I don't want to cook, I want to coooooooooooooooook
October 20, 2015 4:40 PM Subscribe
I want to cook things that take a really long time, but I don't know what to make. Help me out with some ideas?
For no particular reason, I find myself fascinated with the idea of food that takes a *really long* time to cook. I've done eight-hour pot roasts and whatnot, so I'm looking for things that take even longer. For example, I made some cured salmon that needed to sit in the fridge for three full days, and it was great! I'll take any and all ideas, although things like marinades aren't really in the spirit of what I'm looking for.
Besides a fridge and a freezer, I've got an electric range, propane grill, crock-pot, and both a toaster-size and a regular-size oven. I'm home for the majority of most days and leaving appliances on low isn't a problem. Assume access to all ingredients, etc.
Thanks :)
For no particular reason, I find myself fascinated with the idea of food that takes a *really long* time to cook. I've done eight-hour pot roasts and whatnot, so I'm looking for things that take even longer. For example, I made some cured salmon that needed to sit in the fridge for three full days, and it was great! I'll take any and all ideas, although things like marinades aren't really in the spirit of what I'm looking for.
Besides a fridge and a freezer, I've got an electric range, propane grill, crock-pot, and both a toaster-size and a regular-size oven. I'm home for the majority of most days and leaving appliances on low isn't a problem. Assume access to all ingredients, etc.
Thanks :)
Anything involving fermentation takes a reasonably long time to prepare, so that's the whole world of brewing, baking, pickling, and curing.
posted by Small Dollar at 4:53 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by Small Dollar at 4:53 PM on October 20, 2015
You could maybe look into smoking meat. That takes like 24 hours in some cases with some methods. Even though you don't have a smoker, you can do a method with your grill.
Alton Brown seems to only cook recipes that involve a thousand steps, if you want to try a familiar recipe in a complicated way.
posted by AppleTurnover at 5:03 PM on October 20, 2015
Alton Brown seems to only cook recipes that involve a thousand steps, if you want to try a familiar recipe in a complicated way.
posted by AppleTurnover at 5:03 PM on October 20, 2015
Confit duck legs and use them in cassoulet. Make prosciutto. Make corned beef. Charcuterie is a well regarded book and it has recipes for all of these, plus any number of other charcuterie items.
Tabasco sauce involves fermentation. You could find a recipe for a Louisiana style hot sauce which would take weeks to complete.
posted by stuart_s at 5:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tabasco sauce involves fermentation. You could find a recipe for a Louisiana style hot sauce which would take weeks to complete.
posted by stuart_s at 5:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
A smoked pork shoulder will take anywhere between 8 and 16 hours depending on the size.
Making your own bacon will take around a week - five or so days to cure, and then you have to smoke it for several hours.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:17 PM on October 20, 2015
Making your own bacon will take around a week - five or so days to cure, and then you have to smoke it for several hours.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:17 PM on October 20, 2015
Cassoulet.
But, make your own confit, and grind your own Toulouse style sausage. These things can be done ahead of time, but can easily be take on in a two day long marathon cooking session.
posted by furnace.heart at 5:28 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
But, make your own confit, and grind your own Toulouse style sausage. These things can be done ahead of time, but can easily be take on in a two day long marathon cooking session.
posted by furnace.heart at 5:28 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I second the immersion cooker idea, and if you click though supercres' link, there's a $40 savings code on those cookers. I've cooked skirt steak for 48 hours and it turns out medium rare and as tender as tenderloin, it's pretty amazing.
posted by Huck500 at 5:29 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by Huck500 at 5:29 PM on October 20, 2015
The oxtail soup in Joy of Cooking is a two day process. The sauce espagnole recipe is also fairly lengthy and refers to older versions that took even longer.
posted by Bruce H. at 5:34 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by Bruce H. at 5:34 PM on October 20, 2015
How about Pea-So (yellow pea miso that takes around 3 months) or Onions and blueberries (Bring to the boil, then marinate, refrigerated, for at least a week before using.) For more get - Work in Progress, I did and I'm having great fun working through it.
posted by unliteral at 5:38 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by unliteral at 5:38 PM on October 20, 2015
Oh! Chicken stock!
Five or six hours with chicken carcasses only, then add the vegetables and aromatics for another hour. Strain the whole thing, then let it reduce as much as you like (I'll do it overnight). Chill the stock (will take several hours or more) so the fat rises to the top and solidifies. Scrape the fat off, then you can freeze it or can it.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:41 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Five or six hours with chicken carcasses only, then add the vegetables and aromatics for another hour. Strain the whole thing, then let it reduce as much as you like (I'll do it overnight). Chill the stock (will take several hours or more) so the fat rises to the top and solidifies. Scrape the fat off, then you can freeze it or can it.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:41 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Take a year and cure your own prosciutto.
posted by slateyness at 5:48 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by slateyness at 5:48 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Thousand year old eggs?
