Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable?

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Many people argue both sides of this. I have always been on the side that a tomato is a vegetable. In a recent post I discussed whether or not an olive is a fruit or a vegetable too. It can be such tricky area.

It gets all muddled because of how it is defined by cooks and scientists. So, is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Scientifically speaking, a tomato is a fruit. If you are like me, you find this hard to swallow since I have always considered fruits to be sweet. And I use tomatoes as I would vegetables because they are savory and not sweet.

Still, if you go to the grocery store you will still find that tomatoes are with the vegetable and are labeled as such. No wonder there is so much confusion. Legally, tomatoes are considered vegetables, that is why you find them listed as a vegetable, and with other vegetables. The Supreme Court ruled that since tomatoes are consumed in a manner like other vegetables it should be classified as a vegetable.

So, there you have it. Scientifically tomatoes are really fruits, but legally they are considered vegetables.

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Is an Olive a Fruit or a Vegetable?

I always wondered for the longest time whether an olive was a fruit or a vegetable. It doesn't look like either one. When I think of fruits, I always think sweet, like a strawberry. And when I think about vegetables, an olive doesn't fit that picture either. Defining what makes something a fruit and what makes something a vegetable can be somewhat confusing. Just look at tomatoes. Some people say it is a fruit, but still others say it is a vegetable.

So, what is an olive, a fruit or a vegetable? The answer is olives are fruits. They are specifically the fruit of the olive tree. Olives by no means are your typical fruit. You can't just grab them off the tree and eat them like you could an apple. The olive would be pretty much inedible because it is really bitter before it is cured.

So, there you have it, olives are considered fruits.

||Grilling Vegetables||

How to Use Charcoal Grill Vents

Believe it or not the vents are really important when it comes to grilling. So, it is really important to know how to use your charcoal grill vents. I know this may seem odd, but a grill with open vents cooks hotter than a grill with them closed. If you had your vents all closed it would actually shut down the heat. So, knowing how to use your vents is really important.

Before you even start your coals up, open the bottom vent fully. When the coals are ready and you have the meat on the grill, place the lid on and open the top vent fully as well. The air flows in through your bottom vent and out through the top. The top vent on your charcoal grill is used to keep heat and smoke in, or allow it to escape.

Adjusting the bottom vent will reduce the heat and also extends the burning time of your charcoal. If you close the bottom fully or too much you are going to put out the fire.

Ever thought of aging your meat? Visit >> Should You Age Your Meat

||Smoking on a Gas Grill||

Should You Age Your Meat

Many people think about aging their meats. The reason for this is the meat becomes a lot more tender. Aging allows the enzymes in the meat to soften all of the connective tissues, which in turn makes the meat more tender.

If you plan on aging your beef you should keep it at 34 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the perfect temperature to keep the beef from freezing because freezing the meat would inactivate the enzymes that are needed to break down the connective tissues. At a higher temperature you would just be introducing bacterial growth.

Want to know why certain cuts of meat are more tender? Visit >> Why are Some Cuts of Beef More Tender

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Why are Some Cuts of Beef More Tender

There are several reasons why certain cuts of meat are more tender than other cuts. The reasons can be the area in which the meat is cut from, the age of the animal, and the amount of activity the animal had. So, a fat lazy cow will be pretty tender.

Basically if the area in which the meat is cut from is an area on the animal which wasn't exercised much, it will be a lot more tender. If the animal was exercised heavily, it will have a lot tougher meat. Kobe beef cattle from Japan are actually massaged. What this does is reduce the stress and loosens them muscles making for tender cuts of meat.

So, if you want a tender steak, don't go with old, heavily exercised beef cattle, stick with the fat, lazy ones. Want to know how the freezer life of beef compares with chicken? Visit >> Freezer Life of Chicken vs. Beef

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Freezer Life of Chicken vs. Beef

Have you ever wondered which you can freeze longer, chicken or beef? Well, you can freeze beef for longer periods of time. Chicken has a shorter freezer shelf life than beef because it has a higher ratio of unsaturated fats to saturated fats.

Unsaturated fats are more likely to turn rancid because of oxidation. The reason for this is that there are more hydrogen sites in unsaturated fat in which oxygen can attach. Beef is a lot higher in saturated fat than chicken, and it has almost no open spots.

So, the moral of the story is do not freeze your chicken as long as your beef, it won't last as long in your freezer. Ever wonder if you should salt your steak before cooking? Well, find out the answer here >> Should You Salt Your Steak Before Cooking?

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Should You Salt Your Steak Before Cooking

There are many schools of thought when it comes to whether or not you should salt and pepper your steak before cooking. Some will say to salt prior to cooking and others will say to wait until after cooking.

Salt will draw liquid from your steak. So if you are cooking a steak in a pan the liquid will start to boil and give your meat a color and/or texture you may not want. If you are looking to get a salty flavor into the steak you would have to puncture the meat. You really don't want to do that since that will let all the juices out.

So, if you are looking for a salt flavor in you steak it is best to salt both sides of your steak right before you serve it. One other thing to note if you like to pepper your steak. Do not pepper it if you plan to cook your steak in the pan. Pepper has a tendency to get bitter if it is scorched by high heat.

Wondering why your steak tastes different the next day? Visit >> Why Does the Flavor of Beef Change

||Grill a Perfect Steak||

Why Does the Flavor of Beef Change

Have you ever noticed that the flavor of leftover beef changes considerably from the prior day? I certainly have. When you refrigerate beef the flavor will change; and it is a very noticeable change. This change in refrigerated beef can happen within only a few hours too.

The reason is the beef fat. Fat is the main source of flavor in beef, and it is what produces the change in taste. The off flavor of the beef is caused by the heating of the meat, which causes oxidation of the fats.

So, know that if you do have a lot of left over beef, it is not going to taste anywhere near as delicious as it did on the first day. Want more beef facts? Did you know that: Cooler Meat is Tougher Meat?

||What are the Cuts of Beef?||

Cooler Meat is Tougher Meat

Have you ever noticed that as your meat cools it gets tougher? Well, the cooler your steak or roasts are the tougher they will be. The reason for this is that the collagen in meat turns to a gelatin and begins to thicken as the meat cools.

In order to avoid the toughening of your meat you will want to serve your steak or other meats on a warmed plate or a metal plate. If it is a roast that you have made, after carving it place the rest of the roast in a warmer or put it back in the oven.

