If you follow the previous blog of “Are You a Health Watcher and Wondering How Many Calories in Coffee?” you would know that espresso coffee contains only very little calories. Understanding that some calories are added when you have extras added to your coffee, such as sprinkles, syrup, full cream milk, etc. As many coffee enthusiasts are particularly concerned when it comes to the question “is coffee fattening?” Toggle for Table of Contents Is Coffee Fattening?For instance, NO, coffee is not fattening at all, BUT this is depending on how you prepare your coffee. As mentioned before, a cup of espresso coffee (black) only contain one calorie. You need to understand that the high calories come from your daily coffee beverage are all the extras. Coffee, in fact, is one healthy drink if you are drinking it black. However, there are other natural substitutes for creamer and sugar flavored syrups Instead of consuming replicate non-dairy creamer and other syrups, try to add a splash of fresh milk as creamer to your coffee. Milk naturally contains a high level of calcium in it, and it is an excellent way to get vitamins A, D and B12, all these vitamins are vital for the bones health. If you are calorie watcher, use 1% or 2% of fresh skim milk instead. Make Your Own CreamerMaking your creamer is healthier, cheap and it is very easy to make, too. Mix 250ml of condensed milk with a cup of low-fat milk. Be sure that you store the creamer in the fridge after every use to extend its shelf life. Natural SweetenerAlso, if you like your coffee sweeter, you can always add honey, agave and maple syrup. Pop in some of the natural vanilla extracts or vanilla beans is good to sweeten your coffee, too! While agave, maple syrup or honey are not necessary a healthier choice but they are definitely less evil than sugar. Try to decrease the amount of consuming replicate sweeteners because those products often contained a high level of sugar and had little to no health benefits at all. So, is coffee fattening? Well, it does if you are taking in with extra stuff like cream and sugar or other additional flavouring like caramel. “Yep, the Starbuck Caramel Macchiato is pretty fattening if you do the calorie math” Toggle for Related Popular Posts Interesting Facts about Having Coffee in the MorningAccording to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “Caffeinated Coffee Consumption Impairs Blood Glucose Homeostasis in Response to High and Low Glycemic Index Meals in Healthy Men”, you might want to drink decaffeinated coffee in the morning instead of the caffeinated one. Why? The human body needs sufficient amount of carbohydrates in the morning because glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity are at the peak in the morning. Furthermore, human body tends to digest and absorb carbohydrates better during the few hours of the day in the morning, and that ability would decrease as the day goes on. Based on the research result by 3 Ph.D. students on American Diabetes Association, “The increased fasting insulin concentration after high coffee consumption in our study probably reflects decreased insulin sensitivity. In short-term metabolic studies, caffeine intake acutely lowered insulin sensitivity.” In SummaryDrinking caffeinated coffee with either high or low glycemic index meal significantly impairs acute blood glucose management and insulin sensitivity compared to drinking decaffeinated coffee. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'Is Coffee Fattening? (Debunked! Coffee Help With Weight Lost Instead)'
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Benefits of CoffeeDrinking coffee does help in weight loss. YES, you did not read it wrong, caffeine does boost your energy level and metabolism rate, enable losing weight faster. Coffee is a performance enhancer! Accelerates Fat-BurningNext time before you hit the gym, you should probably grab a cup of black coffee half an hour before your gym session. Remember, it's black coffee, WITHOUT milk, creamer nor any extras. Fitness experts suggest that consume coffee before the gym session would help boost energy levels (how you often get the jittery feeling after drinking the coffee), sweat all the excess energy out at the gym which also burn calories faster. Now you understand why sometimes you get the jitters after drinking the coffee while sitting in an office, it was due to excessive energy and you will not feel the jitters once you spend time working out in the gym! Add this new tips to your workout plan! Coffee before gym for better and faster weight loss! Focus ImprovementBesides help fat-burning, black coffee provides an increase in mental focus, too. Along with the energy boost during tough workouts, focus improvement will also contribute to keeping workouts more productive and efficient. Muscle Pain ReductionCaffeine has the properties of pain reducing, in fact, we can find caffeine as one of the main ingredients in some pain relievers like Excedrin and Anacin. According to the researchers at the University of Illinois found that experimenters who consumed coffee before a workout would experience less muscle pain during the exercise session compared to those who drank decaffeinated coffee. The bright side of drinking coffee before exercise training is that it helps you to complete more reps at a higher resistance practices run faster and longer during the cardio workouts, too! Prevent DiseaseAnother benefit of consuming coffee is that the coffee helps protect your body from diseases. Coffee consists of high levels of antioxidants. Therefore, coffee consumption has many more health benefits correlated certain forms of cancer. Also, studies result show that the people who drink coffee would lower the risk of developing the Parkinson and Alzheimer’s disease. SummaryIs coffee fattening? The answer to that is NO, and in fact, by drinking black coffee have many health beneficiaries for us. Should you be drinking your coffee black today? I say why not. Want to be a healthier self? Start it right now! The post Is Coffee Fattening? (Debunked! Coffee Help With Weight Lost Instead) appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.
