November/December 2022

Cook's Illustrated

Your go-to source for foolproof recipes that work.

Cook's Illustrated2 min read
Cook’s Illustrated
Editor in Chief Dan Souza Editorial Director Amanda Agee Deputy Editor Rebecca Hays Executive Food Editor Keith Dresser Managing Editor Elizabeth Bomze Deputy Food Editor Andrea Geary Senior Editors Steve Dunn, Lan Lam, Annie Petito Associate Editor
Cook's Illustrated3 min read
Quick Tips
When recipes instruct to drain off fat after browning meat, Barbara Manchester of North Falmouth, Mass., sometimes struggles to lift the heavy pan and aim the hot oil into a receptacle without spilling the pan’s contents. Her clever solution? Using a
Cook's Illustrated7 min read
Yes, You Can Have the Perfect Turkey
A few years ago, I took our method for roasting a whole turkey back to the drawing board. My goal was to hit all the high points—evenly moist white and dark meat, golden skin, deep seasoning, concentrated gravy—but avoid the hoops we usually jump thr
Cook's Illustrated3 min readRegional & Ethnic
Advanced Cooking
I’ve never had a sip of chilled white wine on Thanksgiving. That’s not to say I haven’t been given the opportunity. It’s the same every year: A loving family member pours me a glass and sets it down by my cutting board. Hours later I look up from the
Cook's Illustrated3 min read
Mushroom Stew, by Way of Burgundy
There are a few criteria any starring component in a stew should meet. Inherent savoriness. The ability to build fond, those rich-tasting browned bits that develop on the pot’s interior surface when food is seared, forming a flavor foundation. And a
Cook's Illustrated6 min readRegional & Ethnic
Noodles for Vegetable Lovers
It’s the noodles in japchae that everyone talks about: their glassy, sepia-tinged translucency; their jaunty springiness; and their ability to soak up all the salty-sweet, toasty dressing yet still retain so much good chew. But it’s the vegetables th
Cook's Illustrated6 min read
Chicken Karahi Is a Feeling
The bustling food streets of Old Lahore are the gastronomic heart of Pakistan. Locals and tourists stroll from stall to stall, delighting in the joys of taka tak (minced spiced offal sizzled in butter), icy metal cups of buttermilk lassi, deep-fried
Cook's Illustrated7 min read
Your Holiday Table’s Crown Jewel
I had logged on to a video call to talk to Najmieh Batmanglij about the iconic Persian dish javaher polo—to get her tips for cooking the rice that forms its base and to learn which nuts and fruits she uses to garnish it—but I soon found that she had
Cook's Illustrated3 min read
An Elegant Salmon Hors d’Oeuvre
Swiped across a toasted baguette slice at a party, salmon rillettes feel extravagant. But the cook is the one who experiences its true luxury—the savory spread comes together quickly from a handful of ingredients, and it can be made up to a day ahead
Cook's Illustrated4 min read
Make-Ahead Cheese Soufflés
Ballooned, fragrant, and crowned with a bronzed and delicately crisped top, a cheese soufflé is a dramatic first course. Its dual consistency of rich creaminess and light airiness seems to defy the laws of physics, and cooks who can pull off this app
Cook's Illustrated5 min read
For Love of Brussels Sprouts
There’s so much flavor potential tucked away in brussels sprouts. The buds’ tightly packed leaves have an abundance of an enzyme called myrosinase and sulfur-rich compounds called glucosinolates. When the leaves are cut, their damaged cells release t
Cook's Illustrated4 min read
Celebration-Worthy Salads
I ’m going to take a controversial stance here: Your Thanksgiving spread needs a salad. Yes, I know that the holidays are for unabashed enjoyment of all things rich, starchy, and beige, but hear me out. A salad not only livens up the table with vibra
Cook's Illustrated6 min read
Piping Hot Dinner Rolls, on Demand
I believe in the power of fresh bread. When I sit down to dinner at the end of a long day, there’s nothing I find more comforting than a warm roll alongside my supper—the puff of yeasty steam that rises as the delicately crisp crust is broken open; t
Cook's Illustrated6 min read
This Holiday Showstopper Checks Every Box
The scenario: You’ve been asked to make a dessert for a big holiday celebration, and you’re keen to impress. But maybe you’re daunted by grand sweets. Or worried that it will become disheveled during transport. Or you’ll be busy on the day of the par
Cook's Illustrated4 min readRobotics
The Evolution of Robot Vacuums
When we’re done cooking for the night, our kitchen floors can probably tell you what we just made for dinner. At that point, the last thing we want to do is break out the broom or vacuum. Enter robot vacuums, which promise to take care of messes for
Cook's Illustrated6 min read
All About American Caviar and Roe
The first caviar was made centuries ago, in what is now Russia and Iran, from the eggs of an ancient family of bony fish called sturgeon that were caught in the Caspian Sea. But the United States has its own history with this storied delicacy; eight
Cook's Illustrated5 min readDiet & Nutrition
Kitchen Notes
A skim of conventional egg wash (typically one whole egg mixed with a little milk or water) brushed on before baking boosts the flavor and visual appeal of all kinds of baked goods. In a classic wash, the egg’s proteins and sugars trigger Maillard br
Cook's Illustrated6 min readDiet & Nutrition
Ingredient Notes
You can make honey mustard by stirring together your favorite honey and mustard, and it will be delicious. But you may want to buy it instead. Most store-bought versions contain additional sweeteners that give them a unique piquancy and complexity th
Cook's Illustrated5 min read
Equipment Corner
Infrared thermometers measure the surface temperature of an object quickly and can do so from relatively far away out making contact with the object itself. They’re great for taking the temperatures of outdoor pizza ovens, scanning your refrigerator

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