What to know how to marinade your meats? Visit >> Tips on How to Marinade Meats

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Tips on How to Marinade Meats

Every once in a while I like to marinade some of my meats and poultry. I'm going to share with you some hints and tips for marinading. If you've ever wondered why your meats turn brown really quickly when you are cooking or grilling them, it might be the marinade. You see marinades are for the most part highly acidic. The acidity in the marinades react with the muscle pigments of the meat causing it to brown quickly.

The acid in many marinades will reduce the ability of most meats to keep in moisture, so your meat may not be as moist as you thought it would be. However this lost in moisture is usually offset by the meat absorbing some of the marinade and also the flavor the marinade adds to your meats.

If you are marinading large pieces of meat, it should be done in a large plastic bag, like a Zip-Lock bag. It will require a lot less marinade if you do it this way. With smaller pieces of meat, you can marinade them in a glass dish. One thing you never want to do is marinade in a metal container. This is because the acid in the marinade will react with the metal giving your meat an off flavor.

Do not baste our meats with the marinade you soaked it in, always use fresh marinade. The reason is the marinade may get contaminated by bacterias from your meats. And finally always cover and refrigerate any meats that you are marinading.

Looking for more information on cooking meats? Visit >> Does Searing a Steak Really Seal in the Juices?

||How to Grill the Perfect Steak||

How to Keep Bacon from Splattering

Does your bacon splatter when you cooking it? Mine sure does. However there are things you can do to keep your bacon from splattering. Back a long time ago, there wasn't the problem of splattering bacon. That is because they cured it differently back then.

The old way was to cure the bacon slowly and using salts to dry it. The bacon then would not splatter when it was cooked. Today bacon is cured in brine which cures the bacon a lot more quickly. When the bacon is cooked this liquid from the brine gets released, which causes the fat to splatter more.

If you want to reduce the amount of splattering when cooking bacon, lower your heat settings. Another thing you can do to stop your bacon from splattering is to soak the bacon in ice water for 2 to 4 minutes, then dry it.

A couple other things you can do to keep your bacon from splattering is sprinkling a bit of flour on it before cooking. And if all else fails, use a splatter screen over your frying pan, those screens work wonders.

For more information on pork and purchasing pork visit >> What to Look for When Buying Pork

||Baby Back Ribs vs. Spare Ribs||

How to Properly Freeze Meat

If there was a big sale at the supermarket and you have a lot of meat on hand you may need to freeze a lot of it. There are a few things you can do prepare your meats for freezing. The first thing you will want to do is remove the meat from the store's packaging. You will want to wrap up the meat up in freezer paper or otherwise use a good quality freezer bag.

Meats such as hamburgers, pork chops, and steaks should be wrapped individually. Wrapping each meat individually will ensure that it will stay fresher. You will want to follow these steps for any meats you plan on freezing for longer than two weeks.

For more information on freezing meats visit >> Freeze Your Smaller Cuts of Meat

||The Grading of Beef||

Why Do We Have Ham at Easter?

Why is ham so popular at Easter? I'm sure if you are like most people, you probably have ham for your Easter dinner. It is a really common main course for most Easter dinners, but have you ever wondered why that is?

Well, the custom of eating ham at Easter is one that even predates Christianity. You see, fresh meat wasn't always that easy to come by especially in the early spring months. So, people in these times would take their fresh pork and bury it in the sand near the ocean. They would do this in the early winter.

What happened is the pork would get cured by the salt water that would soak it through the sand. This fresh pork just basically marinated in the salt water for months. After several months passed they would dig up this pork and would have a salt cured hunk of ham which would then be cooked over fire.

Are you going to buy any pork in the near future? Well, you are going to want to know what to look for. Visit >> What to Look for when Buying Pork

||How to Smoke Ham||

What to Look for when Buying Pork

When buying pork there are several things you need to look for to make sure you a getting a good cut of pork. The best indicators of quality when it comes to pork is the color of the meat and also the firmness. You want pork that has light to reddish pink meat. If is looks like it is gray or pale pass it up. The fat on pork should be white and smooth also.

If you are able to touch the pork, it should feel firm. If it feels soft and watery you do not want that cut of pork. If it is prepackaged pork look at the packaging and make sure it isn't damaged. Also check the package and make sure there is no moisture in it. If there is any juices in the packaging make sure that it is clear and not cloudy.

These simple tips will have you buying better cuts of pork. If you like pork, you will probably like country ham. Find out what country ham is by visiting >> Country Ham - Salt Cured Ham

||What are St. Louis Style Ribs?||

Country Ham - Salt Cured Ham

If you go to your local meat market and see a ham on the shelf rather than the refrigerator case it is more than likely a country ham. This type of ham does not need to be refrigerated because they are salt cured. There are many different methods of curing ham, and salt cured is just one of the ways.

A country ham often times will have a layer of mold on the skin, do not worry this is normal. This mold can be scraped off the skin. If you do end up getting a salt cured ham know that you will need to soak it in water for several hours. After you soak the country ham it also will need to be simmered for several more hours prior to baking it.

Country hams are typically more salty than your brine cured hams. Their taste is also different than a brine cured ham, many people will need to acquire the taste for a salt cured ham. But once you do, you will fall in love with them.

||How to Grill Ham||

Letting Your Roast Rest

When you are finished cooking a roast it is important to let it rest. The same it true for any meat you cook. Letting it rest just means to let it sit after cooking for around 15 minutes or so before you start cutting into it. What this does is lets the juices of your roast redistribute through out the meat.

When you cook a roast or any meat for that matter the juices end up going to the center of the roast. Any juices toward the surface of the meat are for the most part evaporated because of the heat. What resting the roast does is lets the juices from the center spread out throughout your meat. Thus you will have a juicer roast.

Want to know how to make lean ground beef juicy? Visit >> How to Make Your Lean Ground Beef Juicier

||How to Carve a Turkey||

Adding Soup Bones to Stock

When using soup bones, timing is everything. I see lots people make the mistake of waiting to add a soup bone to their stock after it has started to boil. This is the wrong way to go about it especially if you want to impart a lot of flavor to your stock.

When you add a soup bone to boiling stock the boiling water will seal the bone. Thus all the delicious flavors will not get released into the stock. The best time to add a soup bone to your stock is right away. You should add the bone to the water when it is still cold and first placed on the stove.