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Potato salad is a dish that is very popular throughout the world, and it is usually an appetizer or a side dish that goes together with the main course. Have you made extra potato salad and planning to freeze it for later use? The question here is; can you freeze potato salad? And how long you can keep them in the freezer? Toggle for Table of Contents
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Can You Freeze Potato Salad?The short answer is yes. But... Most chefs would agree that it is possible to freeze potato salad and the consensus to the question above is “Yes,” you can freeze potato salad, but there are precautions and certain tips and tricks to ensure that the freezing is done properly. Although it is very convenient to be able to store potato salad in the freezer to save preparation time, the taste and texture of this food can deteriorate over time. As it is made from ingredients such as mayonnaise, eggs, and potatoes, note that these types of foods don’t freeze well for too long. How Long Can You Store Potato Salad in The Freezer?Now if you are going to freeze that potato salad that you have prepared, do remember not to keep it in the freezer for too long and the most extended period your potato salad should be in the freezer continuously is for one month only. If the potato salad stays for more than a month in the freezer, it will lose its original consistency and taste. After more than a month in the freezer, you will see that the potato salad will start to look like soup as the ingredients from the mayonnaise will start to separate itself from the potato and boiled eggs because solid and liquids don't stick together well when they are frozen. Also, take note that the mixture of dairy products such as mayonnaise and eggs with potatoes will become bad even if it is freeze for too long. For health and safety reasons, it is wise not to consume the potato salad that is kept in the freezer for more than a month. How to Freeze Potato Salad?Now the first thing you need to know before freezing your potato salad is, if you want the potato salad to be frozen, you need to put it in the freezer immediately after preparation.If you have leftover potato salad that you prepare for a meal or party that has been left out in the open for 2 to 3 hours, it is not safe to keep in the freezer anymore as it has been exposed to bacteria. 1. Use Freezer-safe Bags / ContainerSo one of the first things that you need to do before freezing your potato salad is making them first. Usually, a salad bowl is used to make potato salad, but after that, you should never freeze your potato salad in the bowl. It is recommended that you use a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. When you keep your potato salad in the bag or container, make sure that moisture doesn’t come in contact with the salad. The reason is that the existent of moisture in the salad will cause the salad deteriorate faster. If you are using an airtight container, leave two inches of space between the potato salad and the lid to allow room for the potato salad to expand when it is frozen especially for a long time. You may also want to label your bags or containers when you freeze your potato salad so that you can know exactly how long the potato salad has been freeze and it also helps you estimate roughly how long your potato salad can last in the freezer. 2. Cook The Potatoes the Right Way Before FreezingNow it is a common mistake for most people to forget the basics when it comes to cooking the potatoes to make the potato salad especially if it is meant for freezing. Most people will usually put the potatoes directly into the boiling water, and you always have to remember that this is the wrong method! The right way to cook the potatoes for potato salad is by starting them in cold water in your pot. From there only you bring the water to boil and after the water is boiled, reduce the heat to simmer the potatoes. Using this method will get you perfectly cooked potatoes for your potato salad as the potatoes will be firm and not too soft and will allow you to freeze the potato salad for a longer period. 3. Season Your Potatoes Before FreezingAnother thing that usually people forget is to season their potatoes before boiling. They will typically boil the potatoes and then season them after it is cold and that is definitely the wrong way to do it. So what is the right way to season potatoes? It is actually very simple! Just add salt to the water while cooking the potatoes, and by doing this, the potatoes will be able to absorb the salt when cooking, and this will definitely give more flavor rather than adding the seasoning later. Also, avoid using homemade mayonnaise for freezing potato salad as it doesn’t last as long as the commercial made mayonnaise. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'Can You Freeze Potato Salad? (A Quick Guide and Tips to Freeze Potato Salad)'
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4. Add Dressing to Your Potato Salad the Right WayDressing your potato salad the right way before freezing them is also crucial as it will help improve the taste and how long you can keep them in the freezer. Dressing your potatoes right isn’t very hard, and all you need to remember is using the right dressing for the right temperature. For example, if you are dressing your potatoes with mayonnaise, make sure to let the potato cool for at least 30 minutes first before adding the dressing as the hot potatoes will melt the mayonnaise and becomes oily. However, if you are dressing your potatoes with vinaigrette, then you need to add it when the potatoes are still warm as the heat will help absorb the vinaigrette into the potatoes and add more flavor to your potatoes. 5. Boiling Your Potatoes at the Right Amount of DurationWhen cooking your potatoes for your potato salad, you need to make sure that you do not want to overcook or undercook your potatoes as it will badly affect the taste of the salad. If you overcooked the, your potatoes would become mushy, and the result is a bad potato salad, and the taste will not be good, and you don’t even want to freeze it. So what is the right amount of time to boil your potatoes? The perfect duration would be 15 minutes in salted water, and you need to make sure they do not become tender, and you can test this by using a fork on the potatoes to ensure that you get perfectly boiled potatoes for your potato salad. Of course, the type of potatoes that you use to make your potato salad will also determine the duration as it will defer slightly according to the types of potato that you use. If you are using Yukon Gold potatoes, the typical cooking period would be 20 minutes but if Russet potatoes are your choice, then 10 minutes will be just fine. Thawing Your Potato SaladSo now that you know how to freeze your potato salad right, you want to make sure that you thaw it right too when you want to eat it. After freezing the potato salad for an extended period, you want to defrost it in the refrigerator first for a few hours. Do not leave your frozen potato salad to thaw at room temperature as it is not advisable. Defrosting has to be gradual so that the taste is maintained. After you take it out from the refrigerator, you can add a little bit of mayonnaise, oil or vinegar to help improve the taste and texture of the potato salad. TakeawayIt’s not a good idea to freeze potato salad. Just like any food, after freezing, the taste and the food quality will diminish over time, and it’s true for potato salad too. It’s best to cook enough to have it finish in 1 meal. However, if you need to freeze the potato salad, the ways mentioned above and tips should enable you to taste a fairly good potato salad after freezing. So now you know the answer to “can you freeze potato salad?”