Stella Culinary School

SCS 075 | Choosing Knives, Grills, BBQs & Smokers! Mar 30, 2021

In this episode of The Stella Culinary School Podcast, picking out knives, and what to consider when purchasing a smoker, BBQ, or grill this summer. And YES, by popular demand, this episode now has time stamps!

INTRODUCTION

00:00:00 - My Standard Charming Introduction. A Must Watch!

SEGMENT ONE - WHAT KNIVES DO YOU NEED?

00:02:07 - What knives should you buy?
00:04:10 - Carbon Steel vs. Stainless Steel Knives
00:07:00 - Knives Chef Jacob uses on the daily.
00:09:00 - Cutting tomatoes with a bread knife (shame, shame, shame!)
00:09:30 - What bread knives you actually need.
00:11:35 - How to pick out a bread knife
00:12:30 - The Importance of a knife sharpener.
00:19:34 - Double Bevel Knives
00:23:37 - Best Chef Knives for Small & Large Hands 00:25:41 - What size knife is recommended
00:27:52 - Why knife companies offer free sharpening.
00:29:53 - End Segment

SEGMENT TWO - PICKING OUR BBQS, GRILLS & SMOKERS

00:30:00 - What grills / smokers do you really need?
- Smoking vs Grilling. Tough vs Tender
00:34:35 - Chefs Recommended First Grill / BBQ
- Why Weber Kettles are Awesome!
00:36:15 - Issues with Weber Kettles & Komodo Cookers 00:39:45 - Off set smokers / Stick burners
00:42:26 - Pellet Poopers
00:44:00 - The Case for Pellet Smokers
00:45:54 - Gas Grills
00:50:39 - The Best Way to Cook a Ribeye Steak!
Demoralize your culinary nemesis!
00:54:21 - More charming rambling and stuff.

RELATED RESOURCES

Video Replay Available on YouTube Here: https://youtu.be/72HIS4vhpxU

If you want to learn how to stop following recipes and start creating, then check out my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum which can be found here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp.

Get notified when new content is released, by signing up for my free e-mail newsletter: https://stellaculinary.com/content/e-mail-sign

Join our Friendly Facebook Group at https://Facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary

Check out our podcast archive here: https://stellaculinary.com/audio-podcasts/stella-culinary-school

#SCS075 #BBQGrills #ChefKnives

SCS 074 | Hydrocolloids - A Practical Approach Mar 19, 2021

The practical use of hydrocolloids are discussed, including Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Agar Agar, and meat glue (transglutaminase). We talk about how these items can help you solve traditional kitchen problems, while not becoming the focus of a dish.

Mentioned In This Episode

Greek Salad Homework Assignment - https://youtu.be/3uVnAMEdu5A
Food Science Videos on Gelatin & Agar - https://stellaculinary.com/fs
Beurre Blanc Videos, both classic & stabilized - https://stellaculinary.com/sns
Using Meat Glue - https://stellaculinary.com/kp (KP 29 & KP 30)
Facebook Group - https://facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary
Modernist Cuisine Book Series - https://amzn.to/3vKIX96
Khymos.org Hydrocolloid E-Book - https://khymos.org/2014/02/15/texture-updated-and-available-for-download/

STOP FOLLOWING RECIPES & START CREATING

... with my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum found here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Techniques / Lessons - https://YouTube.com/JacobBurton
Live Podcast Replay - https://YouTube.com/StellaCulinaryLive

SOCIAL

Instagram & Twitter: @ChefJacob

SCS 073 | Greek Salad Challenge, Dissecting A Dish's Flavor Structure, & Searing Scallops Mar 12, 2021

In this episode, I lay out the "Greek Salad Challenge" as a homework assignment. The purpose of this challenge is to drill knife skills, and work on creating baseline seasonings through balancing fat, acid and salt.

We then carry this concept over into a lesson on how I would recreate the flavor of a hollandaise sauce if all I had was a recipe and had never tasted hollandaise before. This first principals approach to dissecting a dish through flavor structure will allow you to understand and replicate flavor structures at their most basic level.

Then, I walk you through yet un-edited footage of me searing scallops in the restaurant, which leads to a deep dive in the mistakes people make when cooking scallops, as well as some basic plate composition tips.

CONTENT REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE

Culinary Knife Skills: https://stellaculinary.com/cks
Cooking Techniques (pan roasting): https://stellaculinary.com/ct
Emulsion Science: https://stellaculinary.com/fs

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

For your homework assignment, make either a greek salad, or a salsa / chutney / garnish inspired by the greek salad methodology laid out in the podcast.

Focus on the basic knife skill techniques of:

The Pinch Grip
Guide Hand
Julienne. If making a salsa or chutney, focus on the dice, making everything as even as possible.

When dressing and building your flavor structures, remember; fat first, acid second, vinegar third. Take it from there. More advanced students, add a protein of choice. Recommended proteins are pan roasted chicken / fish, shrimp, scallops, steak. _____________________________________________________

The Stella Culinary School Podcast is available through your favorite podcast app, such as Apple, Google, Spotify, & Stitcher.

If you want to learn how to stop following recipes and start creating, then check out my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum which can be found here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp

Get notified when new content is released, by signing up for my free e-mail newsletter: https://stellaculinary.com/content/e-mail-sign

Join our Friendly Facebook Group at https://Facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary

Check out our podcast archive here: https://stellaculinary.com/audio-podcasts/stella-culinary-school

SCS 072 | Acing A Chef Tryout & Banquet Style Execution Mar 05, 2021

In this episode, we discuss how to ace a chef tryout when applying for a leadership position in a professional kitchen, and how to successfully execute for a large group or banquet.

In the questions and comment section, I answer Robert's question on how to execute 10 steaks at once when cooking for family and friends, and Fran's question on how long his home made sausage will last under refrigeration.

Follow me on Clubhouse, @JacobBurton, and tune in to ask your questions live, every Friday morning, 7 am PST / 10 am EST.

You can watch the live video broadcast as it happens by joining our Friendly Facebook Group, https://facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary.

Do you want to STOP FOLLOWING RECIPES & START CREATING? Then check out my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp

SCS 071 | Leaving Your Career for Chefdom, Food Safety, How Fat Affects Bread Dough Feb 26, 2021

In this episode, Chef Jacob discusses things you should consider if you plan on leaving your career to become a chef, some potential food safety issues with reheating and holding food, and then a break down on how exactly fat affects the flavor and texture of your bread dough.

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Chef Jacob's Culinary Boot Camp and F-STEP Curriculum, your fastest way to learn how to cook like a pro. Stop following recipes and start creating, with Chef Jacob's Culinary Boot Camp and F-STEP Curriculum Video Course, found here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp

Want to join the live discussion? Head on over to our Friendly Facebook Group, found at https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary.

Podcast is broadcast and recorded live, every Friday, at 7 am PST / 10 am EST.

SCS 070 | Combi Ovens for Precision Cooking, Execution, and Holding Feb 19, 2021

The combi oven saga continues, with a deep dive into why I bought two more Anova Combi ovens for my professional kitchen, how we are using it to streamline our kitchen execution, and how this translates into the home cooking environment.

Topics discuss include:

Holding and executing eggs for a busy brunch service, including how to execute a perfect eggs benedict from start to finish.
My experiment with reverse searing a tri-tip from start to finish without opening the oven once.
How I executed a flawless pulled pork for Superbowl Sunday.

