Excerpts From The 4-Hour Chef
TOOLS
ThermoWorks Original Cooking Thermometer and Timer, $19
This is the easiest way to avoid under- and overcooking. No more prodding a steak to see if it’s done. For most meats (always double-check), an internal temperature of 140 degrees should do the job.
Rada Cutlery Chef’s Dicer Knife, $13
Why not use the cheapest knife while you hone your skills? Of everything I’ve tested, that is the Rada. It has a five -inch blade and a lifetime warranty against defects.
AeroPress Coffeemaker, $26
Armed with an AeroPress and a small hand grinder, you can make world-class coffee on an airplane meal tray—no mess, no fuss.
ESSENTIALS
Vinegar
Most “balsamics” are fakes; I suggest sherry vinegar and champagne vinegar instead. Use the sherry with fatty meats and the champagne with foods you don’t want to stain.
Fresh Lemon Juice
If something’s missing, it’s probably acid.
D-Ribose Powder
Dust this supplement on red meats before grilling for an unparalleled meaty flavor. It also improves cardiac energy levels.
RECIPES
Hotel-Sink Salmon
Get a thin fillet. Fill your sink with the hottest water possible. Season salmon and seal inside an airless ziplock bag. Submerge bagged fish. If it’s a small basin, you’ll need to keep the water running to maintain a temperature above 122 degrees. Leave it alone for 20 minutes. You’re done.
Muscle Cricket Protein Bars
These are now mandatory in children’s lunch boxes in southern Japan. Kidding. But bugs are high in protein, vitamins, and iron.