. You can now freeze the potato salad properly for later use. If you know any other method of freezing the potato salad, do let us know by commenting it below. Btw, here is a perfect potato salad by Jamie Oliver. YUM! Related Popular Posts The post Can You Freeze Potato Salad? (A Quick Guide and Tips to Freeze Potato Salad) appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. Many of you may be just the same as I who need a cup of coffee in the morning to boost energy for the day. Yes, many research has proved and suggested that the coffee has several health benefits for us, from diabetes prevention to lowering the risk of liver disease. But have you ever wonder how many calories in coffee? Calories in a Cup of Coffee?An 8-oz. cup of espresso coffee (black) contains two calories. Do not get too excited knowing that it is only so little calorie in your daily dose of coffee. The one calorie in the 8 oz. of coffee was only meant for the black coffee without sugar nor milk added in, yet. How do you usually drink your coffee? Read on to find out how much calories in your coffee that you have just ordered in the morning. What is Calorie?Are you a weight watcher? Does calorie count probably the first thing you look at on a nutrition facts label? If these two sound just like what you are doing on a daily basis, then this blog is for you. What is calorie? A calorie is a unit of energy or heat that comes from a variety type of foods, such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates or sugars. These are important sources of calories for the human body, which provide us energy to live and function. Thanks to the advanced technologies these days which you can easily download a calorie counter app on your phone like this famous app - MyFitnessPal (iOS / Android) to help you consistently keep track on the daily calorie intake. How Many Calories in Coffee?As mentioned above, express coffee without extras contained only two calories. BUT how do you usually order or make your coffee? Often with milk (skim or full cream) and sugar, right? However, those extras that we added into the cup of our coffee would inevitably add the amount of the calories count. The below are the amount of 1 tablespoon of those extras that most of us would add into our cup of coffee:
Now you can do the math by yourself to find out how much of calories you have taken in just from the cup of coffee you have ordered just in the morning before. Not forgetting to mention that for those that took 2 – 3 cups of coffee per day. These people are taking in a huge amount of calories just from coffee alone. Yikes! To find out more about the calories count and nutrition labels, you can always go to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Composition Databases to find out all the foods with the calories amount. Amount of Calories in Various Coffee Beverages
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Understand CaloriesHow many calories should you take in daily? According to U.K. National Health Services, the daily intake of calories amount for an average man and woman are 2500 calories and 2000 calories, respectively. The calories intake values for an average man and woman varies depending on their body size, age, and levels of physical activities. It is obvious that your body would need more calories intake if you are an athlete who is training for Olympic. You can always check if your body weight drops within the healthy range by using BMI Healthy Weight Calculator. Balanced Energy and CalorieWe gained energy every time we eat. It is fundamental that our body needs the energy to help maintain the daily physical activities and organs function. To sustain an ideal body weight, the intake of energy into the body must be equivalent to the physical function energy spent. For instance, if you consume too much of energy and spend it just as little for a long haul, that is how people gained weight and eventually reach the state of obesity. Burning CaloriesOur body is always burning calories even we are sitting down. If you are health watcher and want to reduce the calories from your daily diet and coffee is your everyday-must-have, then you can opt for Americano instead your regular latte. Americano, which is just straight espresso shot with a little of boiled water. Before you wonder how many calories in coffee, you should minimize some extras that you add to your cup of coffee to prevent overtake in calories. Besides taking in fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight, exercise is equally important to our body, too. Spend 10 minutes on high-intensity interval training every day can help burn calories and keep a healthy metabolism. Coffee Provides Health Beneficiary to UsCoffee is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial to our health. According to USDA’s nutrition data based on ground coffee beans, in a single cup of coffee consist of riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), Manganese (Mn) & Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg) and Niacin (Vitamin B3). Many of us do not know how coffee could affect our health by consuming it daily. Coffee indeed can be very beneficial to our body. In fact, coffee has been linked to lowering Alzheimer’s and dementia, Parkinson’s disease risks, liver cancer, and it protects against heart failure. There are proven evidence that by drinking coffee have a risk reduction of cardiovascular disease, as well as people who drink coffee, would have 20% lower risk of stroke. ConclusionYou now have a clearer understanding towards how many calories in coffee, and how much of calories you should be taking in each day, you should start to maintain your everyday healthy balanced diet and have enough amount of exercise. Although coffee does provide health beneficiary to us you should not consume coffee in a large quantity; it may defeat the purpose of the health benefits that provided by the coffee. Remember, moderation is the key to a healthy diet. The general idea is to have a cup a day, and that is the sweet spot for the majority of people. Related Popular Posts The post Are You a Health Watcher and Wondering How Many Calories in Coffee? appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. You probably have a lot of Keurig K-cups sitting right next to your Keurig coffee maker. The only problem is that you only have a reasonable amount of time to drink all of them. Constantly arranging the oldest Keurig K-cup pods to assure that none of your precious K-cup pods go to waste has become a nuisance? Hence, the dilemma arises, do K-cups expire and how long it will last before it goes bad? Toggle for Table of Contents Do K-cups Expire?According to a blogger, foodsafeguru, on US Food Safety, she has the same wonder and question if ever does the Keurig K-cups pods expire. She sent an inquiry to the Director- Kathy Kelley, Keurig at Home Customer Service, and Kathy replied: “The Best Used by Date is a guideline for maximum freshness recommended by the Roaster. It is not an expiration date.” Does Keurig K-cups expire? There is no definite answer to that. But read on, and you will find out more how to keep your expensive Keurig K-cups and not to let any of them go to waste. What is K-cups?Keurig, it is manufactured by the American company named Keurig Green Mountain in Vermont. If you follow us on our previous blog post, you will find out the best 5 Keurig coffee brewing systems for both home and office use. The main products by Keurig are the K-cup pods, which are single serve, individually sealed coffee containers of ground coffee, tea, and hot chocolate; and the Keurig machine brews the beverage in these pods. Shelf Life"So, do K-cups expire?" "In short, yep, it does expire." Just like any other beverages, K-cups have “best before date,” but K-cups can last longer than the date printed on each cup. These K-cups products will not go bad for a very long time, perhaps the flavor and quality do deteriorate over time. Each K-cup is individually sealed and impermeable to moisture, oxygen, and light to ensure its freshness. Because of this, K-cups can stay fresher longer than regular package beverages which will be continuously exposing to air and possible contaminants once the package is opened. The K-cups are perfectly sealed and it leaves you to wonder do K-cups expire? Yes, K-cups do get shorter shelf life if they are not properly stored or the original seal is broken. As mentioned above, K-cups have “best before date” printed on each cup, but that was just a general guideline, and it is best to adhere to that printed date for the fresh cup of a cuppa. But if you did not finish the K-cups and it has past the printed date, it is alright; the K-cups are still useable for another 6 to 9 months’ time. How to Tell If K-cup has Gone Bad?It is relatively easy to tell when you have encountered a spoilt K-cup. If the original seal has broken, it is the time that you discard it immediately. Mold will grow inside of the K-cup once the moisture air trapped inside the broken seal pod. It will be difficult to observe if there is any mold growing inside the pod, you have to be careful each time you insert the K-cup pod into the brewing system. Always check if there are any needle holes or broken seal of the pod, to prevent the risk of making a bad cup of cuppa. How to Store K-cups?To prolong the shelf life of the K-cups, they should be kept in the pantry where is cool, dry place and avoid direct sunlight and heat exposure. Go here to check out 13 best ways to keep your K-cups. Believe me; those ideas are brilliantly clever! Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'Do K-cups Expire? Here is What You Need to Know About K-cups.'
