Remove the shopping bag from this otherwise lovely beef preparation
November 21, 2011 10:50 AM Subscribe
Help me find a better alternative to brown grocery bags in this recipe.
The biggest problem is the brown bag's tendency towards "deploying" and hitting electric heating elements thus resulting in fire-drill hilarity. As Xmas 2010 marked an end of the traditional preparation of this recipe as far as my parents are concerned (thank God for Chinese food purveyors), I'd like to be able to re-present the dish this year in a safer form.
I'm a bit confused about the bag's purpose though I'm guessing its to create a steam tent. What less flammable, more food-friendly alternatives should work? Is foil my best bet? Parchment? Is this bag thing just voodoo? Hope me, Chef!
The biggest problem is the brown bag's tendency towards "deploying" and hitting electric heating elements thus resulting in fire-drill hilarity. As Xmas 2010 marked an end of the traditional preparation of this recipe as far as my parents are concerned (thank God for Chinese food purveyors), I'd like to be able to re-present the dish this year in a safer form.
I'm a bit confused about the bag's purpose though I'm guessing its to create a steam tent. What less flammable, more food-friendly alternatives should work? Is foil my best bet? Parchment? Is this bag thing just voodoo? Hope me, Chef!
Parchment paper is what you want. Does not burn easily at all.
Alternatively, a salt crust would work, as in this tenderloin recipe.
posted by bonehead at 10:54 AM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Alternatively, a salt crust would work, as in this tenderloin recipe.
posted by bonehead at 10:54 AM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The recipe looks like any other food cooked "en papillote" (in paper), so parchment would most likely work.
posted by xingcat at 10:54 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by xingcat at 10:54 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: In addition to searching for a less flammable material, could you try putting the steak lower down in the oven and then placing an empty oven rack a notch or two above it? The empty rack could act as a guard for the heating element.
I can attest that fire drill hilarity in ovens is quite hilarious. Nothing like running around frantically searching for a fire extinguisher in a temporary corporate apartment, only to
find out that you don't have one, followed by the realization that water can also extinguish fire.
posted by zachlipton at 11:02 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I can attest that fire drill hilarity in ovens is quite hilarious. Nothing like running around frantically searching for a fire extinguisher in a temporary corporate apartment, only to
find out that you don't have one, followed by the realization that water can also extinguish fire.
posted by zachlipton at 11:02 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Turkey bags.
posted by sunshinesky at 12:00 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by sunshinesky at 12:00 PM on November 21, 2011
Parchment paper and a sheet pan is what you want. Butcher paper generally has wax on it, so you don't want to use that.
posted by Gilbert at 12:40 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 12:40 PM on November 21, 2011
Check your local grocery for oven-safe roasting bags, the ones usually meant for roasting poultry or roast beef or suchlike. (You can usually find them near the aluminum foil and the plastic wraps.)
posted by easily confused at 12:47 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by easily confused at 12:47 PM on November 21, 2011
As easily confused says, Reynolds makes oven bags for roasting that you can find at the grocery store. You can also get parchment paper cooking bags.
posted by gudrun at 1:00 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by gudrun at 1:00 PM on November 21, 2011
Off topic a bit, but parchment paper is GREAT to have anyway if you plan on doing any baking. It really does make a difference in cookies and you can use it to line bread pans and save yourself stuck cakes.
posted by maryr at 1:05 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by maryr at 1:05 PM on November 21, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, all: I'm pretty sure parchment will be the way to go (and indeed I do have some, neglected though it may be since I became a silpat addict). The nature of the cheese crust is such that I don't know how much good times would be had with plastic though that may be a point for later adventure. Xingcat gets extra credit points for bumping "en papillote" which has replacement sexy points in our lexicon beyond "in a bag". Sounds like in a clutch situation I could even go as bulletproof as a disposable roasting pan with foil lid.
Thanks everybody for the suggestions and putting me down some straighter paths!
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:37 PM on November 21, 2011
Thanks everybody for the suggestions and putting me down some straighter paths!
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:37 PM on November 21, 2011
Best answer: I think there's something else going on here if the bag is catching fire. I've cooked a turkey in a grocery bag many times, and I've never even scorched the bag. Most ovens only turn on the lower elements once the oven has been pre-heated unless you're running the broiler (which you don't want to be doing for as long as this recipe calls for anyway).
The problem with the parchment suggestion is that parchment provides a greater steam retention than a brown paper sack. I've tried parchment as well as the Reynolds oven bags and neither turned out as well, giving my bird more of a "steamed" taste than roasted.
What you want is a moist heat in the oven. Place a pan on the bottom-most rack with 1/3 - 1/2 inch of water in it before you pre-heat the oven.
One thought on why you're having a problem is the following instruction: Preheat oven to 375 degrees rare steak, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer, a total of 45 minutes. What it looks like they want you to do is put the steak into a 375 oven and then increase to 425. I think what is happening is that the bag goes in at 375, then generates steam causing it to poof out, part of it comes in contact with the upper element, which gets turned on in order to raise the temperature 50 degrees and catches the bag on fire. I would suggest raising the temp in smaller increments (which will be done entirely by the lower elements), using a smaller bag, or using clips or kitchen twine to reduce the volume of the bag.
posted by Runes at 2:16 PM on November 21, 2011
The problem with the parchment suggestion is that parchment provides a greater steam retention than a brown paper sack. I've tried parchment as well as the Reynolds oven bags and neither turned out as well, giving my bird more of a "steamed" taste than roasted.
What you want is a moist heat in the oven. Place a pan on the bottom-most rack with 1/3 - 1/2 inch of water in it before you pre-heat the oven.
One thought on why you're having a problem is the following instruction: Preheat oven to 375 degrees rare steak, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer, a total of 45 minutes. What it looks like they want you to do is put the steak into a 375 oven and then increase to 425. I think what is happening is that the bag goes in at 375, then generates steam causing it to poof out, part of it comes in contact with the upper element, which gets turned on in order to raise the temperature 50 degrees and catches the bag on fire. I would suggest raising the temp in smaller increments (which will be done entirely by the lower elements), using a smaller bag, or using clips or kitchen twine to reduce the volume of the bag.
posted by Runes at 2:16 PM on November 21, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions and thinking on it, Runes -- I appreciate it. Your points on materials were along the lines I'd been wondering about and I'm glad to hear reports from the field. Seems like if I were dead-set on it I could probably compromise the steam-retention properties with a well-placed paring knife. I'm digging the idea of using a steam pan both because it appeals to my inner baker as well as because it seems easier to setup. I think we'll introduce parchment in some form as there's too much precious topping lossage to the shopping bag.
I hope to give it a run before Christmas and let you where it ends up -- check back some time!
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:37 PM on November 28, 2011
I hope to give it a run before Christmas and let you where it ends up -- check back some time!
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:37 PM on November 28, 2011
Response by poster: Hah! I remembered!
Anyway, Moms was like all "I shoulda just left the top rack in," which was part one of a relatively normal deployment. Baking parchment did get used as a base inside the bag which meant that we maintained an exceptional amount of castoff topping which is like the best thing ever.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 2:12 PM on February 3, 2012
Anyway, Moms was like all "I shoulda just left the top rack in," which was part one of a relatively normal deployment. Baking parchment did get used as a base inside the bag which meant that we maintained an exceptional amount of castoff topping which is like the best thing ever.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 2:12 PM on February 3, 2012
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posted by Perplexity at 10:53 AM on November 21, 2011