Most people put more thought into what they’re cooking than what they’re cooking it on. That’s understandable — the brisket is the star. But the grate between your charcoal and your food is doing real scientific work, and the material...
Fueled the Harder Way
Cast Iron — Why the Pan Changes the Cook
Cast iron is one of those things that generates strong opinions without a lot of science behind them. People swear by it, pass it down through generations, and treat seasoning instructions with the kind of seriousness usually reserved for religious...
Lard — The Other Fat That Never Should Have Left
Last week we talked about tallow — the beef fat that was declared a villain, replaced by inferior products, and is now making its comeback. This week we’re covering its pork equivalent, which has an almost identical story and a...
Tallow — The Cooking Fat That Was Thrown Away and Is Coming Back
For most of human history, beef tallow was one of the most common cooking fats in the world. It was cheap, it was stable, it had a high smoke point, and it made food taste good. Then the nutrition science...
What Is Ghee — And Why Serious Cooks Keep Coming Back to It
Last week we talked about butter vs. margarine and why they're not the same ingredient. This week we're going one step further — because if butter wins at the grill, ghee is what you reach for when butter would burn....