

A bake or broil oven element's resistance may be in the area of 20 to 40 ohms depending on its wattage. So, even if the element has continuity, measure the resistance and check it with your manual for the oven.

If you have a glass oven door, put an oven thermometer inside where you can watch it.

 

[Aquagal]

Maybe I should get a different thermometer and check it again. Thanks! You blow me away with your avatar. I am not sure what is dripping but I decided to use my imagination.

thank you!

It's an ice cube.

 

[Sinny]

1. Buy an oven-safe thermometer and hang it on the bottom rack. Every oven is off. Mine is off 25 degrees at lower heat, 50 degrees at higher heat.
2. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if you are baking in a dark colored pan.
3. If you are at high elevation, you need to adjust your cooking time.
4. Replace your leavening agents every three months.
5. Invest in good bakeware. The cheap stuff sucks. Le Creuset. Memorize that name.

 

[neci]

glass pans and metal pans could effect cooking heat. try them again, just next time maybe knock the oven down 25deg and leave them in an extra few minutes. learn your oven. gas or electric? high altitude? brownies are done when the edges move away from the pan. it's all about practice. if you're serious about wanting to get better, keep a kitchen journal. write down what works and changes you've made to existing recipes so they work for you. just mark those cookbooks up with a pen.

my friend loves gooey brownies. she'll cut the middle out and save it for herself. i like warm brownies. you could take a cooking class. that might be fun.

 

[neci]

1. Buy an oven-safe thermometer and hang it on the bottom rack. Every oven is off. Mine is off 25 degrees at lower heat, 50 degrees at higher heat.
2. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if you are baking in a dark colored pan.
3. If you are at high elevation, you need to adjust your cooking time.
4. Replace your leavening agents every three months.
5. Invest in good bakeware. The cheap stuff sucks. Le Creuset. Memorize that name.

i almost added an ask sinny note to the end of my post.

 

[thør]

1. Buy an oven-safe thermometer and hang it on the bottom rack. Every oven is off. Mine is off 25 degrees at lower heat, 50 degrees at higher heat.
2. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if you are baking in a dark colored pan.
3. If you are at high elevation, you need to adjust your cooking time.
4. Replace your leavening agents every three months.
5. Invest in good bakeware. The cheap stuff sucks. Le Creuset. Memorize that name.

^^^^This woman can cook!

 

[Sinny]

i almost added an ask sinny note to the end of my post.

Ha. You know what a stickler I am for being the best cook EVER. Ditto on your idea for keeping kitchen notes. I keep three ring binders with my recipes in plastic sheets. I take copious notes when I make something terribly or perfectly. Having the recipes in the plastic sheets also means they are splatter safe.

I get frustrated with baking because there's so little wiggle room for error. The science of baking is complicated. However, once you learn the science behind baking, it's easier to execute with precision.

 

[Sinny]

^^^^This woman can cook!

We would be dangerous in the kitchen. Imagine the amazing things we could make. You have much deeper knowledge of grilling than I have. : p

 

[neci]

Ha. You know what a stickler I am for being the best cook EVER. Ditto on your idea for keeping kitchen notes. I keep three ring binders with my recipes in plastic sheets. I take copious notes when I make something terribly or perfectly. Having the recipes in the plastic sheets also means they are splatter safe.

I get frustrated with baking because there's so little wiggle room for error. The science of baking is complicated. However, once you learn the science behind baking, it's easier to execute with precision.

my grandmother gave me a copy of the joy of cooking a long time ago. it's a great book to learn on.

 

[phrodeau]

Ha. You know what a stickler I am for being the best cook EVER. Ditto on your idea for keeping kitchen notes. I keep three ring binders with my recipes in plastic sheets. I take copious notes when I make something terribly or perfectly. Having the recipes in the plastic sheets also means they are splatter safe.

I get frustrated with baking because there's so little wiggle room for error. The science of baking is complicated. However, once you learn the science behind baking, it's easier to execute with precision.

Plastic sheets may be splatter safe, but the aren't very comfortable.

 

[Sinny]

my grandmother gave me a copy of the joy of cooking a long time ago. it's a great book to learn on.

What a great granny you had. I didn't get a copy until I was in my 20s. I have a lot of old James Beard cookbooks, he was such a Northwesty sort of cook. My favorite cookbook is a tie between From Julia Child's Kitchen and Bittman's How To Cook Everything. I have hundreds of cookbooks and use probably five on a regular basis. Ha.

 

[Sinny]

Plastic sheets may be splatter safe, but the aren't very comfortable.

You crack my shit up.

 

[KyleW]

I'm pretty sure parodyluver is your alt and you make these thread titles ready to be parodied.