America's Test Kitchen Season 11

Mark Seen

Old-Fashioned Sunday Dinners Jan 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 Toppingequipment:Plastic Food Storage Containersscience:Brining

Mark Seen

Desserts with an English Accent Jan 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 Shortbreadequipment:The Best Small Appliancesscience:The Science of Stale Bread

Mark Seen

Tostadas and Empanadas Jan 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)

Mark Seen

Chewy Brownies and Chocolate Cupcakes Jan 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 Fillingequipment:Best Baking Gadgets

Mark Seen

Italian Comfort Classics Feb 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 Polentaequipment:Best Kitchen Gadgets

Mark Seen

Fall Favorites Feb 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 Applesequipment:Inexpensive Instant-Read Thermometers

Mark Seen

Seafood in a Skillet Feb 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 Filletsequipment:Inexpensive Nonstick Skilletsscience:Caramelizing vs. Browning

Mark Seen

Coffee Break Sweets Feb 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 Cakeequipment:Adjustable Electric Kettles

Mark Seen

Dutch Oven Classics Feb 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.

Mark Seen

Asian Favorites at Home Mar 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

Mark Seen

Southern Fare Reinvented Mar 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 ChickenEquipment:Electric Pressure CookersScience:Salting the Milk

Mark Seen

Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Mar 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 CarrotsEquipment:Jamie Oliver Flavour ShakerTaste Test:Horseradish, All-Purpose Vegetable Oils

Mark Seen

Sweet Endings Mar 26, 2011 Satisfy your sweet tooth with our recipes for Chewy Sugar Cookies and foolproof Berry Fool. Recipe:Chewy Sugar Cookies, Berry FoolEquipment:Innovative Mixing Bowls

Mark Seen

Weeknight Workhorses Apr 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 SauceEquipment:Fire Extinguishers, Meat Pounders

Mark Seen

Thanksgiving Turkey Apr 9, 2011 Test cook Julia Collin Davison shows how to make the perfect Old-Fashioned Stuffed Turkey. Equipment Corner: Hybrid Chef's Knives

Mark Seen

Easier Italian Favorites Apr 16, 2011 Recipes for Hearty Minestrone and Almost Hands-Free Risotto are shared.

Mark Seen

Steak Frites Apr 23, 2011 Christopher Kimball searches for the best steak frites in Paris. Foolproof Vinaigrette is featured.

Mark Seen

Shrimp in a Skillet Apr 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 FetaTaste Test:Feta CheeseScience:Muscle in Fish vs. Muscle and Meat

Mark Seen

Deep Dish Pizza May 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 PizzaDeep-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 SaladWe wanted complementary flavors and textures in every bite—not a random collection of bland, watery produce from the crisper drawer.

Mark Seen

All-American Fruit Desserts May 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 PieCherry 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 CrispApple 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 ScoopsAlmost every ice cream scoop can do the job—but we demanded ease and comfort.Supermarket Vanilla Ice CreamTwenty-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.

Mark Seen

Grilled Pork Chops and Ribs May 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 GrillMemphis 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 ChopsTo 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 GadgetsHere are our favorite grill gadgets that make grilling easier, more fun, and more productive.

Mark Seen

Simply Italian May 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 FocacciaThe 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 PastaWhole-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?

Mark Seen

Great Grilled Roast Beef Jun 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 RosemaryGrill-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.SmokersThough plenty of rib and brisket enthusiasts convert their grills into makeshift smokers, proper lower-temperature smoking is best achieved with a designated appliance. Right?

Mark Seen

Summertime Supper Fare Jun 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 FontinaTaking 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 VinaigretteIdeally, 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 GadgetsHere are some of our favorite gadgets to keep you cool on hot summer days.

Mark Seen

Grilled Steak and Gazpacho Jun 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 SauceWith 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 AndaluzMost 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 TomatoesWhen most brands garner comments like “sour, old, sad,” we just had to ask: What does it take to produce good canned diced tomatoes?

Mark Seen

Lazy Day Breakfast Jun 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 WafflesHow do you get waffles to come out crisp yet fluffy every time? Step one: Stop treating them like bumpy pancakes.French ToastFor 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 IronsOur old favorite model has been discontinued, so we reopened our search for the most efficient performer.