What this will do is allow all the flavors, and nutrients to be released from you soup bone. Plus all the gelatinous portions of the soup bone will be release, and this helps to thicken up and add body to your stock.

||The Grading of Beef||

Preparing Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake is a must try if you've never had it before. It is actually pretty good eating. Preparing rattlesnake isn't too difficult once you get used to the process. Just remember when dealing with a rattlesnake you must be cautious at all times. Rattlesnakes are quick and because of their reflexes you still can get bite even after it is dead.

To prepare a rattlesnake you will want to first cut off its head. After the head is off cut a slit in the skin  near where the head was and peel it back about an inch. Now take so heavy duty string or twine and tie the string around the peeled back area. Hang the rattlesnake from a tree.

What this does is frees up both hands to peel back the skin. You will need a sharp knife for peeling the skin back. Once all the skin is removed, slice open the belly of the rattlesnake and remove the guts. You can then start to cut the meat away from the bone. Once you have the meat, rinse it under some cold water that has a bit of salt in it. Cut the rattlesnake up into bite sized chunks, put a bit of flour and seasoning on it, then fry it up.

It is really simple once you do it a couple times. Like everything, it tastes a bit like chicken. If you don't have live rattlesnakes around your area, you can also purchase them from specialty shops.

||How to Smoke a Turkey||

What is the Best Meat for Hamburgers?

Are you wanting to know what the best meat is for hamburgers? In the news today we all here about the health concerns with fat, so they say to pick lean meats. However if you go that route, your burgers will not be as flavorful and juicy.

The meat of choice when making hamburgers is ground chuck. Ground chuck is so much better than ground beef from round, as it is from a fattier part of the cow. Do not worry about the fattiness of the burger because as you grill it most of the fat will be released and drip through the grates. A fattier ground beef will make for a juicier burger that you and your family will love. So, if at all possible for the best tasting burgers go with ground chuck.

Are you uncertain whether to go with a leaner or fattier steak? Visit >> Should You Pick a Marbled Steak?

||How To Grill Hamburgers||

Should You Pick a Marbled Steak?

A well marbled steak is something I love. A marbled steak is a steak that has streaks of white fat running through it. You will see it a lot on rib-eye steaks. This fat provides moisture and flavor to your steak. The fat will also help to tenderize your steak.

With a steak that has a lot of marbling it means that the cow did not get much exercise. A cow that if fed a diet rich in corn and other grains, and doesn't get much exercise means a cow that will have a lot of fat. It will thus have meat that is more tender.

So, if you like your cuts of steak tender and juicy, a well marbled steak is the obvious choice.

Want to know how to properly thaw your meat? Visit >> What is the Best Way to Thaw Meat?

||Is it Grilling or Barbecuing?||

What is the Best Way to Thaw Meat?

Want to know the best way to thaw meat? If you have frozen meat and you thaw it there is always the potential for bacteria to form and also to damage the cut of meat. Therefor how you thaw your meat is important to stop the possibility of bacteria formation, and also wreaking a good cut of meat.

So, what is the proper way to thaw your meat? The best way to thaw meat is always in the refrigerator. Yes, it will take time, but it reduces you chances of bacterial contamination and loss of flavor in your meat. So, do not leave it on your counter to thaw, or use a microwave to thaw your meat. With a microwave there is a very good chance of partially cooking the meat, which will dry it out.

Yes, thawing in the refrigerator takes time, but isn't a good cut of meat worth the extra time?

Having problems with flare-ups? Visit >> How to Deal with Flare-ups with Grilling

||How to Thaw a Turkey||

How to Deal with Flare-ups when Grilling

When grilling flare-ups are a common occurrence, especially when you are grilling fattier cuts of meat or chicken. There are a few things you can do if flare-ups are happening during your grilling.

The first thing you should do if you have a flare-up is reduce the amount of air. So, if you have the lid off of your grill put it back on. If you are using a charcoal grill once you have the lid back on close the top vent about halfway. This should cut down the flare-ups.

If you need to grill your foods with the lid off or the flare-ups are still happening even though you have the lid on, there is something else you can do. If it is still a problem, move the foods away from the heat source. If you foods are right over the heat flare-ups will happen more often, if you set the foods to cook indirect the flare ups will stop. You can try moving you food back over the heat source once the flare-ups stop.

||How to Grill||

Testing a Steak for Doneness

Testing a steak for doneness is a skill learned over time. You gotta cook a few steaks in order to get the feel for it. Normally a person could use a thermometer to tell precicely that their steak is done, but after you learn how to feel for doneness you will never be sticking your steak with a thermometer again.

I don't use a thermometer much as more when I grill meats, because I've learned how meat feels as it cooks. As your steak cooks it loses moisture and becomes firmer, so the longer you cook it the firmer the steak will feel. So it you are testing your steak for doneness and it feels pretty spongy, it is more than likely still rare. Now if it is really firm when pressed you probably have a medium-well or a well done steak.

With practice you will be able to easily tell if your steak is rare, medium rare, medium, medium-well, or well done. So, the next time you grill up a steak, test for doneness using your finger. For information on grilling a really good steak visit >> How to Grill the Perfect Steak

Do you like your steaks rare? Do you think a rare steak is really bloody? Find out here if a rare steak is really bloody. >> Is a Rare Steak Really Bloody?

Is a Rare Steak Really Bloody?

You probably think that when you have a rare steak it is a bloody steak. I used to think that as well. A nice rare steak that when you slice into it the red juices cover your place and the meat is still all red or pink. However, a rare steak is not a bloody steak.

So, if a rare steak is not bloody, why is it red? When a cow is butchered all of the blood is drained out, so there is hardly much left in the meat. What the reddish color you are seeing in the meat is myoglobin. Myoglobin is a pigment in the meat that makes it red, while blood gets its color from hemoglobin. So for the most part the nice red juices you see flowing when you slice into your steak is myoglobin.

Also you may notice that your beef is redder than your pork, that is because beef contains a lot more myoglobin than pork. For more information on the color of meat visit >> Color of Meat - The Sign of Freshness

||How to Grill the Perfect Steak||

Reducing Saltiness in Ham Slices

Have you ever had really salty slices of ham? If you are really sensitive to your ham being salty, there is a simple thing you can do. Before you cook up your ham slices, place the slices in a dish of milk for approximately 20 minutes. I know it sounds pretty crazy, but it works.