Want to participate in the Stella Culinary Podcast live, while it's being recorded? Join our friendly Facebook Group, where we broadcast live every Friday, at 7 am PST / 10 am EST. https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

You can also catch the live video replay on our YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjoO_tbqbcp5L8hZWopOUlA

Looking for shorter, cooking technique and instructional videos? You can find that on my main YouTube Channel here: https://youtube.com/jacobburton

If you enjoy the podcast, then you'll love my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum, which you can find here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

SCS 069 | Prepping for Execution, Designing Balanced Menus, Live Listener Discussion Feb 16, 2021

In this live episode of the Stella Culinary School Podcast, we begin with a discussion on how I like to prep on my days off to make mid-week cooking execution fast and efficient. I then answer questions on food & wine pairings, how chefs create balance in their menus, and how the pandemic has affected the United States restaurant scene.

Audio only version of this podcast can be found on your favorite podcast app, including Apple, Google, and Spotify. Want to stop following recipes and start creating your own?

Check out my culinary boot camp and F-STEP Curriculum here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

Stella Culinary Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

SCS 068 | Gnocchi by Feel + Anova Combi-Oven Review Feb 05, 2021

In this episode, I give a step by step breakdown of how to make gnocchi by feel, instead of using a recipe, whether it's potato, ricotta, or pumpkin.

Then I review Anova's new Combi Oven, also known to the nerd's as the APO (Anova Precision Cooker). There's a lot to like, but a few things that can be improved upon as well. Is it worth $600? You've gotta listen to find out ... that's kinda the whole purpose of this podcast thing ...

I mean, if I gave you all the info in the podcast description, then I may as well write a blog post, but then I'd be a blogger, and ya'll know how I feel about food writers, so yeah ... I'm just gonna stop here and let you listen to the podcast. I promise you'll like it. Money back guarantee! 😉

Speaking of money back guarantee, have you checked out my Culinary Boot Camp Course yet? If not, you should! Unlike the podcast it actually costs money, but if you like the content I give away for free, then you'll love my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum. But, if you don't like it, it actually does have a money back guarantee. Just like I'd never charge you for a dish you don't like, I wouldn't keep your money for a course you didn't enjoy either. You can check it out here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

Looking for some technique videos? Check out my YouTube Videos at YouTube.com/jacobburton.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter, @ChefJacob on both, or you can chat with me in our discord group (https://discord.gg/bZyrzHqFZa), or in our Friendly Facebook here (https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary).

I think that's it for now! Thanks for being a part of the Stella Culinary Universe!

Jacob

SCS 067 | Food Writers Are Parasites + Tender Stir Fried Meats! Jan 29, 2021

This episode goes off the rails quite a bit, but still turned out great, which I know you expect nothing less. We really hit our flow about 28 minutes in, once I figured out that the comments, ONCE AGAIN, were not loading properly!

In this episode, we talk:

About crypto currencies and how it will affect restaurant profit margins in the future.
The biggest mistake people make when designing their home kitchens.
How to create juicy, tender meats for stir fries.
Why we use oils when sweating aromatics.
Why I would never do a cooking competition.
And finally, why I think food writers are parasites unworthy of respect. But I make my case in such a charming fashion, I'm certain there's no way I offended anyone, especially food writers.

If you're interested in learning more about my Culinary Boot Camp and F-SEP Curriculum, you can do so here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

If you would like to watch the video version of this podcast, you can do so here: https://youtu.be/Rg8THG5aGbY

Join our friendly Facebook Group here: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, or through your favorite podcast app. Just search for "Stella Culinary."

Love letters? Send them to Jacob at Stella culinary dot com.

SCS 066 | Why Grandma's Beef Stroganoff Sucked! Jan 22, 2021

In this episode, we get the ball rolling with an update on the pressure cooked ribs experiment, where I went wrong, and how I scrambled to fix the issue to still get a delicious dinner on the table.

Then I give you an epic breakdown of how to create the best beef stroganoff ever, without using a recipe, by shooting the entire dish through the F-STEP lens. I walk you through the process I use when first trying to understand the basic building blocks of a recipe, and then how I reconstruct it using flavor structure, technique, and execution to make it my own!

Then we talk about the culinary rules you should and shouldn't break, and I have an epic meltdown over the majesty that is the Zojirushi Rice Cooker!

If you loved this episode, especially the breakdown of the Beef Stroganoff, then you'll love my Culinary Boot Camp and F-STEP Curriculum, which you can find here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

(The above program also includes the F-STEP Worksheet that I touch on briefly in this episode).

If you'd like to tune in for the live podcast as it happens, you can do so in our friendly Facebook group found here: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, so you never miss a new episode, when it's released!

SCS 065 | Chef's New Toy, Rib Experiments, & a Pot Roast Soooo Good It Will Demoralize Your Culinary Competition Jan 15, 2021

In this episode:

A lesson on tough cuts, tender cuts, and how cooking technique, preparation, and slicing can effect their overall tenderness.
How to pick-up (execute) ribs in a professional restaurant setting, and how you can use these techniques at home to make your leftover ribs better than "hot off the grill."
We discuss Combi-oven technology, and the new Anova Combi oven I have on the way to review.
What to do when you can't find veal bones for your stocks and Demi-glace ...
... which leads to a conversation on how to make a pot roast that's soooo good, it will demoralize your culinary adversary!

If you enjoy this podcast, then you will love my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum, which you can find here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

If you wan to take part in the next live broadcast, you can do so by joining our friendly Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

And as mentioned in this episode, we're playing around with doing live Chat via our new Discord channel, which you can find here: https://discord.gg/qYMXsAB2tw

I'm still new to Discord, so if you're an experienced user, would love to hear your suggestions.

SCS 064 | Don't Salt Your Pasta Water, Hollandaise Isn't Mother Sauce, & The Best Way To Cook Tri-Tip Jan 09, 2021

Earlier today I jumped into our Facebook group on a whim to do a live stream and say hi. What was intended to be a few minutes of awkwardly waving at the camera before signing off turned into a pretty good time!

Some of the main topics discussed:

Do you really need to salt your pasta water, and why I don't allow my cooks to do it in the restaurant!
The controversy over hollandaise NOT being a mother sauce, and how we pick up the pieces of our broken hearts in the aftermath.
My new favorite way to cook a tri-tip (it's really simple & fast).
And how I lost 70+ pounds eating French toast!

Quick Plug: if you like my podcast, you're guaranteed to love my Culinary Boot Camp and F-STEP Video Course which you can access here: https://stellaculinary.com/chef-jacobs-culinary-boot-camp-f-step-curriculum

The above course includes 8+ hours of classroom lecture videos, my written F-STEP Curriculum in e-book form, and some fun bonuses too.

If you want to tune in to my next live podcast, join our friendly Facebook Group here: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

Questions / comments / love letters? Send to jacob [at] stella culinary dot com.

Happy New Year!

SCS 063 | French Omelette Fallacy, Sous Vide Vs. Crispy Skin, & Decoding Pizza Yeast May 12, 2020

Discuss this podcast in the Stella Culinary School Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1437680866415097/

IN THE DISCUSSION SEGMENT ...

We talk eggs, omlettes and the "French Omlette Falacy." I also walk you through how to make a classic, American style breakfast omelette (fully loaded of course). Original post by John: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1432663070250210/

Resources Mentioned

Jacques Pepin French Omelette Video: https://youtu.be/s10etP1p2bU
Jamie Oliver's Omelette Video: https://youtu.be/OQyRuOEKfVk
How to Make A Classic French Omelette with Geoffrey Zakarian: https://youtu.be/O51dA1kpeGs
Alton Browns Omelette Special: https://youtu.be/nX7g5A50IuE

IN THE TECHNIQUE SEGMENT ...

