Ratio

1. Master culinary ratios to free yourself from recipes

"When you know a culinary ratio, it's not like knowing a single recipe, it's instantly knowing a thousand."

Culinary freedom. Understanding ratios in cooking allows you to create dishes without relying on specific recipes. This knowledge empowers you to improvise, adapt, and experiment in the kitchen. By mastering basic ratios, you can:

• Create countless variations of basic recipes
• Adjust quantities easily for any number of servings
• Substitute ingredients while maintaining proper proportions

Fundamental building blocks. Ratios represent the core relationships between ingredients in various dishes. Key ratio examples include:

• Bread dough: 5 parts flour : 3 parts water
• Pie dough: 3 parts flour : 2 parts fat : 1 part water
• Vinaigrette: 3 parts oil : 1 part vinegar

Understanding these ratios allows you to create a wide range of dishes from a few basic principles, rather than memorizing numerous individual recipes.

2. Doughs and batters: The foundation of baking

"Baking is infinitely nuanced and there are ultimately too many variables to account for in any single recipe."

Dough continuum. Doughs and batters form a spectrum based on their flour-to-liquid ratio. This ranges from stiff doughs like pasta to pourable batters like crepes. Understanding this continuum allows you to:

• Adjust consistency for desired results
• Troubleshoot baking issues
• Create new variations of baked goods

Mixing methods matter. The order and technique of combining ingredients significantly impact the final product. Key mixing methods include:

• Creaming method (for cakes and cookies)
• Foaming method (for sponge cakes)
• Straight mixing method (for quick breads and pancakes)

Mastering these methods allows you to achieve the desired texture and structure in your baked goods, even when working with the same ingredients.

3. Stocks: The essence of flavor in cooking

"Stock is the ingredient that most distinguishes restaurant cooking from home cooking."

Flavor foundation. Stocks are the building blocks of many dishes, providing depth and complexity to soups, sauces, and braises. Key points about stocks:

• Basic ratio: 3 parts water : 2 parts bones
• Aromatics (onions, carrots, celery) enhance flavor
• Gentle simmering extracts flavor without cloudiness

Versatility. Homemade stocks elevate cooking in numerous ways:

• Base for soups and sauces
• Braising liquid for meats and vegetables
• Cooking medium for grains and legumes
• Flavor enhancer for many dishes

Making stocks at home, even in small quantities, can significantly improve the quality of your cooking and provide a foundation for countless dishes.

4. Fat-based sauces: Elevate dishes with emulsions

"Fat is flavor. Fat is texture. Fat gives dishes succulence, richness."

Emulsion power. Fat-based sauces like mayonnaise, hollandaise, and vinaigrettes rely on the principle of emulsion to create smooth, stable mixtures. Key ratios:

• Mayonnaise: 20 parts oil : 1 part liquid (plus yolk)
• Hollandaise: 5 parts butter : 1 part yolk : 1 part liquid
• Vinaigrette: 3 parts oil : 1 part vinegar

Versatility and flavor. These sauces enhance a wide range of dishes:

• Mayonnaise: Base for countless dressings and dips
• Hollandaise: Classic accompaniment to eggs, vegetables, and fish
• Vinaigrette: Salad dressing and flavor enhancer for meats and vegetables

Understanding the principles of emulsion allows you to create stable, flavorful sauces that elevate simple ingredients to restaurant-quality dishes.

5. Meat ratios: The art of sausage and forcemeat

"Sausage is one of the culinary glories when it's made and cooked right—a package of inexpensive trim, some fat, some seasoning that can be unparalleled in its deliciousness."

Sausage science. Creating delicious sausages relies on proper ratios of meat, fat, and seasoning:

• Sausage ratio: 3 parts meat : 1 part fat
• Seasoning ratio: 60 parts meat/fat : 1 part salt

Versatility of forcemeat. Beyond traditional sausages, forcemeat (ground or pureed seasoned meat) is used in various preparations:

• Pâtés and terrines
• Stuffings for vegetables or pastries
• Dumplings and meatballs

Understanding these ratios allows you to create a wide range of meat-based dishes, from rustic sausages to elegant pâtés, using similar principles and techniques.