You are probably thinking that your ham will taste like milk, but it won't. The ham slices will not pick up the milk flavors. After you soak the slices of ham for around twenty minutes, rinse them off with cold water and dry them with a paper towel. It is a simple and effective way to cut the saltiness of your ham slices.

For more ham tips visit >> Buying a Canned Ham

||Types of Turkeys||

Buying a Canned Ham

Here is a simple tip when you are buying a canned ham. If you are thinking about purchasing a canned ham, buy the biggest one you can afford. You may be asking why you need to purchase the biggest canned ham you can afford? Well, it is because the majority of smaller canned hams are made from bits and pieces of ham stuck together with gelatin.

Bits and pieces stuck together with gelatin, doesn't sound too appetizing to me when I'm eating a canned ham. So, if you are not into stuck together ham pieces, buy the biggest canned ham you can afford.

For more tips on ham visit >> How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

||How to Grill a Turkey||

Does Searing a Steak Really Seal in the Juices?

You have probably heard before that searing a steak supposedly seals in the juices. I know I've heard that from lots of sources. It seems like it would make for a juicier steak, however it really is not true.

Many people will probably argue with you if you tell them that searing your steak does not keep in the juices. Just because searing a steak doesn't really lock in the juices, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it any longer. On the contrary you should sear you steaks.

Searing a steak will cause it to brown up and will create an exceptionally good steak. I always sear my steaks because of the great flavor it produces. If you are disappointed that searing a steak doesn't really lock in the juice, I have a solution for making a juicier steak. The solution is to cook low and slow. Grilling your steak slowly at a lower temperature will help it to turn out more tender and will also help it retain more of the good juices.

If you would like more tips on grilling steak visit >> How to Grill the Perfect Steak

Why You Should Not Refreeze Meat

You probably have heard before that once you thaw meat that has been frozen, you cannot freeze it again. Of course, we all have. But, did you ever wonder why you couldn't refreeze previously frozen meats? I know I wondered for the longest time. There are many reasons why, but I'm going to tell you the main reasons.

If a meat that contains fat is refrozen the fat within the meat may potentially cause the meat to go bad. More the most part all of your meats will have some fat in them. If it was already frozen once and you go to refreeze it again it may make your meats rancid. I don't know about you, but I don't want to eat rancid meat. And I definitely do not want a good cut of meat to go to waste.

Another reason is refreezing previously frozen meat will impact the texture of the meat. You don't want to ruin the texture of a good cut of steak. So, do not freeze previously frozen meats.

How to Make Your Lean Ground Beef Juicier

A lot of people do not like the extra fat in their ground beef, so they pick the leaner, or lower fat hamburger from the supermarket. With the extra leanness of the ground beef, comes the extra dryness. With lean ground beef, hamburgers and meatloaf tends to turn out dry and less flavorful. However there is something you can do to moisten up your burgers and meatloaf with out purchasing the fattier ground beef.

Whether you are making hamburgers or a meatloaf, mix in one well beaten egg white for every pound of ground beef. You can also add a pack of dry onion soup mix to your burger, that will also moisten it up a bit. For meatloaf you could also add some cottage cheese or instant potatoes to the center of the loaf, this will moisten it up as well.

Any of these few tips will help to add more juiciness to your burgers and meatloaf made with lean ground beef.

||How to Grill the Perfect Steak||

Simple Tip for Desalting Ham

Some people do not like ham because it is salty, or they really like it, but hate that it can be so salty. Ham is naturally salty, plus you have the majority of hams you buy at your local supermarket that are injected with a salt brine solution. So, ham can be pretty salty. However there is something you can do to desalt your ham a bit.

Now, this might sound a bit strange and some of it might sound like it is defeating the purpose, but bare with me, it works. To desalt your ham pour a can of ginger ale over it. After you pour the ginger ale on your ham rub salt all over the meaty side of your ham. You are going to want to do this at least 1 hour prior to cooking your ham.

Pouring the ginger ale on the ham and rubbing salt on it will cause the salt water to come to the surface of the ham, thus making your ham less salty. I know, it sounds weird, but it works.

Want more ham tips? Check out >> How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

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How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

I don't know about you, but I like to use my ham bone to make navy bean and ham soup, or split pea and ham soup. But sometimes cutting all that ham off the bone is a big pain. Having a bone in the ham makes it a lot tougher to carve as well. It would be a lot better if you could easily remove the bone. Well it can be really simple to remove the ham bone if you do it the right way. I'm going to give you a simple tip to making removing the ham bone a snap.

If you want to make removing a ham bone easy, follow my next set of instructions. Before placing the ham in the cooking pan, cut a slit in the ham lengthwise down the bone. Do not take the bone out at this point, you want it in the ham for cooking. While the ham cooks, the meat will start to pull away from the bone. So, once the ham it fully cooked the ham bone will be easy to pull out.

It is that simple to remove the ham bone. Now you can easily carve your ham and also use the bone for soups.

Want to learn more about ham? Visit >> Brine Injected Ham  Here you will learn all about your brine injected hams.

||How to Brine a Turkey||

How to Keep Sausage from Splitting While Cooking

It really bothers me when I'm cooking sausage and it splits open. It happens quite often when I'm not watching and it is cooking too long or hot. I have a simple solution to keep your sausages from splitting open when frying, or grilling them. I'll also let you in on a little known secret to keep your sausages from shrinking when cooking too.

We've all experienced that big, nasty split when cooking or grilling up sausages. It can easily be stopped by just piercing the sausage casing one or two times while cooking. Doing so will keep the sausages from splitting.

Oh, and you want to know how to keep those sausages from shrinking while cooking?  Simply roll them in a bit of flour before cooking them. That little bit of flour will help reduce shrinkage.

||How to Grill Peppers||

How to Keep Your Meatloaf Moist

I hate it when my meatloaf drys out, or starts cracking. It can happen when cooking, even with the coating of ketchup or tomato sauce. Nobody wants a dried hunk of meatloaf. A moist meatloaf is so much more delicious and flavorful. Well, if you have ever had your meatloaf dry out or start cracking, there is a simple solution.

