Basic Food Questions.

[Jester]

Aka, stupid food questions. Because some of these are pretty basic. And while most of you know I enjoy cooking, these are some things that I have come across that, frankly, I do NOT know the answer to.

Now, I have been working on tweaking my chili recipe, and while I have only made the chili twice, I think it rocks. But the original recipe was one I cobbled together from my own opinions on the dish, some experiences, and some bits and pieces of other recipes I found online while putting it all together.

In this recipe, I use a can of whole peeled tomatoes, and a can of crushed tomatoes. Later in the cooking process, after these have cooked with some peppers, onions, and garlic, I blend them with a stick blender. Which brings me to Stupid Question Number One: Since I am blending them, is there any real difference between whole peeled tomatoes and crushed tomatoes? Do they bring different things to the party? Or should I just buy two cans of either? (Remember, a lot of this recipe came from other people's recipes, and I am just now starting to wonder about this.)

Stupid Question Number Two: Is there any difference between "beef broth" and "beef stock" (or "chicken broth" and "chicken stock,"etc.)? I am speaking of the store bought variety, not homemade. This one has bothered me for a while, long before the Great Chili Quest of 2009.

Stupid Question Number Three: Is there any difference, other than the way they are cut, between "top sirloin steaks" and "petite sirloin steaks?" I don't know if this one is all that stupid, as the meat in the two packages DID look different, in color and marbling.

Stupid Question Number Four: Is there really any damn difference between different brands of canned beans of the same variety (i.e., black beans), other than the brand name, the packaging, and the price? Ditto whole peeled tomatoes and other canned vegetables. I am talking about the basic varieties, mind you, not the ones flavored with something (like basil). Seriously....is there any reason I should be paying more for, say, Iberia than Goya? Or for that matter, a supermarket's own brand?

I look forward to some Intelligent Answers to these pretty much Stupid Questions. And if anyone else has a Stupid Food Question that they feel silly about asking, but really do want the answer to, feel free to add it to this thread!

Jester, King of the Stupid Questions.

[Green_Fairy]

Stupid Question Number Two: Is there any difference between "beef broth" and "beef stock" (or "chicken broth" and "chicken stock,"etc.)? I am speaking of the store bought variety, not homemade. This one has bothered me for a while, long before the Great Chili Quest of 2009.

yes...there's a big difference. if i remember my food network correctly, broth is typically made from just water and meat, while stock is made from meat, bone, veggies, broth, and water.

Stupid Question Number Four: Is there really any damn difference between different brands of canned beans of the same variety (i.e., black beans), other than the brand name, the packaging, and the price? Ditto whole peeled tomatoes and other canned vegetables. I am talking about the basic varieties, mind you, not the ones flavored with something (like basil). Seriously....is there any reason I should be paying more for, say, Iberia than Goya? Or for that matter, a supermarket's own brand?

there isn't really much of a difference. you might find an extra twig in the generic dried beans that you wouldn't get in the more expensive, but i'm pretty sure a bean's a bean.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Stock vs. Broth, according to Teh Wiki...

mmm, meat jello...

*A more in-depth analysis, here, basically boils down (heh) to "they're the same thing"...

[Fire_on_High]

Beans are beans, pretty hard to fuck up something that simple, or gussy it up enough to be worth extra cash. You should notice pretty much zero difference between the store brand and the most expensive brand.

[Jester]

Thank you for your responses. Now I just need someone to answers Stupid Questions One and Three....

[BookstoreEscapee]

Thank you for your responses. Now I just need someone to answers Stupid Questions One and Three....

Sorry, I hate tomatoes. Don't think I've ever actually bought any kind of steak...my guess...petite is smaller

[Jester]

Yes, I know petite is smaller. I am guessing it is a smaller cut. But what I don't know is whether it is also different meat, or different quality. The person at the butcher counter seemed to be more the cleanup person, and wasn't very knowledgable about what I was asking.

[MaggieTheCat]

Regarding tomatoes:

I just happened to have a can of whole tomatoes, and a can of diced tomatoes, in my pantry, both by the same brand. The ingredient list is exactly the same and the nutritional value is exactly the same. So, I'd have to say, no, there is no difference between the two aside from size and texture. If you're going to be blending it all together, I'd say go with whatever is cheaper, or else probably the diced variety since it should blend faster.

Regarding beans:

A bean is a bean is a bean, but keep an eye on what added ingredients and preservatives the off-brands use, if you're buying canned beans. I made an enchilada dish recently with refried beans. I had one can of Busch's, and one can of some off-brand. Busch's were far better than the off-brand, despite the fact that they were marketed as the same thing. The off-brand was much oilier and had some ingredients in it that the Busch's didn't.