... we weigh the pros and cons of sous vide turkey and poultry, how to crisp the skin on the re-therm, and alternative methods and approaches. Original question by Autumn: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1433111250205392/

"Planning to do a 14 lb spatchcocked turkey sous vide. I have it dry brining for the next 36 hours, then will cook 150F/6. I then plan to ice bath it and refrigerate until two days later when we serve it-doing it this way due to lack of fridge space. Trying to come up with the best way to retherm and obtain a crispy skin. Baking at 375 F till internal temp reaches 140 was suggested in one of the sous vide groups, but I’m trying to determine how long it will take for it to reach that temperature (so I can plan the rest of the meal accordingly). Thoughts? Also, is 375 F too low a temp? When I completely oven bake a spatchcocked turkey I usually go 425 F. Thanks!"

Resources Mentioned

SCS 035 | Sous Vide Cooking - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - https://stellaculinary.com/scs35
SCS 036 | Sous Vide Cooking at Home with Jason Logsdon - https://stellaculinary.com/scs36
Turkey Cooking Playlist (Including Spatchcocking) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkj3Cc40ZCqyWzjGmVHpxEsiGrb0wKJc
Sous Vide Beef Bourguignon - https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/cooking-techniques/ct-029-beef-bourguignon-sous-vide-with-glazed-vegetables
Sous Vide Lamb Rack - https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/completed-dish/tcd-009-sous-vide-lamb-rack-pan-sauce-and-sauted-vegetables
Sous Vide Chicken Breast - https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/completed-dish/tcd-010-sous-vide-crispy-skin-chicken-breast-spring-vegetables
Chef Jacob's Sous Vide Temperature Guide PDF - https://stellaculinary.com/PDFs/Sous%20Vide%20Cooking.pdf

IN THE Q&A SEGMENT ...

... I answer the following questions:

Mark C. via E-mail

"Hey chef! Glad to see you’re back doing the podcast again. Hope this e-mail finds you well. I had a quick question about pizza yeast. My wife picked some up from the store the other day because they didn’t have anything else. We made some white sandwich bread, and the loaf came out pretty dense. We’ve made this particular recipe quite a few times in the past without any issues. On further examination of the packet, it says specifically not to use for bread baking. What’s going on? I thought yeast was yeast. Why would you need a different yeast for pizza than bread dough. Thanks! Mark C."

Resources

Bread Baking Video Index - https://stellaculinary.com/sb

Kevin via SCFB - https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1436163809900136/

"Question about tangzhong in bread. Could it replace fat in recipe? Where the fat isn't used for flavor or maybe a way to reduce the fat content in recipes? Seems like tangzhong provides similar affect to the final loaf as the fat. Anyone attempted this? Google wasn't any help."

David | Plum Blossom Water | https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1435144506668733/

"I was in my garden today, quite despondent over the looming threat of two nights of temperature going below 30F. I’m not worried about the veggies, as they can be covered. I’m worried about my fruit trees. This is the first year I’ve had blossoms on my pear trees, and one of my plum trees decided to blossom this year as well. These trees are simply too big to cover, and probably too expensive as well. So I was wondering. The plum blossoms have an intoxicating aroma. Intoxicating is good. I’ve heard of making rose water, and orange blossom water. Does anyone have experience in making orange blossom water? I don’t think I have enough blossoms on the tree ghis year, but maybe next?"

Resources

Make Shift Distiller Using a Pot | https://youtu.be/oOzyjMbxOJ0

ANNOUNCEMENTS & SHOUTOUTS

Join the Stella Culinary School Facebook Group - https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary
Trudy for applying the F-STEP Methodology to Skyline style chili - https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1430643413785509/
Mason for successfully making neapolitan pizza using my recipe in his Ooni Roccbox Oven. https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1435555486627635/. Pizza resource page with instructions on how to make the neapolitan pizza: https://stellaculinary.com/pizza
Walter made Canadian bacon that turned out great: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1432847886898395/
Graham for helping Pamela troubleshoot her Sweedish Meatball recipe, by posting a recipe of his own: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StellaCulinary/permalink/1434205610095956/

PURCHASE CHEF JACOB'S CULINARY BOOT CAMP AND F-STEP CURRICULUM HERE: https://stellaculinary.com/f-step-written-curriculum-digital-download

SCS 062 | I'm Back. Community Questions & Updates May 05, 2020

In this episode, I bring back The Stella Culinary Podcast after a long hiatus to answer community questions and respond to discussions going on in the Stella Culinary Facebook Group. Join the discussion by going to: https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here: https://youtube.com/jacobburton

Check out my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum here: https://stellaculinary.com/bootcamp

SCS 061 | Chef Alex Downing Jul 22, 2019

In this episode, Chef Alex Downing, who long time listeners of the SCS Podcast will remember as my Sous Chef at Stella Restaurant. After I left Stella a few years ago, Alex took over as the Executive Chef.

He just recently moved on from Stella to become the Executive Chef of Ranchera Restaurant & Country Club in Reno. NV.

We talk about his progression from a young cook to a fine dining chef, how the transition from fine dining to catering has been, and what his plans are for the future.

Also joined in studio by Renaissance Reno Chef de Cuisine Sean Munshaw.

Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefalexdowning/

Follow Sean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef_shpawn/

Subscribe to the Stella Culinary YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/stellaculinary

SCS 060 | Party Foods, High Volume Execution & Listener Questions Feb 07, 2019

In this episode, I'm joined once again by Chef Sean to discuss options for party foods and to answer listener questions covering topics such as:

Insta Pots & Pressure Cookers
Pressure Cooked Stocks & Sauces
High Volume Execution in a restaurant setting.
The use of Prague Powder #1 & #2

... and much more.

Join The Discussion

Leave Chef Jacob a voicemail to answer on an upcoming podcast.
Join the Stella Culinary Facebook Group.

Thank you to our sponsors ...

Nagmoi Japanese knives (use code word Jacob on checkout to get free engraving).
Nutrimill Artiste, the mixer for every maker.

SCS 059 | Christmas Cooking, Soup Solutions & Listener Questions Dec 23, 2018

In this episode, I'm joined by Chef Sean Munshaw to discuss what he's cooking for Christmas, and we answer some listener questions including:

How we make a great clam chowder, which leads to an overall discussion on how we approach soup making in general.
How classic flavors are established and discovered, and what it really mean to have a "classic flavor pairing."
How to get your foot in the door of a high end, Michelin starred kitchen.

Questions & Comments?

Join our friendly forum or Facebook Group. Or e-mail, Jacob@stellaculinary.com. You can also leave us a digital voice mail here, which we will play on an upcoming episode.

Follow Chef Sean on Instagram, and check out his food blog, Biggest Little Food in the World.

SCS 058 | Live Listener Call In Show with Chef Jacob Nov 26, 2018

In this episode, I hop on YouTube and broadcast live, answering listener questions that come in via the Stella Culinary Hotline and live chat box.

If you'd like to call the show and leave a voice mail, you can do so by dialing 775-204-8389.

I do plan on doing more listener call in shows, so stay tuned for announcements and times.

SCS 057 | Thanksgiving Tips & Industry Talk with Sous Chef Sean Munshaw Nov 21, 2018

I welcome sous chef Sean Munshaw to discuss Thanksgiving tips, the launch of our fine dining concept "Pips Pass," and industry talk in general. Sean has been working with me for a little over a year and a half, and has been an integral player in our culinary program's growth.

Links for Sean

Connect with the Show

Listener Voicemail Line - 775-204-8389, or you can leave a digital voice mail here.
Contact Chef Jacob - jacob@stellaculinary.com
Join the Forum - https://StellaCulinary.com/forum
Join the Facebook Page - https://facebook.com/groups/stellaculinary

SCS 056 | Trends & Trade Secrets of Fresh Milled Grain Nov 06, 2018

Paul Lebeau travels around the world, studying and spreading the gospel of freshly milled grains. He joins us on this episode to discuss what top chefs and bakers around the world are doing with freshly milled grains.

