America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated - Season 11

First aired: 1/8/2011 26 episodes

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Episodes

1. Old-Fashioned Sunday Dinners

Aired: 1/8/2011

Straightforward comfort foods take the spotlight in these classic Sunday night meals. Our Simple Pot Roast cooks up tender and moist, and our Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping is on the table in 90 minutes—without sacrificing the tender, juicy chicken and bright vegetables. recipe: Classic Pot Roast, Chicken Pot Pie With Savory Crumble Topping equipment: Plastic Food Storage Containers science: Brining

2. Desserts with an English Accent

Aired: 1/15/2011

Taking a cue from our neighbors across the pond, we uncover the secrets to Classic Bread Pudding and shortbread. recipe: Classic Bread Pudding, Best Shortbread equipment: The Best Small Appliances science: The Science of Stale Bread

3. Tostadas and Empanadas

Aired: 1/22/2011

We venture to Chicago to learn about Rick Bayless’s famous empanadas, then create our own recipe. Next, we investigate another Latin favorite: pork tostadas. recipe: Beef Empanadas, Spicy Mexican Shredded Pork Tostadas (Tinga)

4. Chewy Brownies and Chocolate Cupcakes

Aired: 1/29/2011

We take a look at boxed and homemade brownies, then share our secrets to getting the best of each. For cupcake fans, we demonstrate how to make our Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes. recipe: Chewy Brownies, Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling equipment: Best Baking Gadgets

5. Italian Comfort Classics

Aired: 2/5/2011

We take two classic Italian dishes and streamline them for the home cook. Our Italian Braised Chicken is easy to prepare but special enough to serve company, and our recipe for Creamy Polenta keeps the creaminess but shortens the cooking time. recipe: Chicken Canzanese, Creamy Parmesan Polenta equipment: Best Kitchen Gadgets

6. Fall Favorites

Aired: 2/12/2011

Most modern-day cooks know roast pork as the lean, bland loin. To return rich, old-fashioned flavor to slow-roasted pork shoulder, we started by taking a closer look at the choices in the butcher’s case. Our recipe for Baked Apples provides a sweet ending. recipe: Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Peach Sauce, Best Baked Apples equipment: Inexpensive Instant-Read Thermometers

7. Seafood in a Skillet

Aired: 2/19/2011

We show you how to shop for and cook perfect Pan-Seared Scallops, then reveal the test kitchen’s secrets to Skillet-Roasted Fish Fillets. recipe: Pan-Seared Scallops, Skillet-Roasted Fish Fillets equipment: Inexpensive Nonstick Skillets science: Caramelizing vs. Browning

8. Coffee Break Sweets

Aired: 2/26/2011

Snack cakes are always a welcome treat. Join us as we whip up two of the best: banana bread and cream cheese coffee cake. recipe: Ultimate Banana Bread, Cream Cheese Coffee Cake equipment: Adjustable Electric Kettles

9. Dutch Oven Classics

Aired: 2/26/2011

Host Christopher Kimball demystifies wine varieties and reveals which brands the test kitchen recommends. He then takes this knowledge to test cook Bridget Lancaster, who whips up the Best Beef Stew. Next, tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges Chris to a tasting of beef broth. And finally, test cook Julia Collin Davison shows Chris how to create the ultimate Chicken and Dumplings.

10. Asian Favorites at Home

Aired: 3/5/2011

Join us as we prepare a different kind of stir-fry—Thai Chicken with Basil—and prove that, with a few recipe modifications, you don’t have to be a Cantonese chef to make great shu mai. Recipe: Thai-Style Chicken with Basil, Steamed Chinese Dumplings (Shu Mai) Equipment: Large Saucepans

11. Southern Fare Reinvented

Aired: 3/12/2011

We re-create delicious pulled porksans grillthen prepare our Easier Fried Chicken recipe, which achieves that signature super-crisp crust and juicy meat without requiring quarts of oil. Recipe: Indoor Pulled Pork with Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce, Easier Fried Chicken Equipment: Electric Pressure Cookers Science: Salting the Milk

12. Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

Aired: 3/19/2011

Our Horseradish-Crusted Beef Tenderloin is the centerpiece of a five-star meal, which we complete with a side of Roasted Carrots. Recipe: Horseradish-Crusted Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Carrots Equipment: Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker Taste Test: Horseradish, All-Purpose Vegetable Oils

13. Sweet Endings

Aired: 3/26/2011

Satisfy your sweet tooth with our recipes for Chewy Sugar Cookies and foolproof Berry Fool. Recipe: Chewy Sugar Cookies, Berry Fool Equipment: Innovative Mixing Bowls

14. Weeknight Workhorses

Aired: 4/2/2011

Weeknight dinners should be quick to make and satisfying. We show you how to perfect two recipes that are both: Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts and Sautéed Pork Cutlets. Recipe: Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts, Sautéed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce Equipment: Fire Extinguishers, Meat Pounders

15. Thanksgiving Turkey

Aired: 4/9/2011

Test cook Julia Collin Davison shows how to make the perfect Old-Fashioned Stuffed Turkey. Equipment Corner: Hybrid Chef's Knives

16. Easier Italian Favorites

Aired: 4/16/2011

Recipes for Hearty Minestrone and Almost Hands-Free Risotto are shared.

17. Steak Frites

Aired: 4/23/2011

Christopher Kimball searches for the best steak frites in Paris. Foolproof Vinaigrette is featured.