To keep your meatloaf moist, instead of rubbing on the ketchup or tomato sauce, rub a bit of water on the sides and top instead. Basically when I used to prepare my meatloaf I'd coat the top and sides with ketchup, but it would still get dry and cracked. Now I just take a small amount of water and rub it on both the sides and top.

What this does is it keeps the meatloaf from cracking and drying out. Don't worry you still can add your tomato sauce or ketchup topping, just rub that on during the last 15 minutes of cooking. See, it is a simple solution to keep your meatloaf moist.

Do you have the same problem with meatballs? Here is your solution >> A Simple Tip for Moister Meatballs

Brine Injected Ham - Know What You are Purchasing

Knowing what your buying when it comes to ham is important, just as with buying any food product. So, knowing what the label means is a must when going out to purchase a ham. How hams are cured and injected will have a big impact on the final product. Make sure you understand how they are injected and what you are buying.

There are many ways of curing hams, but for the most part they are all injected with a solution. This solution consists of brine salts, sugar, and nitrates. With these injections will come a weight gain to the ham. Differing amounts of injections will of course increase the weight of your ham by differing amounts.

If you've gone to your local super market and seen a ham labeled "ham with natural juices", this is a ham that has gone up in weight by 8% from the injections. Now on the other hand if you find a label on your ham that reads "water added" this means that the ham's weight has increased by more than 10% from the injected brine solution.

||How to Grill||

What to Do When You Burn Your Roast

A roast is great, a burnt roast is not. Sometimes it is going to happen; you're going to burn your roast. It can be pretty embarrassing to serve a burnt roast to your friends and family. It has happened to me, and it is not fun. Well, if you noticed that you have burnt your roast, there is a simple solution for saving that roast. You don't want to serve your friends and family a black roast.

When checking on your roast and you noticed that it looks scorched or burnt, the first thing you want to do is remove it from the pan. Next moisten a towel with hot water and cover your roast with it. You will want to let it sit with the hot, damp towel on it for approximately 5 minutes. Doing this will stop the cooking process.

After the 5 minutes are up, remove the towel and scrape off any burnt sections with a knife. Once it looks like you've scrapped off all the burnt areas, place the roast back in the oven to heat back up.

It is a simple way to save face and save your burnt roast. Keep this in mind the next time you cook a roast.

Reheating Meat - How to Keep it from Drying Out

I really hate it when I reheat meat and it drys out. I'm sure you can relate. You make an absolutely fantastic roast, you and your family can't finish it all in one sitting, so of course you have leftovers. So, the next day you go to have it, warm it up, and it is as dry as shoe leather. Not good.

It stinks to have a good cut of meat worthless the next day when you reheat it. However there is a really simple solution to keep your sliced meat and roasts from drying out.

When you store your leftover roast, be sure to place it back in its own juices. I know not everyone retains the juices after cooking a roast, but going forward do it, as it will keep your roast moister for when you reheat it.

Now, when you go to reheat your sliced meats place them in a dish with lettuce leaves between the slices. The lettuce will provide just enough moisture to keep your slices of meat from drying out. It is a really simple trick that works wonders.

A Simple Tip for Moister Meatballs

Do you like moist meatballs? I know I do. There is nothing worse than making meatballs for your spaghetti or for an appetizer and then they turn out dry. Well there is a simple solution to making moist meatballs every time.

The key to making moist meatballs every time is to add a small piece of ice into the center of each meatball. I know, it sounds funny, but it works. So right before you start to brown your meatballs insert a small piece of ice into the center of each meatball.

You may have to test a few first to determine your browning time, because you do not want the meatballs to end up raw in the middle. We are aiming for moister meatballs, not raw meatballs. It is a really simple tip for moister meatballs that is definitely worth trying.

How to Keep Your Roast from Sticking to the Pan

We have all had it happen before. You make a really nice roast in the oven and you go to take it out of the pan, but it sticks. You end up leaving a big chunk of the roast stuck to the bottom of your roasting pan. Not only are you losing out on a chunk of good roast, trying to clean up your roasting pan becomes a huge pain.

Here is a simple tip to keep your roast from sticking to the bottom of your roasting pans. Line the bottom of your roaster with a few stalks of fresh celery. The celery will keep your roast from sticking to your pan, plus you get the additional benefits of the aromatics from the celery. It works just as well for roasting chickens and turkeys too.

Color of Meat - The Sign of Freshness

If your meat is frozen it should always be thawed in the refrigerator. Do not leave it out on your counter to thaw. Once you have thawed your meat it should be cooked up right away. Do not let it sit in your refrigerator for another day or two like you can with fresh meats.

The color of fresh beef will be bright red. This comes from the beef muscle pigment. If it is not so bright and is more of a darker red, it is most likely an older cow. If your meat or the meat at the market is grayish in color it is usually from the oxidation of the muscle pigments. You can still eat it if it is graying, as it is perfectly safe.

When checking out the fat on your beef cuts, you should look closely at the color. Fresh beef fat will be white, not yellowing.

These are simple steps in knowing the freshness of your beef cuts. So, pay attention to the coloring of your meats.

Freeze Your Smaller Cuts of Meat

The smaller the cut of meat the more quickly it will spoil. Larger cuts of meat take longer to go bad. You should only store smaller cuts of meat in your refrigerator for a day or two at most. If you can't cook them in that time you need to put them in the freezer. Meats such as cubed meat, stir fry meat, or liver should be cooked within a day or else frozen.

So, freeze those small cuts of meat if you don't have the time to cook them right away.

USDA Meat Grading

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the grading of meat. Usually the packaging of the meat you purchase will indicate the grade of meat it is. Here I will go over some of the grades of meat. The first three I outline here are grades that can be found at your local meat market.

Prime

Prime is very tender because of it's higher fat content. This meat tends to be well marbled, and very expensive. You will not find this at your local supermarket or Walmart, you would only find this in high-end restaurants and butcher shops.

Choice

Choice cuts are fairly expensive, but they are tender cuts of meat. You can find these cuts at your local supermarket, but you are more likely to find them at the butcher shop.

Select

The Select cut of meat is pretty inexpensive and thus it is easier to find at your local supermarket. It is a tougher cut of meat, that will definitely need some tenderizing.

The next grades of meat you won't find in the butcher shops or in the meat case of your local supermarkets. These are Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. Commercial are cuts from older cattle, thus it is tougher meat. It is usually used in frozen dinners and canned meat products. The Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades are the left over bits and pieces used in processed meat products. These grades can be really tough, and are of very low quality.