Have a question or comment? You can call the listener hotline at 775-234-8389, or leave a digital voicemail.

Can't get enough bread content?

This episode's show notes and further related content can be found here: https://stellaculinary.com/audio-podcasts/stella-culinary-school-podcast/scs-056-trends-trade-secrets-of-fresh-milled-grain

SCS 055 | Advanced Artisan Bread Loafs & Sourdough Baking with Nicole Muvundamina Oct 15, 2018

In this episode we discuss advanced artisan bread baking with bread baker and instructor Nicole Muvundamina.

Follow Nicole on Instagram: @nmuvu

SCS 054 | Large Party Entertaining, Creative Flavor Structures, & Learning Food Science - Your Cooking Questions Answered Oct 10, 2018

You can call the show and leave a voicemail: 775-204-8389

In this episode, more listener questions and voicemails answered. Some sample questions include:

Crispy Skin question from Philip

"OK, it’s time to squash this once and for all one way or the other. The question is: ‘Does salt draw out moisture from a protein product’? I always hear people saying to rub salt on the skin of a protein product to draw out moisture in order to crisp up the skin. The most recent example was yesterday when I watched a video of a chef cooking pork belly. The skin on pork was quite thick and I began to wonder how exactly the salt can draw out moisture from within the skin. I could see how it would absorb moisture that was already on the surface because the salt would be making contact with it but how could it be possible to draw moisture from within the skin? Is this just a myth (which is widely believed even by some of the best chefs in the world) or is there some truth to is. Unless the salt is acting like some kind of magnet on the water and pulling it out of the skin I really can’t see how it could work. Are there any science food geeks that can explain exactly how the salt works please? Also, I would love to hear your opinion on this Chef Jacob, Thanks"

Creative Flavors from Vicky

"i’d like to know how chefs come up with (especially unusual/modern) flavour combinations… like, i’d never have thought of combining chilies and chocolate, wouldn’t ever even imagine those would go together, if i hadn’t tried chocolate bar with chilies. or, like, the dishes in fancy restaurants (e.g. fat duck, noma) or on tv cooking competition shows (e.g. uk master chef) have like 19 thousand elements (like 5 dots of whatever reduction and half a teaspoon of whatever foam)… how the hell do they come up with the idea of putting all those seemingly unrelated things on the same plate?

My question to you:

in the video i watched, you mentioned that almost all dishes need a bit of acid. and when i think about all the recipes i’ve seen/read, it’s true that a lot of them call for just a tad of vinegar or lemon juice, in such a small amount that one wouldn’t actually taste it when eating the finished product. it’s something i’ve never thought of doing. what does a tiny amount of acid do to the overall taste of a dish? why is it important? what sort of dishes wouldn’t need acid and what sort of dishes benefit the most from it (besides obviously sour tasting dishes)?"

We also answer voicemail questions from Eric, Robert, Andrew, Juan, Shmilie, Leslie & Melva. Thanks to everyone for calling in.

SCS 053 | Your Cooking Questions Answered - Community Q&A Oct 09, 2018

I'm back with two in-depth questions regarding the F-STEP Curriculum to answer.

The first one from Dave:

"I’ve been through your book, and I love the idea that I might be able to learn to cook without using recipes, something I hate doing and something that stresses me out in the kitchen. I had already decided that recipes don’t work for me, and I realized I am still missing steps, but I had only added the prep stage to my process, not the F-STEP steps, so your book has expanded my thinking, which is good.

However, everything I’ve read is all theory and as you know, its not possible to learn anything from just theory. I am wondering why there are no practical examples, or run-throughs to demonstrate how the entire process works in stages, and in particular how your worksheet is supposed to function. It looks like something you would give your in-class students along with an explanation, you’ve included it in your book, but I couldn’t find the explanation.

Is this some sort of homework? Do I have to figure this out for myself? It’s like my old math teacher telling me there is a great formula to calculate something, but then not showing me how it works using real numbers.

It would be good to have some real examples of these “childhood” favorites, and other popular dishes, what their flavor profiles are and then run them through your F-STEP stages of technique, execution etc…, following your worksheet, to show how they are completed, the whole process beginning to end but in practical demo mode.

To be honest I’m slightly disappointed and not sure what to do next. I can see its the answer to my cooking problems, but how do I implement it?

By the way, I understand that I am not in your normal group of people who already love cooking and are looking for a different approach. I hate cooking, I think recipes are the most illogical thing ever invented, which is why I am looking for an alternative. There are many people like me, but all my friends who love cooking, and love reading recipe books don’t understand the problem, so as a professional chef I might be a new breed you’ve yet to meet. To let you know how much research and thinking I’ve done, I am halfway through building an AI driven voice chatbot to talk to me, as a guide, step by step as I am cooking. I can see that I have missed some vital steps as I mentioned before. So one of the reasons I would like to understand your worksheet better, is because I am wondering if I could include the theme of it in my chatbot, and make the process more complete. Let me know if you are interested, because right now it is a personal project, but who knows. I am a professional chatbot developer, so this is not a hobby :-)"

Second question is from Cher:

"I've now watched and read the sections of flavour + sauces. I have question regarding to how it might improve a sauce I make frequently- it's a lentil tomato sauce. In my opinion it's a reduction type sauce, according to your description of modern sauces.

These are the main ingredients PASTA SAUCE:

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
1/4 cup carrots (very finely diced)
1/4 cup diced tomatoes (optional)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce*
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 pinch sea salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (divided)
1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano
1 Tbsp dried or fresh basil
1-2 Tbsp sweetener of choice
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry red lentils (rinsed in cool water for 1 minute)- cooked in 2 cups water

As you can see, there's no stock, and also there isn't a deglazing step in the recipe. According to your video on sauces, a tomato sauce base should have tomatoes + stock + roux.

So my question is, would it be better/ appropriate to add a stock, deglazing step, and roux to the recipe?
If so, what kind of stock base should it be?
Veggie, chicken? When should I deglaze?
I would assume that it would be after frying the aromatics? (onions, garlic, carrots etc)
What should I deglaze with? When should I add the stock and roux?
Would it be after adding the tomato sauce?"

SCS 052 | Ancient Grains & Fresh Milled Flours with Jade Koyle Jul 12, 2018

In this episode I discuss ancient grains, fresh milled flour, and sourdough bread baking with the President of Grand Teton Farm & Mill, Jade Koyle. Jade also owns and operates AncientGrains.com & Einkorn.com.

A few of the topics we touch on include:

How to successfully bake bread with ancient grains such as Einkorn, and how their different gluten structures require a specific approach.
Using fresh milled "herb flour."
Using foraged grains to give your bread a special sense of time and place, as well as unique flavors.
The difference between white and red wheat, and what to look for when buying whole grain berries.

Question or Comment?

Send them to jacob@stellaculinary.com, or leave us a voicemail at 775-204-8389. You can also join the discussion over on the Stella Culinary forum, or the the SCFB Group.

Interested in Getting Your Own Grain Mill?

For a limited time, Mockmill is offering $80 work of savings and free shipping for Stella Culinary fans who buy through this link.

Connect with Chef Jacob

SCS 051 | Pan Gallego, Sourdough Modifications, & Dough Salt Ratios - Listener Bread Questions Answered Jul 07, 2018

Have a question you'd like me to answer on an upcoming episode? Leave a voicemail, call the Stella Culinary Hotline at 775-204-8389, or e-mail me, jacob@stellaculinary.com. You can also post your questions, comments, success and failures, to the Stella Culinary Forum, or our Facebook Group.

