Thread No. 009← All threads
Rendering as a medium
Cook the fat first; cook in the fat after.
Guanciale, butter, beef tallow, schmaltz. The first move in many great dishes is to liberate fat from a solid form so it can become the cooking medium for everything that follows. Rendering is a transformation, not a step.
View
In Carbonara →1 voice
“Guanciale is cured jowl. Its fat melts at a lower temperature than pancetta, which is why it slicks the pan rather than crisping into it.”
Tasting Rome — Clarkson Potter (2016)
In Risotto →1 voice
“Stock should always be the same temperature as the rice. Cold stock shocks the grain and stops starch release.”
Lidia's Italian Table — William Morrow (1998)
In Pan-Seared Steak →1 voice
“The basting is not a finishing touch. It is the conduction step that lets the interior catch up to the crust.”
The French Laundry Cookbook — Artisan (1999)