The Professional Chef final notes (file under a Must Read for anyone serious about food)

As I wrote the other day I’ve finished reading the Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America. This post is going to deal with the rest of what I learned (well some of it anyway) and then I am going to write another post about the various cuts and sizes and yet another about my experiences this past week at Reservation as well as some containing more pictures of my food made with love and for love.

The Professional Chef instructs you on all the things that you need to know whether you want to be an incredible home hobby chef or as the title suggests a professional chef. It has endless recipes which are a great base from which to jump in the kitchen and create your own masterpieces. It teaches you how to buy the right equipment, use the equipment and prepare your mise en place for just about anything.

Of course reading this book has been a massive undertaking. Think of it as reading the kitchens bible and it really did put a fire in my belly to become even more than I already have. So as a final note on The Professional Chef I include the following information for your perusal.

How do you know when you’ve cooked the perfect steak? Or pork tenderloin? Or fish? Of course the obvious answer is to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. However, if you are really good and have tuned all of your senses you can tell doneness by touch, smell and sight. The following is both the temperature guidelines and the visual signal for doneness.

Fresh Beef, Lamb and Veal

Rare should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit and have a shiny interior.
Medium Rare should be 145 degree Fahrenheit and look deep red to pink.
Medium should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit and look pink to light pink.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit and have no pink

Fresh Pork

Medium should be 160 degree Fahrenheit should appear opaque and have juices that are faintly blushed.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit, when touching it there should be a slight give and the juices will run clear.

Ham

Fresh Ham should be cooked to 160 degree Fahrenheit and should have a slight give while the juices are faintly blushed.

Poultry

Whole birds should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the leg should move easily in the socket while the juices run faintly blushed.
Poultry breasts should be done to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and should appear firm and opaque.
Thighs, legs and wings should be done to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat should release easily from the bone.
Stuffing should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Seafood

Fish should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and should still be moist and easy to separate.

My next post is going to be on the proper sizes of the various cuts that I’ve learned.

Karen Rivn reminds me constantly that; “Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” Are you reaching for your personal stars?

Dream inspired! Grow. Be and discover that life is not the abstract you think. It is determined purpose and the daily steps toward your own desires.

A la prochaine

SDM