In this episode, listener bread questions are answered!

Johna's question on Pan Gallego (here's the video I referenced in my response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHKLNTdlzE8)
A question on the Baker's Percentage (full video breakdown can be found here: https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/stella-bread/sb-001-what-bakers-percentage)
Benito's question on possible bread yeast infections.
Mohammad's question on Beef Pancetta
Devon's question on sourdough feeding schedule and salt percentages in bread dough.
Bigblue's question on tweaking the basic sourdough formula and making it his own.

For more bread podcasts and video techniques, check out our bread baker's resource page at https://stellaculinary.com/sb

SCS 050 | T is for Technique Jul 03, 2018

In part three of our culinary boot camp series, we cover the science and best practices behind various cooking techniques including braising, steaming, pressure cooking and a deep dive into sous vide.

If you have any questions or comments on this episode, you can send me a voice mail or call our hotline, 775-204-8389, post it to our friendly forum or Facebook group, or shoot me an e-mail, jacob@stellaculinary.com

The accompanying video lecture for this episode can be found on the show notes page at: https://stellaculinary.com/scs50

Can you believe we're already at episode 50!

If you're looking for videos that demonstrate various cooking techniques such as pan roasting, braising, sous vide, etc, please check out our Cooking Technique Video Index found here: https://stellaculinary.com/ct.

Win a Mockmill Grain Mill

As I mentioned in the beginning of this episode, I'm giving away a Mockmill Grain Mill to one randomly selected Stella Culinary audience member. You do have to enter to win, and you can do so here: https://stellaculinary.com/mockmill

Follow Chef Jacob

SCS 049 | Taste Vs. Flavor, Black Pepper Corn Sauce, & Hipster Bone Broth - Your Questions Answered! Jun 27, 2018

In this episode, listener questions covering flavor structure and sauce making are answered. If you want to have your question answered on an upcoming episode of the show, you can leave me a voicemail thru this page here, call the hotline (775-204-8389), or e-mail me, Jacob@StellaCulinary.com.

Don't forget to download your copy of my Culinary Boot Camp & F-STEP Curriculum. You can also join the conversation over on the Stella Culinary Forum, or SC Facebook group!

In This Episode ...

We start the show talking taste vs. flavor, what makes up great flavor structure, and where does texture play a part? Shout out to Chasay over on the SCFB group for his awesome comment that spurred this discussion.

We discuss an important concept I wish I had included in my Flavor Structure Lecture; a concept I call "Flavor Spectrum".

Then we head on over to the Stella Culinary Forum, to answer rbg1000000's question on stocks versus broths, and possibly offend a few hipsters along the way.

Next, we discuss Loren's black pepper corn sauce, and I walk Michael through how to make a restaurant quality morel mushroom reduction that will go perfect with a steak!

We finish the episode with a trio of questions from SCFB member Sigfried, covering various puree sauce options and approaches, when to use different thickeners in the sauce making process, and the delineation between an emulsion and a puree.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave me a rating & review, and don't forget to subscribe to our e-mail newsletter!

Lecture Videos Referenced

Note: If you're clicking on the above video links in the future and are coming across a message that says something to the effect of "Video Not Available," that's because I've finally came to my senses and realized that this information is too valuable to be given away for free! If not, then I've either forgotten all about this and moved on with my life, or you're very luck! ;-)

Connect with Chef Jacob (That's ME!)

SCS 048 | Culinary Boot Camp Day Two - S is for Sauce Part 2 Jun 14, 2018

Questions or comments? E-mail me, jacob@stellaculinary.com, call 775-204-8389 to leave a voicemail, or post on our Friendly Forum or Facebook Group.

In episode 47 of the SCS Podcast, I introduced the concept of the three modern mother sauces, a technique based approach to sauce making.

In this episode, we continue our discussion, with a deep dive into emulsifications and purees.

Related Podcasts & Videos

Other Supporting Links

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail, comment or questions by using our contact form, or by calling 775-204-8389.
Buy chef Jacob's F-STEP Curriculum and master the five pillars of cooking, Flavor, Sauce, Technique, Execution & Preparation.
Join the Stella Culinary Forum.
Join the Stella Culinary Facebook Group.

SCS 035 | Sous Vide Cooking - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Mar 27, 2018

How to cook sous vide is explored in this episode, including the how's, why's, and underlying science.

Have a question or comment? Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389. Or you can write us via our contact form.

Stella Culinary Sous Vide Cooking Videos

Sous Vide Cooking Resources

Chef Jacob's Sous Vide Temperature Guide PDF
Beginners Guide to Sous Vide Cooking - Jason Logsdon at AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com
ChefSteps.com Sous Vide Resource Page
Exploring Sous Vide FaceBook Group
Dave Arnold's Sous Vide Primer from CookingIssues.com

Tools Mentioned

Anova Immersion Circulator
Poly Science Immersion Circulator
Joule Immersion Circulator
VacMaster VP215
VacMaster VP210
Food Saver
Gallon Freezer Zip-Lock Bag
You may want a container with a lid to make your sous vide cooking more convenient.

If you haven't yet, check out Chef Jacob's F-STEP Curriculum.

SCS 034 | Brining, Pasta Dough & Bread Baking Questions Answered Feb 23, 2018

Listener voicemail questions on cooking and baking are answered! You can leave your own voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

4:03 - "How to convert a basic baguette recipe to a rice flour baguette for Vietamese style bahn mi sandwiches."

Basic Baguette Recipe
- Swap 5-10% flour for rice flour.
- Add 5-10% fat (I use 5% fat, either rice bran oil or extra light olive oil).
- Dust baguette with rice flour before proofing.
Baker's Percentage
Bahn Mi Sandwich

8:29 - Colin asks "When increasing the amount of salt in a brine to shorten the brining time, do you need to increase the other ingredients in the brine, and what affect does that have on the flavor and texture of the meat"

16:21 - Harman from Belgium asks "What are some other oils I can use instead of canola oil, within a reasonable price range, if I'm concerned with the health effects of canola."

Substitues need to be high smoke point and neutral flavor.
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower seed oil
- Peanut oil
- Grape seed oil
- Clarified butter or Ghee
- Extra light olive oil
How to Make Clarified Butter
Is canola oil toxic and bad for you?
- Yes
  - Dr. Axe thinks you should avoid it, but isn't exactly a hardliner. Fairly resonable acticle.
- No
Canola Oil Wiki Page

20:18 - John asks "How can I take the standard fresh, egg pasta recipe, and incoroporate other flavors such as herbs, spinach, asperagus, vegetable juices, purees, etc."

26:50 - Henry from South Carolina asks "How can I bake an artisan sourdough boule if I don't have a dutch oven."

34:24 - Len asks "Non Stick Vs. Stainless Vs. Enamel Clad - Which one should I use."

37:16 - Pedro from Brazil asks "How do I scale a sourdough bread recipe to make a large batch with multiple loaves."

SCS 033 | J. Kenji Lopez Alt. from The Food Lab & SeriousEats.com Feb 20, 2018

In this episode, we welcome J. Kenji Lopez Alt, managing Culinary Director of Serious Eats, and author of the wildly popular Food Lab Blog.

In September of 2015, Kenji released his book, The Food Lab - Better Home Cooking Through Science, which landed him on the New York Time's Best Sellers list.

Here are some things we discussed in this episode:

What Kenji is planning for his next book, volume 2 of The Food Lab.
How to keep egg shells from sticking to sous vide and hard boiled eggs.
Kenji's favorite method for cooking hard boiled egs.
How he like's to use "umami bombs" to make his food more savory.
How to use gelatin to mimic restaurant quality stocks and reduction sauces.
His experiments with soaking pasta before cooking.
And much more.