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The Smart Strategies Behind the Keurig CompanyDo you know that there are almost one in three American homes has owned a pod-based coffee brewing system? The business model strategic behind the Keurig or similar coffee makers are: “Selling machines cheap and then reaping huge profits on the refills. Now, bereft of a legal monopoly on pod making, Keurig is trying to establish a technological one: its new brewer, which goes on sale this fall, has a mechanism that scans each pod for Keurig’s markings and locks out any unapproved capsules. It’s essentially digital rights management (DRM) – a mainstay in music and video – adapted for coffee.” said Josh Dzieza on The Verge. Environmental UnfriendlyEver since the single-serving coffee pods have grown to its popularity in the past decades, are now attracting critics about how they are an environmental menace. According to Jan Dube, spokesman for the Hamburg Department of the Environmental and Energy: “The capsules can’t be recycled easily because they are often made of a mixture of plastic and aluminum.” Coffee pods have been banned in the German city of Hamburg to serve a real purpose of hope to defend the environment. Every household that used and disposal of hundreds to thousand of coffee pods or capsule leads to unnecessary waste generation and consumption of resources. However, John Sylvan then added on UK BCC News that he has some regrets about the K-cups invention, “I feel bad sometimes I ever did it.” Choosing AlternativeYes, indeed. K-cup coffee pods bring so much convenient to almost everyone in the hustle bustle world. But to play our role in saving the planet, perhaps we all could cut down the use of K-cup coffee pods and start on drinking coffee from freshly grounded coffee beans? Without Keurig coffee brewing systems, there are still many different methods to brew a cuppa. For example, French press, vacuum pot, Aeropress, etc., or you can use the reusable K-cup filters. All of these equipment are rather cheap and easily brew you a good cup of coffee too. Or perhaps you can give the grind and brew coffee maker a try? We have a quick guide on how to select the best grind and brew coffee maker too. Final WordsSo, do K-cups expire? For instance, K-cups have “best before date” printed on each cup but now that you know that they do not necessarily go wrong even though it has passed by its printed “best before date.”One simple tip, do not overstock or purchased the K-cup coffee pods if you are afraid that the expensive K-cups go to waste, as simple as that! Happy brewing! Related Popular Posts The post Do K-cups Expire? Here is What You Need to Know About K-cups appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. Smoking is a slow cooking technique by using smoke often from burning wood or charcoal to give flavor to meats, fish, cheese or vegetables. In this article, we want to share with you some of the best meats to smoke because not all meats are suitable for this cooking process. This is due to some good lean cuts of meat would become dry and not edible as smoking requires a long cooking time from as low as 2 hours to 20 hours depending on the type of meat. Also, check out this post for the top 5 best pellet smokers that smoker enthusiasts love to use for smoking all type of meats. Toggle for Table of Contents What Types of Meat Are Best for Smoking?When it comes to smoking, you want to avoid good lean cuts of meat such as pork chops or tenderloin, steak or roast as these types of meat is not suitable for smoking. A good choice would be the cheap and bad cuts such as beef brisket, ribs, and pork shoulder. These bad poor quality cuts are tough, chewy and full of fat and connective tissues. It is usually not suitable for cooking. But these types of meat will benefit from the smoking process as the long cooking times will melt the fats and break down the connective tissues making it tender, flavorful and incredibly delicious. Hence, these are the best meats to smoke. Best Meats to Smoke1. Wild PorkWhen it comes down to cooking, wild pork is an entirely different type of meat compared to domestic pork. Wild pork can possibly be the best choice for smoking as the meat can be very tender, moist and succulent. If you have never tried smoked wild pork, you have missed out on one of nature’s finest dish, and I really mean it when I say nothing taste like smoked wild pork. Wild pork resembles deer meat or young beef, and it is darker than domestic pork. The flavor of smoked wild pork is sweet, and the texture is tender, stringy, moist and not too greasy. The best parts of a wild hog for smoking are the shoulder or Boston Butt, the ribs and spare ribs, the lower legs or picnic, loins or if you have a smoker huge enough, you can also smoke the whole hog in a piece. There are many ways and different recipes to smoke wild pork, but the important thing to remember when smoking wild pork is to keep the temperature low and maximize the smoking time nothing less than 14 hours and sometimes up to as long as 36 hours. You may also want to check out the best smoker thermometer that you can use to easily monitor the temperature for optimum cook. 2. Pork RibsPork ribs is another popular choice for smoking. It contains lots of fat and collagen which is perfect for smoking. Pork ribs are fairly cheap, and you can get them from any market or grocery store. The important thing when it comes to smoking pork ribs is the preparation. Before smoking your pork ribs, you need to remove the membrane along the hind of the rack which can be easily removed by pulling them off. Some prefer just to leave it on when smoking but your pork ribs will not have the same taste or texture. Pork ribs have two parts or sections which are the ribs proper or upper section and the lower spare ribs which are also known as the lower sections. You can buy the pork ribs separately for easier smoking and also due to the size of smaller smokers, most people tend to smoke them separately. Of course, you can also find a whole rib that is intact, and you may also smoke the whole piece together if the size of your smoker is large enough. You may rub your pork ribs before smoking them, and one of the best recipes for pork ribs is the Sweet Smoked Pork Ribs. The recommended parts are the baby back ribs, or you may also use the spare ribs. Just like smoking wild pork, the “Low and Slow” rule applies which means keep the temperature low, and the general duration for smoking pork ribs is about 1 ½ hours per pound. Pork ribs will become moist, and the meat will be so tender that it will just fall off the bone as you put in your mouth combine with a sweet and complex flavor. 