To find out more about the USDA meat grades visit >> The Grading of Beef

Grilling a Turkey

Grilling a turkey is a really simple process, a lot simpler than most people think. It is great anytime of year, and that goes for Thanksgiving too. It frees up you oven for all kinds of other cooking. A grilled turkey turns out beautiful, juicy, and delicious.

If you follow the simple steps I've going to give you, you will be grilling turkeys like a pro. Whether you use a gas grill or a charcoal grill, you can grill a turkey. When grilling a turkey, you must do it indirect. This basically means that you do not grill it right over the heat, you grill it to the side of the heat source.

Whether you are using a gas grill or charcoal grill you will need a drip pan. A simple aluminum pan will work for this. If using a charcoal grill build the charcoal along the sides of the drip pan. So, if you place the drip pan in the center under the turkey, build the hot coals along the sides of the drip pan. If you use a gas grill, check your owners manual on how to set up indirect grilling.

Once your grill is ready, set the turkey on the grate over the drip pan. Make sure the turkey breast is facing up when grilling. You can now place the cover on the grill. It will take around 2 to 3 hours for a 15 pound turkey to cook. You will want to check the coals from time to time as you may need to add more to keep the heat up.

You will want to check the internal temperature of the turkey often to see how it is cooking. Pull the turkey off the grill when the thigh temperature reads approximately 180 degrees. Once it is off the grill, let is rest for around 15 - 20 minutes before carving it up.

For more information on grill a turkey visit >> How to Grill a Turkey

How to Buy Good Fish

I'm going to show you how to buy good fish, because it can be so easy to get a fish that won't turn out how you like. If you follow the simple tips I'm going to give you, you will start to purchase fish with confidence.

The best thing you can do in order to get great fish is go to a place that specializes in fish. If you have a local fish market, go to that. You just want to make sure you go to a place that has high turnover, you don't want to go somewhere that the fish has been sitting for too long. When you do decide on a place to buy your fish, make sure to ask questions. You will want to know if the fish has been frozen or if it really is fresh.

When buying a fresh fish there are several things you need to look for. Check out the smell of the fish. Does is smell fresh, and ocean-like, or does it have a really "fishy" smell. If it smells too fishy it is best to skip that fish. Check out the eyes on the fish, they should be clear. If they are not clear, or are sunken in, that is a sign of an old fish. Also check out the skin and the gills. The skin should still be shiny and the gills should be red if the fish is still fresh.

When buying frozen fish there are other things you need to look for. Look at the packaging and make sure it isn't damaged in any way. Look at the fishes color; it shouldn't be discolored at all. Also check for freezer burn, and make sure there aren't any ice crystals forming on the fish.

Finally eat your fish the same day you buy it. It will taste a lot better the fresher it is. If you cannot eat it the same day it can be stored in your refrigerator for a day or two at most.

With these simple tips on how to buy good fish, you will never purchase a bad fish again. If you would like more information on buying good fish visit >> 6 Tips on How to Purchase the Best Fish

Deep Frying a Turkey

Deep frying a turkey is a quick and delicious way to cook up a turkey. It makes them super moist and not at all grease as some people think. I'm going to cover the simple process of how to deep fry a turkey.

First and foremost you are going to need all the necessary equipment, and of course a turkey. Your best best is to pick up a turkey fryer kit. These kits contain most of the necessary equipment to fry your turkey. You will also need a thermometer to measure the oil temperature. Peanut oil is the best oil for deep frying a turkey because I believe it gives the best flavor. You'll need about 3 gallons of it. And you will also need a propane tank. Make sure your propane tank is pretty full, you don't want to run out in the middle of frying your turkey.

>>Tips on Buying a Turkey<<

Once you have your turkey and all you equipment set up make sure you follow all the safety directions for your deep fryer kit. Fire and oil can be a dangerous combination. And of course this should all be done outdoors.

Once you've added your oil to the proper level for your size of turkey heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees. Once the oil is heated to the proper level, lower your thawed turkey slowly into the oil using the hanger from your turkey fryer kit. It is going to take right around 3 minutes per pound to deep fry your turkey. Once it is complete slowly lift the turkey out using the hanger once again.

Once you have it out, let it rest for around 15 - 20 minutes before carving it up. There you go, a simple, delicious way to cook up a turkey. If you would like more information on deep frying a turkey visit >> How to Deep Fry a Turkey

Grilling Fish with Skin

Grilling fish with skin sound like a difficult task because fish is so delicate and tends to stick, however it really isn't as hard as it seems. Yes, your first time out with out the simple tips I'm going to show you, you may have had problems, but you won't anymore.

One of the most important things you can do to grill fish with skin is having a clean grill grate. So make sure it is clean before placing you fish on it. When grilling fish with the skin on you want the the heat level at a medium-high. So set up your charcoal or gas grill for a medium-high heat level. You are going to grill the fish directly over the heat source as well.

To help prevent you fish from sticking, brush the skin side of the fish with a bit of melted butter, olive oil, or canola oil. Once the skin is brushed with a bit of oil or butter and the grill is heated, place the fish on the grill skin side down directly over the heat. Now place the lid on your charcoal grill or shut the lid on your gas grill. Keeping the lid closed with help with cooking your fish evenly and quickly.

It will only take around 10 minutes or so to cook your fish, so you will want to check on it once in awhile. When you check on your fish ensure that the skin isn't burn, but just crisping up a bit. If it looks like it is burning, slide some aluminum foil under the fish. Cooking the fish skin side down does not require you to flip it.

See how easy grilling fish with skin is. For more information on grilling fish with skin visit >> How to Grill Fish on the Skin

Roasted Peppers on the Grill

Roasted peppers on the grill are absolutely fabulous. They turn out sweet and soft, and have a bit of smokiness to them as well. They are great to eat on their own, or to add to salads and other dishes. Grilling peppers is actually really fast and easy to. I'm going to show you how.

You are going to want to roast your peppers directly over the heat. So whether your using a charcoal or a gas grill set it up so you are able to place the peppers right over the heat. As far as heat goes, you are going to want it high. So, get those coals red hot if you are using a charcoal grill.

If you are grilling larger peppers you can cut them in half to make roasting them quicker, but you do not have to. Place the peppers on the grate directly over the heat. At a high level of heat, right over the heat source it will take approximately 5 minutes per side to roast.