Links for Kenji

Buy his book, The Food Lab - Better Home Cooking Through Science
Follow him on Twitter - @TheFoodLab
Connect with Kenji on Facebook
Read his Serious Eats blog.

Have a question or comment?

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

SCS 032 | From Kitchen Grunt to Sous Chef Feb 17, 2018

In this episode, I answer Chase's question about what it takes to work your way up in a professional kitchen, from kitchen grunt to sous chef.

Have a question or comment?

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

SCS 031 | How to Cook with Wine Feb 13, 2018

In this episode I answer Robyn's question about whether or not you need to buy expensive wine for cooking, and what affect that will have on your food's flavors. I also recommend the wines I like to cook with both professionally and personally, and give a few tips on how to properly incorporate wine into your cooking.

Quick Note: Since this question was originally submitted on the Stella Culinary Forum, I will be closing the comment section on this post, so we can all continue the conversation in one place. If you any questions or comments you'd like to post about this topic, please post them to the link below:

Cheap Wine Versus Exspensive Wines for Cooking

Have a question or comment?

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

SCS 029 | R&D Food Scientist Kimberly King Schaub Feb 08, 2018

In this episode, my good friend Kimberly King Schaub of PeasOnMoss and Bullet Proof Coffee joins the show to talk shop.

Don't forget to sign up for our e-mail newsletter, join the Stella Culinary Forum, and check out Chef Jacob's Culinary Boot Camp / F-STEP Curriculum. If you have a question you'd like to submit to be answered on an upcoming podcast, you can do it by leaving a voicemail, or filling out our contact form. And don't forget to leave a review for The Stella Culinary School Podcast wherever you download your podcast from.

Episode Topics Include

I tell Kimberly my embarrassing story about bombing on live radio during an NPR interview.
What’s Kim been up to? What’s it like being an R&D Chef?
R&D For Bullet Proof Coffee
Some new drinks Kim is working on and the science hacks she implements.
The importance of networking as a chef and culinarian.
Staging in a restaurant, dos and don'ts, plus how it can help your career.
Jacob talks about what he’s been up to for the last 2 years.
How to “Leap Frog” and find that “Stretch Job” to fast track your culinary career.
The culinology degree program (a mixture of culinary arts & food science).
What is the real purpose of culinary school?
What makes Collagen Protein Powder special?
Is collagen protein fortification real?

And much more.

As is common when two chefs get together, this episode contains explicit language. You have been warned.

Links You May Find Helpful

Lundburg Family Farms
Bullet Proof Coffee
MCT Oil and Medium Chain Triglycerides
Grass Fed Butter
Dave Aspry
Tibetan Yak Butter Tea
Exogenous Key Tones
Caprilic Acid
Creb Cycyle
Beta Hydroxy Butyrate
Ketogenic Diet
Hydrolizing Protein
Food Science Video On Emulsion
Thomas Keller Google Talk where he discusses passion vs. dedication.

Have a question or comment?

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

SCS 028.5 | Listener Pizza Questions Answered Feb 06, 2018

In this episode, we follow up last week's pizza podcast with your questions answered.

First up from the Stella Culinary Archives, we answer Nina's audio questions about cooking pizza on a BBQ Grill.

Then Chef Jacob responds in turn to the following questions and comments.

Neapolitan Pizza

Cathy in Arizona asks about Grinding Her Own Wheat for Neapolitan Pizzas

Thanks for all the great info. I know that you recommend refined 00 flour for pizza dough. Do you think Sonoran white wheat whole flour ground extra fine would be at all suitable and work ok in the high temperatures in the 700s or so? I love baking Sonoran white wheat sourdough bread in my kitchen oven and we are going to purchase a Uuni Pro and I'm looking forward to trying breads and pizzas at the higher temps. I have an All Grain Mill and it makes a pretty fine pastry flour.

I plan to purchase some OO flour and do a test against my own home ground Sonoran white wheat flour in pizza crusts. Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks much

Michael Carey via YouTube

So I made a pie and the dough did not brown at all on the bottom at 475 f, but toppings and cheese cooked good. over proofing could have been the reason?

DP ie via YouTube

Hi Jacob. This was a truly excellent tutorial - must be one of the best videos about doing pizza on Youtube. Well done! I have three questions.

1: Does it make a big taste difference to use Buffalo Mozzarella compared to basic Mozzarella when cooked? Used raw, I find normal Mozzarella almost unbearable compared to the delicious Buffalo quality.

2. I saw your other great video about how to make the pizza dough. I prefer to use sour-dough as it tends to develop much more complex flavors compared to yeast. Would it be possible to do your recipes with the same proofing time using sour-dough or do you think I should change proofing times in any way?

3. Do you think sour-dough would make a better tasting pizza, (assuming you avoid over-proofing it making it too sour)? Thanks from your Swiss fan.

Luca Baldoni

Good video, some comments. The edge of the Pizza Napoletana (not Neapolitan...not everything need to translate in english) is not called Cornichon. Cornichon is a French pickle, very delicious but nothing to do with the Pizza from Napoli - Italy. The edge of the Pizza Napoletana is called CORNICIONE and here the literal translation is from the base word of Cornice = FRAME, Cornicione = BIG FRAME. But the meaning of CORNICIONE is just creating a big edge to contain all the pizza toppings.

MainAccount via YouTube

I have a question about the oven. Do you think it would be possible to mimic a wood-fired oven with something like a Big Green Egg ceramic BBQ?

Gonzalo Fernandez

Your oven was perfect but when you cook the pizza was a black smoke ... My guessing is you put green wood or a contaminated wood just before cook the pizza I do have a pizza oven club

Sicilian Style Pizzas (aka Pizza Romano)

Sander Van Hove

With all due respect, but sugar? I have been in Italy some 15 times in many kitchens and never have I met an Italian adding sugar or olive oil to the basic dough of a pizza,

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Papa George Chronicles

COMPLIMENT FROM A NATIVE CHICAGOAN: Your recipe is the most authentic I've yet to find on YouTube thus far. Having been in Chicago's food scene for more than thirty-five years (before I retired), I recognize your 'build technique', crust development, cornmeal use, etc, etc. Have relatives who have worked in just about all of the most popular and successful pizza places in Chicago. They would be proud to acknowledge your style. Thank you for keeping it 100%!

Tba 1

Many mistakes here. never use bread flour--the whole point of Chicago deep dish is its flaky, biscuit-like texture=AP flour. There has never been cornmeal in authentic Chicago deep dish. No need for butter, although it's O.K. To achieve the correct texture for Chicago deep dish you need lots of oil (usually 3 tablespoons per cup of flour) and very short mix/knead time (think biscuits).

Have a question or comment?

Leave chef Jacob a voicemail by calling 775-204-8389, or by following this link. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail newsletter, join our Stella Culinary Facebook Group, and leave me a rating and review in Apple Podcast.

SCS 028 | Let's Talk Pizza! Jan 29, 2018

In this episode, we take a deep dive into pizza, discussing Neapolitan, New York, and Chicago style. Since great pizza is all about the dough, we tie together everything learned in our bread series, and discuss why we apply certain formulations to achieve specific results.

To get the most out of this episode, you will need a basic understanding of the baker's percentage.

Introduction

1:56 - How this lesson on pizza will be influenced by past bread baking episodes.
4:05 - There are false pizza recipes on the internet and you shouldn't trust most of them. The dough is what makes the pizza.
6:20 - It's important to understand how various ingredients influence your dough, and how that can inform the formulation of your own, unique pizza dough.