3. Beef BrisketBeef brisket is another favorite cut for smoking, and naturally, beef brisket can be tough, chewy and lack of taste but if smoke properly, the outcome can be pretty fantastic. A properly smoked beef brisket will produce a feeling that is so moist and wonderful as the collagen and fats melt into the meat. A good smoked beef brisket will taste like a good roast beef or steak, and you will be amazed at how a piece of tough, leathery piece of meat turns tender, sweetish with a stringy complex flavor. Again, brisket is just as easy as any other cuts to smoke but the key thing to remember is Low and Slow, and this is especially important for brisket than other meats because it will take a longer time break down the connective tissues. Just like pork ribs, you can rub or brine your brisket before smoking them, and the duration to smoke is also about 1 ½ hours per pound. Beef brisket is also the official meat for Texas Style Barbecue, and you can slice the briskets into thin slices and leave it in a tray of hot barbecue sauce for 10 minutes after smoking. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'The 5 Best Meats to Smoke for Your Barbecue Fiesta!'
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4. Whole TurkeyThe whole turkey is another type of meat that is perfect for smoking, and I really meant the whole bird as most barbecue grill is almost unable to cook a large bird; a smoker is ideal for this. Smoked whole turkey is such an excellent dish, and it is hard to comprehend why this bird would be cook in any other way which would make it end up tasting just like a souped-up chicken. The flavor of smoked turkey is creamy and sweetish comes from the flavor of the smoke wood and the meat is exquisitely moist and firm in texture and the aroma will just blow your mind away. Wild turkeys are preferable because they give more flavor from smoking, but it works well with domestic turkeys or even chicken, pheasant, goose or duck. The important thing is to adjust the timing of your smoking duration according to the size of the bird. Before you smoke your turkey, it is best that you brine them first to avoid the turkey from becoming dry. The duration of brine is roughly 1 hour for 1 pound. After brining and drying off the turkey, you may also apply a rub on the turkey before smoking. The ideal temperature for smoking turkey is about 225 degrees F for about 30 minutes per pound and also make sure to keep water in the drip pan. After it is done, allow the turkey to rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving. 5. GoatIn our selection of the 5 best meats to smoke, I recommend goat as the last one, and although it is not very popular in the US, it is one of the most consumed meats in other parts of the world, and I would definitely suggest that you give it a try in the smoker. In comparisons to other red meat, goat meat has far less fat, and it is also lower in cholesterol and calories. Smoked goat meat will give you an amazing smoky and sweet flavor with a slightly stringy texture. Before smoking goat meat, it is a must to brine it first. Otherwise, it will end up tasting like shoe-leather. A good amount of duration for brining goat would be 1 hour per pound, and after brining, a good lemon-pepper style rub would be perfect to go with the goat before smoking. A suitable temperature for smoking goat would be at 200 degrees F for about 1 hour per pound and also remember to keep water filled in the drip pan when smoking. If you prefer lamb from goat, you can prepare it the same way, and both is similar when it comes to smoking. Let’s Start CookingThere you have it. We hope that this post has provided you with some useful information on the best meats to smoke. If you are a smoker enthusiast like us, let us know which kind of meat is your top choice that you use to smoke by commenting it below. And maybe you can share your recipe too? Let’s start smoking!
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Do you own a Keurig, coffee maker and waking up one day in the morning and find your Keurig coffee maker behaves oddly, brewing slowly or shorting your coffee? What could be worse is when your Keurig coffee maker is not functioning at all! What should you do when you encounter these common Keurig coffee maker problems? If any of these issues have ever happened to you, you are not alone. By knowing a little of troubleshooting knowledge might come in handy. I suggest you read on to find out more about the most common problems found in Keurig coffee machines. Toggle for Table of Contents
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Keurig Coffee Maker ProblemsProblem #1: My Keurig Coffee Maker Is Not Brewing CoffeeIt is a shocker when your Keurig coffee maker refuses to accomplish the one task- that is, to brew coffee. The problem occurred could cause by one or a combination of these reasons:
Problem #2: Keurig (Classic) Shut Off & Turn On By ItselfIf your Keurig Classic series coffee maker is shutting off or turning on by itself, this could be the built-in timer has been set. Here are the solutions for Keurig classic models:
If all of these does not solve the problem, it is time to talk to Keurig’s customer care. You can find the customer care contacts at the Keurig’s website. Problem #3: There Is Leakage from My Keurig Coffee MakerYikes! There is an inadvertent leak from your Keurig coffee maker? I understand this could be irritating because you see a mopping job lined right up before you could even have your morning coffee fixed! If there is a leakage in the coffee machine, chances are the upper gasket of the machine is either installed inaccurately or go missing. The gasket is the component when is placed around the puncture needle of the machine. Check if the gasket was placed correctly and if it is missing then you need to purchase a replacement. Any misalignments will cause leakage, adjust the gasket to form a perfect seal and aligned with the incoming water supply and the K-cup. Or you could use a rubber band instead, watch this video to learn how to do it. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'The Common Keurig Coffee Maker Problems & How to Easily Fix Them.'