18. Shrimp in a Skillet

Aired: 4/30/2011

We show you how to buy the freshest shrimp on the market in order to create Greek-style shrimp and shrimp stir-fries, taking into account the crustacean’s unique cooking qualities. Recipe: Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Red Bell Pepper in Hot and Sour Sauce, Greek-Style Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Taste Test: Feta Cheese Science: Muscle in Fish vs. Muscle and Meat

19. Deep Dish Pizza

Aired: 5/7/2011

Venturing to Chicago for the real deal, we return to the test kitchen to make our own pie worthy of its namesake, as well as a chopped-salad accompaniment. Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza Deep-dish pizza was born in Chicago, where it boasts a distinctively rich, flaky, biscuit-like crust. The problem? No pizzeria in Chicago would tell us how to make it. Mediterranean Chopped Salad We wanted complementary flavors and textures in every bite—not a random collection of bland, watery produce from the crisper drawer.

20. All-American Fruit Desserts

Aired: 5/14/2011

In a world overshadowed by blueberry, apple, and pumpkin fillings, cherry pie is a vividly fruity pastry worthy of revival. We perfect our own recipe, then move to the stovetop, where we prepare the ultimate Skillet Apple Crisp. Sweet Cherry Pie Cherry season is a mere blip on the summer-produce radar. For a juicy pie with the best fruity flavor, we’d have to look beyond the cherry tree. Skillet Apple Crisp Apple crisp invites a devil-may-care attitude: Slice up any old fruit, sprinkle on a topping, and bake. Perhaps that’s why it’s never on anyone’s A-list. Ice Cream Scoops Almost every ice cream scoop can do the job—but we demanded ease and comfort. Supermarket Vanilla Ice Cream Twenty-one Cook’s Illustrated staff members sampled eight national and regional brands of vanilla ice cream plain in a blind tasting, rating each on vanilla flavor, texture, and overall appeal.

21. Grilled Pork Chops and Ribs

Aired: 5/21/2011

We visit Boston’s famous East Coast Grill to learn about ribs, then return to the test kitchen to make our own version of Memphis-Style Barbecued Spareribs and the Best Charcoal Grill–Smoked Pork Chops. Memphis-Style Barbecued Spareribs on a Charcoal Grill Memphis pit masters pride themselves on pork ribs with dark, crusty bark and distinctive chew. We wanted the same bragging rights from our own backyard. Best Charcoal Grill-Smoked Pork Chops To achieve juicy glazed pork infused with deep smoky flavor without a smoker, we couldn't let the chops lie down on the job. Best New Grill Gadgets Here are our favorite grill gadgets that make grilling easier, more fun, and more productive.

22. Simply Italian

Aired: 5/28/2011

Our light and chewy Rosemary Focaccia can compete with any bakery’s, and it makes a pleasant pairing with our authentic Cacio e Pepe, or spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and black pepper. Rosemary Focaccia The dense, greasy bread bricks populating most bakery shelves don’t deserve their hearth- inspired name. Could a little patience—and a hands-off approach—lighten the loaf? Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper (Cacio e Pepe) Whole-Wheat Pasta Whole-wheat pasta used to be awful, with mushy texture an a cardboard taste. Have manufacturers finally figured out how to make it rival white pasta?

23. Great Grilled Roast Beef

Aired: 6/4/2011

We uncover the secrets to injecting flavor into a less-than-perfect cut of beef in our recipe for Inexpensive Charcoal Grill–Roasted Beef, and then serve it alongside Roasted Smashed Potatoes. Inexpensive Charcoal Grill-Roasted Beef with Garlic and Rosemary Grill-roasting seems like an easy way to flavor a less-than-perfect cut of beef—but not if the roast comes out chewy and dry. Smokers Though plenty of rib and brisket enthusiasts convert their grills into makeshift smokers, proper lower-temperature smoking is best achieved with a designated appliance. Right?

24. Summertime Supper Fare

Aired: 6/11/2011

We reveal the keys to two grilled dishes: Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto and Fontina, which has a stuffing that stays put inside moist and smoky chicken, and Grilled Tuna Steaks, which have hot exteriors and cool centers. Charcoal-Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto and Fontina Taking a stuffed chicken breast recipe and adding the smoky flavor of the grill sounds like a good idea—if you can get past the leathery exterior and oozing, flammable filling. Charcoal-Grilled Tuna Steaks with Red Wine Vinegar and Mustard Vinaigrette Ideally, grilled tuna should combine a hot, smoky, charred exterior with a cool, rare, sashimi-like center. So how do you make fish that’s both very hot and very cool? The Best Summer Gadgets Here are some of our favorite gadgets to keep you cool on hot summer days.

25. Grilled Steak and Gazpacho

Aired: 6/18/2011

As the beef capital of the world, Argentina boasts mouthwatering steak dishes in its cuisine. We replicate one dish, Grilled Argentine Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce, and then look eastward to Spain and demonstrate our recipe for Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz. Charcoal-Grilled Argentine Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce With Argentine beef and a wood fire, cooking churrasco in the backyard would be easy. We were stuck with American supermarket steaks and a Weber kettle. Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz Most Americans know gazpacho as a chunky liquid salsa. In Spain, the most famous version is a creamy puree. But to get it right, we’d need more than just a good blender. Canned Diced Tomatoes When most brands garner comments like “sour, old, sad,” we just had to ask: What does it take to produce good canned diced tomatoes?

26. Lazy Day Breakfast

Aired: 6/25/2011

We prepare two breakfast dishes worth getting out of bed for: buttermilk waffles that come out crisp yet fluffy every time, and French toast that’s crisp on the outside and soft—not soggy—on the inside. Buttermilk Waffles How do you get waffles to come out crisp yet fluffy every time? Step one: Stop treating them like bumpy pancakes. French Toast For French toast that’s crisp on the outside and soft—not soggy—on the inside, you need to do more than just throw milk, eggs, and bread into a bowl. Waffle Irons Our old favorite model has been discontinued, so we reopened our search for the most efficient performer.