Discussion Segment

9:05 - Brief history of pizza.
12:20 - Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, Arizona

Neapolitan Pizza - 12:30

Vera Pizza Napoletana
- VPN Regulations (link to PDF)
14:40 - What VPN regulations say about how a good Neapolitan Pizza should look, smell, and taste.
15:45 - Neapolitan Pizza Dough
- 00 Pizza Flour - A finely ground flour used for making Neapolitan Pizzas baked in a hot, wood fire oven.
- 17:30 - Why bread flour shouldn't be used when making a Neapolitan Pizza dough (it gives a bitter, burnt, flavor).
- 18:40 - It's difficult to get a Neapolitan Pizza to brown properly in a home oven.
- 19:45 - Jacob gets pedantic and starts splitting hairs on the definition of sea salt.
- 20:10 - The proper type of yeast to use when creating a traditional Neapolitan pizza.
  - Cake Yeast / Fresh Compressed Yeast
- 21:50 - NO FAT!
- 22:05 - Proper hydration rate of Neapolitan Pizza Dough, and why it contains less water than other, standard pizza doughs and breads.
- 25:25 - The importance of long, slow, fermentation, and why it's important when working with a low hydration dough like Neapolitan pizza dough (besides the fact that slow fermentation creates a better flavored pizza crust!).
- 26:40 - Quick refresher course on mixing dough and using the autolyse step.
- 27:55 - The fermentation process.
  - Bulk Fermentation = 16-14 hours
  - Proofing = 1-2 hours at room temperature, or retarded in fridge for up to 24 hours.
  - If retarding dough, allow to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour.
  - 29:55 - The effects of water & room temperature on your doughs proofing time.
  - Bulk ferment until 2-2.5 X original volume, proof until 1.75 - 1.9 X original volume.
  - 32:50 - Neapolitan Pizza Dough workflow from start to finish.
  - 35:30 - Hydration rate of Neapolitan Pizza = 55-59% (based on the Baker's Percentage)
  - Video: How to Make Neapolitan Pizza Dough
36:15 - How to stretch dough by hand and why you should never use a rolling pin or mechanical sheeter.
- 36:55 - Jacob does an awful job of pronouncing 'cornicione,' the pizza's outer crust or edge.
  - Here's how you actually pronounce it.
- 38:00 - How to hand stretch pizza dough (Technique Video).
43:25 - Neapolitan Pizza Toppings
- Sauce - Fresh tomato, only the following variations can be used: San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-nocerino D.O.P., Pomodorini di Corbara (Corbarino), Pomodorino del piennolo del Vesuvio DOP".
- Cheese - Fiori di Latte (fresh cow's milk mozzarella), or Buffalo Mozzarella, (certified mozzarella di bufala campana, D.O.P).
- Toppings - Oil, oregano, basil, cheese (grated hard cheese), garlic
- 45:35 - Sounds like Jacob say's "San Marzano Tomatoes are grown in Volcanic Oil," but chef mumble mouth really meant to say "Volcanic Soil."
- Video: How to peel and blanch tomatoes
- Video: How to make pizza sauce
- 47:45 - Properly topping a Neapolitan pizza.
48:10 - Let's talk wood fire ovens and how to properly fire it for Neapolitan Pizzas.
- This is the butane torch chef Jacob uses to start his fire.
52:00 - Video: How to Bake a Neapolitan Pizza in a Woodfire Oven
53:50 - Video: Neapolitan Pizza Work Flow
- Wooden Pizza Peel for Offloading
- Metal Pizza Peel (Palina) for turning and lifting pizzas in the wood fire oven.
59:45 - The two true VPN Recognized Neapolitan Pizzas.
- Marinara
  - Canned, peeled tomatoes
  - Olive Oil
  - Garlic
  - Oregano
  - Salt
- Margherita
  - Canned, peeled tomatoes
  - Olive Oil
  - Mozzarella / Fior di latte
  - Fresh Basil
  - Hard Cheese (grated)
  - Salt
1:01:20 - Remember, it's all about the crust! You're toppings are just a garnish to enhance the dough.

New York Style Pizza - 1:02:00

Book: American Pie by Peter Reinhart
1:03 - Reinhart and Jefferey Steingarten eat New York Style Pizza
1:03:45 - Genaro Lombardi opened up the first pizza restaurant in 1905, and launched the style of New York Pizza.
1:04:40 - Old School veresus modern New York Pizza Ovens.
1:06:06 - New York Pizza Dough Formulations
- 1:06:15 - Why bread flour is used in New York Style Pizza Doughs
- Oil - Aids in browning and exstensibility of dough. Also gives a little bit of softness, and keeps the dough from drying out during re-heating when sold by the slice.
- Sugar - Enhances flavor and assists in browning.
- Sauce - Kenji from the Food Lab describes a good New York Style Pizza Sauce as "Emphatically Tomatoey, with the slightest hint of herbs and alliums."
  - Kenji's New York Pizza Lab article
  - Kenji's New York Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Book: The Pizza Bible by Tony Gemignani
- 1:11:00 - Understanding the pizza dough ingredients and hydration rate (we use the Baker's Percentage in this discussion).
- 1:11:00 - Why oil and fat is used in dough.
- 1:12:25 - Diastatic Malt Powder
  - Helps convert complex starches in flour to simple sugars. This enhances the dough's ability to rise, and adds a sweet, wheaty aroma.
- 1:14:30 - Salt, and why it's important in pizza dough that is tossed and spun.
- 1:16:20 - The Mixing and Proofing of New York Style Pizza Dough.
Video: How to Make New York Style Pizza At Home
Tools you'll need:
- A Baking Steel (preferred) or Baking Stone
- Wooden Pizza Peel
- Metal Pizza Peel
- Chef's Knife, Pizza Wheel, or Rocking Pizza Knife

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza - 1:24:32

Chicago style pizza, just like all pizza, is all about the dough!
Video: How to Make a Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
1:27:00 - Fat makes the dough.
1:27:25 - Cornmeal in the crust? Yay or nay?
1:28:50 - Chicago Dough Formulation
- 1:30:45 - The Maillard Reaction and how it effects the formula for Chicago style deep dish dough.
- 1:32:45 - Why Jacob's Chicago Style Dough has a high fat percent and low hydration rate.
1:40:00 - Building a Chicago Style Pizza
- What type of cheese should you use for a Chicago style pizza?
  - Sliced (not shredded) high fat / low moisture mozzarella and provolone.
- 1:40:40 - Should you pre-cook you're Italian sausage?
- 1:42:05 - Chef Jacob's Italian Sausage recipe that he uses in his Chicago Style Pizza.
- 1:42:30 - Chicago sauce is really just seasoned, diced tomatoes. A classic choice is 6-in-1 Brand Tomatoes.
- 1:43:40 - Cooking the Chicago Style Pizza.

Honorable Mentions

1:45:10 - Sicilian Style Pizza
Video: How to Make a Sicilian Style Pizza
- Garlic Bechamel Recipe Videos

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SCS 027 | Chef Clint Jolly Live From Argentina Jan 16, 2018

In this episode of the Stella Culinary School Podcast, Jacob is joined live by Chef Clint Jolly, who recently sold his successful catering company and decided to take a year abroad to experience new cultures and cuisines.

Chef Clint joins us on the first leg of his trip from Buenos Aries, Argentina to discuss his experiences from the perspective of a traveling chef, his favorite thing he's eaten so far, a lesson on beef age and flavor, and so much more.

Links

This Episode's Show Notes on Stella Culinary
Chef Clint Jolly's Blog and article we were discussing, Asado, Malbec & Friends (chef out the awesome wood fire grill he's rockin'!)
Follow Chef Clint's year abroad on FaceBook, Instagram, & Twitter.