6. Custards: Versatile egg-based creations

"The custard represents the ultimate transformation of the egg."

Custard continuum. Custards range from free-standing to pourable, based on their egg-to-liquid ratio:

• Free-standing custard: 2 parts liquid : 1 part egg
• Crème anglaise (pouring custard): 4 parts milk/cream : 1 part yolk : 1 part sugar

Versatility. Custards can be sweet or savory, and used in various applications:

• Desserts: Crème brûlée, flan, ice cream base
• Savory dishes: Quiche, savory flans, sauces
• Garnishes: Diced custards in soups or salads

Understanding custard ratios allows you to create a wide range of dishes with different textures and flavors, all based on the simple combination of eggs and liquid.

7. Salt's power: Brining and seasoning techniques

"Brine, salt in solution, is an astonishingly powerful tool."

Brining benefits. Brining meats and vegetables offers several advantages:

• Enhances flavor throughout the food
• Improves moisture retention during cooking
• Can be used to preserve foods

Basic brine ratio: 20 parts water : 1 part salt

Seasoning wisdom. Proper salt use is crucial in cooking:

• Salt early to allow flavors to penetrate
• Use kosher or sea salt for better control
• Taste and adjust seasoning throughout cooking

Understanding salt's role in cooking allows you to enhance flavors, improve textures, and create more balanced dishes overall.

8. Cooking methods matter as much as ingredients

"The order and technique of combining ingredients significantly impact the final product."

Technique importance. How you cook is often as crucial as what you cook. Key examples:

• Sautéing vs. roasting vegetables changes flavor and texture
• Slow-cooking vs. quick-cooking meats affects tenderness
• Creaming vs. foaming method in baking produces different cake textures

Temperature control. Proper heat management is essential:

• Low, slow cooking for tough meats and stocks
• High heat for searing and caramelization
• Gentle heat for delicate sauces and custards

Mastering various cooking techniques allows you to achieve desired results consistently and adapt to different ingredients and situations.

9. Adapt ratios for creativity and personalization

"Once you know the ratio, there's no end to the kinds of breads you can create."

Ratio flexibility. While ratios provide a foundation, they're not rigid rules. You can:

• Adjust proportions slightly for different textures or flavors
• Substitute ingredients while maintaining the basic structure
• Add additional flavors or ingredients to create variations

Experimentation. Use ratios as a starting point for creativity:

• Try different fats in pie crusts (butter, lard, oil)
• Vary liquids in bread doughs (water, milk, beer)
• Experiment with flavors in sauces and custards

Understanding the basic ratios allows you to confidently experiment and develop your own unique recipes and variations.

10. Texture and consistency are crucial in cooking

"Consistency is a critical factor in everything we eat."

Texture importance. The feel of food in the mouth is as important as flavor:

• Crispy vs. chewy bread crusts
• Smooth vs. chunky sauces
• Tender vs. tough meats

Achieving desired textures. Different techniques affect texture:

• Kneading develops gluten for chewy breads
• Emulsification creates smooth sauces
• Proper cooking temperatures ensure tender meats

Understanding how to manipulate textures allows you to create more satisfying and well-rounded dishes that appeal to multiple senses.

11. Understanding food science enhances culinary skills

"What makes the culinary arts tick?"

Scientific principles. Understanding the science behind cooking improves results:

• Protein coagulation in eggs and meats
• Gluten development in doughs
• Emulsion stability in sauces

Practical applications. Applying food science knowledge helps in:

• Troubleshooting cooking problems
• Adapting recipes more effectively
• Creating new dishes based on scientific principles

By understanding the underlying science, you can make more informed decisions in the kitchen and achieve more consistent, high-quality results.

Last updated: December 6, 2024