Awww go for a real slow brisket.
posted by sammyo at 5:51 PM on October 20, 2015
Awww go for a real slow brisket.
posted by sammyo at 5:51 PM on October 20, 2015
I make apple butter by filling a crockpot with apples, letting it go overnight, and adding enough apples to refill after they've cooked down at least once more. Should be ready to can in about 24-36 hours.
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
DIY pastrami or corned beef? (Ruhlman.) You could also try wet- or dry-aging steaks.
My personal holy grail: Cheese cave.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2015
My personal holy grail: Cheese cave.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2015
Seconding fermentation - I've just put some kimchi together, and it'll be a week+ until it's ready to eat. I use this recipe (using 1/4 cup salt rather than 1/2 for the brine) as a jumping off point.
posted by ryanshepard at 6:42 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ryanshepard at 6:42 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Definitely confit or fermentation.
Beans are frugal and tasty, and take an awfully long time to cook from dried. The dried ones have a better texture.
Do you want stuff with more active time (ie chopping and stirring stuff), or are you mainly thinking of "put it in the oven, and have the house smell incredible all day?" Lasagna is one of my favorite big-project dishes.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:50 PM on October 20, 2015
Beans are frugal and tasty, and take an awfully long time to cook from dried. The dried ones have a better texture.
Do you want stuff with more active time (ie chopping and stirring stuff), or are you mainly thinking of "put it in the oven, and have the house smell incredible all day?" Lasagna is one of my favorite big-project dishes.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:50 PM on October 20, 2015
For a number of years I was responsible for providing the main course (roast leg of lamb) for a large group (40-ish people). I used to buy 4 legs of lamb, bone-in, and have them de-boned. It then took me about 2 full days of cooking to turn the bones & scraps into a stock, and the stock into sauces. Eventually 1/2 the stock went into a sauce venaison, the other half into a garlic cream sauce, both from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The lamb was good, but the sauces were both to die for.
posted by mr vino at 6:51 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mr vino at 6:51 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, and if you want something that smells great, and happens to elevate cheap ingredients, consider french onion soup. You slowly caramelize the onions (technique varies here, but you traditionally stir them over low heat for half an hour at least) and then simmer them with broth.
There's also gumbo. Spend the better part of an hour browning your roux, and have it simmer forever. Red beans and rice are also great.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:53 PM on October 20, 2015
There's also gumbo. Spend the better part of an hour browning your roux, and have it simmer forever. Red beans and rice are also great.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:53 PM on October 20, 2015
It's only 6 hours, but it requires more attention than curing meat (if you're looking for active instead of make the house smell wonderful while I do something else): Marcela Hazan's Bolognese sauce. NYT link.
posted by Hactar at 7:01 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Hactar at 7:01 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
Good bone broths can take days to achieve perfection. Here's one how-to on bone broths using beef bones . The pork bone broth for tonkotsu ramen took two days of constant low-rolling boiling to get to the perfect milk-like consistency. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever made.
posted by lizbunny at 7:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by lizbunny at 7:09 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Check out Molly Stevens' cookbook All About Braising; the recipes often require several hours cooking, but can then include at least a day or two more for marinating or other preparation, such as in the case of her Moroccan Chicken, a couple of weeks to prepare the preserved lemons. It's one of the first cookbooks I really fell in love with, and I love when I have the time and preparation to make something from it. Plus you get a whole day of your kitchen smelling AWESOME.
posted by sapere aude at 9:51 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by sapere aude at 9:51 PM on October 20, 2015
http://deliciousnessofyum.blogspot.com/2010/09/carnitas-straight-out-of-americas-test.html
The longer the better.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:36 PM on October 20, 2015
The longer the better.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:36 PM on October 20, 2015
This isn't quite cooking, but making homemade mustard requires soaking mustard seeds for several days. And homemade mustard is great.
posted by neushoorn at 11:57 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by neushoorn at 11:57 PM on October 20, 2015
Fruitcake. Months of aging where you keep applying brandy. (Probably too late to start it for Christmas; I hear it's best to start in August.)
posted by snowmentality at 4:25 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by snowmentality at 4:25 AM on October 21, 2015
I just thought of one more thing and you're just at the right time to start making it: long aged (boozy) eggnog. Needs to sit in the fridge for a minimum of three weeks, usually longer. Recipe and NPR story.
posted by Hactar at 8:29 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by Hactar at 8:29 AM on October 21, 2015
I'm just now making Membrillo - which is basically a 12 hour long slow reduction of quince pulp (leftover from making quince jelly) in the oven.