Items Mentioned

Mellow Fellow in Reno, Nevada
Pujol Restaurant, Mexico City
Butcher Boy, Reno, NV
Sweet Breads
Difference between Argentine beef, and beef produced in the United States (mainly slaughter age, freshness, and diet).
Book: Seven Fires by Francis Malaman
Remote Year - The service chef Clint Jolly is using to plan his year abroad.

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SCS 026 | Thanksgiving Day Q&A Nov 24, 2017

Community questions are answered including spatchcocking duck, turkey roulade, brussels sprouts, scratch green bean casserole, and much more. For links to all the resources mentioned in this episode, please visit our show notes: http://StellaCulinary.com/

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SCS 025 | Mastering Thanksgiving Day Sides Nov 21, 2017

In part two of our Thanksgiving Day podcast series, we talk popular side dishes including mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. Along with a great turkey, these dishes will make up the core of your Thanksgiving Day meal. Show Notes: http://StellaCulinary.com/scs24

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SCS 024 | Let's Talk Turkey Oct 31, 2017

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, is your technique up to the task of blowing away your family and friends? In this episode Jacob explains why you should never stuff your turkey or roast it whole. He gives you various approaches that will make your workflow and execution more seamless, and discusses techniques such as spatchcocking, sous vide, pan roasting, and roulade. This episode's show notes, which include supporting technique videos and community discussions, can be found at StellaCulinary.com/scs24

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SCS 022 | Let's Bake Some Sourdough Oct 28, 2017

In the Stella Culinary School Podcast Episode 21, you learned how to create pre-ferments and sourdough starters. In this episode, we dive into the sourdough bread making process.

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SCS 021 | Sourdough Starters and Pre-Ferments Oct 20, 2017

If you're a serious bread baker and want to take your game to the next level, this is the podcast for you. In this episode, we discuss how to create complex tasting breads by utilizing a sourdough starters and pre-ferments.

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SCS 020 | Bread Classifications Oct 01, 2017

In this episode we discuss the various ways breads are classified and take a more detailed look at the science behind the bulk fermentation process.

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SCS 019 | Twelve Steps of Bread Sep 28, 2017

In this episode of The Stella Culinary School Podcast we discuss the twelve steps of the bread baking process. Whether you're new to bread baking or an old pro, this podcast is extremely important for building a foundation in excellent bread baking technique.

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SCS 018 | The Four Pillars of Bread Aug 29, 2017

In this episode of the Stella Culinary School Podcast we kick off our bread baking lecture series with a lesson on the four ingredients needed to make bread. We discuss the science behind flour, water, yeast and salt and how it will affect your overall bread dough recipe.

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SCS 017 | Canapes Aug 28, 2017

In this episode, we finish our Basic Garde Manger Course with a lesson on Canapes, those nice little one bite hors d’oeuvre that you’ll find at cocktail parties and wine tastings.

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SCS 016 | Composed Salads Aug 20, 2017

In this episode, we bring our salad series full circle and talk about how to create a composed salad using proper flavor structure and contrasting components. In the culinary quick tip, how to candy nuts!

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SCS 015 | Classic Salads and Creamy Dressings Aug 15, 2017

In this episode of The Stella Culinary School Podcast, we continue our Garde Manger Course with a lesson on creamy and emulsified salad dressing, and talk about some classic salads such as the Caesar, Cobb and Louis.

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SCS 014 | Salad Greens & Dressings Jul 28, 2017

In this episode of the Stella Culinary School Podcast, we start a four part series on basic Garde Manger, also known as the "cold kitchen". In the discussion segment, we talk about flavor structure and how it applies to making your own mixed greens. In the technique segment, we go over the building blocks of a vinaigrette, including the science behind vinegar, and why it's so important in flavor extractions. Then, in the culinary quick tip, how to properly wash and store your salad greens.

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SCS 013 | Sauce Espagnole Jul 20, 2017

In this episode of The Stella Culinary School Podcast, we finish our five part mother sauce series with a lesson on Sauce Espagnole. Also known as Sauce Brown, Espagnole is the base inspiration for modern day demis and pan sauces. In the discussion segment we go over the evolution of Escoffier's version of Espagnole into modern day demi-glace, and in the culinary quick tip, the three components you need to finish a pan sauce for optimum flavor balance.

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SCS 012 | Sauce Tomat Jul 01, 2017

In part four of our five part mother sauce series, we talk about Sauce Tomat, the base for many variations of modern tomato sauce. We finish up our talk on thickening agents, with a quick discussion on purees, bread crumbs, and food grade gums like Ultra Tex 3 and Xanthan Gum. In the main technique segment, we go over Escoffier's classic recipe for Sauce Tomat, and then cover some modern variations.

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SCS 011 | Béchamel Sauce Jun 30, 2017

In part three of our mother sauce series, this lesson focuses on Béchamel Sauce, from which many milk and cream based sauces are derived. We continue our discussion on thickeners, including white wash, beurre manié, corn starch and arrow root. And in the culinary quick tip, how to make a simple macaroni and cheese using a common Béchamel derivative, Mornay.

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SCS 010 | Sauce Veloute Jun 20, 2017

In part two of our French Mother Sauce series, we go over how to make sauce velouté , including some of the more popular secondary sauces, including Sauce Supreme, Allemande and Vin Blanc. In the discussion segment, we start a three part series on thickening agents used in both sauces and soups. In this episode, we go over roux and liaison.

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SCS 009 | Sauce Hollandaise Jun 10, 2017

We start our five part series on the French Mother sauces with a lesson on hollandaise including proper technique, the scientific principals of an emulsion, and some common secondary sauces that use hollandaise as a base.

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SCS 008 | Frying, Confit and Deep Fat Poaching Jun 01, 2017

Basic cooking techniques series is finished with a lesson on frying, confit, and deep fat poaching.

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SCS 007 | Braising, Poaching, & Roasting May 30, 2017

 In this episode, we continue our three part series on basic cooking technique with a lesson on braising, poaching and roasting. In the discussion segment, Jacob answers Scott's question on becoming a chef, and some of the hurdles he will have to overcome in the process. And in the Culinary Quick Tip, we talk about Sous Vide, and how it can be applied to the braising process.

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SCS 006 | Sautéing, Searing & Pan Roasting May 20, 2017

In this episode of The Stella Culinary School Podcast, we start a three part series on basic cooking technique. Discussed today; sautéing, searing and pan roasting.

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SCS 005 | Basic Starches - Risotto, Polenta, Mashed Potatoes May 10, 2017

In this episode of the Stella Culinary School Podcast, we talk about three major starches that every cook must know and understand; polenta, risotto and mashed potatoes. In the discussion segment we go over the meaning of an entrée, appetizer and hors d'oeuvre.

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SCS 004 | Blanching May 01, 2017

Basics of blanching are discussed including the make up chlorophyll and how to keep green vegetables green and why root vegetables are blanched differently then green vegetables.

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SCS 003 | Culinary Stocks Part Two - Chicken, Vegetables, & Fish Apr 30, 2017

In part two of our culinary stock's podcast, we discuss the proper technique and approach to making chicken, vegetable, and fish stock. It is highly recommend that you listen to part one of our stock making series first.

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SCS 002 | Stocks Part One - Veal Stock Apr 20, 2017

In part one of our two part stock making series, we talk about veal stock including the best approaches and techniques. Once you master veal stock, all other stocks will seem easy by comparison. Show Notes: http://stellaculinary.com/scs2

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SCS 001 | Culinary Knife Skills Apr 10, 2017

Learn basic knife skills essential for anyone who wants to take their cooking to the next level.

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