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Problem #4: My Coffee Started to Taste OddAssuming you have been using the same coffee K-pod brand and there is no reason why the taste would be different. If this problem occurred to you, the odd taste you have tasted is a result of the built up of scaling inside the Keurig, coffee maker. You can descaling using a home remedy by using vinegar and water, or you can refer to Problem #1 on how to descaling the machine. Problem #5: Error Message That Reads “Add More Water” PersistIf you see the message of “Add more water” on screen, but the water reservoir is already fully filled. What should you do? Solution: Problem #6: My Keurig 2.0 Is Not Turning OnI understand the frustration of starting the day finding your coffee maker is refusing to switch on in the morning. Solution: Unplug the machine and plug it on, again. If the coffee machine still does not switch on, unfortunately, you ought to contact Keurig customer care. Now What?No question needed. You may now go back to brewing your morning cup of a cuppa! These are the most common occurring Keurig coffee maker problems to a different range of models, from the classic to the Keurig 2.0 touchscreen. You know how to maintain your Keurig coffee maker, and you should always keep in mind to clean the machine to ensure that you would have your morning coffee fix without any additional issues ever again. Let's Fix It!I hope I have equipped enough of common knowledge for you to help you solve the Keurig coffee maker problems. Figuring that your coffee maker is broken, try to solve it before you decide to flaunt your Keurig coffee maker into the bin. Happy Brewing! Related Popular Posts The post The Common Keurig Coffee Maker Problems & How to Easily Fix Them appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. There are so many different coffee machines today as coffee has grown to its popularity to millions of lives and many different cultures. Some people prefer a single unit that has a built-in grind and brew coffee maker while some others would prefer Keurig coffee makers. If you are one of the K-cups pods Keurig lover, you will find out which is the best Keurig coffee maker for yourself! Toggle for Table of Contents Keurig Coffee MakersUnlike other coffee machines where most are manual, but Keurig coffee makers are simple and allow you to make the right drink just with the simple push of a button! Besides that, Keurig coffee makers stood out for their straightforward and sleek modern design, too. You will always enjoy a reliable result every time with a variety of ways to brew your hot beverage of choice, from hot tea, coffee, and hot cocoa with the Keurig coffee makers. The Top 5 Best Keurig Coffee MakerThe reason why we only share these Top 5 best Keurig coffee makers to you is that we only present you with the most popular ones among many other similar products. We did research over hundreds of best Keurig coffee maker on Amazon website, and these TOP FIVE are the best based on their star ratings as well as the highest Net Customer Satisfaction (NCS) rates. Every product has its pros and cons. As you can see the NCS rates for these TOP 5 are not the best but they are acceptable, though. But these are the fair comment and ratings left by the previous buyers, I will state out the cons of each of these products for you. We did research over hundreds of best Keurig coffee maker on famous online shopping website like the Amazon, and these TOP FIVE are the best based on their star ratings as well as the highest Net Customer Satisfaction (NCS) grade. Keurig K55 Single Serve Programmable K-cup Pod Coffee MakerYou will find the Keurig Plus Series K55 is an ideal choice for home use. With the K55 brewing system, you can brew 6, 8, and 10-ounce K-cup Pod brew sizes along with its removable drip tray for easy cleanup. Moreover, the K55 Keurig coffee maker has an automatic shut-off function when it is done brewing and when it is not in use. The capacity of the water reservoir can hold up to 48 ounces of water, which allow you to brew up to several cups before you need to do the refilling. This Keurig model comes in 4 different colors, solid black, blue, red and white. The cons of the Keurig K55 coffee maker are:
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Keurig K155 K-cup Commercial Brewing SystemThe Keurig K155 coffee maker is suitable and will satisfy the demands of any offices from small to medium sizes. This Keurig model helps brew your hot beverage within just a minute with a full-color LCD touchscreen display. The coffee maker also offers additional perks such as options between 4 cup serving sizes, a large reservoir for hot water and easy clean-up. Remember those commercial coffee makers in those upscale coffee house which make so much noise when they are making the coffee? With the Keurig K155 quiet brew technology, you can make your favorite cuppa without even disturbing the office. The cons of the Keurig K155 coffee makers are:
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Keurig K60/ K65 Coffee MakerThe Keurig K60/K65 coffee maker looks compact with its small size, and yet it remains stylish and fit just nice for modern kitchen in the contemporary world today. It is a single-cup brewing system with patented K-cups that is suitable for a small studio apartment use. This Keurig model has three options for brewing size, one-touch control panel and it comes with a built-in digital clock, blue backlit LCD, and an On/Off programmable button. Some parts of the coffee maker are even dishwasher safe, too! With its removable 60 ounces water reservoir, you can quickly make a cup of your desired coffee one after next without often need to do the refilling. Also, when you purchase the Keurig K60/K65 coffee maker, it includes bonus 12-count K-cup variety pack and Water Filter Kit for you! The cons of the Keurig K60/K65 coffee maker are:
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Keurig K145 OfficePRO Brewing SystemThe Keurig K145 OfficePRO as its name suggests, this coffee maker caters to suit office settings. It is designed for office used which it can withstand heavy durability and comes with some helpful features. For example, it has an automatic shut-off function when it is done brewing and when it is not in use, and it comes with three options of brewing cup sizes. You can brew your favorite cup of beverage in just 1 minute or less, whether it is a hot coffee, hot cocoa, tea and even iced beverage! Just like any other Keurig coffee makers, the dripping tray is removable for easy clean, and it can accommodate larger mugs. The Keurig K145 is indeed one of the best Keurig coffee maker for offices. The cons of the Keurig K145 coffee maker are:
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Keurig K40 Elite Brewing SystemThe Keurig K40 Elite Coffeemaker is compact and affordable compared to other Keurig coffee makers. The Keurig model allows you to use K-cup coffee, hot cocoa, and tea. There are only up to 2 cup serving sizes with 48 ounces of the water reservoir. If you are the individual who only enjoys one to two cups of coffee a day, constant refilling is not required, and the Keurig K40 Elite is meant for you! It comes with an automatic shut-off function very much like any other Keurig products, and it has an indicator light that help makes easy to keep track of the brewing process. The cons of the Keurig K40 Elite Coffee Maker are:
What Do You Think?After these reviews of the Top 5 best Keurig coffee makers from us, you can clearly understand that each of these coffee makers has their pros and cons. If you would like to find out more about other coffee makers such as grind and brew unit, you can visit our previous blog where we had already done our research for you! If we were to pick, either the Keurig K155 or Keurig K60/K65 would be our pick for the best Keurig coffee maker. These 2 Keurig models have ample of features that can really make a real good cuppa. Furthermore, the excellent rating as well as good net customer satisfaction grade left by the previous buyers does give a positive boost for buying these 2 Keurig coffee makers. The Keurig coffee makers are still one of the favorite brands for many coffee enthusiasts! You can always get the best Kona compatible K-cup pods coffee (internal link) for the Keurig coffee makers. After all, when you could enjoy the end results of a good cup of a cuppa from any of these best Keurig coffee makers, with or without the cons of the products, why care? Related Popular Posts The post Get Your Daily Shots Fixed With These 5 Best Keurig Coffee Makers appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.
Cleaning after cooking can be a real challenge and for most of us, cleaning stove drip pans can be a huge chore especially those stove drip pans that contains overflowing boiling soups or split sauces or other food debris. This quick guide will show you some simple steps to clean and return the drip pans like new. Toggle for Table of Contents Cleaning Stove Drip PansNow, don’t we all wish there is a magical solution to clean this mess from your stove drip pans with ease but sadly, there is no such thing, and it certainly requires you to put in a little effort into cleaning them. It could be an electric or a gas stove that you have at home, but after a period of cooking, the drip pans will most definitely develop a layer of dirt or gunk which seems impossible to clean and remove. But don’t you worry because, in this article, we are going to share with you the best way to clean your stove drip pans. What You Will Need to Clean Stove Drip Pans
Step 1 – Remove The Drip PansThe first thing you need to do before cleaning your stove drip pans is to remove them from your stove before you clean them. Never clean them while they are attached to the stove as it can be very dangerous especially if it is an electric stove as you might get shocked if it comes in contact with water. Now different stove may have different ways of removing the drip pans but for most stove, you would need to remove the stove’s eyes first, and once the eyes are removed, the drip pans should be easily removed by lifting them straight up from the stove. Lift up the drip pans and shake off any loose gunk on the drip pan into the sink or the garbage bin. Step 2 – Soak The Drip PansWhen it comes to cleaning your stove drip pans, there are quite a few different solutions you can use such as ammonia, bleach or household cleaners like Bar Keepers Friend but the most recommended and effective way is by using white vinegar. You can also use Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) if you have a bottle left in your pantry for too long and you feel that it might not be suitable for eating anymore, you can put it to good use for cleaning your drip pans. You will be surprised at how many ways to use ACV for cleaning and I personally recommend soaking your drip pans in ACV due to its high acidic properties. ACV is capable of removing the stubborn gunk that is stuck in your drip pans, and because the ACV is a natural organic solution, you can be assured that your family won’t be exposed to harmful chemicals. Place your drip pans each in a separate plastic bag or container and pour ¼ cup of ACV into each bag, then let the bags of sit for at least around 10 to 15 minutes. After that, remove the drip pans from the plastic bag and rinse it thoroughly with warm water. Step 3 – Scrubbing the Drip PansNow soaking your stove drip pans alone in vinegar may not be enough to remove the dirt or gunk entirely. And if you can still see some dirt or gunk left on the drip pan after soaking, you can try scrubbing the drip pan with a scour pad or an old toothbrush with baking soda. Mixing the baking soda with a small amount of warm water to create a thick paste-like substance or you can try mixing the baking soda with vinegar for even better effectiveness. First, sprinkle some baking soda on the drip pan and then spray some water or vinegar on the baking soda and you will see the mixture starts to fizzle and form a paste. Then, you can use a scour pad or old toothbrush to scrub off the remaining debris. The remaining debris on the drip pans should come off with ease when you scrub them as you have previously soak the drip pans in vinegar or ACV loosening the gunk stuck on the drip pans. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'The Best 3 Simple Steps to Cleaning Stove Drip Pans.'