Edit: Okay, I realize you said "crushed" tomatoes instead of "diced" tomatoes, but I still think there isn't a difference. Just check the ingredient list of the two cans that you used to be sure.

[EricKei]

I wasn't able to find anything profoundly useful about sirloin. I'll ask my brother, he used to do butchery stuff ages ago.

Generic vs other beans: Beans are beans. Just beware the horror that is Bean Day

Tomatoes: Well -- in chili, I figure that one might add diced ones AFTER blending, so that they will add texture to the final product. Probably varies by recipe and individual taste. Any 'maters that go in before blending will come out more or less identical, so it probably doesn't matter whether they're whole or crushed.

[Jester]

I should probably have pointed out that it is a "rough" blend...I don't go for a puree or even a uniform consistency. It is more to break stuff up....so there are chunky maters there, and there may be a difference in texture between the two types. (I dunno if there IS, I asked the question, remember?)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

If your ingredient list on the tomatos are the same, then the only real difference between diced, crushed, whole, or even pureed is the texture. I have used all three at different times making tomato gravy and the end product is always the same because I cook it all down till it's sauce anyways.

I like the diced in chili or summer sauce because I like the texture.

If you get whole, UNPEELED tomatoes, you will get some bits of skin which don't cook down. You may not like that.

Now, tomato PASTE is different. It's got very little water and you use it as a thickener in sauces and whatnot. But everything else is pretty much the same.

As for beans, I see no difference brand to brand, again provided the ingredients are the same.

[trailerparkmedic]

I asked my little sister about the steak (she learned about this sort of stuff in college). She's fairly confident in her answer but warns that it's been a few years since she learned this.

Petite sirloin is from the butt (round) of the cow and can also be called a tip sirloin steak. Top sirloin is from the loin of the cow (to the left of the round). Top sirloin is generally going to be a bit more tender, but it mostly depends upon the meat in front of you. The piece with more marbling will be more tender and have more flavor. Both can be cooked however you like to cook your steak.

As far as different brands of canned veggies and beans go, I've tried most brands (whatever is on sale) and I've never found a difference, though I'm not a foodie. I mostly just go with the cheapest store brand in my cooking.

[Jester]

If you get whole, UNPEELED tomatoes, you will get some bits of skin which don't cook down. You may not like that.

I don't. And I figured that. Which is why I make a point of finding the peeled ones.

Now, tomato PASTE is different. It's got very little water and you use it as a thickener in sauces and whatnot.

I actually do use a small (6 oz.) can of tomato paste in my chili as well, to help thicken it. But that is a whole separate issue, and one I was not confuzzled about.

Petite sirloin is from the butt (round) of the cow and can also be called a tip sirloin steak. Top sirloin is from the loin of the cow (to the left of the round). Top sirloin is generally going to be a bit more tender, but it mostly depends upon the meat in front of you. The piece with more marbling will be more tender and have more flavor.

I thought they looked different. And I very much like the way the steak turns out in my chili, so I am going to stick to the top sirloin steaks from now on. Thank your sister for me!

[TOLady]

Here's the information on the tomatoes. Apparently, they use a better grade of tomatoes for the diced to keep their form.

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/tast...asp?docid=9958

I can't stand skins myself, and, since I usually have the time, I prefer to blanch, peel and seed my own, although with the amount of rain we got this year, our tomatoes were pretty tasteless and I didn't bother canning any myself.

Now I wants me some Jester's Chili! *pout*

I'll make the cheesie, spicy biscuits to go with if you save me some.

I'll even bring some great Canadian beer!

It might take me a while to get there, but I'm on my way. Shall I just shout for you in the streets when I get to your area?

[Jester]

Apparently, they use a better grade of tomatoes for the diced to keep their form.

Ah, but I was not asking about diced. I was wondering about the difference between whole unpeeled and crushed.

Now I wants me some Jester's Chili!

You and everyone who's tasted it....and a few others.

I'll even bring some great Canadian beer!

As long as you don't consider "Molson's" or "Moosehead" synonymous with "great."

Shall I just shout for you in the streets when I get to your area?

I know I often say this is a small island. But it is 2 by 4 miles, it does have 28,000 permanent residents, and we do get thousands of tourists here every single day.

Merely shouting for in the streets is rather unlikely to help you find me.

Especially since most people do not refer to me as "Jester."