Flip the peppers at about the 5 minute mark. You should start to see some charring. This is a good thing. It will give your peppers a good flavor. Once your peppers are done, pull them off the grill and place them in a bowl. Cover the bowel with plastic wrap. What you are doing here is steaming of the tough skins. After about 20 minutes you should be able to peel the skins off.

You don't have to get all the skin off, a bit of char will add some flavor. All that is left is just to cut off the stems and scrap out the seeds. It is really that simple. Roasted peppers on the grill are just awesome. Try out some of the different variety and color of peppers out there, you're bound to find some really great flavors. To learn more about roasting peppers visit >> How to Grill Peppers in 6 Easy Steps

How to Grill Asparagus

I love asparagus. It is such a delicious healthy food. Here I am going to show you how to grill asparagus. Most people when preparing asparagus just steam it or microwave it. However it can be so much more delicious when done on the grill. It is the perfect side dish for any cookout.

Grilling asparagus brings out so much more flavor than steaming it, that is why I prefer to grill it any chance I get. One of the big problems with grilling asparagus is that it can fall through the grill grates. This is easily fixed by using toothpicks or skewers. You can find both bamboo and metal skewers that will work perfectly, but if you don't have any on hand toothpicks work just fine.

The get the asparagus ready to grill, wash it up good and break off the end piece where it starts to get woody. It will naturally snap at the right spot once you start bending it. At this point you want to toss a little olive oil and seasonings on them. I like a little sesame oil and seed on mine. You can experiment and see what you prefer.

Before grilling your asparagus you will need to either skewer them, or you can through them in a vegetable grill basket, or even place them on aluminum foil. You will want to place the asparagus directly over the coals, or heat source if using a gas grill. If you are using skewers, it is only going to take around 2 - 3 minutes per side to cook. Keep a close on on them. With a vegetable grill basket or aluminum foil, the cook time will be a bit longer; more like 4 minutes per side.

There you have it, grilled asparagus. It is such a quick and easy way to gill asparagus, and the flavor is fantastic. For more information on how to grill asparagus visit >> Grilled Asparagus

What are Baby Back Ribs?

Baby back ribs sometime referred to back ribs or loin ribs are cut from tops of the pig's rib cage between the spine and spare ribs. These type of ribs are cut from the loin section of the hog making them really tender in comparison to your spare ribs.

A typical rack of baby back ribs will have between 10-13 ribs. The ribs get short toward one end do to the tapering of the pig's rib cage. Being that these ribs are shorter and more tender they are the most popular choice when it comes to ribs.

People often wonder why they call them baby back ribs. The reason they get the name baby is because they ribs are cut from market weight hogs which usually fall between 240-270 lbs, instead of adult hogs which are usually 500-650 lbs.

If you are looking to barbecue up a rack of ribs, baby back ribs are an excellent choice. For more information on baby back ribs visit >> Baby Back Ribs vs. Spare Ribs

What are Spare Ribs?

Spare ribs or spareribs are a cut of pork ribs from the bottom section of the pigs ribs. They are basically cut from the belly side of the pigs rib cage. Spare ribs are a large cut of rib that is more meatier than your baby back ribs. However this cut of ribs is also a lot tougher.

The slabs of spareribs being larger usually need to be cut to a more manageable size for ease of cooking and handling. When it comes to cooking these ribs you will want to barbecue them a lot longer. This is because they are a tougher rack of ribs compared to baby backs. The longer cooking session will help make these spare ribs more tender and delicious.

For more information on spare ribs visit >> Baby Back Ribs vs. Spare Ribs

St. Louis Style Ribs

St. Louis style ribs are actually a cutting style from a rack of spare ribs. The spare ribs are cut to make it more of a rectangular rack. Trimming up the spare ribs in to St. Louis Style ribs will make the rack of ribs a lot more easier to cook and also serve. If you have ever looked at a rack of spare ribs you can see how awkward the shape is for cooking; cutting them up St. Louis Style help to get the rack more uniform.

To cut St. Louis Style ribs form spare ribs you need to cut the cartilage at the ends of the ribs. What you get when you do this trimming is what is called rib tips. You will want to keep those as they can be cooked up too. They are delicious. You will also notice some loose meat that runs along the slab of ribs, this is called the skirt and should also be removed.

The final step in trimming spare ribs into St. Louis Style ribs is removing the membrane. This is a tough membrane and to remove it you will want to slide a knife under it and pry it up. Once you get is pried up a bit you can grab the membrane and peel it off.

The finished ribs are now cut St. Louis Style and are ready to hit the barbecue. If you would like more information check out >> What are St. Louis Style Ribs?

How to Microwave Corn on the Cob

If you want some delicious corn on the cob but don't want to wait for the time it takes to boil it or grill it you can microwave it. Microwaved corn on the cob is quick and easy and can turn out just as good as if you were to boil it.

You can microwave your corn on the cob a couple ways. You can do it with the husk on, or remove the husk. To microwave corn on the cob with the husk on, trim the ends, excess silk, and any loose or dry leaves. Place the ears of corn in your microwave so they are not touching one another. Depending upon the wattage of your microwave it will take about 2 to 4 minutes per ear of corn.

Once it is done let the corn sit for a minute or so in the husks, as it will continue to steam and cook. Check to see if the corn on the cob is done by peeling back the husks a bit.You can feel the kernels and taste them to ensure that they are done. If they are not yet finished just lay the husk back down and put back into the microwave for a minute or so more.

The other method to cook corn on the cob in the microwave is to shuck the corn before cooking. Completely shuck the ears of corn removing all the leaves and silk. Place the ears of corn in a microwave safe dish or on a plate. At this point you can add seasoning if you would like. Cover the corn on the cob with a microwave safe lid, plastic wrap, or even a paper towel. Again depending upon the wattage of your microwave it will take around 2 to 4 minutes per ear of corn.

That is it, a fast and easy way to cooking corn on the cob in the microwave. If you have ever wanted to try to make grilled corn on the cob, check out this article >> How to Grill Corn

Perfect Scrambled Eggs Every Time

Scrambled eggs are one of my favorite meals for breakfast, and even sometimes dinner. There a such a quick and easy meal, but a lot of people seem to have a problem making them just right. Here are some tips to make perfect scrambled eggs every time.