posted by gyusan at 10:15 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by gyusan at 10:15 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sun-drying your own tomatoes in the oven (tomato, oil, salt, pepper, herbs) - overnight on the lowest rack on the lowest setting / possibly just the pilot light ~8 hours to overnight
charcuterie - making sausage from scratch: Meat + ~30% fat + seasonings stuffed in a casing, all a true labor of love ~45 days?
consommé - making a kickass stock is just the beginning, then you have to clarify it using a raft (high protein meat, egg whites, and veggies floated on the top), and reduce it! ~sort of a two day affair if you count the stock making
anything with a cold smoker - If you've never vented a hot smoker out through duct work through a cooler packed with ice and into a cardboard box?!?!? which is covering your meat on a rack... well, you haven't overly complicated your cooking process enough. The beautiful thing about cold smoking is you can do it for really really really long cook times - like 8 hour cook times.
Croissant - Without a sheeter, these things are a fun and interesting challenge to make involving (really) a cross (well, dough shaped like a cross), a pound of butter, and a rolling pin being used like a club... and as a rolling pin. I hope you have good forearm strength. ~2 hours for dough prep
Creamy Polenta - not that bagged partially refrigerated crap, but the kind that looks like cornmeal and makes you wish you never had to stir again... ~45 minutes continuous stirring for a side dish? really?
Tamales - a holiday favorite for Central and South America. I love em. Every time someone's grandma makes them I hear about how long it takes her to make them in their kitchen... It takes me about 2 minutes to eat a half dozen. ~no idea how long, I'm a beggar when it comes to tamales
posted by Nanukthedog at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2015
charcuterie - making sausage from scratch: Meat + ~30% fat + seasonings stuffed in a casing, all a true labor of love ~45 days?
consommé - making a kickass stock is just the beginning, then you have to clarify it using a raft (high protein meat, egg whites, and veggies floated on the top), and reduce it! ~sort of a two day affair if you count the stock making
anything with a cold smoker - If you've never vented a hot smoker out through duct work through a cooler packed with ice and into a cardboard box?!?!? which is covering your meat on a rack... well, you haven't overly complicated your cooking process enough. The beautiful thing about cold smoking is you can do it for really really really long cook times - like 8 hour cook times.
Croissant - Without a sheeter, these things are a fun and interesting challenge to make involving (really) a cross (well, dough shaped like a cross), a pound of butter, and a rolling pin being used like a club... and as a rolling pin. I hope you have good forearm strength. ~2 hours for dough prep
Creamy Polenta - not that bagged partially refrigerated crap, but the kind that looks like cornmeal and makes you wish you never had to stir again... ~45 minutes continuous stirring for a side dish? really?
Tamales - a holiday favorite for Central and South America. I love em. Every time someone's grandma makes them I hear about how long it takes her to make them in their kitchen... It takes me about 2 minutes to eat a half dozen. ~no idea how long, I'm a beggar when it comes to tamales
posted by Nanukthedog at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2015
You might explore Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It's full of hard-to-make recipes, and I'm sure a lot of them take a long time. I seem to remember my parents making a boeurf bourginon that took all day if not longer, and which was fabulous.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 10:59 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by toomuchkatherine at 10:59 AM on October 21, 2015
Also, if beverages count, you can make all kinds of infused liquours/liqueurs (I think you often start with vodka or grain alcohol, and add herbs and spices), and there are things like kombucha. For a while my brother-in-law was making kvass, which is a lightly alcoholic beverage fermented from stale bread. I think it's traditionally Russian.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 11:01 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by toomuchkatherine at 11:01 AM on October 21, 2015
Why not make a cultured, aged nut cheese (I swear to you, the results are amazing)? A sharp, smoky cheddar can be ready in 3-4 days, or you can go longer and make an air-dried parmesan in about two weeks. Recipes for both are in Miyoko Schinner's unparalleled Artisan Vegan Cheese. People really, really like the parmesan (I make and sell little wheels for $15 a pop at my neighborhood farmers' market).
There are lots of similar options, like making kimchi, that involve long periods of fermentation, flavor development, aging and so on.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:17 PM on October 21, 2015
There are lots of similar options, like making kimchi, that involve long periods of fermentation, flavor development, aging and so on.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:17 PM on October 21, 2015
Bake French bread the right way:mix, knead, let rise, punch down, let rise, shape, let rise, bake.
posted by SemiSalt at 3:04 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by SemiSalt at 3:04 PM on October 21, 2015
Seconding bone broth. I made a 24 hour batch, and I'm looking forward to simmering it even longer next time!
posted by kidbritish at 4:12 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by kidbritish at 4:12 PM on October 21, 2015
You could grow your own sprouts in a jar in your kitchen. Takes about a week.
posted by macinchik at 1:47 PM on October 29, 2015
posted by macinchik at 1:47 PM on October 29, 2015
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posted by supercres at 4:49 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]