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Safety FirstSafety is also very much important so always remember not to clean the drip pans in the stove. Always remove them first and avoid getting your burner wet especially if it is an electric stove. As cleaning stove drip pans while still attach to the stove especially an electric stove can cause a short circuit and injured yourself. ConclusionCleaning stove drip pans shouldn’t be hard. If you follow the steps we just mentioned, you should have a shining drip pans again after the wash. Although the cleaning part can take up some effort but if you are looking for an efficient and natural way on how to clean your stove drips pans, I would strongly recommend this method to you. Of course, it doesn’t mean that by using this method your drip pans will come out looking brand new, but I’m pretty sure you will be very satisfied with the results, and it will definitely look much better than before. Related Popular Posts The post The Best 3 Simple Steps to Cleaning Stove Drip Pans appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. Do you ever come across the situation where you have a half-drunk cup of coffee sitting on your work desk long enough before you remember? And still wondered “ does coffee go bad?”, If you should drink it or chuck it? Surprisingly, drinking the half-drunk cup of coffee on a delay is safe but whether you want to drink it or not it is entirely up to you. Toggle for Table of Contents
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Does Coffee Go Bad?The coffee with milk is the best to finish immediately once you have ordered it. It is a general knowledge that the milk should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours. Therefore, if you cannot finish the coffee and is planning to finish after lunch, you should keep it in the refrigerator for safety. For those who take their coffee black would be the least affected, but for those who order their coffee with milk or cream should be aware. Your coffee might not taste as fresh in the later day. According to the report, coffee will go bad within 30 minutes after it is made. But if you drink it after the 30 minutes, it will not be extremely harmful, or it does not even make you sick. Again, does coffee go bad? Read on to find out how to store your freshly purchased ground or whole coffee bean as well as instant coffee sachets! Coffee Shelf LifeThe shelf life of the coffee whether it is ground or whole, caffeine or is decaffeinated, will degrade inevitable if the products are not stored properly. Most of these coffee products would have the “best before date” printed on the package and is highly recommended that you adhere to the printed date information. This does not mean the coffee would go bad once it passed the “best before date, ” but it is just implying that the quality of the coffee is best within these range of dates. You would not want to consume coffee that loses its quality, aren’t you? Ground coffee would usually have shorter shelf life compared to the whole coffee bean. It is approximately last for 3 to 5 months, and the whole coffee bean can last for 6 months provided that they are stored in an airtight container once opened. Does Instant Coffee Go BadOn the other hand, while the freshly ground or whole coffee could last for just within a few months, the instant coffee can last from 2 to 20 years! But for the coffee lover out there, you would know the quality difference between the freshly ground and the instant! How to Store Coffee?Does coffee go bad? For instance, coffee does not necessarily go bad, but the quality would be dissipated if the products are not stored or handle in the right way. The quality of the coffee degrade faster or not is entirely depending on the surface area. Naturally, this means that the whole coffee bean would be able to keep longer than the ground coffee. Thus, I would suggest that buying the whole coffee bean and grind a portion of the beans whenever you needed to consume maximum coffee freshness and flavor. If you are interested, do check our previous blog for the best grind and brew coffee machine. See which one is the best in the market right now. Storage: Airtight containerThe best way to store the ground coffee is in an air tight container and keep it in the pantry where it does not get direct sunlight or heat exposure. Also, the best way to keep the whole coffee bean is to keep them, again, in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness! If you watch the video below, you will find out that this OXO POP container is the perfect container for storing coffee. Storage: In the freezerBy storing the coffee beans in the freezer help to eliminate moisture and contaminants. Storing the whole coffee bean in the freezer does not freeze the bean at all, so it is always ready for use! But remember, you should always seal the container tightly and keep in back in the freezer immediately. For instance coffee, you need to store them in the pantry where is it dry cool place. Similar to all other coffee products, avoiding moisture and wet area, direct sunlight and heat exposure. Sharing is Caring Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support! Check out this post for 'Does Coffee Go Bad? (Shelf Life, Storage, Coffee-Hacks and More)'
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Extra Usage of CoffeeDo you know that the ground coffee has more amazing benefits than just serving as your morning cuppa? Minimize the cellulite appearanceAccording to the expert, Renée Loux revealed that the “treatment could be moderately effective.” You would see the result of reducing the appearance of cellulite if you follow the recipe:
Help eliminate pests and increase harvestIf you have your garden at home and have harvested some crops, you should consider adding a few coffee grounds to your planting for a beneficial effect. The coffee ground would not just help increase the yield, but it will also play a role in protecting your crops from those nasty bugs and pests! Well if bugs and pests are your least concern but CAT is, then try to add the coffee grounds with some orange peels surrounding the garden area. The cat will never come near to your garden anymore. Clean dirty pansHave you ever come across with the problem of having heavy food residue on the pan surface after cooking a meal? And removing it with dish wash is almost impossible? GOOD NEWS! Place a few teaspoons of coffee grounds on the greasy residue surface for a few minutes, and lightly scrub it off and you will see the magic! Natural air freshenerCoffee is a natural air freshener, and it helps absorb water pellets in the air. Have extra coffee ground that exceeds the “best-before-date”? Do not chuck it away while you can use it as your very own coffee air freshener for your home, office or even car! Click here for a step-by-step tutorial. Flea repellent for dog loverDoes it ever come to you that the coffee ground is a natural insect repellent? What you need to do is just adding some coffee grounds to the dog’s shampoo, and you will notice the difference. Unclog the drainDrain got clogged for various reasons, and it is frustrating when it happened. Thanks to the coffee ground, now you can combine a small amount of dish soap and coffee grounds with a pot of boiled water, pour it into the clogged drain and the mixture will do its work for you by unclogging the drain. Other UsesFor more usage of the coffee ground, check out this video here. SummaryCoffee has become a staple to many of us as well as many different cultures today. I would not miss a single day without a cup of coffee. Purchasing the coffee has become my monthly must-dos. Btw, check out these posts for the best Hawaiian coffee and the best Kona coffee brands if you haven’t tried any Hawaiian coffee yet. I bet if you try the Hawaiian coffee once, you would immediately fall in love with them! Now that you know how to store the freshly purchased coffee products if anyone ever asks you “ does coffee go bad?” You know the answer! Related Popular Posts The post Does Coffee Go Bad? (Shelf Life, Storage, Coffee-Hacks and More) appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. |
AuthorI've been the cooking for my family since 2009, and my passion for cooking grew stronger each day. Whenever I have time, I love to blog about my culinary experiences and how my kitchen has trained me to become a better chef for my family and friends. Archives
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