If you want really good scrambled eggs, you are going to have to not worry about extra fat. Adding extra fat to your eggs is going to give the eggs a better texture and keep them from getting tough. To get more fat into your scrambled eggs add another yolk or two and also some 2% or whole milk. You could even add some half and half.

When scrambling your eggs, do not over do it. A nice light scrambling with the eggs completely combined with the milk is enough. Also use a smaller stainless steel saute pan. Using a smaller pan makes for a thicker layer of eggs, which in turn is hard to overcook.

When cooking your scrambled eggs start them off on a medium-high heated saute pan, which will create the nice fluffy, large scrambled eggs. Once they started to set, you will want to cut the heat so as not to overcook them. There is nothing worse than overcooked scrambled eggs.

If you wanted to add some other things to your scrambled eggs make sure to keep away from ingredients that are really moist such as tomatoes. Moist ingredients such as these will end up giving you watery eggs. It is best to stick with saute vegetables like peppers and onions. You can of course add cheeses and pre-cooked meats to your scrambled eggs as well, just add them in once the eggs are finished.

They few simple steps will help you make some really good scrambled eggs every time.

>>How to Grill Corn

Is Cured Ham Already Cooked?

Is cured ham already cooked? This is a question a lot of people ask when looking to buy a ham. This is especially true around the holiday season when more and more people are looking to get a ham. It is a very valid question for someone who has never purchased a ham before.

Cured ham is pork that has gone through a curing process to preserve the meat. There are many ways of curing meat, but for the most part the ham you purchase at your local grocery store is more than likely wet cured and smoked. The ham is soaked in a salt water brine as well as being injected with other ingredients such as sugar and sodium nitrate. Often times they are smoked as well.

Most of these cured hams are ready to eat and will be prominently label as such. They will have the cooking instructions right on the packaging as well. To prepare your cured ham you will just want to add a glaze and heat it up to 140 degrees.

So, for the most part, cured hams are pre-cooked and just need to be heated to 140 degrees, if they are not pre-cooked they will be label stating "cook before eating".

>>What are St. Louis Style Ribs?

Cooking Up Vegetables It's Never Been Easier

Your mother probably always told you to eat your vegetables. Here are some really simple ways to cook up your veggies to get more of them in your diet.

Of course there is always just eating them raw. Some vegetable are just fantastic raw. Fresh from your garden your the farmers market. Radishes, carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, etc. These are perfect for tossing together for a fresh snack or to add to a salad.

A simple way to prepare some vegetables is to boil them. It isn't as popular as it once was, but it is an effective method of cooking up those veggies. Potatoes are the main one that comes to mind for boiling. Who does like some fresh mashed potatoes. Just cover the vegetables with water, bring to a boil, then slow the boil to just a simmer. The veggies are done once they are tender.

Steaming is a perfect way to cook up your vegetables. You can use a vegetable steamer or just a pan with a good fitting lid. Steaming with soften up the veggies, but won't over do it like boiling can. Plus it will leave all the nice color that your veggies have. You can steam all sort of vegetables from broccoli and cauliflower, to asparagus and sweet peas.

Who doesn't like a stir fry. Stir frying veggies into an Asian dish is absolutely fantastic and easy too. It is a really quick way of cooking your vegetables and when mixed with some of the different sauces available today it can be really good. You will want to chop your vegetables into smaller chunks and piece for quicker cooking.

Grilled vegetables are absolutely fantastic. It is the perfect side dish to any barbecued meal. There are several ways to grill up your vegetables that will leave them tasting really delicious. The grill imparts so much flavor to your meals. Once you try it you will never go back to cooking your veggies inside during the summer.

>>Tips for Great Grilled Vegetables

Of course there is always baked vegetables. It is an easy way of cooking veggies like potatoes and carrots. Who hasn't had a baked potatoes, they are really delicious. And so are cooked carrots in a pot roast. Boy does that bring back memories.

The simplest way to cook up some veggies is just using your microwave. It is super simple and extremely fast. If don't have much time and want to get more vegetables in your diet, the microwave is a great way to do it.

See, it can really be simple to get more vegetables in your diet with the variety of different ways of preparing them. So, pick up some veggies and see which cooking method you prefer.

Spice Up Your Foods with Peppercorns

There is no need to be using your old pre-ground black pepper in a tin, you can get so much more flavor in you foods by using peppercorns. When you make the switch, you can tell the difference it makes in you meals right away. It adds so much more flavor.

There are several different varieties of peppercorns available to the home cook. You can use them to provide unique flavors to meals. Use them in sauces, dressings, rubs, marinades are just right on you foods for and exciting flavor explosion. Let's cover a few of the different peppercorns that are available.

Black peppercorns are the most common. This is basically like the pre-ground stuff your mom used from the tin. It does however have a lot more flavor than the pre-ground pepper. If you don't grind it right away, black peppercorns will retain there flavor for some time.

Green peppercorns are harder to find. These are immature peppercorns,and they have a very fresh flavor. This type of peppercorn is perfect for use in salad dressings, sauces, or for using on your vegetables.

Pink peppercorns are one of the rarest. They have a really unique flavor. It is somewhat spicy and sweet. It is a really fragrant variety of peppercorn. It goes really well with light sauces and vinaigrettes.

White peppercorns have a potent spicy flavor like your black pepper. It works great in foods in which you do not want to have the black specks showing. It is perfect for your lighter color sauces too.

There are many other varieties of peppercorns available, but these are a great start and a significant step up from your pre-ground pepper in a tin. Give some peppercorns a try and see how much more flavorful you dishes can be.

>>Smoked Salt

Half the World's Food is Thrown Away

A report called Global Food; Waste Not, Want Not is claiming that half the world's food is just thrown away. That is extremely staggering if you ask me. If that is actually the case it is really said since so many hungry people could be fed.

The waste is said to be caused by poor storage facilities and infrastructure, consumers being way to picky, and also overly strict sell-by dates.This is according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Every year countries produce four billion tons of food, but between 30 percent and 50 percent of it never gets eaten.

The report also states that half the food purchased in Europe and the US is thrown away after it is purchased. It is also stated that in the food production process large amounts of water are wasted.

I see a lot of food waste around me, and just multiply what I see on a global level. It has to be staggering. Things may only get worse as the world population grows.

>>How to grill asparagus